A Guide to the Dubai Lynx Awards

If this is your first time entering, we suggest reading through this guide in order. It covers everything you’ll need to know at each stage of your entry journey. From how to select the most appropriate categories for your work, to guidance on how to craft your entry, right through to what happens once you’ve submitted your work.

And if you still have questions or can’t find what you’re looking for, our Awards Team is on hand to help.

If you've entered before and are looking for a more specific piece of information, use the side navigation to quickly locate it. Alternatively, explore the ‘How to craft your entry’ section for advice from former Jurors and examples of winning work.

Below are some key dates. Make note of them now to give yourself plenty of time to meet the final deadline.

Entries open: 9 October 2025 Late fee applies: After 11 December 2025 Second late fee applies: After 15 January 2026 Final deadline: 22 January 2026 Eligibility period: 1 January 2025-22 January 2026

The first step in the entry journey is determining if your work is eligible, and if so, which Awards and categories best suit it.

We’ve summarised the main rules from Entry Kit: The Rules to help you figure out if your work is eligible for entry. Use this as a starting point, not a substitute. And once you’ve got an idea of where you want to enter, always check the full terms and conditions to make sure you’ve understood the rules.

1. The entry has launched/aired/run within the relevant eligibility dates for the Lynx Award it is entered into.
2. The entry has been created within the context of a normal paying contract and genuine brief from a brand OR if it’s a case of self-promotion or a non-profit organisation, the brand has approved all of the media/production/implementation.
3. You have permission to enter this work from the commissioning brand/brand-owning company (we will request proof of this permission directly from the brand or brand-owning company.)
4. You have included the commissioning brand contact details in the entry including name, position and full contact details.
5. The entry has been submitted exactly as published/aired/released and has not been modified for entry into Dubai Lynx.
6. The entry is not speculative or conceptual advertising, and has not been banned or withdrawn from the market.
7. A duly authorised senior officer (CD, CEO or Chairperson) from your company has given permission for this work to be entered.
8. The entry was not entered into the same Lynx Award last year. You may be able to enter the work into an alternative Lynx, provided it meets the relevant entry requirements, including the eligibility period requirements.
9. There’s no reference to your company or any contributing creative companies in any digital or physical materials, except in the case of self-promotion.
10. The entry, and/or digital or physical materials can be understood in English. For further information please click here.
11. You understand that, if you withdraw your entry after 11 December 2025, you will not receive a refund or credit. Please see Part A of the Rules for more information on cancellations, refunds and withdrawals.
12. If new results are collected after the entry has been paid for, we will only accept additional written information in the results section of the entry form on or before 5 February 2026.
13. All media included in your entry must be the final version at the point that you complete and pay for them. No replacement or additional media can be accepted after an entry has been finalised and received by the festival without exception.
14. By submitting an entry you confirm that you own all applicable legal rights for all media included in your entry.
15. By submitting an entry you agree to pay the relevant entry fee.
16. Entries will be accepted on the basis that:
    • They’re designed specifically for and to run in the MENA* region and are created or produced by companies in the MENA* region
    • They’re designed specifically for and to run in the MENA* region and are created or produced by companies outside the MENA* region
    • They’re designed to run globally as long as they are created or produced by companies in the MENA* region.

For the purpose of Dubai Lynx, the MENA region is classed as: Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Chad, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Tunisia, UAE, Westbank & Gaza, Western Sahara, Yemen.

If you’re unable to meet all the requirements on this list, your entry may be ineligible for Dubai Lynx 2026. Failure to meet all these requirements could see your entry being disqualified or withdrawn without a refund.

Once you’ve made sure your work meets all the necessary eligibility requirements, it’s time to identify which Lynx Award or Awards best suit your work. For this, reference Entry Kit: Getting Ready to Enter. Here, you’ll find a breakdown of all the Awards and their categories, including their judging criteria and material requirements.

Navigate your way through this Kit by considering two questions:

1. What key elements do you focus on when describing your work? Is it the craft, the engagement or maybe the creative strategy? Identifying the root of your work will allow you to match it with the most appropriate Award.

2. What was the objective? What were you trying to achieve? What were you trying to achieve? Was there a particular element that really helped to deliver on that objective? Identifying the intention behind your work will help you when it comes to category selection.

The first step in the journey is determining if your work is eligible, and if so, which Awards and categories best suit your work.

We’re constantly refining and evolving our Awards and their categories to ensure they reflect the landscape of our industry and pave the way forward. For 2026, we’ve introduced a number of changes, including the introduction of the Luxury Lynx Award and updates to Glass: the Award for Change, Social & Creator and Design.

Use this checkout checklist to ensure you’ve completed everything correctly:

• Have you double checked your work meets the eligibility criteria detailed in Entry Kit: The Rules?
• Have you made sure you’ve got permission from the brand to enter the work?
• Have you made sure you’re entering your work exactly as it aired?
• Have you checked to make sure your visual assets are all in English and include English subtitles?
• Have you got the rights to all the assets you’re submitting with your entry?
• Have you supplied all of the media placement information outlining when and where your work ran? (This information is used frequently, so make sure it’s correct!)
• Have you made sure not to reference the agency or any contributing creative companies in the written submission, as well as in any digital assets or physical materials?
• Have you asked a fresh pair of eyes to sense and spell check your entry?
• Are you completely satisfied with the final version? Remember, once you checkout you can’t make any more changes.

The final deadline for entry is 22 January 2026.

What happens if you’ve missed it? If you’re having trouble meeting the deadline, get in touch with our Awards team to discuss an extension.

Can I edit my entry after submitting? No, once you’ve submitted your work you cannot make any changes. This includes adding or removing assets.

The written explanation is a compulsory element for every Award. It serves as an opportunity for you to tell the Jurors everything they need to know about your work, from the creative idea, strategy and execution, right through to the results.

Each question has been specifically designed to help you showcase your work, so make sure you take full advantage of each one and answer with as much relevant detail as possible. If you’re entering your work across multiple Awards, resist the temptation to copy and paste your answers. Tailoring them for each entry, within the context of that Award and category, will make it easier for the Jury to understand why your work deserves to win there.

Julie Jihyun Kang, Innovation Jury Member at Cannes Lions 2024, took to the stage in 2025 to provide insight into how category selection impacted judging.

The supporting materials are some of the most important elements of your entry. They are what the Jury examines, watch and read during their decision-making. Each Award has different material requirements. Some elements are mandatory, others recommended or optional. Below is an overview of the entry requirements – please see Entry Kit: Getting Ready to Enter for the full list, plus formatting guidelines.

Regardless of the Award you’re entering, some general rules to remember are:

• All case films and presentation images must be in English.
• Work that was not originally published in English (TV commercials, print ads, billboards, etc.) can be translated or subtitled exactly as it was published or aired so that it can be understood in English by the Jury.
• If translating original video work, please note that dubbing is not allowed. Voiceovers can be translated, but visible speech must be kept in the original language and subtitled.
• Supporting materials must not contain any reference to your agency or any contributing creative companies or individuals.
• Subtitles are highly recommended on all case films, film, demo films and original content.

The presentation image is compulsory across many Awards. This is a visual presentation of your work, including images and English text, concisely summarising the brief, execution and results. It is often referenced by Jurors and should provide an engaging, easy-to-digest overview of the work.

The case film is not mandatory for all Awards but is often a highly recommended addition to your submission. A case film gives you an opportunity to introduce and explain your work. It’s often the first thing the Jury sees, so include your cultural context, reference your original objective and final outcome and keep it under 2 minutes. The case film will be displayed publicly on our intelligence platform The Work.

We have a range of resources available to help with crafting your entry. Get inspired by previous winning work, dive into Jury room insights to better understand what Jurors are looking for and talk to our Awards team about category selection.

After you check out your entry, each piece of work is reviewed multiple times by our Awards team before it gets to the Jury. If there are any issues, a member of the team will be in touch. If you don’t hear from us, it means you’re all set and your work has progressed through to the judging stages.

1. First stage Jurors consider and score each entry on a scale of one to nine based on whether they consider it a shortlist candidate. The Jury will then review and finalise this proposed shortlist. Typically about 20% of entries will make it to this stage.

2. Second stage Guided by the Jury President, the Jury reviews and debates entries in the shortlist before voting on whether they consider each a Gold, Silver or Bronze winner, or if it is a shortlist only. It takes a two-thirds majority vote to claim a trophy.

3. After voting After voting on the Bronze, Silver and Golds, results are read out and Juries confirm their decisions. Candidates for Grand Prix, selected from Gold or equivalent winners, are also identified and further discussion follows before the final vote to determine the Grand Prix winner.

4. Non-profit organisations & charities Entries for non-profit organisations and charities aren’t eligible for the Grand Prix in their Awards, but will be considered for the Grand Prix for Good.

What happens if you’ve been shortlisted?

Shortlists are decided in the first round of judging. If you make the shortlist, our team will let you know via email and provide assets that you can use to celebrate your success on social media.

Where can you find shortlisted work?

Being shortlisted at Dubai Lynx is a huge achievement. Only roughly 20% of all entries make the cut.

All entries submitted will be exclusively available on The Work.

What happens if you win?

If your work has been selected for a Lynx Award, our team will be in touch. Winners will be announced at the annual Awards Ceremony in Dubai on 1 April 2026.

Can you get a duplicate trophy?

Winning at Dubai Lynx is a huge achievement. It puts you among the creative elite and deserves to be celebrated. Ordering duplicate trophies and certificates to reward the team behind your winning work is a meaningful way to do this.

All credited Lynx winners, both companies and individuals, can purchase additional hand-crafted trophies, as well as certificates. Please email our Awards team at trophies@dubailynx.com to purchase.

How can you make the most of your win?

Celebrate on social media! We’ll provide assets that you can use to share across Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.