Middle East Agencies Top Global Cresta Awards Shortlist For First Time

Above: Still from BigTime Creative Shop's shortlisted work, Riyadh Season 'Obsession' 

The Cresta Awards shortlist has been revealed – and it’s been a breakthrough year for the Middle East.

For the first time, agencies from the region have led the list with the highest number of shortlisted entries. BigTime Creative Shop from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, took the top spot with 19, while Publicis Groupe Middle East followed in close second with 18.

This disrupted the usual pattern of European and US agencies heading up the finalists at the Cresta Awards, which has been showcasing and benchmarking exceptional creativity since 1993. It resumed in third place, where Germany’s Serviceplan/Plan.Net sat with 17 shortlisted projects, and multiple agencies across the BBDO and Dentsu networks populated the remainder of the list as potential major winners.

Cresta Awards director Lewis Blackwell commented, “It’s terrific to see both fresh and familiar stand-out performances with our shortlist. We have been to the fore in the past few years in recognising the growth in quality and quantity of creative work and creative strategy coming out of the Middle East. Our jury has clearly been further persuaded of those credentials this year, and the finalist roll consolidates it. Of course, the ultimate test now is how much of that can convert into big winners next week.”

BigTime Creative Shop secured multiple shortlists for three Riyadh Season films -- 'Obsession', 'Everything or Nothing', and 'Call of the Kings', as well as four for The Ring 'The 4th Judge'.

Speaking to LBB, the agency's CEO, Mohamed Sehly, remarked upon its position, “This recognition is especially meaningful because it shows that a two-year-old Saudi-born independent agency is leading the Cresta Awards globally, not just among independents, but also against some of the world’s largest and most established networks. It is a testament to where Saudi creativity stands today: bold, ambitious, and ready to compete at the very top level. Thanks to our bold clients who empowered us and to our great creatives led by [chief creative officer] Rayyan Aoun who aren’t sparing any efforts to help us reach where we are today.”

Above: Riyadh Season 'Obsession'

Publicis Group Middle East shortlists were divided between King Faisal Specialist Hospital 'Strangers' and ItsHerWay.com 'The Needed Space'.

Chief strategy officer and film director, Tahaab Rais, highlighted his positive surprise at the result. “Given Cresta’s focus on creative excellence, I was hopeful that their juries would recognise the dynamic energy within our region this year. The Middle East is a melting pot of diverse people who bring meaningful ideas that can travel across the globe. So, while 2025 has been a transformational and challenging year for the Middle East, on all fronts, in the creative industry, we have channelled the challenges into compelling creativity for our clients and importantly, for people.”

In Tahaab’s opinion, the King Faisal Specialist Hospital project holds particular potential to do well at the Cresta Awards, as a meaningful film from Saudi Arabia to the world. “We root our work in solving actual problems and challenges of our clients across categories. We do so with human intelligence and heart at the core of what we create, and we have a great bunch of talents, clients and partner companies working together, as one, to make it all happen. We do this consistently. And that helps create a collection of work that isn’t driven by awards seasons but by client needs.”

Above: King Faisal Specialist Hospital 'Strangers'

The Cresta Awards takes a highly independent approach to identifying and promoting creativity in communication. Its jury is deliberately kept apart to avoid ‘groupthink’, and votes are compiled and averaged without the intrusion of any dominant individual or group. The overall jury chair, who this year is Helen Pak of Disney, reviews the decisions but has “no authority to change what the vote maths say”, explained the organisers. Instead, the chair is permitted a personal statement identifying key works that may merit special consideration.

Winners will be announced on September 24th 2025.