As multiple cinema exhibitors around the world have started to reopen doors to patrons, and cinemas across the GCC having already welcomed more than 5 million moviegoers in 2021, the Saudi Arabia cinema market continues to grow, with the Kingdom well on track to realising the goal of Vision 2030 – open more than 350 cinemas with 2,600 screens.
Saudi Arabia officially opened its cinematic market in 2018 with the launch of its first cinema by AMC, post its 35-year ban. The initiative was a part of Saudi’s 2030 vision of development towards the economic and social sectors.
In promoting culture and entertainment, one of the goals of Vision 2030 is for the government to specifically attract local investors and create partnerships with international entertainment corporations to develop a market of SAR 30 billion in recreational services, with SAR 10 billion solely for the development of the cinema sector in Saudi Arabia, which is projected to directly contribute SAR 1 billion to the GDP.
Since the opening of the first cinema by AMC Cinemas at King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) in April 2018, followed by VOX Cinemas opening the second location at Riyadh Park Mall in May 2018, Saudi Arabia witnessed exponential growth in 2019, with a total of eleven 11 cinemas and 103 screens by the end of the year.
At the start of 2020 (prior to the COVID-19 lockdown), three more cinemas opened its doors to moviegoers in the city of Riyadh and Dammam, increasing the totals to 14 locations and 134 screens. When cinemas reopened post the lockdown in UAE and Saudi Arabia in June 2020 – with strict sanitisation and social distancing protocols in place, Saudi Arabia continued to expand its cinema landscape, adding 14 more locations and 130 screens across the country.
As of June 2021, Saudi Arabia has a total of 33 locations and 309 screens, proving to be GCC’s booming cinema market at present.
The latest Saudi issue by Campaign Middle East – Saudi Arabia Report 2021, has brought together the creative and marketing talent of Saudi Arabia to produce a catalogue of the media landscape in the Kingdom, and also shines light on Saudi’s post-COVID cinema landscape.
Access the complete cinema report and read what Avinash Udeshi, Chief Operating Officer, Motivate Val Morgan and representatives from leading cinema exhibitors in Saudi Arabia have to say about the unprecedented potential for growth in the country.
Sources: PWC, Arab news, The National and Arabian Business
VOX Cinemas opens its first ever 10-screen multiplex in Hail at Hail Square, Saudi Arabia
VOX Cinemas opened its first ever multiplex in Hail, Saudi Arabia on 14 April 2021. The launch of the 10-screen cinema with a total of 1,309 seats at Hail Square underpins VOX Cinemas’ commitment to expand its footprint to new cities and make its world-class leisure, entertainment and cinema experiences accessible to everyone across the Kingdom.
VOX Cinemas Hail Square boasts signature concepts including VIP, a luxurious offering for discerning movie lovers and KIDS, a colourful and dedicated auditorium catering to young film fans and their families, as well as cutting-edge audio-visual technology for an immersive and unrivalled cinematic experience.
Hail Square marks VOX’s twelfth cinema in the Kingdom and fourth opening since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The state-of-the-art multiplex also features Yalla! Bowling, a family and kids entertainment centre with eight bowling lanes, as well as an array of arcade games such as foosball, billiard tables, air hockey and sub soccer to entertain the whole family.
Mohamed Al Hashemi, Country Head, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Majid Al Futtaim Leisure, Entertainment, Cinemas and Lifestyle, said, “We are extremely proud to be opening the first ever multiplex in Hail, which reiterates Majid Al Futtaim’s commitment to enter new cities, support job creation and make our leisure and entertainment concepts accessible to families throughout the Kingdom. As part of our endless pursuit to create great moments for everyone, every day, we deliver innovative and integrated cinematic experiences that exceed the expectations of our valued guests.” Al Hashemi added, “VOX Cinemas is dedicated to realizing the goals of Vision 2030 and we will continue with our ambitious expansion plans by opening several new multiplexes throughout the Kingdom this year. Saudi Arabia was the top theatrical market in the Middle East in 2020 and we look forward to leveraging the opportunities of the nascent and rapidly evolving leisure and entertainment sector in this market. We remain incredibly appreciative of our partnership with His Highness Prince Bandar Al Saud and the Unified team and are committed to bringing world-class entertainment offerings to all of their new mall developments.”
Prince Bandar bin Khalid F. Al Saud, President of Unified Real Estate Development said, “In VOX Cinemas we have found a partner that shares the same principles of commitment, ethics and executional excellence that we have at Unified. We are truly delighted to be a part of this world class cinema in Hail which will offer our customers a unique experience and, importantly, will create over 200 job opportunities. We continue to grow our partnership with Majid Al Futtaim and VOX Cinemas, and we look forward to further creating more and more one of a kind entertainment venue through our partnership in line with the Kingdom’s vision 2030 and the Quality of Life Program.”
VOX Cinemas presently operates 134 screens across 12 locations in 5 cities, making it the largest exhibitor by screen count, and the largest independent distributor in the Kingdom. Motivate Val Morgan warmly congratulates VOX Cinemas on the opening of Hail Square and warmly welcomes this new location to our regional cinema circuit.
Contact a member of our team to advertise your brand on the screens of VOX Cinemas – Hail Square.
Sources: VOX Cinemas (Press Release)
Over-taking the benchmark blockbuster Godzilla vs. Kong, F9 has zoomed its way to the top of Box Office within its first week of release!
The ninth installment in Universal’s Fast and Furious franchise – F9, clocked in the biggest international debut for a Hollywood title since the pandemic, garnering a total of $162.4 million across eight overseas markets in its first weekend of release – nearly doubling Godzilla vs. Kong‘s debut in those markets.
Here’s a detailed look at how successful the blockbuster has been in its opening weekend thus far:
F9 is set to release in a total of 62 markets throughout the rest of the summer, but won’t be releasing until it reaches Australia on June 17, followed by UK and US on June 24 and 25 respectively, and a host of key European markets in July.
Unlike most other blockbusters that have committed to a hybrid release format due to the pandemic – cinema and streaming platforms, F9 will solely release in cinemas.
Owing to the record-breaking collections of Godzilla vs. Kong and F9, upcoming blockbusters are anticipated to follow similar patterns and garner similar attention from audiences and shine at Box Office. Contact us to plan ahead and place your brand alongside upcoming blockbusters to reach your optimal audience.
Sources: Box Office Pro, Deadline,Variety, Screenrant and First Post
The recent release of the fashion spectacle – Cruella, on the BIG screen will be followed by a few other female-centric movie over Q3 and Q4 of 2021.
As history has witnessed, numerous female-centric films have performed well at box office and have been acknowledged and appreciated by audiences and critics alike:
Captain Marvel
Worldwide BO – Over $1.12M
UAE Admissions – Over 425k
Padmaavat (Hindi)
Worldwide BO – $741,630,951
UAE Admissions – Over 357K
Ocean’s 8
Worldwide BO – $741,630,951
UAE Admissions – Over 236k
Wonder Woman 1984
UAE BO – $3,171,866
This year’s Academy Awards also witnessed females bag awards across a range of categories – the Oscar for Best Director was won by Chloé Zhao for her movie Nomadland, Frances McDormand won the Oscar for Best Actress for her performance in Nomadland. and Yuh-Jung Youn took home the Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Minari. Here are the female-centric movies that are a must-watch on the big screen over the rest of 2021:
A Quiet Place II
Real life couple and reel life iconic pairing of director-actress duo John Krasinski and Emily Blunt are back with the sequel to their 2018 thriller. In The Quiet Place II, the Abbott family face the terrors of the outside world. Forced to venture into the unknown, they realize the creatures that hunt by sound are not the only threats lurking beyond the sand path. Catch the eerie blockbuster in cinemas on 10 June 2021.
Black Widow
In Marvel Studios’ action-packed spy thriller, Black Widow, Natasha Romanoff confronts the darker parts of her life when a dangerous conspiracy with ties to her past arises. Pursued by a force that will stop at nothing to bring her down, Natasha must deal with her history as a spy and the broken relationships left in her wake long before she became an Avenger. This blockbuster resales on 9 July 2021.
Respect
Directed by Liesl Tommy, Respect is the biography of iconic singer, Aretha Franklin. Aretha sings in her father’s church choir as a child and grows up to become an international musical superstar and legend. Catch the highly anticipated musical delight in cinemas on 19 August 2021.
Other blockbusters starring a female(s) in a lead role include:
The Suicide Squad
The sequel to the 2016 Suicide Squad, is set to release across cinemas on 5 August 2021. The movie revolves around super-villains Harley Quinn, Bloodsport, Peacemaker, and a collection of cons at Belle Reve prison who join the super-secret Force X. Heavily armed, they are dropped off at the remote, enemy-infused island of Corto Maltese where they must fight to live.
Eternals
The Marvel debut of award-winning Director Chloé Zhao witnesses the Eternals be a part of various historic changes throughout the centuries during their time at Earth, however they have never interfered….until now. The visual spectacle releases in cinemas on 4 November 2021.
Is your brand looking to target female audiences? Be part of the BIG Ticket female-centric event on the BIG Screen in 2021 and reach your ideal audience.
Contact us to make cinema an integral part of your media plan.
Sources: IMDB, Aviation Analysis, Whip Media and Zoella
VOX Cinemas 15-screen cinema at Wafi City in Dubai features a Samsung Onyx screen and signature concepts including KIDS, MAX, as well as a reimagined VIP experience.
Majid Al Futtaim – the leading shopping mall, communities, retail, and leisure pioneer across the Middle East, Africa and Asia, launched its first hybrid cinema and family entertainment centre at Wafi City in Dubai, UAE on 9 May 2021.
The state-of-the-art entertainment hub spans two floors and comprises VOX Cinemas – the Middle East’s most innovative and fastest growing exhibitor, integrated with Magic Planet – the regionally award-winning family entertainment centre.
The 15-screen cinema at VOX Cinemas Wafi City offers moviegoers an exceptional cinematic experience and boasts the first Samsung Onyx screen in the UAE. Backed by brilliant LED picture quality and an infinite contrast ratio, Samsung Onyx delivers a powerful, captivating and memorable experience through HDR (High Dynamic Range) graphics and clear sounds. The cinema also features cutting-edge audio-visual technology and a variety of VOX signature concepts including KIDS, MAX, as well as a reimagined VIP experience with luxury seating and in-seat dining.
Families and fun seekers of all ages can also enjoy a wide variety of the latest video games, amusement rides, attractions and redemption games at Magic Planet, which features Bumper Cars, Drop ‘N Twist and Highway 66 – the ultimate mini-bowling experience.
The all-encompassing entertainment destination also features an array of F&B outlets to complement the experience including new concepts Candy Corner, where guests can indulge in a wide variety of sweet treats, and The Spotlight at Wafi City, which serves gourmet cuisine directly to guests’ seats. The décor in the thoughtfully appointed new culinary offering is imaginative and intriguing and truly immerses discerning film fans in a unique atmosphere that redefines luxury and the cinematic experience.
Ignace Lahoud, Chief Executive Officer of Majid Al Futtaim Cinemas and Majid Al Futtaim Leisure & Entertainment said, “We’re proud to collaborate with Wafi Group, which shares our vision for creating remarkable destinations and passion for excellence, to open our first hybrid cinema and family entertainment centre in the United Arab Emirates. Today’s customers are looking for more engaging and immersive ways to spend time with family and friends and, at Majid Al Futtaim, we are committed to staying ahead of the curve and finding innovative new ways to exceed evolving
expectations. VOX Cinemas and Magic Planet at Wafi City have been designed as a holistic concept seamlessly integrating two recreational functions into one enriched experience and we’re very excited to welcome new guests and create great moments together.”
Sheikh Ahmed bin Mana bin Khalifa Al Maktoum, Deputy Chairman of Wafi Group added, “Majid Al Futtaim is synonymous with customer-focused and innovative experiences and, we are excited to partner with them to launch this world-class entertainment destination, which offers an exciting selection of immersive attractions for the whole family to enjoy. VOX Cinemas Wafi City takes the cinematic experience to the next level with a unique offering that goes beyond customers’ expectations and features the ultimate VIP experience.”
VOX Cinemas presently operates 22 cinemas and 267 screens across the UAE. In March 2021, the cinema exhibitor opened at City Centre Al Zahia in Sharjah, with the launch marking the fifth cinema opening across the region in the wake of COVID-19. Later this month, VOX Cinemas is set to launch three multiplexes across Saudi Arabia and Bahrain as part of its ambitious expansion plans across the region.
We at Motivate Val Morgan congratulate VOX Cinemas on the opening of the new the 15-screen cinema at Wafi City, and warmly welcome this location to our cinema circuit in the UAE.
Contact us to advertise your brand on the screens at Wafi City in Dubai, UAE.
Sources: Vox Cinemas Press Release
Here are the commercials that dominated the big screen over Eid al-Fitr 2021!
Due to cinemas being closed across the Middle East and the rest of the world over the first half of 2020, brands missed out on the opportunity to advertise on the BIG screen last Eid. This Eid al-Fitr however witnessed not only the release of Indian MEGA blockbuster Radhe, but also Kuwait and Bahrain – two countries that remained closed for 15 months, re-opening its doors to patrons.
Here are the commercials booked through Motivate Val Morgan, that lit up the BIG screen over Eid al-Fitr 2021:
Barakat
Ad Duration: 72 sec.
Campaign Duration: 13th May 2021 to 27th May 2021
Country: UAE
Cinema Locations: VOX Cinemas – City Centre Ajman, City Centre Al Zahia, City Centre Mirdif, Mall of the Emirates, Al Jimi Mall, Al Maryah Island, Yas Mall. Reel Cinemas – The Dubai Mall and Dubai Marina Mall. Cinema City – Zero 6 mall.
Toshiba Kioxia
Ad Duration: 30 sec. (each)
Campaign Duration: 13th May 2021 to 10th June 2021
Country: UAE
Cinema Locations: VOX Cinemas – City Centre Mirdif, Mall of the Emirates and Cineplex Grand Hyatt
Al Hokail Medical Group
Ad Duration: 20 sec. (each)
Campaign Duration: 13th May 2021 to 22nd July 2021
Country: Saudi Arabia
Cinema Locations: Muvi Cinemas – Mall of Dharan
DUR Hospitality (Holiday Inn)
Ad Duration: 15 sec.
Campaign Duration: 13th May 2021 to 17th June 2021
Country: Saudi Arabia
Cinema Locations: Muvi Cinemas – Mall of Dharan, Nakheel Mall, Jubail Mall. VOX Cinemas – West Avenue Mall.
Boubyan Bank
Ad Duration: 41 sec.
Campaign Duration: 13th May 2021 to 3rd June 2021
Country: Kuwait
Cinema Locations: VOX Cinemas – The Avenues
Al Rawabi Private School
Ad Duration: 70 sec.
Campaign Duration: 13th May 2021 to 8th July 2021
Country: Bahrain
Cinema Locations: VOX Cinemas – The Avenues
Make cinema an integral part of your media plan! Contact us to advertise alongside an exciting line-up of upcoming blockbusters.
AMC Cinemas Dawadmi 3 at Al Makan Mall is the first cinema in the city of Al Dawadmi in KSA, featuring 3 screens – two regular screens and one PRIME at AMC screen, and AMC Cinema Souq – a reimagined and fully customizable food and beverage concept.
AMC Cinemas opened its eighth location – Dawadmi 3, at Al Makan Mall in Al Dawadmi, Saudi Arabia on 20 April 2021.
The 3-screen cinema with a total of 320 seats, featuring a PRIME at AMC screen, is the first cinema to open in the city of Al Dawadmi, and is located in the central region of Saudi Arabia (200KM west of Riyadh) with a population of 53,000.
Greeting guests on arrival at the cinema is AMC Cinema Souq, a reimagined and fully customizable food & beverage concept offering restaurant quality hot foods, one-of-a-kind deserts, and creative handcrafted beverages.
Al Makan Mall is the only shopping mall in Al Dawadmi, attracting consumers from nearby cities such as ‘Sager city’, thus considered the main shopping destination in and around the area.
Together with the two new locations Dawadmi 3 and Star Avenue – which opened on 12 April 2021, AMC Cinemas presently operates 57 screens across 9 locations in 5 cities of Saudi Arabia, with a goal in line with the government’s plan to diversify entertainment content as well as provide new experiences to a range of audiences in several cities across the Kingdom.
*More information on Star Avenue to follow in the coming weeks.
Motivate Val Morgan congratulates AMC Cinemas on the opening of Dawadmi 3, and warmly welcomes this location to our cinema circuit in Saudi Arabia.
Contact us for cinema advertising opportunities across AMC locations.
Source: AMC Cinemas and Swicorp Wabel Reit
Hollywood’s biggest night, the 93rd annual Academy Awards, also popularly known as the Oscars, took place on April 25 2021, at Union Station, Los Angeles.
The awards ceremony made history when the shortlist was announced owing to the diverse list of talent nominated this year. From glitz and glamour on the red carpet, to a diverse list of nominees, the 93rd Academy Awards (Oscars 2021), preserved the scale of the event while maintaining social distancing as well as following all safety measures. The Oscars also paid a tribute to fallen heroes of the industry – Chadwick Boseman, Christopher Plummer and Sean Conner to name a few.
Nomadland won best picture as well as well as bagged Chloé Zhao the award for the best director, making her the first Asian and second female director to win in the category. The film also seized awards for best actress.
Seasoned actor Anthony Hopkins won the best actor award for his work as the aging father in The Father, his second Oscar win post the one in 1994 for his role as Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs, while Frances McDormand won best actress for her performance in Nomadland. Meanwhile, Daniel Kaluuya and Yuh-Jung Youn picked up supporting actor and actress honors for their performance in Judas and the Black Messiah and Minari respectively.
Here’s the full list of all the winners:
Actor in a leading role: Anthony Hopkins in The Father
Actor in a supporting role: Daniel Kaluuya in Judas and The Black Messiah
Actress in a leading role: Frances Mcdormand in Nomadland
Actress in a supporting role: Yuh-Jung Youn in Minari
Animated feature film: Soul
Cinematography: Mank
Best Director: Chloé Zhao for Nomadland
Music (original score): Soul
Music (Original song): Fight For You
Best Picture: Nomadland
Visual Effects: Tenet
Documentary (feature): My Octopus Teacher
Documentary (short subject): Colette
International Feature Film: Another Round
Short Film (Animated): If Anything Happens I Love You
Short Film (Live action): Two Distant Strangers
One of the highlights of the award ceremony was the stellar acceptance speech delivered by Frances McDormand upon winning the Oscar for Best Actress for her performance in Nomadland. She says that she is at a loss for words upon receiving the award and further continues to compare her work to a sword – one that pierces through to the audience. As we witness audiences returning to the cinema and an extensive line-up of movies scheduled for a theatrical release, one may conclude that cinema is back with a bang!
Source: Oscars
UAE Jury for Cannes Lions 2021 include Paul Shearer, Jennifer Fischer, Dida Atassi and seven other highly respected and award winning advertising and media personalities.
As the official representatives of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, Motivate Media Group and Motivate Val Morgan are pleased to announce that ten leading advertising and media professionals from the UAE have been selected as jury members for the 2021 Festival.
UAE jury members who will be on the Awarding and Shortlisting jury panel include:
Industry Craft Lions
Paul Shearer | Chief Creative Officer | Impact BBDO Dubai
Paul has always believed in bringing something different to the table.
His work for Guess Jeans, Nike, Audi and Levi’s has won him respect and numerous advertising awards.
During his time at BBH, Paul had the opportunity to work collaboratively with clients, which contributed to his work being impactful and successful in the marketplace. Paul then decided to broaden his horizons globally and took a job at Wieden and Kenedy Amsterdam as the Creative Director. It was here that he had the chance to work on the Nike account.
Paul prides himself on understanding the digital world and has won 54 Cannes Lions (the most recent being a Grand Prix). When it comes to awards, Paul believes that winning a client some new customers is far more satisfying. Other awards won include 8 D&AD pencils, 15 One Show and 9 British Television awards.
Innovation Lions
Jennifer Fischer | Chief Innovation Officer | TBWA\RAAD
Always dissatisfied with the status quo, Jennifer spent years shaping the future of some of the most valuable brands in the world such as Coca-Cola, Apple, Ikea, KFC, Expo 2020, Facebook or Nissan.
Her role as Chief Innovation Officer MENA for TBWA\RAAD is to lead an always in beta transformation – harnessing the power of technology, strategy, collaboration, and creativity to re-imagine the way companies work, innovate and grow.
Her career milestones include many firsts from launching the first opera house in the region to communicating the first space mission from an Arabic nation or working on the first Apple campaign in MENA.
Her ideas have been published and shared by Forbes, Campaign Magazine, Communicate, Marketing Society, Arab Ad, Arabian Business among others.
Design Lions
Dida Atassi | Design Director | Accenture Interactive Middle East
An accomplished digital professional, Dida has spent 18 years developing compelling world-class experiences for global and local brands across telecommunication, banking, retail, lifestyle and government sectors. From ideation workshops to polished design deliverables, Dida places a particular focus on crafting unique, loveable products and services that resonate with local cultures. As an advocate of the user, Dida tries to help people see how digital can make life a little easier by designing simple and rewarding experiences.
Dida’s skills include user experience design, interface design, service design, and digital strategy using tools such as prototyping, user research and design thinking workshops and methodology. She has a particular interest in studying local cultures and norms and how they impact design.
Media Lions
Asad Rehman | Director Media and Digital Transformation | Unilever MENA
Asad manages Unilever’s Media & Digital Marketing Transformation for Middle & East North Africa. He also sits at the Unilever MENA/Turkey/Russia Board. He has been in Dubai since 2013, prior to which he spent 6 years at the Unilever HQ in London. Earlier on in his career, Asad worked for WPP/Group M in various parts of the world. He managed local offices in Pakistan and Vietnam, did a global role in London, and managed regional projects in Asia and LATAM.
Asad is an award-winning marketer with accolades from D&AD, Cannes Lions, WARC, Global Effie’s, and Spikes, Lynx, Festival of Media, and MENA Effie’s, and is passionate about bringing together technology, data, and creativity to help craft purposeful brands.
Asad was the Founding Chair of The Marketing Society Middle East Chapter from 2016 to 2018 and sits on the board of the IAA UAE. He was awarded The Marketing Society Fellowship in 2019 and was also the Effie’s Marketer of The Year in 2018.
PR Lions
Amy Brill | Head of PR | M&C Saatchi
As M&C Saatchi Public Relations’ market lead for the UAE, Amy is responsible for the overall direction of the team, creative work and business growth. An experienced PR professional, she has worked for some of the world’s most recognisable brands across corporate and consumer sectors.
Amy has a BA Hons degree in Public Relations from Bournemouth University in the UK and started her career at BBC Worldwide before embarking on agency life, working for clients such as Rolls-Royce, Discovery, Hilton, Disney, PayPal and the British Embassy in both the UK and Middle East.
She established the M&C Saatchi Public Relations business in the UAE in 2017, aged just 27 and has been recognised by industry leaders as a Rising Star and Face to Watch. In the two years the agency has been running, Amy and her team have picked up gold and silver accolades at both the PRCA and MEPRA Awards.
Brand Experience and Activation Lions
Vidya Manmohan | Founder and Creative Chairwoman | V4 Advertising LLC
Vidya Manmohan is the Founder & Creative Chairwoman of V4 Good and Ex-Executive Creative Director of GREY Dubai.
She also happens to be one among the rare breed of female Executive Creative Directors in the region today, celebrated for having travelled off the beaten track, across the span of her career – from walking out of the gates of medical school to pursue a career in Advertising and switching from Art direction to copywriting mid-way through her successful career.
What’s more, this mom of a University student has gone back to University herself to pursue her Master’s in Digital Management, whilst having successfully launched a new-age communication hub.
Her work reflects the pop culture around her and has bagged International awards, not only in the print and outdoor categories, but also in radio, design, digital, integrated and advertising for good.
Vidya has also been on the jury panel of International Advertising Festivals such as Cannes Lions, New York Festivals, Clio, Adfest, Lisbon Advertising Awards, The White Square and the Young Guns to name a few.
Film Lions
Serena Abi Aad | Head of Content | Havas Dubai
Serena is an award winning film director whose short films have travelled international festivals across the Middle East, Europe and Canada.
As a passionate storyteller, her professional journey has been diverse and always centered around storytelling.
She spent most of her twenties on film sets, learning every job in a film crew. She then decided to understand the ad world better and became a TV producer at Leo Burnett, where she worked on films for DSF, Chevrolet and Hummer, among others.
Following her time at Leo Burnett, she worked with MBC as writer, producer and director of a first of its kind reality TV show. In 2012, she joined Yahoo as branded content manager and supervised multiple video content productions for brands such as P&G and DSF.
She had her own content production house for a couple of years, before joining Havas DXB as Head of Content.
She is currently Creative Director at Havas DXB, telling stories for clients such as FAB, Barakat, Veet and Durex.
Social & Influencer Lions
Akanksha Goel | Founder & CEO | Socialize
A digital marketing pioneer, Akanksha Goel is the founder of Socialize; Middle East’s first dedicated social media agency.
Akanksha started her career at the age of 20, as the youngest ever Editor-in-chief for STUFF Magazine. She gained experience working across India & Singapore, where she was at the forefront of the Web2.0 revolution and helped organise Asia’s first-ever pod-camp. She then moved to Dubai amidst the region’s economic crisis, and in 2010 created Socialize to harness the untapped business potential of then-emerging social networks.
In her current role as Managing Director, she is actively involved in driving business growth, leading team development and overseeing the strategic mandate across the agency’s coveted client roster that includes iconic brands like Dubai EXPO 2020, Volkswagen, Sony, General Mills & Bioderma.
An executive graduate from Harvard Business School; she holds a business degree in Marketing Communications from Singapore Management University. Nominated as Emirates Woman of the Year and named to Holmes Report’s Innovator 25 list in 2018, Akanksha is widely recognized as a business influencer, speaker, and a reference for social media in the Middle East.
Direct Lions
Alex Pineda | Creative Director | TBWA\RAAD
Alex Pineda was born in Bogotá, Colombia, and English and Spanish speaker and Crazy about football. He is also a museum hunter, napkin illustrator and comic book artist who has travelled to 5 continents, 77 countries, hundreds of cities, and explored many cultures.
He holds a Master’s degree in ‘Creativity and Strategic Management of Advertising’ from the European Institute of Design in Barcelona, Spain; Specialist in ‘Advertising Management’ from the Jorge Tadeo Lozano University of Bogotá, Colombia; and graduated as a ‘Professional in Graphic Design’ from the same university.
Alex has been awarded at Cannes Lions, Cannes Young Lions, D&AD, One Show, Clio, Dubai Lynx, LIA London International Awards, New York Festivals, Loeries, Webby Awards, Effies, Epica, Cresta, Ojo De Iberoamérica, Festival El Dorado and ‘Lápiz de Acero’ (National Design Award of Colombia).
He was also elected as ‘Associate Creative Director of the Year’ for the Middle East and North Africa, by the ‘Black & White Report’ in 2018; the Number 1 Creative Copywriter in the UAE by ‘Lürzer’s Archive’ Magazine in 2017, 2018 and 2019, and one of the “Best Colombian expats around the world” by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Colombia and the Embassy of Colombia in Abu Dhabi in 2020.
Outdoor Lions
Fabio Silveira | General Manager | Havas Dubai
Fabio has been in leadership positions on strategy and client services in creative agencies for the past 10 years.
His experience spans 15 years and 5 continents – with regional and global responsibilities in Brazil, Portugal and Dubai.
He’s currently responsible for the operations of Havas Creative in Dubai, encompassing Client Services, Strategy, Creative, Social Media, Content and Production.
Cannes Lions 2021 will mark the highest ever representation from global brands, platforms, entertainment and technology companies, bringing a breadth of expertise to the Lions awards.
Furthermore, for the first time ever, the number of female jurors too reaches 51%, up from 48% in 2019.
Cannes Lions 2021 will be fully digital, running as Cannes Lions Live, from 21-25 June. Due to the ongoing pandemic, the event in Cannes, France, will not take place this year. Further information on the Lions can be found at Cannes Lions Awards.
We at Motivate Media Group and Motivate Val Morgan warmly congratulate these ten highly respected and award winning advertising and media personalities from the UAE who will be part of the jury panel at this year’s Cannes Lions Festival, and wish them all the very best with the judging ahead.
From leisure and entertainment, to healthcare and properties & real estate, here are the commercials presently
dominating the big screen across the Motivate Val Morgan cinema circuit.
With recent blockbusters such as Tom & Jerry, Raya and the Last Dragon and Godzilla vs. Kong performing successfully well at box office, and with more content across a variety of languages confirmed for theatrical release, there is no better time than now to advertise your brand in cinema.
Here are some brand commercials presently dominating the big screen:
American Hospital
Ad Duration: 60 sec.
Campaign Duration: 05th March 2021 to 14th July 2021
Country: UAE
Cinema Locations: Reel Cinemas – The Dubai Mall, Dubai Marina Mall, The Pointe and VOX Cinemas – City Centre Mirdif, Mall of the Emirates, Mercato and Nakheel Mall
Atlantis
Ad Duration: 30 sec.
Follow a Movie: Godzilla vs Kong
Country: UAE
Cinema Locations: VOX Cinemas – Mall of Emirates and Reel Cinemas – The Dubai Mall, Dubai Marina Mall and The Pointe.
Mohammed Bin Rashid City
Ad Duration: 55 sec.
Campaign Duration: 23rd Jan 2021 to 21st April 2021 (Part of an Annual Campaign)
Country: UAE
Cinema Locations: Multiple Reel and VOX locations
Al Hokail Medical Group
Ad Duration: 20 sec. (each)
Campaign Duration: 18th March to 26th May 2021
Country: Saudi Arabia
Cinema Locations: VOX Cinemas – West Avenue Mall and MUVI Cinemas – Nakheel Mall
Double Tree by Hilton Resort and Spa
Ad Duration: 30 sec.
Campaign Duration: 25th March 2021 to 07th April 2021
Country: UAE
Cinema Locations: VOX Cinemas – City Centre Mirdif, Mercato, Mall of the Emirates, Nation Towers, YAS Mall, The Galleria Al Maryah Island.
Cartier
Ad Duration: 30 sec.
Campaign Duration: 25th March 2021 to 07th April 2021
Country: Saudi Arabia
Cinema Locations: VOX Cinemas – Red Sea Mall, Riyadh Front, Riyadh Park and Kingdom Centre, and MUVI Cinemas – Mall of Arabia.
Etisalat
Ad Duration: 60 sec.
Campaign Duration: 25th March 2021 to 13th April 2021 (part of annual campaign)
Country: UAE
Cinema Locations: Multiple VOX, Reel, Oscar, Cine Royal and Cinemacity locations.
Shine light on your brand by making cinema an integral part of your media plan! Contact a member of our sales team for more information on advertising opportunities.
