Dubai, United Arab Emirates; February 27, 2019: STARZ PLAY – the MENA region’s fastest-growing subscription video on-demand service – has appointed ASDA’A BCW as its corporate communications partner. The agency competed against several notable firms to win the competitive pitch.
STARZ PLAY is a subscription video on demand service that streams Hollywood movies, TV shows, documentaries, kids’ entertainment and same-day-as-the-US series – plus dedicated Arabic and Bollywood content – to 19 countries across the Middle East and North Africa. The Dubai-startup clinched leading market share since launch of services.
ASDA’A BCW will manage STARZ PLAY’s strategic PR and communications function and outreach throughout the GCC, North Africa and Levant.
Maaz Sheikh, Co-founder and CEO of STARZ PLAY, said: “Given the growth in subscription on demand video service in entertainment, STARZ PLAY was created with the aim to become the go-to choice for premium family content. We are a local platform for the region that strives to innovate in the digital space, and it was important for us to find a communications partner with strong regional presence that challenges convention. With the appointment of ASDA’A BCW as our communications agency, we look forward to an exciting period of growth.”
Sunil John, Founder and President of ASDA’A BCW, said: “This is an important win for us, as it demonstrates the strength of the agency’s position at the forefront of communications for leading tech and media brands within the region and beyond. Now is an exciting time to work alongside disruptive brands such as STARZ PLAY to act as a key contributor to building the firm’s presence in the Middle East and North Africa’s technology and media sector.”
ASDA’A BCW has won more regional and international industry awards than any other PR agency in the Middle East and has an unrivalled portfolio of globally-renowned and retained client accounts.
About STARZ PLAY
STARZ PLAY (www.starzplay.com) is a subscription video on demand service that streams Hollywood movies, TV shows, documentaries, kids’ entertainment and same-day-as-the-US series – plus dedicated Arabic and Bollywood content – to 19 countries across the Middle East and North Africa. The service carries thousands of premium titles including exclusive STARZ Original content such as Power, Outlander, Spartacus and The White Queen.
STARZ PLAY allows subscribers to watch its full HD and 4K content via most internet-enabled devices, smart TVs and game consoles, and is widely available on regional IPTV services. Its iOS and Android apps – installed on more than three million devices – also allow downloads for offline playback.
STARZ (www.starz.com), a Lionsgate company (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B) and State Street Global Advisors (SSGA) are the lead investors along with media and technology investment firms including SEQ Capital Partners and Delta Partners.
About ASDA’A BCW
ASDA’A was founded in 2000 as an independent agency by Sunil John, who continues to lead in the agency’s 19th year. In 2008, WPP acquired a majority stake in the firm. ASDA’A became an integral part of the Burson-Marsteller global network. After the recent merger, ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller is now ASDA’A BCW. Today, the agency employs nearly 200 professionals across nine wholly-owned offices and seven affiliates in 15 Middle East & North Africa (MENA) countries. The Agency now serves more than 100 retained clients in the region and is the leading PR consultancy in MENA.