The United Arab Emirates wins 23 majestic Lions – 1 Grand Prix, 3 Gold, 5 Silver and 14 Bronze, at the 2024 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.
The 71st Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity concluded on June 21, 2024, with the UAE securing an impressive 23 Lions—including 1 Grand Prix, 3 Gold, 5 Silver, and 14 Bronze—across multiple categories such as Grand Prix for Good, Health & Wellness, Print & Publishing, Audio & Radio, Pharma Lions, Industry Craft, Direct, and more.
Winning agencies from the UAE include IMPACT BBDO, Leo Burnett MEA (Middle East & Africa), FP7 McCann, Saatchi & Saatchi ME, MullenLowe MENA McCann Health, and Serviceplan Group Middle East, alongside the brand Floward MENA.
Simon Cook, CEO, LIONS, said, “As we wrap up another year of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, I hope everyone feels an extraordinary sense of pride and a rejuvenated sense of energy and inspiration in our industry. I’d like to congratulate each and every winner – as well as those shortlisted – on being recognised by your peers as demonstrating the greatest, most effective creativity our industry has to offer.”
This year’s festival saw 13 Awarding Jury Members and 12 Shortlisting Jury Members who joined the cohort of Juries from around the world to select and award the best work of the year.
Nayan Ganegoda and Braeden Bihag proudly represented the UAE in two esteemed events as part of the Festival: the International Young Lions Digital Competition (for young creatives under 30 in the digital category) and the Roger Hatchuel Academy (a mentorship program for university students in creative communications). Their participation exemplifies the UAE’s commitment to nurturing and empowering emerging talent in the ever-evolving creative landscape.
Commenting on their experience at this year’s International Young Lions Competition, Team UAE – Nayan Ganegoda and Braeden Bihag – said “Attending the Cannes Lions for the first time was a remarkable experience. It went beyond what we imagined the festival to be, where we had the opportunity to not just immerse ourselves in learning from the best in the industry but form meaningful connections with them while celebrating creativity week long. We leave inspired and driven to attend again in the future.
They added, “Representing the UAE at the Young Lions, we had the chance to compete with over 100 of the world’s best under-30 creatives for a climate advocacy brief set by ‘Project Dandelion’. They are a new non-profit social movement aiming to unify climate efforts under one banner. In 24 hours, we were tasked with developing and presenting a digital campaign that would drive mass recruitment and awareness. It was a tough challenge, but having the chance to work on a meaningful problem and pitch to industry heavyweights was a truly gratifying experience. Armed with our experience, having succeeded locally at the UAE Young Lions, we brought that experience forward with a strategy-led campaign. In the end, we made it to the shortlist, presenting a second time to a larger jury and securing ourselves a place among the Top 7. Special thanks to Motivate Val Morgan for making all this possible, and to our team at Almost Impossible Agency for believing in us.
Speaking about her experience at this year’s Roger Hatchuel Academy, Clara Armanious from Murdoch University Dubai said, “Representing the UAE at the prestigious Cannes Lions Roger Hatchuel Academy 2024 was a career-defining moment. The energy of the festival, surrounded by the world’s most inspiring creative minds and celebrating the groundbreaking campaigns, was truly transformative and an achievement that will shape my professional journey for years to come.
She added, “At the academy, I had the unique opportunity to engage with and learn from the world’s best industry leaders through panel discussions and sessions, gaining invaluable insights into the creative landscape. I’m grateful to my Professor Joseph Nalloor and Murdoch University Dubai for nominating me for this incredible opportunity. I also want to thank the festival, the RHA, Ian Fairservice, Motivate Media Group, Avinash Udeshi, and Sahal Valliyot from the Motivate Val Morgan team for making this incredible experience happen. This experience has not only broadened my perspective but also inspired my passion for pushing the boundaries of creativity in my future work.”
As the official representatives of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in the UAE, Motivate Media Group and Motivate Val Morgan extend heartfelt congratulations to the victorious agencies, esteemed jury members, and talented young representatives who proudly showcased the UAE at this year’s Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.
Check out the Cannes Lions Wrap Up Report to catch up on all the prominent moments from the festival from industry insights to festival themes and what was said on stage and the work that won.
Clara Armanious, a senior student studying Strategic Communication and Marketing at Murdoch University Dubai, to represent the UAE at the exclusive Cannes Lions Roger Hatchuel Academy 2024
Established in 2003, The Roger Hatchuel Student Academy—an initiative of the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity—offers graduating advertising and creative communications students a unique opportunity to gain deeper insights into the global creative landscape and kickstart their careers in advertising through a comprehensive six-day program.
Motivate Media Group and Motivate Val Morgan, official UAE representatives for the Cannes Lions Festival, are delighted to announce that Clara Armanious, a senior student studying Strategic Communication and Marketing at Murdoch University Dubai, has been selected to represent the UAE at the prestigious Cannes Lions Roger Hatchuel Academy 2024.
Clara was selected based on her submissions, which underwent review by the Roger Hatchuel Academy Jury Panel – a diverse mix of global creative industry experts.
Commenting on being chosen to be a part of this year’s Roger Hatchuel Academy, Clara said, “Call me a dreamer, but ever since I was a little girl, my world has been filled with a love for creativity and communication—from doodling in my notebooks to capturing moments through my camera lens. I always had a passion for communicating and connecting with people. If you had told me that this is what I would be doing, I would not have believed it.”
“Representing the UAE at the esteemed Roger Hatchuel Academy at the Cannes Lions is an honor and a milestone that will forever hold a special place in my heart. This would have never been possible without the support of my Murdoch University Dubai family. A special thank you to my professor Mr. Joseph John Nalloor, who has guided me through it all and always believed in me. I am immensely grateful for this opportunity and excited to feed my creative algorithm and embark on this journey,” she added.
Acknowledging Clara’s selection for the 2024 Roger Hatchuel Academy program, Joseph John Nalloor, lead of the Media and Communications discipline at Murdoch University Dubai said, “It’s a proud moment for us at Murdoch University Dubai that our communications student Clara Armanious will be representing UAE at the prestigious Roger Hatchuel Academy 2024 at the Cannes Lions Festival 2024. It’s a great honor for our student to be selected and it is a reflection of our strong industry-academic partnership that we have in place for our communication students.”
“It will be a great learning experience for Clara and an inspiration for other UAE students to strive for excellence on a global platform. We want to thank the festival, the RHA, Ian Fairservice, Motivate Media Group, Avinash Udeshi and Sahal Valliyot from the Motivate Val Morgan team for their constant support and for encouraging young talent in the region,” he added.
Ian Fairservice, Managing Partner, Motivate Media Group, said “Congratulations to Clara Armanious from Murdoch University Dubai for her selection to represent the UAE at the 2024 Cannes Lions Roger Hatchuel Academy. I’m sure Clara will display her remarkable talent and shine a spotlight on the vibrant creative landscape of the UAE.”
The Roger Hatchuel Academy representative class of 2024 will comprise 30 students, selected from around the world to participate in a six-day program covering areas such as introduction to the creative industry, professional development, personal brand enhancement, and much more. They will learn first-hand from the world’s greatest brands, creative minds, and industry leaders.
This year’s Academy will run in parallel to the Cannes Lions Festival from 16th – 21st June 2024 in Cannes, France. Motivate Media Group and Motivate Val Morgan extend their best wishes to Clara Armanious, hoping that her experience at the Academy will foster a positive and creative impact on her future endeavors in the industry.
