The 2026 GCC Creative Playbook
By Maya Chen – Senior Insights Editor
Advertising in the GCC no longer follows last year’s playbook. By January 2026, a new wave of creative talent had already launched campaigns that are winning awards, capturing attention, and quietly shaping the region’s advertising landscape. What makes these campaigns stand out isn’t just the platforms they use or the budgets behind them—it’s the people who conceived, directed, and brought them to life. This article introduces you to those people and the work that’s defining the year ahead.
The TikTok Ad Awards Winners: Platform‑Native Storytelling
When KFC Arabia’s “Om Bdr – 12th Ingredient” took the G.O.A.T. prize at the TikTok Ad Awards 2026, it wasn’t just a win for the brand. It was a validation of the creative team behind it: Tony Kayouka, Head of Social and Content at TBWARAAD, who shaped the campaign’s social‑first voice; Frederico Roberto, Executive Creative Director at the same agency, who oversaw the strategic vision; and Raneem Tayeh, Associate Marketing Director at Yum! (KFC Arabia), who ensured the idea resonated with local audiences. Together they turned a simple food ritual—the “Om Bdr” moment when a customer opens a KFC box—into a shareable TikTok trend, using authentic sound cues and visuals that felt native to the platform.
A few weeks later, du’s “The Unstoppable Network” earned a Silver and gold award at the same ceremony. The campaign, a 48‑hour non‑stop TikTok livestream that set a Guinness World Record, was led by Noor Akar, Creative Director at TBWARAAD. Her team blended real‑time creativity with influencer collaboration to showcase du’s network reliability, proving that endurance‑style content can drive both engagement and brand trust.
Experience Abu Dhabi’s “Team Chris vs. Team Elsa: The Travel Debate That Broke TikTok” took home Gold. The playful debate format, which let users pick sides and drove massive participation, was created by the creative team at Memac Ogilvy. On the client side, H.E. Nouf Mohamed Al‑Boushelaibi, Executive Director of Strategic Marketing and Communications at DCT Abu Dhabi, provided the strategic direction that turned a destination campaign into a social‑media game.
Two other TikTok Ad Awards winners—Floward’s “14 Feb: Judgement Day!” (Silver) and Lux’s “Like” (Gold)—showcased the power of platform‑native creativity. Floward’s campaign, created by the agency Habbar, used humor and urgency to drive last‑minute flower orders. Lux’s work, produced by Unilever’s in‑house creative team, flipped the script on social‑media validation by encouraging women to hit “like” on their own posts first. In both cases, the creative teams understood that on TikTok, authenticity beats polished production every time.
The DOOH Innovators: Emotional Connections in High‑Traffic Hubs
While TikTok dominated the short‑form video space, two high‑profile airport campaigns demonstrated that out‑of‑home advertising can be just as personal and engaging. Virgin Mobile’s “Be In the Moment” activation, rolled out across GCC airports, was a 360‑degree effort that involved the brand’s in‑house creative team, Barry Kirsch Productions, Assembly Global, Mindshare, and JCDecaux. The campaign’s emotional core—reminding travelers to connect with loved ones—was shaped by Rachel Devereux, Brand, Marketing and Digital Director at Virgin Mobile. Her team used surprise gifts and smart activations to turn airports into places of genuine human connection.
Coca‑Cola’s programmatic DOOH activation across the same airports took a data‑driven approach. Dynamic digital screens changed their messaging based on flight data, weather, and time of day, a feat executed by the programmatic creative team at Gulf Airport Advertising. The campaign showed how a global brand can feel locally relevant in real time, thanks to creative minds who know how to blend data with storytelling.
Meet the Creative Minds Behind the Campaigns
- Tony Kayouka (Head of Social and Content, TBWARAAD) can speak to how social‑first creative is built for platforms like TikTok, and how to make global brands feel local.
- Frederico Roberto (Executive Creative Director, TBWARAAD) can discuss the strategic thinking behind award‑winning GCC campaigns and the future of creative leadership in the region.
- Noor Akar (Creative Director, TBWARAAD) can share insights on real‑time content creation, influencer collaborations, and how to turn a brand message into a record‑breaking event.
- H.E. Nouf Mohamed Al‑Boushelaibi (Executive Director, DCT Abu Dhabi) can provide the client‑side perspective on how a government tourism body partners with agencies to create viral, platform‑native work.
- Rachel Devereux (Brand, Marketing and Digital Director, Virgin Mobile) can talk about blending emotional storytelling with out‑of‑home media, and how to create campaigns that resonate in busy travel hubs.
What This Means for the Region
The creative pulse of the GCC is no longer emerging—it’s arrived. The campaigns of early 2026 prove that the region’s best work comes from teams that understand local culture, digital platforms, and the power of bold, large‑scale storytelling. For brands and agencies operating here, these campaigns are the new benchmarks for what it means to resonate in a rapidly evolving landscape.
