MOBO Awards announce 2018 hiatus & expansion into movie production

Now in its 23rd year, the MOBO Awards have announced their plan to break for 2018, instead returning in 2019 as part of a “brand new era”, which will see the organisation expand into movie and entrepeneurship world.

The MOBO’s expansion into the film and movie world is hardly surprising. Having previously hosted screenings for anticipated releases such as ‘Crazy Rich Asians’, ‘Whitney’ and ‘Moonlight’, the MOBOs will now be stepping up their foray into this space with the launch of their MOBO Movies division.

In a press release, MOBO CEO and founder Kanya King said “We understand that the MOBO Awards will be missed this year, but we will be back in 2019, bigger and bolder. The evolution of the MOBO Awards is always at the forefront of our mind and we want to ensure that we continue to build on the strong foundation of the brand and its heritage for a wider purpose and bigger impact. We will bring the platform to brand new heights and most importantly, continue to amplify the exposure of the large pool of exceptional talent celebrated by MOBO”.

The announcement also aligns with the MOBO’s appointing UK ad agency, Ogilvy, who will work on the organisation’s brand positioning, whilst also supporting their expansion.

Michael Frohlich, CEO, Ogilvy UK said: “The team here at Ogilvy UK are incredibly proud to work with MOBO on its brand positioning. We hope to collaborate in ensuring the organisation maintains its place as an influential cultural force in the UK and beyond. Here at Ogivly, we relish the opportunity to build on the MOBO legacy of being an amazing urban music and cultural platform for established and emerging artists, while helping shape the brand’s future across music, media and entrepreneurship in unexpected ways.”

In recent years, the MOBOs has grown to include broader cultural arenas and has honoured achievements of trailblazers in the creative sectors not just in music with MOBO Paving The Way Awards presented to Wiley (2015), Sir Lenny Henry (2015), Nicola Adams (2016), Ms Dynamite (2016) and Idris Elba (2017) for their outstanding contribution in their respective fields serving as role models for future generations.

As such, the MOBO Help Musicians Fund and MOBO UnSung will also continue, with funding confirmed for this year.