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- Media Presentation 9 December 1:15 - 1:30PM
Memes as a Media Business
Memes have evolved from inside jokes to infrastructure, shorthand for how culture communicates, trades attention, and builds identity. What began as internet humour now drives audience behaviour, politics, and brand value. In this session, the architects of today’s meme networks unpack how they’ve scaled communities into businesses: from managing millions of followers to producing longform shows, podcasts, live activations, and brand IP. Together, they explore the transition from meme pages to media empires — and what that says about the future of storytelling, fandom, and cultural authority.
Explore by InstagramSpeakers
- Picture Panel 8 December 1:15 - 1:45PM
Global Blockbusters, Local Roots
As audiences converge and tastes diversify, global hits depend on authenticity as much as scale. This conversation examines how actors and producers navigate casting, finance, and distribution across continents, and how to shape stories that honor cultural nuance while appealing to worldwide audiences.
Explore by InstagramSpeakers
Moderator
- Marketing Panel 9 December 4:25 - 4:55PM
Why the Future of Media Is Experiential
As attention becomes fleeting and digital reach commoditized, the most forward-looking media companies are finding growth in what can’t be replicated on a screen, experience. By turning audiences into participants, events and real-world activations extend brand life, build trust, and diversify revenue beyond ads or clicks. This session explores why the future of media belongs to those who can transform storytelling into connection and influence into community.
Central StageSpeakers
- Media Panel 9 December 3:55 - 4:25PM
Longform’s Next Act
In a media environment dominated by sensationalism and short-form content, longform journalism has struggled to keep its grip. According to the 2025 Reuters Institute Digital News Report, 62 percent of online news consumers now prefer bite-sized updates. Yet platforms like YouTube and Substack show renewed demand for depth, with Substack alone reporting a fivefold rise in paid subscriptions since 2020. The question is no longer whether audiences have the attention for longform, but whether the industry is delivering it in ways that resonate. Publishers and creators are now reimagining longform for a global, digital-first audience, using new distribution models and partnerships to balance reach with resonance, and to define the next era of credible, enduring media.
Forum StageSpeakers
- Marketing Presentation 9 December 9:55 - 10:05AM
Gaming Beyond Reality
Gaming is evolving from a separate virtual realm into the operating system for how new generations live, learn, and create. As on-device AI and world models deepen machines’ spatial understanding, gaming becomes a persistent layer blending digital and physical worlds. This session explores how spatial computing, XR, intelligent agents, and world-building tools are reshaping interaction and identity—especially for the UAE, where major investments signal a new era of presence, participation, and programmable reality.
Explore by Instagram - Gaming Fireside 10 December 9:30 - 9:45AM
Creating a Sport That Goes Viral
World Cup and Champions League winner Gerard Piqué has redefined what it means to play, watch, and experience sport. As the mind behind the Kings League, he merged competition, entertainment, and creator culture to captivate millions worldwide. In this conversation, Piqué unpacks how digital communities, storytelling, and innovation can turn a game into a movement, and why the future of entertainment may belong as much to creators as to athletes.
Forum StageModerator
