Online stars including Casey Neistat, Lele Pons, KSI, Anwar Jibawi, Inanna Sarkis and others came out to interact with fans.
Fans, budding creators, established online stars and industry experts alike descended on VIDXB today as the regions first dedicated event for online content creators opened its doors at the Dubai World Trade Centre.
His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum toured VIDXB on its opening day, and was greeted by international YouTuber, Casey Neistat, who also gave one of the most highly anticipated appearances of the day. Chatting with fans during an intimate fireside talk, New York based Neistat spoke about his meteoric rise to success, how he became the gold standard of vlogging, and shared insight around how he came to find his own brand aesthetic and storytelling approach.
Following on centre stage was globally renowned online creator Lele Pons, the woman behind Instagrams most viewed story of 2017.
Also included was a live cooking demonstration from Chef Samar, E-Sports session with UK-based gamer and performer KSI, and a tutorial on the ins and outs of beauty content creation with Noor Stars, Nuha Style, Esswara and YoTips, to name a few.
Tarek Abdalla, Regional Head of Marketing MENA, Google, announced details of YouTubes new partnership with Iftah Ya SimSim, the Arabic co-production of Sesame Street, stating: Fifty episodes will debut as part of YouTubes Creators for Change initiative, a project that aims to highlight social issues through YouTube channels.
Commenting on the opening day of VIDXB, Jamal Al Sharif, Chairman of DFTC, said: VIDXB has been months in the making, and opening the doors today to see the idea become a reality was very special. There has been a real gap in the market for an event like this and the demand for all part of the programme from fan meet and greets and creator performances, to the industry workshops and panel sessions has been overwhelming. We look forward to seeing the creativity continue to flow across the weekend and have no doubt that VIDXB will successfully cement its position as a catalyst for digital media production in the region.
Off the main stage, industry professionals and budding creators were given the opportunity to learn about the latest tools and techniques relevant to brands and those wanting to build their own presence online. Hosted by key representatives from major platforms including Facebook, YouTube and Interscope Records, the sessions welcomed insightful discussions on how technology is shaping the way brands conduct business and interact with their audiences. Jonathon Labin, Managing Director, Facebook Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan, also delivered a keynote on how Mobile, AI and VR will impact our world in years to come, sharing his knowledge and opinions on the innovative topic.
This was followed by a conversation was Rob Newland, CEO of Virtue Worldwide EMEA, VICEs global full-service creative agency, who spoke in depth about the convergence of media companies and creative agencies. Having recently launched cult media channel VICE in the region, Newland was well versed in topics relating to consumption patterns of Arab youth based on recent survey findings conducted by VICE.
In line with VIDXBs mission to stimulate growth, event sponsor, Alfan Group, a leading MCN & Digital Media Company, announced the closing of its seed round of USD 1.5M, which will help the organisation expand in the Middle East region.
VIDXB kicks off a year-round series of initiatives from the Dubai Film & TV Commission to promote local content, showcase emerging technologies, and facilitate skills development for Dubai’s growing digital media talent pool.
.jpg)