Content will be available on television, via the Fatafeat app, on discovery+ via STARZPLAY, and across all social platforms.
Fatafeat, the home of Arabic cooking, has reaffirmed its commitment to local content with the announcement of production plans for 2021. From its award-winning production facility in Dubai Production City, Fatafeat already has more than 270 hours of linear content scheduled for production in 2021, with more to be added to the roster in future months.
In addition to linear content, the purpose-built Fatafeat studio will output hundreds of hours of social and digital content, expected to exceed the 1,000+ hours of content produced in 2020.
Speaking about the development, Layla Tamim, Commercial Manager at Discovery – the parent company of Fatafeat, commented: “Last year, in spite of the challenges which resulted from the global pandemic, the Fatafeat studio was able to surpass expectation by exceeding forecasted hours of content. Following a brief mandatory closure of facilities, in line with governmental safety precautions, we were able to adapt business practices to allow production teams and talent to re-enter the studio and continue creating the shows and content that the region love. From a personnel perspective, it meant that we were able to retain production staff and continue supporting the broadcast industry as a whole.”
By swiftly adapting to Covid-19 safety regulations, the on-going production capabilities aided in maintaining job security for many individuals who were faced with a level of uncertainty as a result of the pandemic, whilst also supporting local and regional talent, including Chefs Mohammad Orfali, Manal Alalem and Afnan Aljaadi, to name a few.
The content being produced at the Dubai-based Fatafeat studio is not only designed for Fatafeat’s linear television channel, but content is also specifically curated for the Fatafeat app, previously known as the Genius Kitchen app, as well as social content for YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat Tik Tok and Facebook – reaching a combined audience of more than 24m people.
Tamim concluded: “As Fatafeat is a brand born from the region, the content intrinsically resonates with an audience which is why we see such high following and engagement across each of our platforms. Similarly, marketing and advertising professionals have recognised this, and we’ve seen an increase in enquiries for brand collaborations and sponsored programming. Our plans for 2021 are not only to increase the hours of output from the studio, but to also capitalise on the opportunity to develop creative content solutions that not only add value to our burgeoning fan base, but also showcase real value to our partners.”
The planned production line-up is made up of a variety of content, including exclusive Fatafeat originals for the Fatafeat app, brand new series, cooking courses, inspirational hands-and-pans recipes, how-to tips, and much more. Content will be available for fans to enjoy across a range of consumer touchpoints, including on television, via the Fatafeat app, on discovery+ via StarzPlay, and across all social platforms.
