Dubai advertising fest to get a new format
The third Dubai International Advertising Festival, the leading creative advertising competition for the Middle East and Africa, will adopt a new format in 2010 that will take place at a new, state-of-the-art venue, The Palladium, in Dubai Media City.
The festival, the leading competition and awards for advertising creative excellence in the Middle East and Africa will have seminars and workshops hosted by a team of high-profile advertising executives.
After the opening of the festival on March 14 there will be a special welcome event from 4pm to 6pm that day. The festival seminar programme kicks off on March 15 when, over two days, attendees can benefit from a learning programme of 16 seminars and four workshops presented by experts addressing current and topical industry issues.
Chuck Porter, Chairman of Crispin Porter + Bogusky, and Prasoon Joshi, Executive Chairman and Regional ECD Asia Pacific of McCann Erickson India, are the first speakers to be confirmed.
A programme of evening networking events will also take place during the festival. The festival will culminate on March 17 with the Lynx Awards, where the 2010 winners will be announced during a celebratory dinner.
A new, lower delegate registration fee has been introduced to reflect the current financial circumstances. The cost for the full delegate pass is $400 (Dh1,468), but registrations made before February 1 can enjoy an early-bird discounted rate of $325.
"The global recession has affected the region, so keeping abreast of the industry's changes and challenges as well as the recognition of good work is now more crucial than ever," said Terry Savage, Chairman of Cannes Lions, who, with Motivate Publishing, are joint organisers of the festival. Entries can now be submitted online in the categories of TV/cinema, outdoor, print, radio, interactive, direct & sales promotion, media, integrated and, new for 2010.
Dubai Lynx is introducing Craft as a new entry section rewarding excellence of craft technique in print, outdoor, radio and TV/cinema advertising, over and above the creative idea of the work.
Categories include best use of animation, special effects, computer animation, best use of film direction and cinematography and best use of music in the TV/cinema category.
Print and outdoor ads can be submitted in best use of copywriting, illustration and photography. Radio ads can be submitted in categories for best script and best use of sound, while both Outdoor and Print work can also be judged in best art direction.
Entries deadline across all categories is February 11.
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