Dubai Lynx: Overview

What will Dubai Lynx 2016 reveal of creativity in the Middle East and North Africa regions? In advance of the festival Joe Lancaster talks to four jury presidents – Susan Credle, Anathea Ruys, Laura Gregory and PJ Pereira – about such issues as the point of a local awards show for local people, the pros – or cons – of the  foreigner’s gaze and the wisdom of withholding the top gong

In recent years, as advertising folk have come to find themselves rubbing shoulders with increasing numbers of clients at award show bars around the world, we’ve seen a huge boom in the mini-yet-lucrative creative awards industry. It makes sense; if the people with the money are taking an interest in these trophies, ad people should probably be trying to win them.

Naturally everyone wants to get their hands on the international prizes that are acknowledged globally, but what about local competitions? Do we need them? Some people think not – i.e. your best work should be world class and therefore good enough to compete at international shows. But, when winning a Lion is so difficult, perhaps it’s good to have a chance of being recognised at a local level, where you’re not up against work from potentially more liberal markets, and where clients you actually have a shot at winning will more likely be watching.

Since 2007, Dubai Lynx has provided that local platform for creative work from the Middle East and North Africa region. But although it’s admittedly big business for Lions Festivals, which runs Dubai Lynx, it isn’t a case of just raking in entry fees and dishing out awards to the best of the received work, regardless of its standard. Not if the juries have anything to do with it (which, of course, they do).

Traditionally, very few Grands Prix have been won at Dubai Lynx, with just seven handed out last year across 15 categories (two campaigns won twice) and a meagre four top honours awarded in 2014. Does that mean that MENA is trailing behind the more prolific ad markets like the UK and USA? In terms of the quantity of creative work, probably. But don’t think of it as a region stuck in the past. In fact, most of last year’s Grands Prix came in non-traditional categories like Promo & Activation, Interactive, and Branded Content and Entertainment, rather than the likes of Film, Radio, or Print, which all yielded none. There is exciting work coming out of MENA and as David Lubars said in 2015, having chaired several juries at the festival, “The jury and I saw some work that is as good as any in the world.” 

Possibly in an effort to enhance international awareness, credibility, and potentially even impartiality, Lynx jury presidents tend to come from outside the MENA region and this year, the tenth in the festival’s history, is no different. What will they be looking for? Can they tap into the idiosyncrasies of the region’s myriad cultures –more diverse than the whole of Europe’s? Does it matter? We spoke to four of them to find out.