AMC The Walk 7 – Al Hofuf offers luxury auditoriums, best-in-class projection, sound and seating, and is the latest effort by AMC in an ongoing program to provide state-of-the-art cinemas across Saudi Arabia.
AMC Cinemas has opened its twelfth location at The Walk in Hofuf, KSA. The 7-screen cinema with a total of 362 seats, which includes a PRIME at AMC screen, is another impressive step in the rapid evolution of the cinema experience in Saudi Arabia.
Following the launch of The Walk 7, AMC aims to reach a large number of movie lovers around Saudi Arabia, a goal which is 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 and governorates across the Kingdom.
Together with the opening of Tabuk Boulevard 7, AMC presently operates 82 screens across 13 locations in 9 cities of Saudi Arabia.
*Stay tuned for more on the launch of Tabuk Boulevard 7.
Motivate Val Morgan congratulates AMC Cinemas on the opening of AMC The Walk 7 – Al Hofuf, and warmly welcomes this location to our cinema circuit in KSA.
Source: AMC Cinemas
Impact BBDO’s Ali Rez serves as the first Cannes Lions Jury President from the MENA region
The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity has announced the names of the Jury Presidents who will lead juries to award this year’s Lions and set the global benchmark for excellence in creativity.
Simon Cook, CEO, LIONS, said, “These individuals represent the rich spread of exceptional talent from across the full spectrum of the creative industry. The Cannes Lions Jury Presidents play an essential role in upholding the integrity of the Lions as well as setting the creative benchmark for the global industry. We thank them for their unique perspectives, expertise, and experience for the leadership they will bring to the very important task ahead of them.”
In a first, Impact BBDO’s Ali Rez will serve as Cannes Lions’ first Jury President from the MENA region. Commenting on the appointment, Rez said, “The UAE is a place where creativity thrives, and where we believe nothing is impossible. It is a special honour to represent that very spirit of this inspiring country, and the rich heritage of the Middle East, at Cannes Lions as Jury President. I hope this announcement will pave the way for many more people from the region to lead juries in the future at this most prestigious of awards.”
The Cannes Lions 2023 Jury Presidents have been named as:
Brand Experience & Activation Lions:
Ari Weiss, Global Chief Creative Officer, DDB Worldwide, Global
Creative B2B Lions:
Tom Stein, Chairman and Chief Growth Officer, Stein IAS, Global
Creative Business Transformation Lions:
Justin Peyton, Chief Transformation Officer, Wunderman Thompson, APAC
Creative Commerce Lions:
Nancy Crimi-Lamanna, Chief Creative Officer, FCB, Canada
Creative Data Lions:
Samantha Hernández Díaz, Chief Strategy Officer, GUT Mexico City, Mexico
Creative Effectiveness Lions:
Devika Bulchandani, Global CEO, Ogilvy, Global
Creative Strategy Lions:
Amrita Randhawa, CEO, Publicis Groupe, Singapore & Southeast Asia
Design Lions:
Quinnton Harris, Co-founder & CEO, Retrospect, USA
Digital Craft Lions:
Resh Sidhu, Global Director of Arcadia Creative Studio, Snap Inc., Global
Direct Lions:
Chaka Sobhani, Global Chief Creative Officer, Leo Burnett, Global
Entertainment Lions:
Brent Anderson, Global Chief Creative Officer, TBWA\Media Arts Lab, Global
Entertainment Lions for Gaming:
Francine Li, Global Head of Marketing, Riot Games, Global
Entertainment Lions for Music:
Danielle Hinde, Owner / Executive Producer, Doomsday Entertainment, USA
Entertainment Lions for Sport:
Rob Doubal, Co-President of McCann London and Joint Chief Creative Officer of McCann UK, McCann London, UK
Film Lions:
Bruno Bertelli, Global CEO of Le Pub, Global Chief Creative Officer of Publicis Worldwide, Chief Creative Officer of Publicis Groupe Italy, Publicis Worldwide, Global
Glass Lions: The Lion for Change:
Tea Uglow, Creative Director, Google, APAC
Health & Wellness Lions:
Mel Routhier, Chief Creative Officer, VMLY&R Chicago, USA
Industry Craft Lions:
Yoshihiro Yagi, Executive Creative Director, Dentsu Inc., Japan
Innovation Lions:
Grace Francis, Global Chief Creative and Design Officer, WONGDOODY, Global
Media Lions:
Christian Juhl, Global CEO, GroupM, Global
Mobile Lions:
Shannon Washington, US Chief Creative Officer, Connected Communications, R/GA, USA
Outdoor Lions:
Javier Campopiano, Worldwide Chief Creative Officer at Grey and Global Chief Creative Officer of OpenX From WPP, Grey/OpenX, Global
Pharma Lions:
Joshua Prince, CEO, Professional Group, Omnicom Health Group, Global
PR Lions:
Jo-ann Robertson, CEO, Global Markets, Ketchum, Global
Print & Publishing Lions:
Ali Rez, Chief Creative Officer, Impact BBDO, MENAP
Radio & Audio Lions:
Tseliso Rangaka, Chief Creative Officer, FCB, South Africa
Social & Influencer Lions:
Samantha Almeida, Director of Diversity and Content Innovation, Globo, Brazil
Sustainable Development Goals Lions:
Jean Lin, Chief Culture Officer, Dentsu Group Inc., Global
Dan Wieden Titanium Lions:
David Droga, CEO & Creative Chairman, Accenture Song, Global
The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity will take place between 19-23 June and will provide an annual forum for the global industry to address the most pressing issues that they and the world are facing today.
Registration to attend Cannes Lions opens on 12 January 2023 and awards submissions open on 19 January 2023. Further information on this year’s Jury Presidents, as well as the Festival, the Lions Awards and LIONS Membership can be found at canneslions.com.
The cinema industry successfully ushered global audiences back into theatre in 2022 largely owing to the steadier flow of blockbusters in comparison to 2021, with Top Gun: Maverick, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and Avatar: The Way of Water leading the long list of successful titles this year.
While 2021 was a dress rehearsal for the future of cinemas, 2022 has proved that cinema is back for real. This was especially evident in Saudi Arabia, when the country overtook Italy in annual box office revenue (in US$ terms), highlighting the prominence of cinema in the region.
Box office in 2022 had its first test with Scream which grossed nearly US$1M in the UAE alone and marked the successful return of the horror genre in the region since the pandemic. This was followed by the chartbuster performance of Matt Reeve’s The Batman, which earned a combined US$12M in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, and Marvel’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which earned US$6.7M in the UAE.
Summer blockbusters highly contributed to the recovery of the global box office in 2022, with Tom Cruise’s Top Gun: Maverick grossing a combined US$21.2M in the UAE and Saudi Arabia and over US$1.5 billion globally. Jurassic World: Dominion and Minions: The Rise of Gru also performed well, grossing over US$1.7M and US$1.64M in UAE and Saudi Arabia, respectively.
August to October was a challenging phase for cinemas in the region due to a weaker movie release schedule owing to pandemic-related delays. The year however ended on a high note with the release of James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water, which earned close to US$10M in the UAE in its opening weeks. Arabic titles such as Bahebek, 3amohom, and Men Agl Zeko also topped the 2022 charts across GCC.
Here’s our 2022 wrap-up featuring the top movie releases in the eight countries we cover, the most watched genres across the region, the top 15 cinema ads booked through us that lit up the big screen, and last but not least, the new cinema locations added to our circuit and our milestones:
UAE
Saudi Arabia
Egypt
Oman
Kuwait
Bahrain
Qatar
Lebanon
The 15 blockbuster ads (in no particular order) – booked through Motivate Val Morgan, that lit up the big screen in 2022 (also featured in Campaign Middle East):
Brand: Mercedes-Benz Burmester
Title: Innovations by Mercedes-Benz: Dolby Atmos
Media Agency: OMD
Brand: NEOM
Title: Trojena – Journey To New Heights
Media Agency: Starcom
Brand: Emirates
Title: Gerry the Goose Flies Better
Media Agency: UM MENA
Brand: Rolex
Title: Rolex & Cinema – The Path
Media Agency: Mindshare
Brand: Sephora
Title: Amna Al Qubaisi – Emirati F3 Driver – Redefining Beauty with Sephora
Media Agency: Spark Foundry – Publicis Media
Brand: Malabar Gold
Title: Brides of India
Brand: Hermès
Title: Terre d’Hermès
Media Agency: Havas Media
Brand: Thailand Tourism
Title: Amazing Thailand
Media Agency: Media Republic
Brand: Hayatna
Title: Grow Your World With Hayatna
Media Agency: Hearts & Science
Brand: Riyadh Book Fair
Media Agency: Blue Horizon
Brand: Infiniti QX60
Title: Take the Wheel
Media Agency: OMD
Brand: Jindal Shadeed
Media Agency: United Media Services
Brand: Theeb
Brand: Yas Island
Title: Yas Yas Baby
Media Agency: Initiative Media
Brand: Al Nahdi Pharmacies
2022 saw our cinema circuit expand with several new locations:
Our dedicated cinema buying platform – CinePlan and CineMeasure, was launched, which enables data-driven, audience-based buying across our network of cinemas in the Middle East. The platform was also recognized as one of Campaign Middle East’s Top 10 Media Milestones of 2022.
Get ready for an exciting year at the movies in 2023! Here are the top 20 movies to look forward to over the year ahead:
For more on the movies coming out in 2023, be sure to check out our sizzle reel
Parkville Pharmaceuticals booked an integrated cinema campaign with Motivate Val Morgan at VOX Cinemas – City Centre Almaza and Mall of Egypt.
The on screen component included a 30 sec. ad following the blockbuster Avatar: The Way of Water at both locations, while the off screen component included an activation kiosk in the foyer area of City Centre Almaza from 20 December 2022 to 19 January 2023, and a sampling activity over the weekend 22 to 24 December 2022 at Mall of Egypt and City Centre Almaza.
Amplify exposure for you brand with an integrated cinema campaign by capitalizing on creative and exciting promotional off screen opportunities, and complimenting it with an ad on the big screen.
Contact us for similar advertising opportunities across our cinema circuit in the GCC, Egypt and Lebanon.
James Cameron’s ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ has finally released, and as expected, taken the box office by storm. According to Box Office Pro, the sequel has already grossed US$855 million at the global box office, and is expected to reach the milestone of US$1 billion before the end of end of the year.
This impressive performance has solidified the film as one of the top box office hits of 2022.
Advertisers too were eager to secure prime spots within our pre-show to promote their various products and services – ranging from luxury watches, perfumes and cars (to name a few), to be featured alongside this highly celebrated cinematic event.
Check out the ads booked to follow or coincide with the release of Avatar: The Way of Water:
Sharjah Performing Arts Academy
Campaign Type: Follow A Movie (Avatar: The Way of Water)
Country: UAE
Locations: Select VOX locations
Rolex
Campaign Type: Follow A Movie (Avatar: The Way of Water)
Country: UAE & KSA
Locations: Select VOX and Reel locations
Red Cresent
Campaign Type: 16 Dec 2022 – 04 Jan 2023
Country: UAE
Locations: Multiple VOX and Reel locations
Guess Perfumes
Campaign Type: Follow A Movie (Avatar: The Way of Water)
Country: KSA
Locations: Multiple VOX, Muvi and AMC locations
DP World
Campaign Type: 15 Dec 2022 – 11 Jan 2023
Country: UAE
Locations: Select VOX locations
Samsung – Galaxy Z Fold 4
Campaign Type: Follow A Movie (Avatar: The Way of Water)
Country: UAE
Locations: Select VOX and Reel locations
Bentley – Bentayga
Campaign Type: 15 Dec 2022 – 11 Jan 2023
Country: UAE & Qatar
Locations: Select VOX and Reel locations
Ford – Al Tayer Motor
Campaign Type: Follow A Movie (Avatar: The Way of Water)
Country: UAE
Locations: Select VOX and Reel locations
Mercedes
Campaign Type: Follow A Movie (Avatar: The Way of Water)
Country: UAE & KSA
Locations: Select VOX, Reel, and Muvi locations
Authority of Social Contribution – Ma’an
Campaign Type: 15 Dec 2022 – 11 Jan 2023
Country: UAE
Locations: Select VOX locations
Chevrolet – Tahoe
Campaign Type: Follow A Movie (Avatar: The Way of Water)
Country: Bahrain
Locations: All VOX Locations
Campaign Type: 15 Dec 2022 – 28 Dec 2022
Country: KSA
Locations: Select VOX,AMC,Muvi locations
Parkville Pharmaceuticals
Campaign Type: Follow A Movie (Avatar: The Way of Water)
Country: Egypt
Locations: Select VOX Locations
McDonald’s
Campaign Type: 15 Dec 2022 – 17 Jan 2023
Country: Egypt
Locations: Select VOX Locations
McDonald’s – Super Mario
Campaign Type: 15 Dec 2022 – 28 Dec 2022
Country: KSA
Locations: Select VOX, AMC, Muvi locations
Amideast
Campaign Type: Follow A Movie (Avatar: The Way of Water)
Country: Egypt
Locations: All VOX Locations
TAG Heuer – Aquaracer
Campaign Type: 15 Dec 2022 – 28 Dec 2022
Country: KSA
Locations: Select VOX locations
Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Bahrain
Campaign Type: 15 Dec 2022 – 28 Dec 2022
Country: Bahrain
Locations: VOX Locations
CAIA Café & Restaurant
Campaign Type: Follow A Movie (Avatar: The Way of Water)
Country: UAE
Locations: Select Reel locations
Chery – Tiggo 8 Pro Max
Campaign Type: 15 Dec 2022 – 31 Dec 2022
Country: Bahrian
Locations: VOX Locations
Servcorp
Campaign Type: 15 Dec 2022 – 11 Jan 2023
Country: KSA
Locations: Select VOX, AMC and Muvi locations
Lexus
Campaign Type: Follow A Movie (Avatar: The Way of Water)
Country: Kuwait
Locations: VOX Locations
LC Waikiki
Campaign Type: 15 Dec 2022 – 28 Dec 2022
Country: Bahrian
Locations: Bahrain City Center
Awqaf
Campaign Type: 15 Dec 2022 – 31 Dec 2022
Country: KSA
Locations: Select VOX and Muvi locations
Gazebo
Campaign Type: Follow A Movie (Avatar: The Way of Water)
Country: UAE
Locations: Select VOX Locations
Farah Experience – FERRARI WORLD / Warner Bros
Campaign Type: Follow A Movie (Avatar: The Way of Water)
Country: UAE
Locations: Multiple VOX and Reel locations
Central Bank of Kuwait
Campaign Type: 15 Dec 2022 – 21 Dec 2022
Country: Kuwait
Locations: The Avenues, Kuwait
Gulf Bank
Campaign Type: 15 Dec 2022 – 21 Dec 2022
Country: Kuwait
Locations: The Avenues, Kuwait
Rident Dental Clinic
Campaign Type: Follow A Movie (Avatar: The Way of Water)
Country: Egypt
Locations: All VOX locations
Aldo
Campaign Type: 15 Dec 2022 – 28 Dec 2022
Country: Bahrain
Locations: The Avenues – Bahrain
MG Cars – RX5
Campaign Type: Follow A Movie (Avatar: The Way of Water)
Country: UAE
Locations: Multiple VOX and Reel Locations
Miral Experiences
Campaign Type: Follow A Movie (Avatar: The Way of Water)
Country: UAE
Locations: VOX Locations
With an exciting lineup of movies releasing in 2023 – from action-packed superhero tales, epic science fiction journeys, thrilling adventure films, classic horror movies, and animated movies, don’t miss out on aligning your brand alongside these highly anticipated blockbusters.
Contact a member of our sales team for on and off screen cinema advertising opportunities in the year ahead.
The 2023 Jury Presidents line-up includes ten global experts who will lead the juries to award outstanding creativity in branded communications across MENA
Dubai Lynx, MENA’s premier Festival and Awards for creative excellence in branded communications, has announced the ten industry experts who will lead the 2023 juries.
The Jury Presidents will judge work entered across 21 different categories, including the newly launched Creative Commerce Lynx.
About the Jury Presidents, Philip Thomas, Chairman LIONS and Dubai Lynx, said, “We’re delighted to announce a host of renowned international talent to the Jury President line-up for Dubai Lynx 2023, featuring some truly remarkable creative leaders. Our Jury Presidents will bring their talent and prowess to ensure the Dubai Lynx Awards set the creative standard for the MENA region, as well as setting the future agenda. We look forward to seeing the body of work that will emerge following their discussions next year.”
2023 Dubai Lynx Jury Presidents include:
Brand Experience & Activation, Creative Commerce, Direct and Outdoor
Vicki Maguire – Chief Creative Officer, Havas London, UK
Creative Effectiveness and Creative Strategy
Anna Vogt, Chief Strategy Officer, VMLY&R London, UK
Design and Industry Craft
Sbu Sitole, Co-Founder & Chief Creative Officer, The Odd Number, South Africa
Digital Craft, Mobile and Social & Influencer
Zoha Zoya, Group Creative Director, Head of Experience Design, R/GA, EMEA
Entertainment
Amani Duncan, CEO, BBH, USA
Film Craft
Rajay Singh, Film Director & Founder, Directors Think Tank, South East Asia
Film, Print & Publishing and Radio & Audio
Gustavo Lauria, Chief Creative Officer, We Believers, USA
Healthcare
Bernardo Romero, Maker, Klick Health, Canada
Media
Kate Ivory, Agency Partner, Head of Strategy, OMD EMEA, EMEA
PR
Tom Beckman, Global Chief Creative Officer, Weber Shandwick, Global
Entries into Dubai Lynx are being accepted until Thursday 2 February 2023. Click here for further information on the awards.
Motivate Val Morgan is the official representative of Dubai Lynx Festival in the UAE
From John Lewis to the return of Will Ferrell as Elf at Asda, here’s a list of the best Christmas ads in 2022 from around the world.
As the holiday season approaches, brands around the world are releasing their much-anticipated Christmas ads.
From heartwarming stories of family and togetherness, to hilarious and lighthearted takes on the holiday season, this year’s batch of Christmas ads includes everything from the return of Will Farrell. as ‘Buddy the Elf’ to cinematic ads directed by Taika Waititi, Michael Gracey and more.
Check out the fill list of 2022 Christmas ads that reflect a year full of change, hope and joyful optimism:
John Lewis – The Beginner
Another year, another heartwarming ad from John Lewis, the ad follows a middle-aged man as he attempts to learn how to skateboard. What’s all this in aid of: a mid-life crisis? No: when the doorbell rings, we learn that he has been prepping the arrival of Ellie, the young girl it looks like the couple will be fostering over Christmas (and who loves to skateboard).
Lidl – Lidl Bear
The supermarket chain – Lidl’s marketing campaign is a stuffed toy in a branded jumper, named “Lidl Bear”, an adorable teddy bear dressed in an accidentally shrunk-down Lidl knitted jumper. The bear becomes a roaring success after being spotted in a supermarket, eclipsing even Paddington’s star as he climbs the giddy heights of fame. But later, he realized what really matters and got back to his young owner, who’s been missing him.
Boots – #JoyForAll
Boots’ ’Joy For All’ campaign follows Holly, played by actor Lydia West, who finds a pair of magic glasses on the bus that let her see the hidden ’joy’ all around her. Lydia effortlessly carries the entire thing and leaves the kind of warm, fuzzy feeling that only the best Christmas ads can conjure.
Sainsbury’s – Once Upon a Pud
Sainsbury’s supermarket chain tells a fantasy story depicting an English countess’ Christmas dinner as chefs prepare their creations. Everything goes smoothly until the young chef who prepares the pudding is disappointed by the countess, since she confesses that she has never liked pudding. It is then that the cook leaves to create a new recipe for the popular Sainsbury’s dessert that the countess may like.
Asda – Have your Elf a Merry Christmas
Will Ferrell, Buddy the Elf is once again spreading cheer for all to hear. Using footage from the hit Warner Bros film, Asda recruited the lovable character as a festive colleague. Ferrell’s Elf proceeds to charm old ladies with his smile; put behind the microphone he starts singing. And of course, he manages to decorate the store to the nines once everybody’s gone home.
Argos: Avalanche
Argos is celebrating the chaos that sometimes ensues when family and friends get together at Christmas time. In their latest ad viewers see a couple nervously anticipating the arrival of their guests – a few visitors according to them, but as a huge crowd of neighbors began to make its way to the couple’s home.
Amazon – Joy is Made
There’s no festive flex quite like getting Taika Waititi to direct your Christmas marketing. Set to the obligatory indie song, this year’s offering tells the story of a dad whose daughter is obsessed with a snow globe. So, for Christmas, what better gift is there for this strange child than for dad to make her a life-size snow globe of her very own?
Heathrow – The Gift
When you’re living far away from your family, what would be your dream Christmas present? London’s Heathrow knows the answer, and the result is this tearjerker of a short film.
M&S – Gifts That Give
Inside each home something unusual is happening … every time an M&S gift is opened, there is an unexpected occurrence that disrupts family Christmases and draws them to the street outside to find it taken over by real-life community groups who will benefit from M&S donations – from bikers with hearts of gold to brass bands. The ad is Directed by the filmmaker Michael Gracey, (The Greatest Showman).
Age UK – Fred’s World
Taking viewers on a journey through the decades, Age UK’s new film follows the relationship of football fan Fred and his wife through the lens of the World Cup years, starting in 1966.
Have a Christmas ad you would like to run in cinema? Contact us for more information on advertising across our circuit in the GCC.
Dubai Municipality booked an off-screen cinema campaign to promote the eco-friendly Dubai Safari Park starting 10 November 2022.
The Branded popcorn tubs were distributed to moviegoers at VOX Cinemas – Mall of the Emirates, City Center Mirdif, City Center Al Zahia, and City Center Deira.
Dubai Safari Park also took over the digital screens at VOX Mall of the Emirates – the hero screen above the candy bar and the large screen at the entrance to the IMAX auditorium.
Contact us for more on how off screen cinema advertising could help move your brand closer to its target audience.
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FIFA | Integrated Cinema Campaign | UAE & KSA
Armani Code | Integrated Cinema Campaign | KSA
FIFA booked an integrated cinema campaign through Universal Media (UM) Qatar to promote the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2022™ at select locations of VOX, Reel, Muvi, AMC cinemas in UAE and Saudi Arabia.
The on-screen campaign included a 30 sec. commercial booked for a period of 4 weeks – 27 October 2022 to 23 November 2022, at select locations of:
UAE – VOX and Reel
KSA – VOX, AMC and Muvi
The commercial follows La’eeb (the official mascot of the FIFA World Cup 2022) as he auditions to fulfill his destiny as the tournament’s mascot. La’eeb encourages everyone to believe in themselves and spread the joy of football to everyone, through the catch phrase ‘Now is All’.
The off-screen component of the cinema campaign included the distribution of 50,000 FIFA branded popcorn tubs featuring La’eeb, to moviegoers at select VOX locations in UAE and KSA starting 10 November 2022.
Contact us for more information on branding options and integrated cinema advertising opportunities across the Middle East!
Related Articles:
Armani Code | Integrated Cinema Campaign | KSA
AMC Garden 5 – Hail offers luxury auditoriums, best-in-class projection, sound and seating, and is the latest effort by AMC in an ongoing program to provide state-of-the-art cinemas across KSA.
AMC Cinemas has opened its eleventh location at Garden Mall in Hail, KSA. The 5-screen cinema with a total of 549 seats, which includes a PRIME at AMC screen, is another impressive step in the rapid evolution of the cinema experience in Saudi Arabia.
Following the launch of AMC Garden 5, the cinema exhibitor aims to reach a large number of movie lovers around Saudi Arabia, a goal which is in line with the government’s plan to diversify entertainment content as well as providing new experiences to a range of audiences in several cities and governorates across the Kingdom.
AMC presently operates 71 screens across 11 locations in 7 cities of Saudi Arabia.
Motivate Val Morgan congratulates AMC Cinemas on the opening of AMC Garden 5, and warmly welcomes this location to our cinema circuit in KSA.
Source: AMC Cinemas
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