Culture is Saudi Arabia’s new commodity and creativity its new currency

The second edition of Athar - Saudi Festival of Creativity, the Kingdom's largest gathering of the creative marketing industry, kicked off today in Riyadh with over 1600 international and local industry leaders, experts, and young Saudi talent in attendance. Day one of the festival featured over 80 speakers, led by Manchester United’s Matt Mckie and global advertising industry icon, Sir Martin Sorrell, who highlighted the transformative role of creativity in bridging cultures, brands, and audiences. The latest industry trends, insights, and best practices, integral to the Kingdom’s efforts in achieving its 2030 ambitions through cultural creativity as a currency of influence, were explored in over 30 sessions, across two stages, including keynotes, panel discussions, fireside chats, and presentations. 

During his opening remarks, Ian Fairservice, Chairman of Athar Festival and Managing Partner of Motivate Media Group, said: "Athar Festival is a vital platform for Saudi Arabia's creative marketing industry that nurtures innovation, fosters dialogue, and promotes growth. We encourage everyone to explore the wealth of knowledge and inspiration the festival offers. With cultural creativity emerging as a strategic focus and economic driver in the Kingdom, the onus is on the creative industry to craft groundbreaking narratives and content that will make a lasting impact on the country’s future."

Adding to this, Mohamed Al Ayed, Vice Chairman of Athar Festival and CEO of TRACCS, stated: "The Kingdom has an immensely rich culture, heritage, and traditions, and showcasing these on the global stage through various forms of creative expression, is contributing to its overall image and attracting interest and investment – key factors for achieving its ambitions. Creativity is the heart and soul of its culture, driving growth, innovation, and social cohesion. Culture is undoubtedly Saudi Arabia’s new commodity and creativity is its new currency.”

A highlight of the day’s proceedings was a keynote delivered by Matt McKie, Director of Marketing at Manchester United, titled "Cultural Connection, Unbreakable Bonds and the Power of Stories: Lessons Learnt from a Career in Sports Marketing." Drawing from his experience with Manchester United, Nike, the Olympics, and EA Sports, McKie demonstrated how creative narrative building can forge the strongest bonds with audiences. He explained that curiosity and emotion are critical ingredients that harness the power of stories to motivate people to action. “Crafting a powerful brand story means capturing the most intense moments that resonate deeply," said McKie. "By tapping into our audience’s emotional instincts and forging authentic connections, we can create ideas that endure and become a meaningful part of their lives.”

Sir Martin Sorrell, Founder and Executive Chairman, S4 Capital PLC, shared his thoughts in another important session on what it takes to succeed in today's fast-paced and highly competitive market. In his fireside chat "Navigating the Creative Landscape in the Age of Artificial Intelligence (AI)," Sorrell highlighted AI's practical impact on creative processes and the innovative opportunities at the intersection of creativity and technology. 

Additionally, Day one of Athar Festival featured discussions and workshops that provided valuable insights into leveraging creativity to deepen connections with audiences, promote Saudi Arabia's rich culture, drive tourism, and reshape the urban landscape. These included "The Pillars of Nation-Branding in Saudi Arabia: Tourism, Urban Space and the Power of Creativity" by Fahad AlAhmed, CEO of The Fullstop Creative Agency, and Serfi Altun, Founder and Global CEO of Idea Bakery Consultancy; "Leveraging Branding to Showcase Saudi’s Rich Culture to the World" by Mark Grossfield, VP Marketing at KAFD, AbdulGhafoor AbdulHaleem, Council Member of Saudi Leaders Society, and Ziyad Organji, Founder and Chairman of Brandship Consultancy; and "Community-Powered: A New Paradigm for the Creative Industry" by Bengi Turgan, Co-CEO of ATOLYE.

Running concurrently with the festival, the Young Talent Academies continued its mission to nurture the next generation of creative professionals. These academies offered approximately 73 participants the opportunity to learn from industry leaders, develop their skills, and network with professionals across four specialised programmes

: the Student Creative Academy in partnership with MCN; the Student Marketers Academy in partnership with UTURN; the NextGen Creative Academy and the NextGen Marketers Academy in partnership with Saudi Tourism Authority.