The MMA SMARTIES MENA 2025 Awards, held at Atlantis, The Palm, Dubai, spotlighted the most innovative and effective marketing campaigns across the Middle East and North Africa. Celebrating creativity and measurable impact, this year’s edition reflected the rapidly evolving nature of modern marketing—from AI-powered strategies and real-time engagement to purpose-driven storytelling.
More than 100 trophies were presented across 30 categories, with Publicis Groupe agencies—including Publicis Middle East, Leo Burnett ME, and Saatchi & Saatchi ME—emerging as standout performers.
Campaigns That Stole the Show
Leading the evening was “Pay With Your Trend” by YUM! Brands and Publicis ME (UAE). The campaign swept four Gold awards in:
It was also honoured with the prestigious Best in Show title.
Another highlight was “See What They See” by Landmark Group and Publicis ME, which took home two Gold trophies in Brand Experience and Brand Purpose / Activism.
In the same purpose-driven category, “Sound Affects” by Sixieme Son and Saatchi & Saatchi ME also claimed Gold, with additional Silver and Bronze recognitions. Leo Burnett ME’s campaign “DOSY – Fear” earned Gold in Short or Long Form Video and Silver in Brand Purpose.
Other notable Gold winners included:
Recognising Industry Leaders
In addition to awarding campaigns, the event celebrated the brands and agencies driving the region’s marketing transformation. Landmark Group and Unilever were recognised as Advertisers of the Year, while Pizza Hut was named Brand of the Year. On the creative front, Leo Burnett Middle East (Publicis Groupe) won Creative Agency of the Year, and Publicis Middle East (Publicis Groupe) was named Media Agency of the Year.
Innovation at the Forefront
This year’s awards also underscored the impact of technology on marketing strategy and execution. Smartifai was honoured as the AI Marketing Enabler of the Year, while Mindshare received the title of AI Integrated Media Agency of the Year. Blis and InMobi were named AdTech Platform of the Year and AdTech Provider of the Year respectively. ArabyAds took home the distinction of Marketing Platform of the Year.
Raising the Bar for Regional Marketing
“SMARTIES MENA 2025 has showcased not just innovation, but true effectiveness. The campaigns honoured tonight didn’t just make headlines, they moved the needle. The work reflects a region that’s setting global standards in marketing,” said Melis Ertem, CEO of MMA MEA.
