Dubai to host leading marketing and media event in April 2015
Mediaquest has announced that it has joined with C Squared to launch the first-ever Festival of Media in Dubai. The partnership between two of the region’s leading publishers and events companies will bring the internationally renowned industry awards and networking programme to the city for the first time, with the inaugural event scheduled to take place on April 15, 2015.
“The Festival of Media has a well-earned reputation as being one of the foremost marketing and media events in the world and one that celebrates the very best in industry thinking,” said Alexandre Hawari, co-chief executive officer, Mediaquest. “The Festival comprises a number of components that marks it out as a global leader. These include an awards programme that recognises the very best marketing campaigns, an exhibition that enables vendors to promote initiatives to prospective clients, and several platforms that provide networking and thought-leader opportunities. In fact, the high quality of discussion and debate at the Festival has led to it becoming known as ‘the Davos of advertising,’” he added.
Launched in Venice in 2007, the Festival of Media Global was created to highlight key developments in the media sphere, such as consumer trends, branded content, advertising and social media. The Awards element was added in 2009, establishing the Festival as one of the leading media events on the international marketing calendar. The Festival of Media MENA will add to the pantheon of global Festival of Media events, which currently take place in Rome, Singapore and Miami.
“The Festival of Media is more than just an event, it is a movement. Since 2007 we have not only been reflecting the changes taking place in media, but we have also been part of shaping this change,” said Charlie Crowe, chairman and editor-in-chief of C Squared. “After our partnership with our friends at Mediaquest, we now have the Festival of Media in four regions, and we look forward to inviting media professionals and advertisers across MENA to be part of the conversation,” he added.
The Festival of Media Global Awards is one of the world’s largest advertising ceremonies judging by the number of entries, attracting work from more than 40 countries. The awards are judged by a senior panel of media agencies and advertisers and are open to everyone involved in advertising. The MENA edition of the Awards is expected to attract a multitude of entries that reflect the diverse array of media operators producing high-quality work in the pan-Arab region. Alongside the awards programme, The Festival of Media MENA’s one-day conference is set to feature seven to nine global media leaders who have been invited to offer their thoughts and expertise on a number of topical and pertinent MENA media subjects.
“Alongside the celebration of the region’s very best marketing talent at the Festival of Media MENA Awards, the region’s first-ever Festival of Media event will provide a wealth of opportunities to stakeholders to engage and interact with media colleagues and professionals. The international edition of the Festival has become the premier forum of debate for an industry undergoing significant change – we expect that the Festival of Media MENA will become the new benchmark media event for the pan-Arab region,” added Hawari.