UAE lead the way in the shortlists
The Dubai Lynx International Festival of Creativity is currently providing a platform for 1,800 delegates to celebrate and discuss creativity in communications across the MENA region.
Twelve shortlists have been released today with the UAE currently leading, followed by Lebanon and Egypt.
Speaking from the jury room, David Lubars, Chief Creative Officer, BBDO Worldwide and Chairman, BBDO North America, who is currently serving as jury president of the Film, Print, Outdoor, Radio and Print Craft jury, said, “This year’s Dubai Lynx can stand with any regional show in the world, the quality is that good. Everything on the shortlist is worthy; there is no borderline work. We chose fewer pieces than previous years – as we only want to celebrate and recognise the truly great. The Middle East deserves the respect of this kind of rigor because it has reached the level of world class excellence.”
Focusing on a theme of ‘create tomorrow’, 68 global speakers will take to the stage across the Festival. Head of content for Dubai Lynx, Mark St Andrew, said that “rather than getting weighed down in the problems and challenges of the MENA region, the focus is on finding solutions and the way forward while fostering a spirit of innovation.”
Yesterday legendary American designer, David Carson, urged attendees to use personal experiences to create unique work adding that they ‘should be open to solutions and things that you are not expecting because focusing on one thing can mean missing a great idea.’ Elsewhere, Google Labs’ Gemma Milne claimed that ‘the industry is innovating for clients but they are not innovating internally.’
This year’s programme sees more brands than ever with the likes of Chrysler, Coca-Cola, Sanrio Global and Cadbury, as well as international business leaders including Havas’ Yannick Bolloré, while today the Festival will welcome famous Croatian singer-songwriter Lana Jurcevic, who will discuss her part in Project LIVE IT.