Turki, Chairman of the jury committee of Okaz Creative Advertisement Award competition, addresses a press conference at the Okaz headquarters in Jeddah, Saturday. Waleed J. Kattan, Director Gneral of Okaz Organization for Press and Publication also spoke on the occasion. — Saudi Gazette photo by Mohannad SharawiBy Jassim Alghamdi and Doha Gouth Saudi Gazette JEDDAH — The annual competition for the Okaz Creative Advertisement Award (OCAA) starts Sunday and will run through to Jan. 12. The award supports the advertisement industry and will reward those who produce quality artworks which are genuinely creative. As if the awards were not already creating a big enough buzz, the prize money has been raised to an impressive SR5 million. There are various categories including print, television, radio and outdoor advertising of both consumer products and services. Addressing a press conference at Okaz headquarters here Saturday, Waleed J. Kattan, Director General of Okaz Organization for Press and Publication announced that “this is the last year the award will be national as from next year the OCAA will be launched internationally.” He also said “the competition shows the core values of Okaz — professionalism and social responsibility. and it will encourage more Saudis into the advertising business which is now dominated by foreigners.” The press conference was also addressed by Sheikh Saleh Al-Turki, Chairman of the award's jury committee. Yaser Eid, Okaz Director General's Assistant for Marketing said his organization has put its hand in something extremely valuable, something which will pave the way for young Saudis in the field of business. “Okaz Organization has already hired some of the award winners from last year's competition as designers,” he said. Dr. Abdullah Banakhar, OCAA Secretary, paid tribute to Okaz Organization for organizing the competition and supporting the award since its beginning in 2009. “This great achievement wouldn't have been possible without the patronage of Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, Emir of Makkah region, who as an artist himself realizes the tremendous importance of the competition,” he said. Saleh Al-Turki told the press conference that “advertisement is a very promising field in Saudi Arabia as it targets 60 to 70 percent of the local market. “Universities and colleges focusing on graphic design in Saudi Arabia are sculpting the creativity of our youth. The award hugely encourages Saudi youths to enter the field,” he said. However, Saleh regretted the foreign dominance of the competition and the industry in general. “When the field started no one realized its importance. And due to strict regulations companies were based in other Arab countries and staffed by foreigners. However with the regulations relaxed there is no excuse for foreign domination,” he said. Al-Turki highlighted the significance of the advertising industry. “If you are powerful in the advertisement sector then you own the media,” he said. This year a 7-member jury committee will decide on the awards in various different categories. The competitors must follow certain rules — the cardinal one being that the ad is for a product or brand available in the Kingdom. Awards will be given on Jan. 31. Participants can enroll in one or more categories. Advertising agencies must be registered in Saudi Arabia and their ads must have been publicly released between October of 2010 and 2011. The competition covers several media platforms — print, television, radio and outdoor — which will not only advertise consumer products but also public services. The prizes are worth around four billion Saudi riyals to encourage and reward those who produce quality artworks which reflect genuine creativity. The competition helps Okaz in practicing its core values which are professionalism and social responsibility, Dr. Kattan said. “Through it we hope to encourage more Saudi males and females into the advertising business which lacks Saudi dominance,” he said. Sheikh Saleh Al-Turki explained that the focus of more universities and colleges on graphic design in Saudi Arabia is sculpting the creativity of our youth. “Through the efforts of this group we hope to tap creative individuals and Saudi agencies to the region in the competition's fourth round and to the world in its seventh round” he said. __
