New Award Recognises Exceptional Communication Skills

Exceptional and impactful storytelling and communication skills are being recognised through a new award.

The Media Savvy Awards will recognise business leaders within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) for their excellent traditional and new media skills.

The Awards recognise GCC business leaders who take a proactive, strategic and targeted approach, and deliver their message with impact and clarity.

It showcases best practice examples of customer, shareholder, staff, supplier and other stakeholder communication.

"We want to recognise those business leaders who through their presentation style are able to attain and retain their audience's attention, and inspire them to act, interact and transact," said Mark Laudi, Awards Convenor, former CNBC anchor and Managing Director of Hong Bao Media. 

The Media Savvy Awards are endorsed and supported by the Dubai Chapters of the Asia Pacific Association of Communications Directors (APACD), and the Public Relations Communications Association (PRCA).

"You cannot lead in a communications vacuum, and we must recognize and applaud executives who are able to communicate effectively with the public and other key stakeholders," said Alex Malouf, APACD's Gulf Co-Chair and PRCA MENA Board Member.

"The Media Savvy Awards are an opportunity for the industry to push home the message that clear, impactful communications helps organizations build relationships and fosters trust.

"We should encourage executives and officials to better communicate with their stakeholders, especially in a region where everyone is online and always looking to engage with brands and organizations," he said.

The Awards are celebrating their fifth year in Singapore and Malaysia, adding a new Best Webcast/Hybrid Event Presentation category, in line with the changing times.

"As economies reopen post-COVID, communication skills are now more important than ever. We forecast senior business leaders will not go back to an offline environment, presenting only to audiences physically present before them – nor are they going to remain in a purely virtual environment where they speak to audiences only through a video conferencing platform. We will see a hybrid model emerge where both face to face and virtual communication skills are essential," Mr Laudi said.

"Storytelling skills, the ability to inspire and motivate as well as crisis communications will be critical as this hybrid environment poses even more challenges for senior business leaders."

"Our new category of Best Webcast/Hybrid Event Presentation recognises those business leaders who retain the attention of both in-person and virtual audiences, and get their message across."

This is in addition to the existing criteria of Best Broadcast Interview for interviews first carried on traditional radio and television stations, and Best Online Interview for interviews posted on the websites and channels of online-only and traditional print publications.

"Internal communications, sales briefings, and conference presentations have all moved to video conferencing platforms. Together with virtual Annual General Meetings, live webcasting has become the norm and brought exceptional talent to the fore," Mr Laudi concluded.

Nominations are now open at www.mediasavvyawards.com until Saturday, April 30, 2022.