Entries now open for a results-focused marketing communications awards programme coming to Dubai in September 2026.
Dubai, UAE, April 2026: Dragons of MENA, a results-focused marketing communications awards programme built on 26 years of credibility, is debuting in Dubai.
The programme is an extension of the PMAA Dragons of Asia Awards, established in 2000 and recognised as one of the industry’s most respected results-focused awards programmes, with satellite programmes already running in Malaysia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. It has been created in response to growing demand from agencies and brand owners across the region.
The Dragons of Asia have been acknowledged by WARC alongside leading global effectiveness awards, including Cannes Lions, the IPA Effectiveness Awards and the Effies.
In its inaugural year, Dragons of MENA will feature 10 categories: eight core categories drawn from the Dragons of Asia alongside two additional categories designed to reflect regional priorities and context, including Nation, City & Place Impact and Faith, and Arabic Culture & Seasonal Communications. All entries are judged equally across four criteria: strategy, concept, execution and results.
Mike Da Silva, Founder of The Dragons of Asia said: “The Gulf and wider Middle East represent some of the fastest-growing and most creatively vibrant markets in the world and expanding the Dragons here is a significant moment for us.
“Our ambition is to bring the entire creative community together, from long-established consultancies to the independent agencies doing exceptional work that too often goes unrecognised. Dragons of MENA exists to change that.”
A Platform for Work That Delivers:
The MENA region has long been producing world-class marketing communications work, much of it underrepresented in global awards. Unlike programmes that celebrate craft and creativity alone, Dragons of MENA recognises campaigns that deliver measurable business results: sales, behaviour change, brand growth, loyalty and acquisition.
Entries are open to agencies of all sizes, brand owners, government entities, NGOs and in-house marketing teams across the MENA region, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Morocco, Qatar, Kuwait and beyond. Eligible campaigns must have run between 1 January 2025 and 15 June, 2026.
The programme fills a gap for disciplines such as promotional marketing, PR, experiential, activation and shopper marketing, where results matter as much as the creative idea.
The Meaning of the Dragon:
In Asia, the Dragon is a symbol of strength, wisdom and prosperity. In the MENA region, the symbolism carries a different nuance: the Dragon represents a force to be faced, challenged and ultimately conquered. To earn a Dragon here is not simply to win. It is to overcome.
Accessible by Design:
A single entry fee of AU$200 (approximately US$140) covers submission to both Dragons of MENA and the Dragons of Asia Awards, offering participants regional and pan-Asian recognition through a single entry.
Winners will gain global visibility through AdForum, the Dragons of MENA Media Partner.
The Dubai awards event is planned for September, with further details on the venue and event partners to follow.
About Dragons of MENA:
Dragons of MENA is an extension of the PMAA Dragons of Asia Awards, bringing the programme’s commitment to results-driven marketing communications to the Middle East and North Africa for the first time. Entries are judged on strategy, concept, execution and results, all weighted equally. Winners automatically qualify to compete in the Dragons of Asia, where the highest-scoring campaigns from across Asia and MENA compete to win Dragons of Asia: Red, Blue, Gold, Silver & Black Dragons, awarded in Kuala Lumpur in October. The Dragons of MENA is powered by Unthinkable Creative Co. LCC, United Arab Emirates.
About Mike Da Silva:
Mike Da Silva is CEO of Sydney-based MDSA Marketing Communications, one of Australia’s most awarded agencies, with over four decades’ experience in the UK, Australia and Asia.
A specialist in tourism and movie marketing, his clients include Qantas (42 years), ANZ Bank, Accor, Foxtel Cable Network, PayPal and Viking Cruises. He created and owned the Qantas Movie Club, launching 114 films to 15 million frequent flyers over 9 years, and is Executive Producer (Marketing) for several movies.
Mike is an internationally recognised marketer and UK & Australia industry pioneer, with a number of global awards, including twin Hall of Fame honours. (USA & Australia).
In 2000, Mike founded the Dragons of Asia Awards to recognise marketing communications work not previously seen in the west. The Dragons is Asia’s elite results-focused marketing communications programme, with satellite extensions into Malaysia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and now MENA.
