Dubai Lynx scored another big win as it brought together the leading creative minds in the region for this year’s festival.
It was indeed a festival-like atmosphere at the new venue of the Emirates Golf Club in Dubai as attendees wandered around the plush green lawn , chatted and networked, while enjoying some intriguing activations and stands.
And then there was the festival itself, with a stellar cast of creative geniuses spread across two stages, and even ‘masterclasses’ on the lawn.
Campaign Middle East brought the editorial team to cover the speeches, the panels, the roundtables and the young talent academies.
Creativity was in the air, the positive vibes were infectious and discussions were in abundance everywhere you looked.
From the welcome address from festival director Kamille Marchant to the last session from Saatchi & Saatchi, the great content flowed thick and fast.
The talks and panels were insightful and highly entertaining while there were many common themes. AI was a big one as the industry continues to integrate and embrace the new technology.
There was much talk about creative effectiveness, talent and the power of music. The list is long.
Industry legend Josy Paul discussed the effectiveness of your creative work for both creatives and marketers. He was one of a number of highlights from the festival.
Big announcements
Khaled AlShehhi, Executive Director of Marketing and Communication from the UAE Government Media Office, spoke on how to build a more sustainable marketing industry.
He also announced a strategic alliance between the region’s Advertising Business Group (ABG) and Ad Net Zero, a climate action programme for the advertising industry.
Ad Net Zero’s founding supporters include Google, META, Unilever, Group M, MCN, Dentsu, Publicis Groupe and Omnicom Media Group, who are all taking the lead in sustainable leadership.
AlShehhi said: “This initiative, a project close to my professional journey in the UAE, is not just a response to a global climate emergency; it is a bold statement of our commitment in the advertising industry.”
More announcements, new campaigns and people moves will be revealed in the coming weeks.
Awards next
Wednesday evening culminates in the Dubai Lynx Awards, which includes new categories that recognise excellence in gaming, the metaverse, and that explore the role of sustainability and diversity, equity and inclusion.
The themes of innovation and progress will be prominent across the Awards, as they were at Tuesday’s festival.
“I’m looking forward to seeing examples of work emerge from Dubai Lynx this year that will propel the performance of brands involved and show how creatives from MENA are innovating,” Marchant said.
Dubai Lynx Awards judges have shortlisted entries across 16 Awards. From 1,676 entries, a total of 361 pieces of work have been shortlisted and will now compete to be awarded MENA’s most prestigious creative communications accolade.
Young talent
A big theme of Dubai Lynx is to foster emerging talent and contribute to the development of young talent across the region. “Young creatives are the future of our industry who will bring fresh ideas, values and an innovative spirit to the industry,” added Marchant.
More coverage from the festival, interviews and the awards will follow.
