Athar Awards to celebrate creative marketing excellence in Saudi Arabia

Athar – Saudi Festival of Creativity, the largest gathering of the creative marketing industry in the Kingdom set to take place from 13–16 November 2023 at the Hotel Crowne Plaza Riyadh RDC, will feature a special Athar Awards gala dinner to conclude the four-day festival.

The inaugural edition will take place on November 16 and feature the Athar Legacy Awards of the Decade and Athar Special Awards, in addition to recognising the winners of the 24-hour hack competition, part of the Young Talent Academies.

The gala dinner is set to be attended by creative directors, chief creative officers, CMOs, CEOs and other senior decision makers from all sectors of the creative communications landscape including creative, media and communications agencies, event agencies, advertisers, media houses, brands, platforms, government agencies, publishers, tech platforms, young talent, and start-ups. 

The Legacy Awards will be presented to agencies and brands verified by the Dubai Lynx and Cannes Lions international festivals of creativity based on points gained over the last decade by Saudi-based campaigns or agencies. Categories include Media Network of the Decade, Brand of the Decade, Agency of the Decade and Network of the Decade.

The Special Awards will recognise outstanding individuals, market leaders and other stellar organisations who have positively contributed to the advancement of the local creative industry. It includes the Empowerment and Marketer categories for individuals and three other categories, Disruptors, Excellence and Gamechangers, celebrating organisations for their achievement.

The award ceremony will also acknowledge outstanding participants from this year’s Athar Young Talent Academies; a set of six academies designed for young professionals and students to explore creative marketing topics from public relations, copywriting, innovation, branding & design, planning, and social communications.

Ian Fairservice, Chairman of Athar Festival and Managing Partner & Group Editor-in-Chief of Motivate Media Group, stated: “With Saudi Arabia’s reception of the first-ever Grand Prix Award at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity this year, the local creative industry is in an era of continual progression. Through the Legacy Awards which are verified by both Dubai Lynx and Cannes Lions, we are able to commemorate agencies and brands that have consistently set high standards and embodied excellence through their work. As we approach the start of this year’s festival, we are very excited to close the event on a very festive note, giving peers a chance to celebrate one another’s achievements.”

“Saudi creativity is in a remarkable period of growth, proven by the innovative ideas that have been brought to life across various industries,” commented Mohamed Al Ayed, Vice Chairman of Athar Festival and CEO of TRACCS. “Athar Festival’s Special Awards and each of the award categories has been tailored to recognize the brilliance and versatility shown by both individuals and organisations in the Kingdom’s creative landscape. As the Kingdom advances forward guided by the framework of Vision 2030, we are proud to reward exceptionalism and congratulate the Kingdom’s diverse creative communities.”

Organised by Motivate Media Group and TRACCS, the festival promises to be an inspiring occasion celebrating marketing excellence and affirming the value of creativity in the world of business. The four-day festival programme will include a two-day festival and two days of training for young talent, underlining the enduring role of creativity as an enabler of growth and development. 

With an extensive line-up of 100+ international and celebrity speakers, Athar Festival’s landmark edition is expected to welcome 1,500 industry professionals and young talent to attend the festival and its academies, celebrating innovation and exceptionalism within Saudi Arabia’s creative ecosystem.