The jury deliberating entries to the Okaz Creative Advertising Awards, which is patronized by Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, Emir of Makkah, met at Okaz Organization premises here Monday. The jury members are well-known professionals and academics selected from sectors concerned with advertisement. Saleh Al-Turki, Chairman of the Award and Board Member of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, explained that advertising is an important business in Saudi Arabia. “A large number of advertisements in the Middle East are directed at the Saudi market,” Al-Turki said, “but, unfortunately, Saudis individually are not heavily involved in the field. We hope that the launching of the Okaz Creative Advertising Awards will help developing this business in the Kingdom”. He pointed out that the advertising field was not really neglected in the nation's educational institutions as there is an advertisement department in the College of Arts at King Abdulaziz University and there is a creative art department at Dar Al-Hekma College. “I'm aware of the work that Dar Al-Hekma has been doing,” said Al-Turki. “I haven't seen any of their students yet in a leading role in any agency, but with this kind of support from Okaz, I think more Saudi creative individuals will be involved in this field,” he added. Entries submitted for the Okaz awards were related to products and brands available in the Saudi market and designed by Saudi individuals and registered agencies in Saudi Arabia. Those competing for the awards could participate in one of the following categories: print, TV, radio, outdoor, Internet, public services, integrated marketing, communications campaign, creative media execution, direct advertisers and Saudi talents. “One of the categories of the Okaz awards is Saudi Talents and we have received about 150 entries from many individuals most of them students, and half of them female, even though it is the first time that such an award competition is being held in the region,” Al-Turki said. A jury member Dr. Ludmila Armata, Assistant Professor at Dar Al-Hekma College, said, “We are dealing with a very young profession in the country, and it is good to see Saudi students particularly from our schools participating in this competition.” Rami Yousef Damanhouri, head of Brand Operations Division at Proctor & Gamble in the Arabian Peninsula, said the advertisement investment budget has been growing in the past five years, but the way it is directed is still the same for one reason. “We still depend mainly on TV and newspapers,” said Damanhouri, “while when we compare Saudi Arabia with other developed counties, we find that we also have the Internet and other media such as radio. So what is missing? I think the real opportunity lies in talent and creative agencies. And I think that this award is an opportunity to involve these parties to develop the advertising business here.”
