Mindshare has won the media buying and planning account for Abu Dhabi Film Festival.
The annual event, which changed its name from the Middle East International Film Festival in April, called the pitch at the end of June and awarded the brief to Mindshare after a pitch involving three agencies. Mindshare had carried out media buying duties for the festival last year.
The move follows the recent announcement that JWT had won the creative advertising side of the business and has been tasked with developing a new ad campaign for the fourth edition of the festival. Five ad agencies had originally been invited to pitch for the 2010 campaign, with the festival’s main goal to align its brand strategy and raise its profile.
“We are proud of our new name, which came naturally out of a strengthed mission to nurture a rich film culture in the UAE, as well as regionally and internationally,” said Huda Al Shamsi, director of marketing and sponsorship. “We chose JWT because their pitch showed a full understanding of where we are now and where we want to take our festival.”
Elie Haber, managing director of Mindshare, said: ” We recognise the importance and the strategic position of this festival and we are committed to delivering on the big idea and the exchange framework, especially in such an evolved and fragmented media landscape.”
This year’s Abu Dhabi Film Festival takes place from 14-23 October.