Navigating new horizons at Athar Festival

May 30, 2024

This year’s Athar Festival of Creativity (taking place on November 5th and 6th) builds on the success of the inaugural edition that hosted over 1,400 attendees, including more than a hundred speakers, joined by senior leaders and young talent from the creative marketing community in the region and beyond.

The festival will spark the passion and potential of the Kingdom’s creative community, and will feature various programmes, including expert sessions led by accomplished regional and global speakers, industry roundtables, exclusive C-suite sessions, accelerator programmes, a 24-hour hack competition and Academies for Young Talent, exclusively for industry professionals under 30 and university students.

Additionally, attendees can look forward to gaining knowledge on the evolution and giant strides made by Saudi Arabia in the creative sphere.

AI and emerging tech
This year’s festival is set to explore a diverse set of themes, among which AI and technology is one of the focus areas. Saudi Arabia is making significant strides in the age of new technologies like AR, blockchain and AI for creativity, data analytics and business strategy.

According to Mordor Intelligence, the Big Data and AI market is anticipated to reach a staggering $2.19 billion by 2029 within the Kingdom.

Emerging XR technologies are enabling Saudi Arabian heritage to gain a global spotlight allowing virtual explorations of sites like Hegra in AlUla. Meanwhile, the introduction of ‘Sara,’ a humanoid robot, demonstrates a convergence of tech and culture.

It also raises discussions about the ethics of AI integration. New technologies have become an integral part of the creative marketing, advertising and communications industry, transforming the way businesses work.

AI has enhanced customer segmentation, optimised ad placement, and improved content creation, resulting in higher engagement, conversion rates, and ROI for businesses.

Furthermore, marketers have access to a wealth of data and insights that allow them to create more targeted, personalised campaigns, reach consumers in new and innovative ways and create more engaging and immersive experiences.

At the same time, an Oliver Wyman report reveals that 57 per cent of Saudi Arabia’s employees see significant room for AI training enhancement.

As part of its content programme, the Athar Festival will deep dive into new technologies, how companies can integrate them internally towards productive solutions, use them externally to create immersive experiences, up skill their teams to use them effectively and keep an eye on the ethical considerations around them.

With the substantial attendance and comprehensive representation of Saudi Arabia’s creative industry expected, the Athar Festival presents a valuable opportunity for participants to present their ideas and gain valuable insights from the finest minds in the creative community.

Athar – Saudi Festival of Creativity, the Kingdom’s largest gathering of the creative marketing industry, will take place from 5-6 November 2024 at Crowne Plaza Riyadh RDC Hotel & Convention.