RIYADH: Creative minds from throughout the Kingdom have been brought together in Riyadh for panel discussions, seminars and exhibitions.
The Advertising and Creativity Forum is taking place as the Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Center hosts the 15th edition of the Creative Industry Summit, organized by the Chamber of Commerce in partnership with Balaconah, from Oct. 30 to Nov. 1.
The three-day summit features around 46 local and international speakers, in addition to seminars, workshops and exhibitions.
The event gives people the chance to meet and talk with leaders in the creative industries, and influential people in Saudi and Egyptian markets.
It also provides creative and advertising experts from both countries the opportunity to share ideas and upgrade skills through events.
Riyadh Al-Zamil, a member of the board of directors of Riyadh Chamber of Commerce, said: “This event is in line with the changes the advertising industry is going through due to Saudi Vision 2030.”
Al-Zamil added that the Saudi market is one of the biggest and most diverse in the world and its buying power can help the growth of the advertising industry.
Mai Salama, the founding partner of the Creative Industry Summit, said that she found creativity everywhere in Saudi Arabia.
She added: “The local talent here make amazing things, and there is a synergy between Egyptian and Saudi minds.”
She said she was proud of partnering with Balaconah, the advertising committee at the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce, to present the summit’s first regional edition in the Kingdom.
Saudi and Egyptian companies participating in the event include The Bold Group, NU Digital Awards, Lavad, Matter Brand Consultancy, ANB, Al-Sefer Group, and the General Commission for Audiovisual Media.
For those interested in marketing, the General Commission for Audiovisual Media’s booth offered visitors the opportunity to register for a Mawthooq license. Recently launched, they allow users to obtain licenses to independently advertise on social media platforms.
Shouq Al-Harbi, marketing specialist for the Saudi marketing company Lavad, told Arab News that the summit was important in helping forge links with other creative companies in the country, and clients.
“Lavad is marketing by influencers. We present the influencer to the company and have a plan for the client that identifies the influencers who are best suited to the company based on analysis of the ads.
“We’re taking part in this event right here, at the interactive booth, where we play a game and give out gifts to guests,” Al-Harbi said.
Saudi marketing company the Bold Group hosted a creative booth giving visitors the chance to listen to the thoughts of its creative team.
The group’s creative conceptualizer, Ahmed Al-Dosari, said: “Our idea in the booth is that everyone here is competing to show their ideas, but we want to show you what we believe in the group, which is ideas.
“Ideas, big or small, can be polished in Bold Group, and we believe in empowering our employees, which is why it’s important to listen to their ideas,” he added.
To The Point is a firm that works on strategies and marketing campaigns with clients such as Mrsool and government procurement authorities.
Mohammed bin Khamis, TTP’s business development manager, said: “Our goal in participating in this event is to demonstrate to attendees what we can do for their brand as a 100 percent Saudi employee company.
“Our philosophy is to approach each client with a communication strategy and fully grasp their brand before moving on to the creative brief.”
Eslam Shaker, the chief operating officer of REP animation studio, said: “We are a Saudi company that produces animated television series, and we can deliver high-quality work using animation.
“Being Egyptian, I believe Saudis and Egyptians share the same sense of humor and understanding, so it’s the right place to be.
“We participated in this summit because you could say it’s one of the biggest places that connect people of creative interest, and that doesn’t happen often,” he added.
