CORRECTION AND REPLACMENT: MEPRA Awards for PR excellence, 414 out of over 727 entries make it to the 2025 shortlist

Correction/replacement in the fifth paragraph

Marking the 17th edition of the PR industry’s most prestigious awards ceremony, the Middle East Public Relations Association (MEPRA) has announced the finalists for the 2025 MEPRA Awards, featuring more than 65 agencies.

With 74 organisations participating, the highest in MEPRA’s history, finalists have been announced across 54 categories, including two individual and one from academia, to top talent and celebrate achievements across the entire spectrum. Leading the tally with a commendable 69 shortlisted nominations is Weber Shandwick MENAT, closely followed by homegrown agency Gambit Communications with 56 nominations, Current Global MENAT at 26 nominations, and Acorn Strategy with  22 nominations. Other notable mentions for the highest number of nominations on the corporate side are Qatar Foundation, Mubadala, Masdar, TAQA and Saadiyat Cultural District.  

Honouring an exceptional year of work that displays the highest standards in public relations and communications, the MEPRA Awards have been at the forefront of recognising outstanding achievements across the Middle East. Under the experienced leadership of 130 senior panel of industry experts, the shortlisted entries have undergone rigorous parameters of strategy, innovation, talent, and impact to make it to the final list. The MEPRA Awards 2025 chapter also had an adjudication panel, which reviewed discrepancies and ensured that only the most deserving PR innovators and impact-makers clinched their rightful spot in the shortlist. Consisting of Raina Lazarova (Co-founder of Ruepoint and Chairperson at AMEC), Amina Taher (MEPRA Fellow and Chief Marketing Officer at Wio Bank PJSC), Faizal Alzahrani (MEPRA Fellow and Board Member of International Public Relations Association), and Dr. Ilhem Allagui (Professor and Director of the Journalism and Strategic Communication Program at Northwestern University in Qatar), the panel sifted through competitive campaigns, nominating the ones displaying creativity and perseverance that are shaping the future of communications in MENA.

MEPRA Vice Chairperson and head of the Awards Committee, Jon Barber, said, “MEPRA is committed to recognising talent and campaigns that influence, inspire, and drive meaningful change. Our refreshed categories for 2025 demonstrate our industry’s collective shift in focus towards measuring success in terms of ESG, Thought Leadership, and Non-Profit communications, showcasing the true impact of PR on our society. The MEPRA Awards continue to surpass previously established records in terms of entries, shortlists, and attendees, emphasising the platform’s growing popularity and credibility. We congratulate this year’s nominees for their dedication and creativity and look forward to showcasing their exceptional work on 27 November.”

Noteworthy campaigns like ‘You’ve Got Better Things To Do’-The UAE’s first fully AI-Generated Banking Campaign by Acorn Strategy, ‘Heinz-The Sachet Trade Up’, and ‘Harley Davidson Mid-Life Check’ by Current Global MENAT, and Deliveroo “Petvertising” Campaign by TBWA have been shortlisted across various categories. Best Use of Arabic Language Campaign has agencies representing automobile majors like ‘Mercedes-Benz: United Under The Stars of Our Heritage’ amongst others. Aimed at including specifics that often go unacknowledged, awards categories such as Best Use of Limited Budget, Best Collaborative Partnership, and Best Use of Thought Leadership have corporates and agencies of all strengths contesting titles, revealing PR malleability that thrives on unique approaches toward problem-solving.

The ‘Dave Robinson’ Award for Outstanding Young Communicator of the Year also has 10 contenders including Space42, APCO, Brazen MENA, and BPG Group, ensuring the most deserving candidates get recognised for their outstanding contributions to the industry.

Corporate entrants had a strong year, taking out the majority shortlist for Communicator of the Year with Brian Lott (Mubadala), Hamda Al Hadrami (ADEK), and Adel Maymoon (Emsteel) representatives in the shortlist alongside agency Dina Taylor (Saba Consultants). Best Internal Communications and Change Management was well represented by corporate nominees Miral, Mubadala, Tabreed and Department of Health Abu Dhabi.

Other notable categories that were hotly contested include Best Business To Business Campaign, Best Technology Campaign, Best Sports and Recreational Campaign, Best Travel, Tourism and Hospitality Campaign, Best Education Campaign, Best Consumer Goods Campaign, Best Brand Activation Event, Best Stunt/Live Event, Best Use of Social Media, Best Integrated Campaign B2B, Best Integrated Campaign B2C, Best Use of Influencers or Brand Ambassadors, Best Use of Media Relations B2C, and Best Use of ESG Campaigns; each with 10 nominations.

The benchmark for communications this year was high, demonstrating a deep understanding of brands, market trends, and target audiences, establishing a vital and tangible link between creativity and impact. The panel commended the strategic brilliance and insightful thinking of all participating entries, underscoring the uncompromised value they bring to stakeholders while maintaining the highest standards of work culture and innovation. “The MEPRA Awards’ most enduring legacy is the consistent rise in the creativity and impact of nominated campaigns each year,” added Jon Barber. “Our awards night is a platform to celebrate the incredible impact and compelling storytelling curated by our region’s brightest PR minds, and we look forward to cheering these talents in November.”      

The black-tie gala occurs at Atlantis, The Palm, Dubai, on 27th November 2025.

Collaborating as an official partner of the MEPRA Awards 2025 are Gambit Communications as the Diamond Partner, TAQA as the Platinum Partner, and Weber Shandwick MENAT and CARMA as Gold Partners. The much-anticipated awards ceremony has also onboarded Mubadala, Kibsons, SEC Newgate Middle East, Telum Media, Burson, Place Communications, First and Ten Productions, Current Global MENAT, Matrix PR, AMEC Measurement and Evaluation, as Supporting Partners.