16 minute read
SAUDI WORK SHOWCASE
Type of agency: Creative Founded: 2013 Head of company: Abdalla Alsaid Saudi offices: Dhahran, Riyadh info@om.sa om.sa +966 13 811 1181
Onsor Mosha is a brand-led creative agency guided by strategic foundations and a deep understanding of powerful human and local insights. Born out of a sincere passion for all things creative, we help build brands through marketing communications. SERVICES: Advertising and promotional campaigns, marketing communications, design services, internal and external corporate communications
KEY CLIENTS: Roshn, Mayar Foods, Al Muhaidib Group, Haier, Royal Commission for Riyadh City, Almoosa Specialist Hospital, National Housing Company
LEADERSHIP PANEL
Abdalla Alsaid
Chief Executive Officer
Ahmad Konash
Co-Founder & Creative Director
Fathi Jibreel
Client Servicing Director
INDUSTRY SNAPSHOT
ABDALLA ALSAID
CEO, Onsor Mosha
WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHANGE YOU HAVE SEEN TO THE WAY YOU DO BUSINESS IN SAUDI?
The biggest change is the fact that today, branding and communications have become a critical component of business planning and strategies being spearheaded by government bodies and initiatives. The strong infrastructures in internet speed and penetration, and ease of travel allow for more flexible operations across several cities.
HOW ARE SOCIETAL CHANGES AFFECTING THE INDUSTRY?
You need to be always on top of things that are shifting constantly and very fast. With the youth’s sense of responsibility in contributing to national aspirations, there has been a slew of fresh ideas and innovations that lend opportunities for the industry to create more impactful and sustainable work.
WHAT ARE CLIENTS ASKING FOR THAT’S NEW?
There are more real attempts at strategic thinking and insights to build more meaningful connections with their audiences.
Due to the many opportunities today, there is a myriad of creative shops springing up with “trendy” concepts. Our responsibility is to highlight the long term benefits of proper strategic thinking and creativity.
Tajalla
Tajalla is that companion you can rely on to set your business on the right path and take you by hand to the right audience on the right ride. SERVICES: Strategy, branding, social media management, OOH, radio ads, video, photography, copywriting, SEO, advertisement, design, motion graphics, signage, web design, infographics, publications.
Taurus
Intrinsic values make up the basis for any human experience and facilitate delivering the desired impact. We believe that every experience is a human experience, and that learning only comes from doing. Hence, using empathy and intuition as our primary tools, at Taurus we design experiences that fulfill human needs, address human preferences and unlock human mindsets. We are living proof that when like-hearted, like-minded and like-intended people come together; they redefine the limits of what is possible. SERVICES: Branding design, business and marketing strategy, experiential design, digital design and technology, service design, product design, design thinking workshops.
Telfaz11
Type of agency: Creative Founded: 2011 Saudi office: Riyadh CEO: Alaa Yousef Fadan sales@telfaz11.com
A creative media production company with offices in Saudi Arabia and the UAE specialising in locally relevant entertainment content from the Middle East. Led by a passionate team of storytellers and social influencers, the company specialises in digital content creation and client-led commercial productions, with an eye to expand its unique offering to long-form series, movies and feature films. SERVICES: Content creation, digital storytelling, creative entertainment, media production, creative ideation, influencer management. KEY CLIENTS: STC, Salamatak (Gulf Health Council), MiSK, IKEA, Burger King, Marsoul, Dunkin Donuts, Zain
The Creative Squad
We think deeply, we create stories, we activate experiences. Trusted by the world’s biggest brands, we transform small ideas into big strategies with thought-provoking creative solutions bringing brands and consumers together. SERVICES: Creative communication, research and development, campaign and brand strategy, concept development, conceptual designs, brand identity development, branding, brand packaging, design, brand consultation, social media content development, brand activation, shopper marketing, in store and in mall activations, digital and social media activations, event management, retail solutions, script writing and storyboarding, motion graphic and animation ads, TVC/ DVC development, radio ads, product photography, corporate
Founded in London in 1990; Dubai in 2006; Abu Dhabi in 2008; Riyadh in 2010; Beirut in 2017; Cairo in 2018 Head of Company: Luca Allam, CEO of PHD MENA Saudi offices: Riyadh, Jeddah Info.uae@phdmedia.com https://www.phdmedia.com/mena/ +966 54 134 9777
Guided by the ethos ‘Make the Leap,’ PHD is renowned for driving disproportionate growth through transformative and creative ideas. PHD is one of the most forwardthinking media agencies by challenging convention and breaking new ground in strategic thinking and planning. Built on a culture of thought leadership, innovation and creativity, it is one of the world’s fastest-growing agency networks. Globally, PHD has more than 6,000 staff, more than 100 offices worldwide, and is part of Omnicom Media Group.
SERVICES: Media planning & buying; strategic planning; data analytics & technology consultants; social & content marketing; SEO; creative services including dynamic creative optimisation
AWARDS: Network of the Year, M&M Global 2020; Best Place to Work 2012-2019, Great Place to Work Institute; The Most Effective Media Agency Office MENA Effies 2019; 1 Cannes Lion 2019; 1 Festival of Media 2019; 7 MENA Effies 2019; 2 Dubai Lynx 2019; Top 5 GPTW list consistently since 2013; Top 3 Most Effective Office MENA Effies 2018; 5 MENA Effies 2018; 7 Dubai Lynx awards 2018; 3 MMA Global Smarties 2018; Festival of Media 2018
LEADERSHIP PANEL
Luca Allam
CEO of PHD MENA
+966 11 201 1900
RELY is a media planning and buying agency located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Through a team of experienced media professionals, our job is to make the most effective use of the advertiser’s media budget, where the ad message is delivered to the right audience at the right cost. At RELY, we create well-crafted media strategies that reach and interact with end consumers. SERVICES: Media consultancy; digital & offline media planning; media investment management; market research
KEY CLIENTS: Centrepoint, Max, Homecentre, Splash, Home Box, Al Romansiah, Jeeny, Skechers, Michelin, Herfy, Baic, Canton
LEADERSHIP PANEL
Ghaleb Abdoun
General Manager
Mohamad Amhaz
Media Manager
INDUSTRY SNAPSHOT
GHALEB ABDOUN
General manager, RELY
WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE TO THE WAY YOU DO BUSINESS IN SAUDI?
Tactical short-term media planning, where media ad space is being ordered on campaign-by-campaign basis, has always been a considerable challenge to the way we do media business in Saudi. That is mainly applicable to small and medium-sized local accounts, which are difficult to convince of the benefits of long-term media planning. This holds back media planners from thinking in terms of strategic planning and limits their potential to tactical deliverables only. Hence, we sometimes see inconsistent media approaches. However, with the recent emerge of local young marketers, we are seeing a change to the way media investments are being tackled. This is positive news to media agencies and vendors alike.
HOW ARE SOCIAL CHANGES AFFECTING THE INDUSTRY?
communicating the ambitious changes and transformations taking place in Saudi Arabia.
industry. For example, the entertainment and tourism sectors brought enormous opportunities, where concerts, festivals, and events highly contributed to local ad spend. Moreover, cinema has arrived to fill a gap in the media mix being offered in Saudi. The media industry has a key role to play in
WHAT ARE CLIENTS ASKING FOR THAT’S NEW?
They’re asking for a stretched ad investment. With media budgets being affected by the recent pandemic, clients are more and more asking for customised media solutions that deliver on their marketing and sales objectives, yet take into consideration the limitations of media investment. Smart media planning is key to outperforming and delivering engaging campaigns without necessarily exceeding set budgets.
We perfectly understand that media channels have multiplied, and new channels have recently emerged and are expanding by the day. This has affected consumers enormously making them easier to speak with and harder to speak at. Thus, creating media solutions that reach and interact with end consumers remains the biggest challenge to media agencies and their growth in KSA. Creating one general communication strategy is not helpful anymore. Instead, we use technology to design specific media strategies and implement them by conducting research and staying a step ahead of the changes the near future will bring.
The Social Clinic
The Social Clinic is a Jeddah-based social business consultancy and social media agency offering SMM strategies, campaigns, content, management and metrics.
SERVICES: Social media marketing strategies, campaigns, content, management, metrics, personal branding
tph DDB
DDB is one of the world’s largest and most awarded advertising and marketing networks and part of the Omnicom Group. With over 25 years’ experience in the kingdom, DDB´s ethos has come to life in a uniquely Arabic manner. We understand that that although Arabic is the common language, the variety of cultures that reside in the country couldn’t be more different, and each has to be considered when crafting creative communication. SERVICES: Design, advertising
TTP
Type of agency: Creative info@ttp.sa ttp.sa
TTP is a creative agency that started in 2012 with one objective: to be your creative partner that helps in all your business and marketing needs. Your team of account managers, creative thinkers, experience and visual designers is there to partner with you to make great things that resonate. SERVICES: Marketing, marketing strategy, branding, advertising, content creation, art direction
UM
Type of agency: Media Founded: 2001 Saudi office: Riyadh General manager, KSA: Ziad Soukkarie https://www.umww.com/locations/riyadh/ +966 11 215 3199 +966 54 030 9331
UM is part of Mediabrands, the number one media agency group in the region as per RECMA. In the latest 2021 published RECMA reports, UM was ranked as the #1 media agency in the region for the fourth year in a row and was also ranked as the #2 media agency in the world. At UM we are committed to futureproofing our clients’ businesses for the now and the next. We leverage the transformational power of rich business analytics and real-time intelligence to maximise growth and activate the full consumer journey across content and connections. Our consultative approach and agile model drive better business outcomes for brands.
SERVICES: Digital marketing, holistic analytics, integrated media planning, integrated media buying, performance marketing KEY CLIENTS: STC, McDonald’s, Sabic, Aramco
Uturn
Type of agency: Creative uturn.me
Uturn, the leading Arabic entertainment network in MENA, was founded in 2010 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Uturn produces premium content with the aim to promote Arabic content globally. SERVICES: Entertainment, YouTube, online media, MCN, MPN, production, branded content, influencer marketing, social media, social media marketing, content creation, digital media, digital, digital marketing, consultancy, digital agency, social media agency, snapchat, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, communications, marketing, strategy, marketing strategy, and brand building.
Ubrand
Type of agency: Creative info@ubrand.sa ubrand.sa
Ubrand was founded on the idea of providing creative communication solutions characterised by progressive thinking and commitment to the client’s success. It reflects a desire to create and spark dialogue between people and brands through communication channels without sacrificing local culture authenticity. SERVICES: Advertising, digital marketing, social marketing, brand development, communication, content marketing, branding, media, media production, and events
VMLY&R Commerce MENA (Geometry MENA)
Type of agency: Creative & digital Founded: 2021 CEO, VMLY&R Commerce MENA: Nick Walsh nick.walsh@vmlyrcommerce.com
VMLY&R Commerce sits at the centre of WPP’s commerce and experiential pillars, offering brands future-fit solutions that lead to conversion. We focus on the inseparable relationship that binds CX/UX with shopper XP to deliver tangible solutions at the moments that matter. Marrying the best of VMLY&R’s creative & digital capabilities with Geometry’s deep understanding of people and shopper behaviour, we have founded the ultimate end-to-end creative commerce company. SPECIALISMS: Next-gen commerce unification; connected digital and physical experiences; retail activation; design product innovation; brand & business creative consultancy KEY CLIENTS: Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola Arena, British American Tobacco, Twitter, Colgate, The Galleria Al Maryah Island Abu Dhabi, Roads & Transport Authority, Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi, BP Castrol, Global AI Summit, Dubai Taxi Corporation
Weber Shandwick MENAT
Type of agency: PR Founded: 1983 Saudi office: Riyadh CEO: Ziad Hasbani zhasbani@webershandwick.com
Weber Shandwick is a leading, full-service, integrated, global communications and marketing services agency that brings traditional communications into the digital age. Our team comprises social media experts, digital specialists, creatives, and strategists who believe in the power of collaboration to deliver high-value, high-impact communications and business solutions for our clients. SPECIALISMS: Corporate reputation; banking and financial services; consumer marketing; government communications; integrated communications KEY CLIENTS: Mastercard, Saudi Sports for All Federation, Netflix, General Motors, First Abu Dhabi Bank
We the loft
We build brands and materialise their image. Our brands constantly evolve, because their core is a soul with a consistent, relatable, and memorable identity. SERVICES: Strategy & direction, consultation, brand strategy, communication strategy, art direction, photography & motion, stop motion, motion graphics, branding & design, web design, print & editorial, packaging, illustration, social media branding, social media content creation, design, animation, videography
W7Worldwide
Type of agency: PR Saudi office: Jeddah Co-founders: Abdullah Inayat; Abdulrahman Inayat info@w7worldwide.com abdulrahman@w7worldwide.com a.inayat@w7worldwide.com w7worldwide.com +966 12 661 4579; +966 56 720 1039
W7Worldwide is an independent consultancy that has established itself as a prominent marketing communications agency in Saudi Arabia. Our understanding of the local market, combined with our global reach and knowledge enables us to bridge our clients with their audiences. We specialise in marketing communications, which serves as an umbrella for our broad array of services. Clients approach us when they are looking to build brand awareness, elevate their brand reputation, or are in need of crisis management. Our extensive work and experience has given us the proficiency to engage in the industries of technology, healthcare, government, corporate, consumer products and entertainment that further expand into subdivisions.
Xelement
More than a traditional communications agency, Xelement operates as a consultancy, working closely with marketing teams to build sound strategic solutions to complex business problems. As an award-winning agency, we engage deeply with strategic challenges, and only when we’ve identified that one key element pivotal to success, do we develop and execute brand communication and advertising. We’re exposed to thousands of commercial messages a day. Hundreds of hours of video will be uploaded by the time you finish reading this sentence. Digital media has changed everything we knew about the ways brands should behave. Today’s world is loud and fast. To succeed, marketing plans need more than traditional solutions.
Zenith
Founded: 2003 Heads of company: Raja Trad (exec chairman, Publicis Groupe MEA); Bassel Kakish (CEO, Publicis Groupe Middle East & Turkey); Firas El Zein (CEO, Zenith ME) www.zenithmedia.com
Zenith is The ROI Agency. The first agency to apply a rigorous and objective approach to improving the effectiveness of marketing spend, Zenith transforms businesses and brands through evidence-led thinking. Zenith is part of Publicis Media, one of four solution hubs within Publicis Groupe. As a leading global media services network, Zenith has more than 5,000 people working across 95 markets. Supported by Publicis Media’s global practices, Zenith offers its clients a full range of integrated skills across communications planning, value optimisation, performance media, content creation and data and analytics. SERVICES: Media consultancy, planning and buying; branded content; e-commerce; data and analytics
Founded: 2007 KSA Office Location: Jeddah Ownership: Dayem Al Muatamadh Head of company: Khaled Al-Dajani hala@sweetwatermea.com www.sweetwatermea.com +966 12 663 4512
We are one of the region’s leading experience agencies. Some of the most compelling and effective experiences in the region were dreamed up, carefully crafted and delivered with love from sweetwater. Our mission is to connect brands with their audiences by executing daring ideas flawlessly in order to deliver tangible results. We have been delivering experiences in KSA for more than 10 years and know what it takes to create ground-breaking consumer-centric experiences in this dynamic and exciting time. SPECIALISMS: Integrated experience marketing, experiential, live events, brand experiences, retail engagement, social media, digital & content, pr & culture marketing, sponsorship activation, conferences & exhibitions, virtual events and interactive technology, media research & strategy
LEADERSHIP PANEL
Steven Hetzer
CEO & Founder
Usman Saleemi
Head of Creative Khaled Al-Dajani
Managing Partner
Tarek Mansour
Head of Client Servicing KSA
Type of agency: PR Founded: 1998 Head of company: Mohamed Al Ayed, President & CEO Saudi offices: Riyadh and Jeddah info@traccs.net www.traccs.net +966 11 293 2077 (Riyadh); +966 12 662 5757 (Jeddah)
TRACCS is the MENA region’s largest independent communications consultancy, headquartered in Riyadh, with more than 200 professionals working across 13 countries.
A multiple award-winning practice, TRACCS is the only MENA-based agency to be featured in the Global Top 250 PR Agency Ranking by PRovoke (#166 in 2021).
Founded with the goal of building an indigenous Arab public relations industry, it is the only communications practice with a sustained commitment to nurturing the talent of young communicators across the region, and today has the largest pool of Arabicspeaking communications professionals, with 85 per cent of its team comprised of native Arabic speakers.
SERVICES: Strategic advisory; media engagement; content development; crisis management; CSR; digital; Enrich (communications training); internal communications KEY CLIENTS: Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Ministry of Sports, Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Saudi Arabian Military Industries, Saudi Customs, Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority, Center of Legal Studies and Research, Bahri, SIPCHEM, Amazon KSA, Mohammed Bin Salman College of Business and Entrepreneurship and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology.
AWARDS: TRACCS has won 76 international and regional awards and distinctions for service and creative excellence from PRovoke (formerly known as The Holmes Report), The Sabre Awards, IPRA and PRCA.
LEADERSHIP PANEL
Mohamed Al Ayed
President and Chief Executive Officer
Sarah Al Ayed
Chief Strategy Officer Majdi Al Ayed
Executive Vice President
Roger Mezher
Chief Financial Officer
SAUDI WORK SHOWCASE
One size does not fit all in the Middle East. Here is a selection of campaigns made in and for the KSA market
Ramadan Campaign
Client: Haier Agency: Onsor Mosha Production House: Hoku Films Director: Fahad Al Amari Cinematographer: Ibrahem Al Shangeeti Creative Director: Ahmad Konash Senior Creative Copywriter: Abdullah Al Rowis Account Manager: Murad Mansour Art Director: Adeeb Ramadan Designer: Mohamad Mahmoud
For Ramadan, Haier KSA and Onsor Mosha launched a brand awareness campaign that aimed to reintroduce the home appliance giant to a more digitally inclined audience. Employing dry humour and sarcastic wit, the self-aware creative direction pokes fun at typical advertising landscapes. Human pop-up ads subvert concepts of word-of-mouth marketing and encourage it with quotable, witty phrases.
Aramco Life
Client: Aramco Agency: AKQA
Aramco Life is a comprehensive mobile app experience and informational marketplace that empowers and engages the people of Aramco, transforming the company’s internal communications.
Originally, the assignment from Aramco to AKQA was to simply digitise Saudi Aramco’s weekly newsletters and magazines. But in order to do justice to the company’s strong culture spanning more than seven decades and the people of Aramco’s rich lives on the company’s vast compound, much more was needed. And so, Aramco Life was born.
Aramco Life is a combined app and website based on the Sitecore platform. A content hub and informational marketplace for news, articles, and updates. It provides a digital version of the company publications and content articles, grouped by topic and publication.
