Has the health crisis forced you to rethink the format of the next Adicomdays event, scheduled for October 22 and 23? How will it unfold?
The next ADICOMDAYS event will be 100% digital. We are fortunate to be able to count on all of our partners, who have chosen to maintain their commitment, and we thank them for that.
Beyond the 100% digital aspect, this next edition will remain similar to previous years, marked by the Adicomforum and the Adicomawards ceremony which, even if it no longer takes place at the National Theater of Dakar, will be punctuated by many surprises. We will welcome personalities from Africa and Europe.
The event will be filmed in its entirety and streamed via Facebook and ZOOM. The choice of channel is partly explained by the fact that it is the most widely used social network in our regions. We also plan to broadcast the event on Instagram. We have also planned several pre-recorded highlights as well as live segments. The idea is to create a high-quality event.
What will be the main themes addressed this year?
Throughout the day, we will provide an overview of digital trends for the next ten years and present the ambitions of GAFA for the African continent. The Adicomforum will take place over one day, October 22, hosted by renowned guests.
The main theme of the event will be: the future of digital communication in Africa. We will start the event with the Adicomforum, during which we will have the opportunity to welcome several representatives from GAFA and social networks: Facebook, TikTok, Triller, and Google.
With the latter, we will discuss topics related to artificial intelligence and voice. We believe that voice as a format will experience a leapfrog because there are many people on the continent who speak dialects or are illiterate. Voice is likely to become widespread in African usage.
We will also have a more lifestyle and music-oriented highlight, hosted by Claire Pesnel, Co-Managing Director of Universal Music Africa. Influencers will also speak on topics related to beauty.
Will the Adicomawards ceremony take place?
The ceremony will take place on October 23 and will be broadcast live from Dakar. Once again, we will be rewarding African creativity, but this year we have decided to broaden the scope of influencers. We received over 1,000 applications. After evaluation by the jury, we have selected three finalists per category. We will be awarding prizes in seven categories: Tech, Young Talent, Food, Beauty, Social Impact, Travel, and Humor, in partnership with Mamane and Gondwana City Productions. The jury will be composed of former winners and pan-African influencers. There will also be a special prize from TV5MONDE Afrique, which is presenting the ADICOMAWARDS.
As for the Adicomacademy component, we will also be using a 100% digital format with a live segment featuring discussions between participants, followed by a redirect to courses accessible via our online platform, which will be officially launched during the event.
What are your expectations for this edition, despite the health context?
With this new edition, we have done everything possible to achieve a quality close to that of a television broadcast. Unfortunately, we remain very dependent on the internet connection and its vagaries. From a quantitative point of view, we hope to attract a large audience for the entire program, as this year's event will be accessible to the general public free of charge. In Africa, we are generally the last to benefit from the latest features of major social media platforms. With Adicomdays 2020, the entire African ecosystem will be able to benefit from the major announcements and innovations delivered by these players.