The 67th edition of the prestigious Clio Awards 2026 celebrated outstanding creative excellence in New York, with agencies from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region delivering an impressive performance by securing 22 awards across categories.
Hosted by actor, writer and producer Keegan-Michael Key, the awards ceremony recognised campaigns and agencies pushing creative boundaries globally. MENA agencies collectively won 1 Gold Clio, 5 Silver Clios and 16 Bronze Clios.
Speaking exclusively on the sidelines of the event, Nicole Purcell, CEO of the Clio Awards, shared her thoughts on the evening and the region’s growing impact. She said, “The vibe is fun and there’s a lot of excitement with the industry gathering and being together. We have a great list of winners. More than 72 per cent of the winners are international winners. We are excited about bringing our jury room to the Middle East next year, and we’d love to see the Middle East growing at the Clio Awards show.”
Agencies by highest number of Clio Awards in the MENA region
| Agency | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IMPACT BBDO | 0 | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| Memac Ogilvy UAE | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| Saatchi & Saatchi UAE | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| VML Riyadh | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| LEO UAE | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Publicis Middle East | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| TBWA\RAAD and TBWA\Nissan United | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| MullenLowe MENA | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Saatchi & Saatchi UAE Takes Home MENA’s Only Gold Clio
Saatchi & Saatchi UAE emerged as the only agency from the MENA region to win a Gold Clio. The agency was recognised for its “Ruby Blooms” campaign created for Nana in collaboration with Prodigious MEA, Mockup10 and Niveo.
Commenting on the achievement, Sebastien Boutebel said, “Winning the only Gold Clio for the MENA region means a lot, especially for a piece like Ruby Blooms for Nana. This was the kind of idea where inclusion is built in – page by page.”
He added, “There’s a very high level of work that is being delivered by agencies across the region, and around the globe, and to land a Gold Clio in that context means that it counts even more.”
Boutebel further said, “We’re proud of the work, we’re proud of the people behind it, and we’re proud of ideas such as these, which are built to be used, not just seen – because that’s what counts.”
The agency also earned two Bronze Clios for its “Let It Fly” initiative for Saudia Airlines, which rewarded travellers supporting local Saudi craftsmanship through collectible luggage stickers tied to extra baggage allowance.
IMPACT BBDO Leads Overall MENA Tally
IMPACT BBDO secured the highest number of awards among MENA agencies with five Clio wins, including one Silver and four Bronze awards.
Speaking about the recognition, Dani Richa said, “We are extremely proud of winning the most Clios in the MENA region for 2026.”
He added, “These wins are not just about the awards: they are testament to the dedication with which we approach effective creativity for all our brand partners. Congrats to our teams, our partners, and to all the winners.”
The agency’s award-winning campaigns included “Inkvisible” for UN Women, “Cheetos Pants” for Cheetos, “Untaught History Edition” for An-Nahar Newspaper, and “Child Wedding Cards” for UN Women.
Memac Ogilvy UAE, VML Riyadh and LEO UAE Secure Multiple Wins
Memac Ogilvy UAE won four Bronze Clios for campaigns including “Honda, Honda Everywhere” for Al-Futtaim Honda and “Affordable Masterpieces” for IKEA Saudi Arabia.
Speaking about the recognition, Gautam Wadher said, “We’re incredibly proud to see two campaigns for some of the biggest brands in our portfolio being recognised at the Clio Awards.”
He added, “Both campaigns received immense love from the public, so seeing them continue that journey into jury rooms and be rewarded with multiple metals each is incredibly reassuring and rewarding for all of us at Memac Ogilvy.”
VML Riyadh secured three awards for campaigns including “Speak My Language” for STC and “Seat With a View” for Flynas.
Meanwhile, LEO UAE earned three wins for “The Great Indian Dunk” campaign developed for the NBA.
Commenting on the campaign’s success, Muhammad Ali quoted basketball legend Kobe Bryant, saying, “You have to work hard in the dark to shine in the light.”
Ali added, “Seeing the campaign go on an epic run at the Clios and achieving what no other campaign in the region has achieved feels like we won our very own World Championship.”
Publicis Middle East, TBWA\RAAD and MullenLowe MENA Also Recognised
Publicis Middle East received two Bronze Clios for campaigns including “There We Are” for Home Centre and “Rescue Squad” for Jeep.
Aunindo Sen said, “We’re incredibly proud to see Home Centre’s ‘There We Are’ recognized with a prestigious Clio.”
Tuki Ghiassi added, “Winning on a global stage reinforces the importance of creating ideas that genuinely participate in culture rather than interrupt it.”
TBWA\RAAD won a Silver Clio for “Mechanic’s Perfect Pitch” developed for Arabian Automobiles – Nissan.
Commenting on the achievement, Derek Green said, “To see such a simple but powerful idea celebrated on a global stage is incredibly special for the entire team.”
MullenLowe MENA also received a Bronze Clio for “Don’t Look Down” created for Fixby.
Reflecting on the campaign, Paul Banham said, “The result was a 9-hour psychological horror film that gained international recognition at the Clios which meant a lot to us as an agency.”
Publicis Groupe Tops Holding Company Rankings in MENA
At the holding company level, Publicis Groupe led the regional tally with eight wins, followed by Omnicom Group and WPP with seven wins each.
Globally, standout winners included “Vaseline Verified” by Ogilvy Singapore, “Three Words” by Publicis Conseil for AXA, and “Gulf of Mexico (Bar)” by LePub Mexico City.
The event also honoured celebrated music producer Mark Ronson and artist Mickalene Thomas with Honorary Clio Awards for their contributions to culture and creativity.
Read more: Publicis Conseil “Three Words” for AXA Wins Best of Show at 2026 One Show
