Warner Bros. celebrates 100th anniversary with new products, content

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Updated 05 April 2023
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Warner Bros. celebrates 100th anniversary with new products, content

  • Partnerships with clothing retailers, fashion houses, food brands
  • Abu Dhabi theme park hosts live show this month with singing, dance

DUBAI: Warner Bros. Discovery has launched its centennial campaign “Celebrating Every Story,” which includes new products, content and experiences to mark the 100th anniversary of Warner Bros. Studios which took place on April 4.

“We are thrilled to be part of Warner Bros.’ storied legacy and to bring these commemorative products and experiences to our fans around the world,” said Pam Lifford, president, Warner Bros. Discovery Global Brands and Experiences.

The global offerings will be rolled out throughout the year, she added.

In the Middle East, Africa and Europe region, the company has partnered with brands such as Max Fashion, McDonald’s, Marc Jacobs, DKNY, BOSS and Zara.

Max Fashion, for example, will be launching bespoke ‘WB100’ collections across its fashion, accessories, and home and gifting sections.

In the UAE, Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi will host special events starting this month including a live show inside the plaza featuring a special rendition of Warner Bros.’ 100th year presented by a group of singers and dancers.

The company will also host candlelight concerts in 100 cities worldwide, including Dubai, which will feature tracks from the studio’s most iconic film and TV series such as “Friends,” “A Star is Born,” “Willy Wonka,” and “The Wizard of Oz.”

Globally, the company is launching new merchandise with new collections being introduced throughout the year.

The WB Shield Collection, for example, includes merchandise featuring the logo’s evolution from 1923. The Mashup Series will see beloved characters from “Looney Tunes” and “Tom & Jerry” dressed up as other Warner Bros. characters from franchises including “The Wizard of Oz,” “The Jetsons,” “Scooby-Doo,” and “The Flintstones”.

In addition to its own collections, the company is also partnering with other brands to create licensed merchandise for the centennial campaign. 

The campaign also spans the home entertainment sector with Warner Bros. releasing a series of celebratory films and animation bundles on digital, Blu-ray and DVD. These will include four 25-film volumes, a 100-film collection, and ‘best of’ animation compilations across its various franchises.

“From our beloved franchises to a century of storytelling, this is an incredible opportunity for us to honor the past and build the future of Warner Bros. and bring these characters and stories to life in new and engaging ways,” Lifford said.


Meta to charge Arab advertisers extra fee for reaching European audiences

Updated 11 March 2026
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Meta to charge Arab advertisers extra fee for reaching European audiences

  • US tech giant told advertisers it will add fees ranging from 2 to 5 percent on image and video ads delivered on its platforms to offset digital service taxes
  • Charges are determined by where the audience is located, not where the advertiser is based

LONDON: Meta will from July 1 impose location-based surcharges on advertisers targeting audiences in six European countries, a move that will directly affect Arab businesses that run campaigns across the continent.

The US tech giant announced it will add fees ranging from 2 to 5 percent on image and video ads delivered on its platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, to offset digital service taxes imposed by individual governments.

Crucially, the charges are determined by where the audience is located, not where the advertiser is based.

That means Saudi, Emirati, Egyptian or other Arab companies paying to reach consumers in the UK, France or Italy will face the additional costs regardless of their own country’s tax arrangements with Meta.

Fees will apply at 2 percent for ads reaching UK audiences, 3 percent for France, Italy and Spain, and 5 percent for Austria and Turkiye.

“If you deliver $100 in ads to Italy, where there is a 3% location fee, you will be charged $100 (ad delivery), plus $3 (location fee), for $103 total,” the company wrote in an email to an advertiser initially reported by Bloomberg. “Note that any applicable VAT will be calculated on top of the total amount.”

The taxes have been introduced at different points, starting with France in 2019, though not the EU as a bloc.

Many tech companies report substantial sales in Europe and millions of users but pay minimal tax on profits. The goal is to claw back locally derived economic value, Bloomberg reported.

The move follows similar decisions by Google and Amazon, which have also begun passing European digital tax costs on to advertisers.

For Arab brands with growing European footprints, particularly in fashion, travel, hospitality and media, the new fees add another layer of cost to campaigns already subject to currency and targeting complexities.

Digital services taxes, levied as a percentage of revenues earned by major tech platforms in individual countries, have drawn criticism from Washington, which argues they unfairly target US companies.

Meta has been reached for comments.