September 02, 2020

New Media Academy partners with TikTok in pioneering agreement

New Media Academy, the first-of-its-kind digital academy supporting a new generation of content creators from the Arab world, has announced a pioneering partnership with TikTok, the social media platform known for its short-form videos.

The partnership kicked off with the region’s first virtual workshop for government departments on effectively creating and disseminating content on social media delivered by the TikTok team. The event saw over 100 participants from 50 government and semi-government bodies, including the Dubai Future Foundation, The Roads and Transport Authority, Dubai Police, the Ministry of Culture and Youth, Ministry of Community Development, Abu Dhabi Media Company and the Ras Al Khaimah Government Media Office.

The workshop introduced delegates to TikTok, and offered incisive insight on the modes of communication the application offers. Attendees benefitted from best practices in media campaign execution and content creation to match their strategic vision. The workshop homed in on the theme that even serious communication around educational, CSR, brand building or community awareness can be offered in innovative, creative and entertaining ways.

The workshop is a first step towards empowering local government entities by providing them with tools to build valuable campaigns and to scale their reach on TikTok. Moving forward, the partnership sets the stage for a unique, broad-ranging collaboration, and a host of joint initiatives promoting talent across the entire Arab world. The partners will co-ordinate strategic agendas for region-wide expansion to nurture the professional development of individuals and organisations. The Academy also plans to integrate key insights and data from TikTok into its curricula, giving audiences the tools and insights for creating the most compelling content on TikTok.

"By working with Tik Tok, New Media Academy unlocks a powerful new marketing channel for government entities and enables them to deliver impactful and scalable campaigns. Our first webinar is the start of a wide-ranging programme of empowerment and support for public sector content creators," said Rashid Al Awadhi, CEO of New Media Academy.

"As the world’s leading short-form video platform, TikTok represents a unique and exciting channel to communicate with local audiences with creativity and authenticity. By partnering with the New Media Academy to deliver a region-first webinar, we are excited about introducing the power of TikTok to government teams and showcasing best practice on how to engage with the public effectively on the platform," said Rami Zeidan, Head of Video and Creative at TikTok.