8
At times when coming together carries greater meaning, the MENA Effie Awards 2026 will bring the region’s marketing, advertising, and communications industry together on 26 November at Saraj Venue in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Returning for its 17th edition, the gala will go beyond recognizing marketing effectiveness and measurable business results to celebrate the people, partnerships, and shared commitment that continue to move the industry forward.
Held under the umbrella of Riyadh Season and hosted by NordStella, the MENA Effie Awards, under Effie Worldwide, have built a regional track record spanning 16 editions, welcoming more than 20,000 industry professionals, recognizing 1,500 winners, and engaging over 2,500 marketing experts in the judging process over the years. As the Middle East’s marketing and advertising agency market is projected to reach USD 10.76 billion by 2031, the importance of demonstrating marketing effectiveness continues to grow. Yet beyond the results and achievements, the strength of the industry lies in the people who believe in the power of ideas, collaboration, and collective progress.
Effies are the only awards that celebrate marketing effectiveness by looking at all facets of a marketing campaign from the objective to the execution right down to the impact. This program will spotlight ideas that work and encourage thoughtful dialogue about the drivers of marketing effectiveness.
This year’s gala is expected to welcome professionals from across the region, bringing together finalists, past winners, industry leaders, and the wider marketing community. More than an occasion to recognize excellence, the evening will offer an opportunity to reconnect with the people who shape the industry, celebrate how far it has come, and reaffirm a shared commitment to what comes next.
Sahar Rafique Managing Director of NordStella said, “Every Effie celebrates an idea that worked and the people who made it happen. This year, bringing those people together in Riyadh holds particular meaning. It is a chance to recognise outstanding work, reconnect as a community, and stand alongside the colleagues and partners who keep our region and industry moving forward. That support matters, and we look forward to celebrating together.”
The Effie® Awards celebrate the work that works, setting the bar for marketing effectiveness worldwide. Their mission is to lead, inspire, and champion the practice and practitioners of marketing effectiveness globally. For over 56 years, winning an Effie has become a global symbol of achievement. Today, Effies are a benchmark of marketing effectiveness globally with over 60 international programs across 125+ markets annually recognizing the most effective marketing efforts, including the Global Effies, regional programs in Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Middle East / North Africa and Latin America, and national Effie programs and with the Effie Index®, recognizing the most effective brands, marketers, and agencies globally, regionally, and locally through the coveted effectiveness rankings. Through the inception of MENA Effie in 2009, Effie has continuously aimed to lead, inspire, and champion the practice and practitioners of marketing effectiveness in MENA.
The awards continue to stand by the side of all brands. From the famous and established, to startups trying to make their mark. Across categories and of all shapes and sizes with the intent to elevate the industry and make the case for effective marketing across the business community.
We demonstrate the power of marketing to drive tangible growth
While the MENA Effies honor the ideas that worked, it is the people behind those ideas who continue to shape the future of marketing across the region. This year, the gala serves as a reminder that an industry’s strength is reflected not only in its achievements, but also in its willingness to come together, support one another, and move forward collectively.
Because showing up matters, and every presence contributes to the strength of the industry.
Industry professionals are invited to be part of the occasion, with table reservations available at https://tables.menaeffie.com/
The awards take place under the umbrella of Riyadh Season alongside Max and Kraken Production House joining as Effieciate Partner alongside Sherpa Communications as the PR partner and Communicate as the media partner.