If you haven’t etched the dates into your calendar yet, now would be as good a time as any. Scheduled for November 5-6, the Athar – Saudi Festival of Creativity is finalising its programme as planning and preparations move into high gear.
Saudi Arabia’s largest get-together of the creative marketing industry, gathering under the roof of the Crowne Plaza Riyadh RDC Hotel & Convention Centre, is poised to generate more than 100 hours of creative content on effective strategies, artificial intelligence (AI) advancements, and current and future challenges facing the industry in Saudi Arabia.
To set the tone, Motivate Media Group and KSA partners TRACCS, the event presenters, hosted an exclusive business breakfast at Cannes, celebrating the launch of the second iteration of the creative festival.
Led by Ian Fairservice, Athar Chairman, Managing Partner & Group Editor-in-Chief of Motivate Media Group, alongside Mohamed Al Ayed, Athar Vice Chairman and CEO of TRACCS, the breakfast outlined exciting developments to a room full of leaders representing the likes of Saudia, MBC Media Solutions, STC, Massive Music, Burson, Havas Middle East, and FP7 McCann, among others.
For those who were unable to attend the Cannes briefing, here’s a quick wrap-up of what’s been formalised for Athar 2024 so far.
The festival has confirmed Sir Martin Sorrell, Founder of WPP and the Founder and Executive Chairman of S4 Capital, as well as Saudi creative veteran, Mohamed Bahmishan, the CEO and Chief Creative Officer of FP7 McCann Saudi Arabia, as the headline speakers.
The event presenters have already received approximately 400 content submissions to date from Saudi Arabia, the MENA region, and across the globe. Marketers, creatives, and brand strategists have shared perspectives on the key trends and challenges within the Saudi market. The curated programme for the two-day event will comprise several insightful sessions, top-tier networking opportunities, and an impressive lineup of expert speakers in the spotlight.
Additionally, the programme has also announced four Young Talent Academies – offering learning and development sessions for young and upcoming talent in the creative marcomms sector.
The Student Creative Academy, Student Marketers Academy, Nextgen Creative Academy, and the Nextgen Marketers Academy are open to full-time university students between the ages of 18 and 25, as well as young professionals below the age of 30 years within the creative communications, advertising, and marketing fields.
The four academies will not only nurture talent in the Kingdom, but will also facilitate connections with mentors and industry leaders. With a majority of the Saudi population under the age of 35, supporting young talent is a key pillar for the Kingdom’s growth and Vision 2030. In line with this vision, the four academies will help students kickstart their careers and help young professionals in the workforce upskill and unlock avenues to career growth.
Applications are completely free for the academies, which will educate and inform through keynote sessions from industry experts, workshops, a 24-hour hack, interactive presentations, and competitions, with the winners being showcased on stage at the Athar Awards.
The registration portal for the festival and the awards has now been opened, with special pricing for students and individuals aged 30 and under, as well as exclusive early bird pricing for other delegates.
Click here to confirm your attendance and take advantage of the exclusive offers on hand.
