Campaign Middle East - July 2023

Campaign Agency of the Year ME Awards return with Khaled Al Shehhi as jury chair

Campaign Agency of the Year Middle East Awards is back for 2023.

Last year, Campaign launched the inaugural edition of dedicated awards, within its Agency of the Year family, for the Middle East.

And this year, we’ve introduced new categories under the Agency Speciality, People and Teams and a new geography category, and a new team of judges.

Khaled Al Shehhi, Executive Director Marketing and Communication of UAE Government Media Office, will be leading the jury of top client marketers for this year’s Agency of the Year Awards.

“Last year, I was part of the jury for these rather unique awards. This year, I’ve been asked to lead it. This in itself illustrates the transformative power of these awards,” Al Shehhi says.

The Agency of the Year (AOTY) judging panel consists of marketing heads of brands such as PepsiCo, Emirates NBD, General Motors and more. The judging will be audited by PwC, which has audited Campaign’s AOTY internationally since the scheme’s inception more than a decade ago.

“As a reasonably new competition, the Campaign Agency of the Year Middle East Awards are in a great place to innovate, surprise and be remembered,” adds Al Shehhi.

The awards focus primarily on business results, and will reward the best agencies by geography and specialism (UAE, Saudi Arabia, creative, media, performance marketing, start-up, etc.) as well as people and teams (account person, creative team, strategic leader, etc.).

Last year’s award ceremony saw Impact BBDO take home the creative agency of the year, while

AMAZON PAYMENT SERVICES BRAND FILM

home the highest number of awards.

PR agencies showed great performance last year with homegrown PR agency Houbara Communications taking home the highly contested Independant Agency of the Year award and ASDA’A BCW bagging the Best Regional Agency – UAE and PR/Communications Agency of the Year.

Campaign’s Agency of the Year Middle East runs in partnership with Haymarket, the UK-based publishing house that has been publishing

Campaign in markets around the world for more than 60 years.

Entries are now open for all categories. The early-bird deadline is on 2 August, before which entries will be $500 each. The regular entry fee is $600 and the final deadline is 14 September. The shortlist will be announced in October, and the winners in December.

To find out more about categories, how to enter and how to partner with the Awards, visit http://www.aoyawardsme.com/.

WPP veterans open new agency

A new digital marketing services agency has been created by the former senior team of Dubai-based Group Partnership, a WPP company. Newly-formed GP Inc, a shortform for Growth and Performance, is headed up by former CEO of Group Partnership, Rahul Nagpal. He is joined by his former senior team at Group Partnership. GP Inc has three verticals: Tuesday Communications for creative content, Mobiiworld for tech and innovation and Steroid for data analytics and CRM.

Alok Gadkar, former ECD and MD of Group Partnership, heads up Tuesday as partner and CEO. He is joined by former Planning Director Rahul Kantharia as Strategy Director. Dhaval Desai, who used to head Technology at Wunderman Thompson, leads Mobiiworld. Steroid, led by Lakshmi Krishnakumar, has a wealth of retail and automotive giants as clients.

While competitors were focused on showcasing their technological capability, the brand, in collaboration with creative agency Rain and Feel Productions, made a decision to focus on its customers’ needs. In the form of a music video, the brand film aims to go against the category norms by bringing storytelling to the fintech space.

Khaled Al Shehhi, Executive Director Marketing and Communication of UAE Government Media Office, will be the Chair of Judges Publicis Groupe took

New multi-media studio launches in Dubai offering full suite of services for creators

complete 360-degree suite of services.

Podcasting has become a powerful medium for storytelling, knowledge sharing and connecting with diverse audiences worldwide, and the Motivate podcast studio allows podcasters to capture and deliver their stories, interviews and discussions.

The all-inclusive studios encompass the realms of photography, videography, podcasting and broadcasting, and caters to the multi-faceted requirements of modern content production.

Motivate Studio aims to become a thriving hub for creative expression, by pushing boundaries and redefining the landscape of media content creation.

“We understand that the technical aspects of podcasting can sometimes be daunting. That’s why our friendly and knowledgeable studio assistants will be on hand to guide you through the setup, troubleshoot any issues, and offer tips to enhance your recording experience,” said Girish Chouhan, Chief Information Officer at Motivate Media Group.

Production service will include final cuts plus raw content, if requested.

“From editing out ums and ahs to perfecting the sound balance, we’ll ensure that your podcast episodes sound polished and professional.”

The podcast

Motivate Media Group has opened the doors to its new multi-media production studio which includes podcasting, photography and filming facilities.

is equipped with state-of-the-art technology and complements a main studio offering a suite of services commited to empowering and supporting creators across various media formats.

Named Motivate Studio, and located at Media One Tower in Media City, the new facility is

The podcast studio is equipped with state-ofthe-art technology and resources, and complements a second studio that offers a

The aim is for Motivate Studio to become a place where creators come together to share ideas and collaborate. Alongside the studio, it features comfortable and inspiring communal areas to connect with fellow podcasters, exchange knowledge, and build a supportive community.

To book the studio email: create@motivate.ae or call: +971.4.4273040

Pizza Hut Melts seeks to empower individuals to enjoy their food without the need to share. To do so, its latest campaign employs the hand slap—a spontaneous gesture to prevent someone from taking one’s food in a light-hearted and humorous manner. This works as a creative tool for communicating #Not4Sharing.

Cobone’s latest ad film campaign showcases how it provides offers that even gangsters can’t refuse. Taking a dark, yet hilarious approach, the film aims to convey how the platform can provide the best offer that one can get. Owning the word offer, the ad uses a plot twist to encourage the audience to think of Cobone before availing any offer.

Agency Publicis Middle East

Agency Amber Communications Production house Film Dojo Director Arun Francis

PIZZA HUT #NOT4SHARING

COBONE HOSTAGE

studio

Motivate Media Group partners with Beacon Media to offer immersive tech

Motivate Media Group has agreed a strategic partnership with MESMR, a division of Beacon Media.

The collaboration will enhance Motivate Media Group’s value proposition by leveraging cutting-edge immersive technologies such as blockchain, Artificial Intelligence (AI), immersive internet and the Internet of Things (IoT) to revolutionise consumer and corporate experiences.

Beacon Media, a global media and entertainment company, is known for its data-driven and technologyenabled approach to media production, allocation and distribution. Through its immersive economy division MESMR, it has redefined storytelling by combining innovative technology and exceptional talent to democratise immersive experiences.

The partnership was driven by Ian Fairservice, Group Editor-in-Chief of Motivate Media Group, Manoj Narender Madnani, CEO and Co-Founder of Beacon Media, and Anthony Milne, Chief Commercial Officer at Motivate Media Group to drive the business opportunities in the region.

By joining forces with Beacon Media, Motivate Media Group positions itself, the UAE, and the GCC at the forefront of the global technology revolution that’s

powering the experience economy. The partnership also provides Motivate Media Group with access to the film industry’s ecosystem, enabling the creation of compelling and impactful experiences.

These emerging technologies are redefining content creation, distribution and consumption, offering more immersive and impactful experiences. As new generations of consumers, well-versed in immersive experiences and the ownership economy through gamification, enter the marketplace, it is crucial to engage them in relatable ways. This dynamic has created a

Majid Al Futtaim moves to Gambit

Gambit Communications announced its win of the Majid Al Futtaim Shopping Malls and Majid Al Futtaim Entertainment accounts. As Majid Al Futtaim Shopping Malls and Majid Al Futtaim Entertainment’s new public relations agency, Gambit will lead the communications for both segments’ business units in the region.

The agency will look after Majid Al Futtaim Shopping Malls properties which include Mall of the Emirates, City Centre Deira, City Centre Mirdif, City Centre Zahia and City Centre Bahrain.

GLITCH LAUNCH CAMPAIGN

be the signature trademark of Glitch The ball also featured a message to the audience #UnleashTheExtraInYou, which is a part of the entertainment park’s overall branding.. The idea was conceptualised, similar to its logo, to get ‘tongues wagging’.

Action Global Communications and Osmium Marketing team Al Ghurair Properties

pressing need to deliver content in innovative ways.

Motivate Media Group is committed to crafting captivating experiences with powerful content, placing storytelling at the core.

Through the partnership with Beacon Media, Motivate Media Group establishes itself as a pioneer in leveraging immersive technologies to shape the future of content and consumer engagement.

Based in the Middle East, Beacon Media is co-founded by Deepak Chopra and is currently financing and producing films across multiple regions across the globe.

It will also look after the group’s entertainment attractions including VOX Cinemas, Ski Dubai, Magic Planet, Dreamscape, Snow Oman, the newly-opened Snow Abu Dhabi. The appointment follows a six-month long pitch process.

Jamal Al Mawed, Gambit Communications’ Founder and MD said, “The Majid Al Futtaim Group is responsible for destinations and attractions that are part of the national, social and tourism landscape of the region. As a born and bred local agency, we grew up making memories in these malls and enjoying these attractions, and this gives us a fundamental understanding of their significance as cultural lightning rods. It fills us with great pride that we have the opportunity to work with them to help tell their stories to the world.”

KFC, famous for its fried chicken, says it is pushing the boundaries of creativity with its latest 360-degree campaign, The Originals. It collaborated with renowned hip-hop artists Abo El Anwar from Egypt and Slo Moe from Saudi Arabia to create a KFC-themed version of the hit track Brrr Brrr Brrr.

A giant emoji was inflated and set to float in the waters of Old Dubai’s creek. A mystery for the general public, the emoji ball was then revealed to

Agencies

Creative agency TBWA\RAAD Production house Good People Director Maged Nassar

Motivate Media Group’s Ian Fairservice (L) and Beacon Media’s Manoj Narender Madnani

CALL US ARTISTS NOT INFLUENCERS

New tactics are needed for selling professional cameras in the age of the iPhone, Fujifilm’s Richard Lackey tells Campaign Middle East editor Justin Harper

When it comes to selling professional cameras in the age of the iPhone and generative AI, Fujifilm Middle East has taken a different tack with its new ‘Creator’ ambassador programme, recently launched across the region.

“The typical ambassador programmes of major photography technology brands often evolve more slowly than the demographics and social fabric of the markets in which they exist, or the technology they are intended to showcase,” says Richard Lackey, Marketing Manager of Fujifilm Middle East’s Electronic Imaging division.

It has a long-established global ‘X-Photographer’ ambassador programme but needed a clear path to engage up-and-coming artists, while opening the doors to content creators, videographers and filmmakers using its technology.

A Fujifilm Creator ambassador programme already exists in the US but is a first for the brand in the Middle East, and will expand further into Africa later this year. It launched with 15 artists from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Egypt, Jordan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan.

“These programmes are the human face of the brand in the region, they exist

to connect with our customers and fans in a real and meaningful way. They should represent the full spectrum of diverse, energetic, passionate artists that are changing the landscape of the region with the stories they want to tell,” adds Lackey.

A large-scale ambassador programme is difficult to change quickly, so rather than move fast and risk breaking things, a different strategy was required. “We decided the best way to change this was not to rip it all apart and start again, but to add some new faces and improve accessibility. The result is a pipeline of talent that will automatically bring about this greater change over time”.

Its tongue-in-cheek tagline ‘Artists not Influencers’ is a deliberate push back against associating the Creator programme with commercial professional influencers. The aim is to embrace creatives who create art and tell meaningful stories through their work regardless of their follower count.

“We’re really not interested in associating with anything that can be considered insincere or manipulative, and content made by influencers for hire is not the best way to build trust in our brand.” Instead, the first 15 creators were chosen for the quality and consistency of their work, and their unique voice in their own creative community.

“We don’t want to approach the people we work with transactionally. We have to approach them as friends, and partners in their own creative and professional endeavours. We have to offer respect, and add value in some meaningful way.”

Fujifilm has found that most of the creatives who seek it out have the same kind of philosophy. “If you’re looking for a transactional brand deal, you’ll probably be disappointed, but if you’re creating great work, putting yourself out there, and are enthusiastic about our cameras, we want to know you.”

Being seen in the ultra-competitive world of professional photography and video is tough. Fujifilm’s Electronic Imaging team in Dubai know this all too well, as the whole team comes from a professional photographic or video background, either technically or creatively.

‘‘THEY SHOULD REPRESENT THE FULL SPECTRUM OF DIVERSE, ENERGETIC, PASSIONATE ARTISTS’’

Image credit: Anita Bursheh

Image credit: Heba El Begawi

Welcome to the MENA region, a land of enchantment, rich history and now, a burgeoning gaming paradise. As a gaming enthusiast with a unique perspective, having traversed from the vibrant gaming culture of Asia to the MENA region, I am thrilled to share the fascinating story of the future of gaming in this extraordinary part of the world. Today, let’s embark on a captivating journey, exploring the specific aspects that hold tremendous promise for the future of gaming in the MENA region.

Imagine standing in the heart of Dubai, where innovation and grandeur blend seamlessly in a modern-day marvel. Amidst the iconic skyscrapers and sun-kissed beaches, a new world unfolds, igniting a gaming revolution. The United Arab Emirates, in particular, has emerged as a pulsating gaming hub within the MENA region, embracing technology and pushing the boundaries of what gaming can be.

Let me paint a picture for you—a vibrant e-sports arena in the heart of Abu Dhabi, buzzing with the energy of fans from across the region. The crowd erupts with excitement as teams compete fiercely, showcasing their skills in the virtual realm. E-sports, with its captivating blend of competition and entertainment, has found a fertile ground in the UAE and the wider MENA region. In fact, by 2023, the MENA e-sports market is projected to exceed $2 billion, a testament to its rapid growth and untapped potential.

But beyond the realm of e-sports, the MENA region’s gaming future extends into new frontiers. Picture this: a group of game developers huddled together in Cairo, Egypt, passionately crafting a video game inspired by ancient myths and folklore. Their creation not only entertains but also preserves and celebrates the region’s rich cultural heritage. It is through such innovative storytelling that the MENA gaming scene truly shines, captivating audiences with immersive experiences that resonate deeply.

Now, let me share an anecdote that highlights the region’s remarkable gaming landscape. In the bustling streets of Beirut, Lebanon, I encountered a communitydriven gaming festival unlike any other. Here, passionate gamers and aspiring developers came together, showcasing

GAMING RENAISSANCE

Publicis Groupe’s Hanting Zhu unveils the extraordinary future of gaming in the MENA region

their creations, exchanging ideas, and nurturing a supportive network. It was a testament to the MENA region’s vibrant gaming community, where collaboration and camaraderie prevail.

The MENA region’s gaming future is also intertwined with the rise of mobile gaming. Across the vast deserts and bustling metropolises, millions of individuals connect through their smartphones, diving into virtual worlds and engaging in multiplayer adventures. Mobile gaming, with its accessibility and convenience, has become a cultural phenomenon, bridging divides and fostering connections across the region.

As I reflect on the future of gaming in the MENA region, I can’t help but feel a sense of awe and anticipation. The UAE, with its visionary leadership and commitment to innovation, paves the way for a future where gaming transcends borders, sparks creativity and empowers the next generation of developers, players, and dreamers.

In this extraordinary journey, the MENA region’s gaming future beckons us

to reimagine what’s possible, to celebrate diverse narratives, and to embrace the power of technology as a unifying force. From the bustling streets of Cairo to the gleaming skyscrapers of Dubai, gaming is transcending boundaries, creating a tapestry of experiences that captivate hearts and minds.

The MENA region’s gaming landscape is poised for an extraordinary future, fuelled by innovation, cultural richness and a passionate community. As we set our sights on this exciting frontier, let us remember that gaming knows no borders and that the MENA region is poised to leave an indelible mark on the global gaming stage.

So, let us embrace the extraordinary future of gaming in the MENA region, where dreams come to life, connections are forged, and the spirit of play knows no limits.

By Hanting Zhu, Gaming & Esports Lead, Publicis Groupe ME&T

‘‘PASSIONATE GAMERS AND ASPIRING DEVELOPERS CAME TOGETHER, SHOWCASING THEIR CREATIONS, EXCHANGING IDEAS’’

Image credit: Florian Olivo

Unforgettable Ramadan with Maggi

During Ramadan food brand MAGGI – NESTLE FOOD, part of Nestle Middle East, used personalised content to help women make a difference in their cooking through its products and services.

‘Experience a Ramadan like no other with Maggi!’ campaign was launched for Ramadan, the most food-centric time of the year. Regardless of cooking skills, it focused on the fact that there’s always the challenge of deciding what to cook every day for 30 days.

“Everyone deserves their moment of glory.”

The brand used personalised content to celebrate the essence of Ramadan, which is rooted in bringing joy and culinary delight to all. Maggi created tailored recipes and tips for each persona representing different demand moments and highlighting different aspects of the Ramadan experience.

The different profiles included:

The Preplanner persona ensures a stress-free Ramadan with meticulous preparation. Maggi provides resources to curate unforgettable menus and prepare delightful meals in advance.

For the Ones on the Go who enjoy quick and convenient products and recipes without compromising on taste or nutrition.

Transform your Iftars with inspiration and innovative ideas from Maggi for the Ones Who Bring Home the

restaurant-like dining experience.

Impress your guests with extraordinary dining experiences using an array of recipes, tips and tricks for the Ones Who Create Showstopping Gatherings.

The campaign’s target audience included females aged between 20-45: families spending time together, those who enjoy traditional foods and foodies.

Objectives were to building brand equity, engagement and traffic to the website. The key results from the campaign included a 3.4 points lift in reported actions towards buying Maggi post the campaign, and a 4.4 point lift among 35-44 year-olds.

There was also a 9.9 points lift in ad recall for the campaign and a 4 point lift in a custom question (Will you use Maggi in your cooking?) during the campaign. Overall, the campaign achieved a 51 per cent reach of the target audience, 1.16 million video views, 159,000 clicks and a 8 per cent active engagement rate.

This campaign stood out as it was the first time the brand did a test on reported actions towards purchasing Maggi to understand if there was an increase in their consumers. The brand saw positive results on this front. It also worked on a Reels first activation, working with a creative agency and creators to produce native content beyond the feed and stories content.

The ‘Experience a Ramadan like no other with Maggi!’ campaign served up personalised content for women, writes Justin Harper

“Maggi created tailored recipes and tips for each persona representing different demand moments and highlighting different aspects of the Ramadan experience”

“We are proud to have partnered with Maggi for their consecutive successful Ramadan campaigns. Maggi has consistently been at the forefront during this crucial period. By leveraging Reels, Meta’s fastest growing product, Maggi effectively drove brand affinity among GenZ. Our collaboration has amplified Maggi’s presence and forged meaningful connections, further empowering them in navigating the everchanging digital landscape.”

The campaign showcased how our products and services celebrate togetherness and bring joy during Ramadan. By connecting with the younger generation, Maggi served as a catalyst to cook the difference and create relatable Ramadan experiences. We established meaningful connections during Ramadan and beyond, fostering a strong bond with our audience throughout the year.

Middle East

Ramadan really is a special time for families, and brands have to be sensitive to this and not be intrusive. Some get it just right, while others alienate their target market.

I felt Maggi got it right with its Ramadan campaign using Meta. The videos were heart-warming filmed with food lovers in the kitchen. They had a genuine and authentic feel about them, and nicely aligned with Ramadan values.

Justin Harper, Editor, Campaign

Maiada El Shahawy – Food E-business lead – Nestle MENA

Akash Nemani, Head of CPG, Luxury & Beauty at Facebook for Middle East and North Africa

One of the highlights of this year’s award-winning work at Dubai Lynx was a campaign called Heinzjack – a play on words using the brand Heinz and hijack. It was a brilliantly disruptive effort by FP7 McCann to gain publicity as an unofficial FIFA sponsor at the 2022 World Cup finals. The man in charge of the creative masterpiece was Federico Fanti, Chief Creative Officer at FP7 McCann. He called the Grand Prix winning campaign a “beautiful disaster” listing all the things that went wrong along the way.

The Heinzjack brief was clear and simple – get Heinz Arabia noticed at the World Cup as a non-sponsor. “That’s an amazing challenge to solve,” said Fanti. “We took our advertising hats off for a moment, and thought about the brand on a human level. How can Heinz relate to people? Well, how about by literally being a person? This is how the Heinzjack was born.”

HUMAN BILLBOARD

For the campaign, Heinz Arabia turned a football fan into a human billboard that roamed the World Cup premises. The person had the surname Heinz and was dressed in a branded red jersey which prompted fans to find him and post the proof with the hashtag #FindHeinz on Instagram.

It was a huge success. For an extremely low budget the brand reached more than 7 million people, generated 14 million impressions across the various content pieces and earned over $450,000 worth of media coverage, which equated to a media ROI of 45:1.

Heinz Arabia began by recruiting people named Heinz on social media by offering football fans who bear the name with a free flight and tickets to three of the most sought-after matches of the event. After finding the fitting namesake, Thomas Heinz from Hamburg, he began sharing his journey via his own Instagram account upon arriving at Doha’s airport and introduced the campaign hashtag.

The original Heinz pulled out at the last minute due to stage fright, leaving the team little time to find a replacement. “When we finally landed on our chosen Heinz and he left for Doha the shirt didn’t fit him. This was on the day we were going live. We had to take him to the tailor and add fabric. It was a beautiful disaster.”

But the best part of the stunt for Fandi was the FIFA warning notice they received as Heinz wasn’t an official sponsor. “This was amazing. Just the fact that the FIFA federation noticed what we were doing proves its impact and boosted the campaign

for us. We creatives were super happy with the news.”

Fanti is keen to stress that while he was the frontman, with the Heinzjack project there was an army of different talents who helped turn a simple idea into a piece of entertainment. “Because every creative leader is nothing without a committed team. And my team is really special.”

CREATIVE HIJACKERS

When it comes to difficult briefs, Fanti’s advice is to see the problem as an opportunity. “The more obstacles, the more interesting the ideas get. That’s why we should be creative hijackers – we should find our way around obstacles in a way that gets us noticed.”

While technology is playing an increasingly important role, talent is still an integral part of an agency. Attracting and retaining young talent is still a challenge for the industry.

“When I look for talents, I look for three things: instinct, passion, and a bit of stupidity. Be unapologetically stupid to make your work better. Every 10 stupid ideas will give you one amazing one. So don’t be afraid of being stupid. You need to go through being stupid to come up with something smart.”

FOLLOW TRENDS

Fanti says the trick nowadays is to create ads that don’t feel like ads, but that instead engage the audience. “The modern consumer is much smarter and has a very good BS radar. That’s why ads shouldn’t just sell an empty promise. We need to prove it, act on it and include the public in it.”

The Italian is a big believer in storytelling to get a message across, and loves to play with different formats as advertisers battle with the shorter attention spans of consumers. His motto is that the easiest way to reach your consumer is to talk with them, not at them.

He also advises his team to stay on topic of pop culture and what’s trending online to stay relevant.

‘‘THE MORE OBSTACLES, THE MORE INTERESTING THE IDEAS GET. THAT’S WHY WE SHOULD BE CREATIVE HIJACKERS’’

Award-winning Federico Fanti, Chief Creative Officer at FP7 McCann, tells Justin Harper what you need to make it in advertising

‘INSTINCT, PASSION AND A BIT OF STUPIDITY’

Street Advertising at Jumeirah Road

Connecting brands with premium audiences

As a global leader in Out-Of-Home Advertising and the only international player in the Middle East, JCDecaux has established a strong presence within Dubai, not only at Dubai International Airport (DXB), but also having street concessions across strategic locations allowing advertisers to effectively reach a niche and qualitative audience. In Dubai’s bustling urban environment and continuously evolving advertising landscape, JCDecaux carefully chose the iconic Jumeirah Road, a prime location in the city, to provide brands with an opportunity to capture the attention of consumers in an engaging way.

JUMEIRAH ROAD: AN ICONIC COASTAL ROAD

With its high-end residences, luxury hotels, trendy restaurants and beach-clubs, Jumeirah Road attracts a discerning audience seeking a premium lifestyle experience. Be it tourists visiting Dubai or residents looking for a weekend activity, Jumeirah Road area offers a variety of exclusive experiences.

As published by Webster Pacific in October 2022, Jumeirah Road has the largest concentration of Dubai’s High Net Worth Individuals, making it a key area to reach elite and premium audiences. Recognising the potential of this prime location, JCDecaux strategically deployed its outdoor advertising solutions with over 300 lightboxes on lampposts across the road, stretching from Madinat Jumeirah to Union Flag. Unlike most other locations in Dubai, Jumeirah Road is an uncluttered advertising environment, providing brands with high visibility, repetition and coverage.

AN UNMATCHED VALUE PROPOSITION

Committed to delivering effective out-of-home media solutions, JCDecaux continuously invests in extensive research and studies to provide intelligence to its advertisers. For years, the company has partnered regularly with a UK-based research agency to conduct a thorough analysis of the audience dynamics along the road. Through this research, JCDecaux gained in-depth insights on audience profiles, consumers behaviour, motivations as well as preferences. For instance, its last study reveals that on average 76 per cent of people seeing advertising on Jumeirah Road are likely to consider the advertised brand’s products or services.

FOUR DISTINCT MEDIA NETWORKS

Based on these insights, four distinct networks were created in a way to cater to specific audience segments, allowing brands to communicate their messages more effectively and generate impactful results. The ‘Luxury’ networks, for instance, target affluent individuals seeking high-end experiences and premium products. The ‘Lifestyle’ package addresses the aspirational and young individuals seeking an active and enriching lifestyle. The ‘Heart of Jumeirah’ network connects with the residential community and Arab expats living in the area, and the ‘Leisure’ network strategically targets tourists and residents participating in recreational activities and entertainment.

Recognising the importance of staying up-to-date with evolving audience preferences, JCDecaux undertakes on a yearly basis a study refresher to re-confirm the value of Jumeirah Road and its audiences. Its objective remains the same: to ensure that brands can reach the right audiences at the right place with relevant messaging, thereby maximising impact and brand recognition.

ELEVATE CAMPAIGNS WITH DATA TOOLS AND INSIGHTS

In addition to providing the ideal platforms for brands to communicate with these audiences, JCDecaux also helps advertisers seamlessly take their campaigns to the next level, through JCDecaux Data Solutions: a portfolio of global and local data solutions that enable advertisers to boost the efficiency of their media investment.

From optimising their advertising visuals before the campaign using a ‘creative heatmap’, a solution leveraging on artificial intelligence to estimate the attention performance of a campaign visual, to evaluating the impact of its advertising with tailor-made post-campaign surveys, it is committed to providing valuable insights and intelligence to advertisers.

When working with JCDecaux, brands have access to premium audiences and exclusive environments and are supported with data solutions at every step of their campaign.

“When working with JCDecaux, brands have access to premium audiences and exclusive environments ”

Data privacy and transparency controls, walled-gardens, cross-channel communication, trading strategy for execution and individualising campaigns at scale have kept the marketers, agencies and businesses away from adopting technology entirely. However, as the wheel of the fourth industrial revolution continues to spin, businesses and governments across the Middle East and Northern Africa are embracing the significance of AI in the global economy.

As per the research, the Middle East is expected to contribute significantly to the total global benefits of AI in 2030 (proportionate to $320bn). With the UAE and Saudi Arabia leading the AI adoption across the region, followed by Qatar, the annual growth in the contribution of AI is expected to range between 20 per cent and 34 per cent. And when it comes to ad spends, the MENA region contributes $4.58bn of the total $627bn global ad spend, with approximately 52 per cent ad spends attributed to social media campaigns.

Heavily investing in new technology and supporting the governments by being early adopters, MENA countries have showcased strong commitment towards the development and deployment of AI technologies. From banking and travel to telecoms, gaming and healthcare, industries across the globe are harnessing the power of AI for maximum business impact. Let’s delve into multiple ways AI is reshaping the landscape of digital marketing

A GAME CHANGER FOR BUSINESSES

Crafting unique customer journeys, content, creatives and more. Gone are the days when agencies focused on dynamically optimising the creative elements of a campaign based on pre-defined rule-based systems and user data - which could take days to finalise a single artwork, perhaps. However, now is the time to generate hyper-personalised customer journeys, artworks and content by leveraging granular data insights. Through AI-powered analytics, businesses can gain a comprehensive understanding of their audiences, including their preferences, behaviours, and purchasing patterns. This knowledge arms marketers to deliver tailored content, product recommendations and offers that appeal to individual customers. By providing highly relevant experiences, businesses can foster stronger connections, boost customer satisfaction, and drive brand loyalty.

TRANSFORMING CUSTOMER SERVICE AND ENGAGEMENT

Deployment of AI-driven eco-systems have revolutionised customer service by providing instant, round-the-clock support to users. Virtual assistants and chatbots are capable of understanding natural language and providing real-time responses, offering customers a seamless and efficient communication experience. Not only do they help resolve common queries but also offer contextual recommendations and guide users through the funnel. By automating customer interactions, businesses can enhance customer satisfaction, reduce response times

THE ROLE OF AI IN MARKETING OPTIMISATION

executing integrated digital marketing campaigns. Such cross-platform strategies, when powered by AI, enables marketers to precisely target their audience and leverage real-time data and AI algorithms to optimise ad placement, bidding, and creative variations, ensuring maximum efficiency and relevance. By automating the ad buying process and delivering personalised messages at scale, brands and businesses can optimise their advertising budgets, enhance engagement rates, and increase conversions.

GENERATING EXTRAORDINARY CONTENT

and scale their support operations without incurring significant costs.

ANTICIPATING CUSTOMER NEEDS ON THE BACK OF AI-LED PREDICTIVE ANALYSIS

As we inch closer to the cookieless web world, predictive analytics has become a gamechanger. Self-evolving AI algorithms analyse vast amounts of customer data to identify patterns, trends, and correlations. These invaluable insights allow marketers to anticipate customer needs, preferences, and behaviours, enabling them to make datadriven decisions. Predictive analytics also enhances lead scoring, enabling marketers to focus on high-potential prospects and tailor their marketing strategies, resources and efforts accordingly.

PRECISION TARGETING AND OPTIMISATION THROUGH CROSS-PLATFORM MARKETING

From social media networks, search engines to websites, mobile apps, email marketing and more, today, marketers have a wide range of channels to choose from when it comes to

Creating engaging content is a fundamental aspect of digital marketing, and AI has breathed new life into this process. AI-powered content generation tools can analyse vast amounts of data, identify trending topics, and generate high-quality content at incredible speed. From blog posts and social media captions to product descriptions and email newsletters, AI-powered tools provide marketers with a constant stream of fresh and relevant content, freeing up their time to focus on strategy and creativity.

AI’s integration into digital marketing has revolutionised the way businesses engage with their customers. From hyper-personalisation and recommendations to predictive analytics and programmatic advertising, AI has empowered marketers to unlock unprecedented levels of efficiency, effectiveness, and customer satisfaction. As AI continues to advance, businesses must embrace its potential and explore innovative ways to leverage this technology to stay ahead in the digital marketing landscape. By harnessing the power of AI, businesses can forge deeper connections with customers, optimise their marketing efforts and achieve remarkable growth in an increasingly competitive digital world.

By Neel Pandya, CEO - APAC & EMEA at Pixis

Neel Pandya at Pixis says with the power of AI, businesses can forge deeper connections with customers

Learning to Fly: Practical steps into Web3.0

Imagine a world where you and I can directly help people in need across the region or around the world, and be assured that a verified individual, family or organisation receives all of it quickly and can use it effectively. Disaster relief, emergency aid and refugee assistance – among others – would be transformed.

In such a world, CSR can be tracked, monitored and validated with full transparency, security and privacy with minimal delays and administrative expense. From tracking trees in a sustainably-harvested forest to making a difference in poverty alleviation to supporting microbusinesses, brands and businesses would be able to unimpeachably walk their talk.

Blockchain technology can do that, radically transforming the CSR landscape for brands, governments, NGOs, societies, families and individuals. That’s not surprising: Blockchain, one of the hallmarks of Web 3.0, has the potential to radically transform almost every sector.

For CSR, that transformation is under way, with Web3.0-enabled programmes being tested in different nations. As more nations, industries, brands and consumers commit to emissions reduction, climate change mitigation and circular economy at the core of their business, it will undoubtedly accelerate quickly – especially in our region.

There is a huge business and growth opportunity for our industry, if we will only grasp it.

UNIQUELY POSITIONED

Much has been said about the technical dimensions of Web3.0, particularly its impact in the data and ad tech space. Much less has been said about the broader and more strategic view, how we help our clients and ourselves to anticipate and adapt for the fastapproaching future.

As brand custodians and gatekeepers to consumers and that future, we are uniquely positioned for this role. Before we embark on this journey, however, a few stipulations:

of Gen Z residing there – proves that this is not going away any time soon. Nor is it going backwards – the generation that propelled all things metaverse through their gaming that gave rise to Roblox etc cannot be effectively reached via television and outdoor. The future – our future – belongs to them, and this is where they live. The sooner we understand that the better.

Let’s acknowledge that we do not know exactly what Web3.0 will bring. No one does. Let’s not forget that the Facebook that came to global prominence in 2009 was unrecognizable from the campus-only Facebook of 2004, never mind the Meta of today.

And let’s not beat ourselves up about the things we cannot do and instead focus on what we can. Not all brands can afford to invest in creating a purpose-built Nikeland in the metaverse, and not all brands need to. Not all agencies can invest in developing our own extensive Web3.0 capacity now, and not all of us need to. But what we can do and need to do is test. Test the possibilities of Web3.0 – from NFTs to blockchain to privacy to metaverse to cryptocurrency. That’s the course we are pursuing at Mindshare. Testing is the only way we will understand, and when we look with understanding, to paraphrase Richard Bach, “we will see the way to fly.”

FLIGHT PLANS

Once we’ve decided we want to fly, what next? What does a practical roadmap or flight plan into this future look like? How much budget do we allot towards testing, when ROI is a constant concern? We may not be able to afford to go all in, but we also can’t afford to do nothing. The ROI may not be shining like the sun right now, but it is there and getting brighter by the day.

By Amine Aladem, Business Development Director at Mindshare MENA

Web3.0 and Web2.0 are parallel evolutions. Web2.0, the web we know and use to interact with each other and with brands, governments etc, is still evolving and ascending to newer heights with MR, VR and AR among other developments. Web3.0 will not fully replace Web2.0 for the foreseeable future; additionally, Web2.0 is critical to advancing Web3.0. We must work with both.

We must accept the inevitability of Web3.0. At this stage, it may seem like it’s only an early adopter game and that it’s safe to watch and wait and do nothing. It isn’t.

The sheer impetus in this space – the increasing involvement of governments, banks and almost the entirety

With NFTs alone, the added revenue stream of selling digital assets gives brands a chance to instantly monetize their engagements in a meaningful and impactful way. Web3.0-enabled CSR will similarly be a must-have for Gen Zers, who prioritise brands that care about the things they care about.

If we are not able to work in these spaces for our clients, someone else will.

And let’s not lose sight of utility, credibility and hype – not only when it comes to NFTs and the metaverse but in all the things we do today and tomorrow in Web3.0. Everything that we build, that we create, that we propose, must have each of those elements.

I am confident that if we consider these things and move forward accordingly, we will be able to affect and lead transformation.

Our industry is currently presented with an immense opportunity for business growth. The key lies in our ability and willingness to seize, accept, and embrace it.

Brands have been using dynamic advertising in sports stadiums for a number of years. Now this new technology is making its way into more unusual places such as Formula 1 cars, driver helmets and even golf bags.

In Formula One, McLaren has been leading the way in integrating digital ads into the world of motor racing. It started trialing the technolgy on its cars last year and this is the first full season of using them.

The digital panels allow the team to regularly change the branding for a major sponsor on the car while it

races around the track. Google is currently using McLaren’s digital ads which allows it to rotate its other brands including Chrome and Android.

Louise McEwen, Executive Director of Brand & Marketing at McLaren Racing, spoke to Campaign Middle East about its advertising innovations.

“A lot of thought and consideration goes into where we place the panels. Consideration on viewing on the car, as it is important it is picked up by the onboard camera, and matching it up with where a partner’s ads are on the car.”

While the technology lends itself well to brands, McLaren is exploring the option of using the panels as an interactive opportunity to engage with fans. For example, real-time messages from fans could appear on the side of the cars.

The next step for McLaren is to add digital ads onto the driver’s helmet, below the chin, working with its long-term technology partner Seamless Digital.

DIGITAL ADS COME TO FORMULA ONE

“Being able to rotate different brands on our cars is a game-changer in this space and we are looking forward to seeing the impact this has on the wider industry,” McLaren Racing’s McEwen added.

McLaren undertook rigorous testing on the digital panels on its racing cars which have to withstand extreme heat, wet and high speeds.

Mark Turner, Founder and CEO at Seamless Digital, said: “By ensuring the technology works on a Formula One car we have already cracked the toughest place to innovate and are set to disrupt advertising across F1, motorsport, golf, US sports and ultimately, wider more mainstream use.”

McLaren says the possibilities for digital ads are endless and it wants to upscale the touchpoints.

The pioneering collaboration between McLaren Racing and Seamless Digital is likely to see others follow. The ability to dynamically change branding on Formula 1 cars across a race weekend is an exciting proposition.

First unveiled at the United States Grand Prix, it gave a glimpse into the future of motorsport marketing, allowing the team to connect with its fans and partners in new ways. As part of the deal, McLaren Racing also has options to explore the technology for its wider racing portfolio.

“We have found the perfect partner in McLaren who share our ambition for innovation and breaking convention as pioneers in the fields of technology,” adds Seamless Digital’s Turner.

We believe this is just the beginning of flexible on-car branding and motor racing assets.”

Dynamic advertising is being integrated across all areas of sport, allowing sponsors to rotate their messaging, writes Justin Harper

‘‘THE NEXT STEP FOR MCLAREN IS TO ADD DIGITAL ADS ONTO THE DRIVER’S HELMET, BELOW THE CHIN’’

A modern tortoise and the hare story

How are businesses facing the challenge of recruiting in KSA, asks Fusion5’s Ramy

Mouganie

Unless you have been living under a rock somewhere, you have definitely stumbled across a few phrases in the last year more times than you can count:

‘AI is going to take all our jobs’

‘So, is Covid still a thing?’

‘Where is Messi?’

‘MetaverseNFTWeb3DeFi-jargon’

However, my personal favorite and undoubtedly the understatement of the decade must be ‘Saudi is booming’.

Just to emphasise how much of an understatement that is, the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) reported that KSA had the highest annual growth rate among the world’s 20 biggest economies in 2022, with a growth rate of 8.7 per cent and reflecting 4.8 per cent non-oil GDP growth fueled by private consumption investment in mega-projects.

As these projects dominate the headlines alongside the continued implementation of economic reforms and diversification plans, the changes on-ground are more visible than ever. If you aren’t witnessing it in person, you are surely hearing about it from colleagues or friends, are being exposed to the mammoth marketing campaigns, or at the very least consuming the plethora of ‘New Saudi’ related content that is taking over your social media feeds.

While this is all well and good, this sudden expansion begs the very valid question: how will businesses face the very real challenge of recruiting for the workforce that can keep up with the demands of such a massive and accelerated growth?

their temples is how to address the cultural differences that expatriate talent will likely face. There is no question that diversity is a key asset to any market and any organisation, yet the fact is that recruiters need to also consider how certain cultural elements may hinder expat recruits such as language barriers, differences in standard work practices and even the importance of maintaining a localised voice and feel in the work you do. While the Kingdom has done a fantastic job promoting cultural awareness and inclusivity, adaptation in any market takes time, and companies will need to take significant steps in creating a workplace environment where employees from diverse backgrounds can flourish.

Last but not least, one cannot turn a blind eye to the fact that Saudi Arabia is not the only market witnessing growth, and as such is not the only option for both Saudis and expats to settle in for employment purposes. Qatar’s economy expanded by 4.8 per cent in 2022 (although admittedly skewed by their hosting of the FIFA World Cup, and can be expected to level out), while Oman is quietly edging forward with a 17.4 per cent rise in real estate investment from 2022, as well as a plan to publicly list 35 state-owned enterprises over the next 5 years.

place to settle in for working professionals. With this

for the workforce that can keep up with the demands roles in Saudi can attest to the fact that financial clout face, the first and foremost one being the shortage of demand for specialised talent in tech, healthcare, prominent in the services and government circles while

Anyone who has ever been involved in recruiting for roles in Saudi can attest to the fact that financial clout and stability do not render the country immune to the challenges that any other developing market would face, the first and foremost one being the shortage of skilled workers.

While this rapid transformation has created a high demand for specialised talent in tech, healthcare, engineering and even marketing, the unfortunate fact of the matter is that the local workforce has long been prominent in the services and government circles while such specialised roles have tended to be outsourced to expats.

Unfortunately, expats have long since set their now face the challenge of either securing financial packages, or by accelerating their investment in education and and

Unfortunately, expats have long since set their base and stability in neighbouring UAE, Qatar and Europe, meaning that Saudi companies now face the challenge of either securing skilled expats through highly attractive financial packages, or by accelerating their investment in education and training programmes and initiatives for local talent. Whether that acceleration can keep up with the country’s business growth remains to be seen.

Another factor that may also have recruiters rubbing

low cost-of-living, or simply a ’safe haven’

media and digital agency we acknowledge that no Kingdom is on-track to become a business, that will rival the current markets that lead the desirability index. Yet like all good and effort emerging markets need to with a localised internship

Not fogetting that the UAE remains largely the most desired place to settle in for working professionals. With this in mind, Saudi-based recruiters will still face the challenge of competition from other markets which can position themselves as more immigration-friendly, with high potential for low cost-of-living, or simply a ’safe haven’ with established policies and procedures. Ultimately, with massive change comes massive responsibility, and as a regional media and digital agency we acknowledge that recruiting for Saudi will not be an exception to the rule. There is no doubt that the Kingdom is on-track to become a business, tourist, culinary and creative powerhouse that will rival the current markets that lead the desirability index. Yet like all good things, it will require the time and effort emerging markets need to thrive in their development, which we have moved towards with a localised internship programme in order to seamlessly integrate youth into this accelerated workforce.

Saudi is booming, and within that boom it will welcome AI, Web3, NFTs, the metaverse and the Covid debate. The only element it will miss out on is Lionel Messi.

By Ramy Mouganie, Clients Relationships Director at Fusion5

‘DON’T SAVE CREATIVITY

JUST FOR CANNES’

and transforming how brands connect with their communities.

As a platform that celebrates everyday creativity, its impact extends beyond viral trends and entertainment value. TikTok helps create a seamless journey from product discovery to purchase and beyond.

For example, the #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt reached over 58 billion views, allowing users to share their stories of discovering and purchasing products solely based on its recommendations including beauty entrepreneur Huda Kattan, fuelling an online community of shoppers and creators.

This describes ‘community commerce’, where a single video has the power to launch a product into the global spotlight, through word-ofmouth culture.

With an entertainment-focused approach to advertising and brand content, businesses can get closer to their customers, helping convert interest into sales. This is called ‘shoppertainment’ where content and commerce come together.

According to the TikTok Marketing Science Global Retail Path to Purchase study, users are more likely to go out and buy something they discovered on the platform and be the source for product discovery compared to other platforms users.

The mix of entertainment-driven product discovery, authenticity and user-generated content

has turned everyday people into creators with influence. By including creators in their storytelling, brands can build deeper trust and connections with the platfom’s community.

In a world filled with advertising, the landscape of consumer behaviour is shifting quickly. Traditional marketing channels no longer hold influence as consumers have become specialists at overlooking advertising content.

TikTok is changing the game from a one-tomany model to a many-to-many model, offering brands an opportunity to enable creativity at scale for billions. This is the new creative renaissance being presented by the platform, allowing brands to build the entertaining content they need to thrive.

Shant Oknayan, TikTok’s Head of Global Business Solutions for Asia-Pacific, Middle East, Africa & Central Asia, said: “In recent years, we’ve started to see brands reserve their best creative opportunities for bigger moments and not the everyday. It’s time to bring back the creativity that used to be celebrated by everyone, anytime and anywhere, not just at festivals like Cannes.”

The platform has designed its suite of ad tools and features to make it the destination for brand discovery and inspiration. From TikTok creative exchange, which connects brands with an ecosystem of creative partners, to TikTok creator marketplace, where collaborations between brands and creators are facilitated easily.

“We’ve built an ecosystem of creative support designed to make it easier for brands to create a variety of content they need to thrive on our platform. We call this our 3R framework: Recut, Remix, Reimagine, where creators’ creativity and tech collide.

“Using this formula, brands can recut their existing creative assets with our smart technologies and remix them to be more TikTok,” adds Oknayan.

For example, Ounass the fashion brand wanted to attract attention and drive action within the Saudi fashion luxury community during Ramadan.

Using a full-funnel approach and by reimagining their creative work through creators, Ounass drove significant ROI, achieving 52 per cent audience penetration, 31 cent lower cost per install while tripling return-on-ad-spend.

By blending community, entertainment and shopping, they are reshaping the path to purchase

According to Hootsuite, 43 per cent of internet users use ad blockers. This has placed businesses in a position where they are constantly in search of innovative ways to attract attention and connect with their target audiences.

As consumers continue to evolve, it is important for brands to adapt and explore innovative ways to captivate their attention. By embracing digital platforms, brands can reimagine marketing patterns, celebrate everyday creativity and explore limitless ways to connect, and drive meaningful engagement.

TikTok is continuing its goals to inspire creativity and bring joy through entertaining content and seamless shopping experiences.

By Shant Oknayan, TikTok’s Head of Global Business Solutions for Asia-Pacific, Middle East, Africa & Central Asia

TikTok is urging brands to reimagine their creative ideas using the power of the platform, its creators and communities

‘‘IN A WORLD FILLED WITH ADVERTISING, THE LANDSCAPE OF CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR IS SHIFTING QUICKLY’’

Dubai Connect

Bespoke targeting for the audiences you want to reach in the UAE

Introducing Dubai Connect. Powered by clean, trusted government data from Dubai Media Incorporated (DMI) and programmatic expertise from Crimtan, you can now target not only a third of all Emirati adults in the UAE, but your specific target audience for each and every campaign.

With no predefined categories, and bespoke targeting tailored specifically to your brand, Dubai Connect enables you to build your own custom audiences for each campaign, targeting the customers you want by consumer interest, propensity for luxury purchase, buying intent level, location and more.

The audiences can then be used across the open web to ensure your campaigns are reaching the right people, allowing you to achieve maximum return on investment.

• 50 interests

• 400 top-level categories

• 1,200 sub categories

• 8000 audience segments

• Target UAE nationals with 80% accuracy

How it works

Step 01: Dubai Connect collects signals for 1,000,000+ monthly unique users.

Step 02: Audiences are created of all online UAE profiles (60% of who are Dubai based) by behavioural interest.

Step 03: Dubai Connect collaborates with your brand to match these profiles to your target audiences.

Step 04: Your brand is displayed in front of relevant users across; all programmatic channels, paid social (Facebook) and paid search (Google).

Full transparent, real-time reporting

• Predict how your customers behave online

• Control and pivot campaign performance

• Inform future campaigns via custom data and insights

Compliant and brand-safe

You can trust that all campaigns using Dubai Connect are completely brand-safe and compliant with all global privacy regulations, including GDPR, CCPA, CPRA, CDPA and LGPD. We have integrated our real-time buying platform with the two market-leading verification tools to ensure every impression is delivered to a qualified person within an environment that is safe for all brands. And, our extensive white lists and black lists can be

customised to meet your individual requirements. Ensuring brand safety, eliminating fraud and delivering maximum viewability.

The partnership makes DMI one of the first GDPR compliant, certified IAB-gold standard publishers in the UAE region, and the first to have clean data through a correct consent mechanism across all its sites.

Bespoke insights

Dubai Connect gives you fully transparent real-time data and insights from 1,000,000+ monthly unique users, which you can tailor to your specific brand requirements.

From audience location, to age, to most popular content type, you can find out exactly where your target audiences are, and how best to advertise to them, enabling you to inform your campaigns and optimise advertising performance.

To find out more about Dubai Connect, you can view the dashboard at dubaiconnect.online or contact one of our experts at crimtan.com/contact

Global experts

Crimtan are the global experts in intelligent lifecycle marketing for programmatic advertising.

To learn more about how we can help you drive exceptional performance at every stage of your customer lifecycle, contact us at crimtan.com

An example data set pulled from the Dubai Connect dashboard

Every day, thousands of decision makers across the UAE come to our digital estate to engage in our content. We are giving all brands in the UAE the opportunity to reach and speak to these potential customers across the web.

- Abdulwahed Juma, CEO of Commercial Affairs and Partnerships, DMI

INDUSTRY FORUM:

Does the regional industry need a watchdog for ad scams?

Rahul Bhatia Platform Solutions Consultant for MENA region, Adform

YES

In this ever-changing landscape of digital marketing and how consumers consume content - the security of both brand identity and consumer data are two of the most crucial entities that must be safeguarded. Because not only is the industry changing but ad scams are more prevalent these days. In order to combat that we need watchdogs in the region such as regional regulatory bodies, brandsafety and ad-fraud steering committees that work in conjunction with independent auditing companies and brand safety verification partners. This collective effort will foster self-regulation, educate advertisers to prioritise factors beyond media and business KPIs, protect consumer data and allow transparent and fair competition within publishers and ad networks in the region.

Today, we are fully equipped with tools such as blockchain, fraud detection, ad verification or traffic analysis. But the need for watchdogs to exist, educate and enforce better brand-safety standards in the region has now become more crucial than ever.

Elie Chammas Digital Manager, Fusion5

YESThe regional industry would greatly benefit from having a watchdog for ad scams. Such a watchdog would play a crucial role in monitoring and regulating advertising practices to ensure transparency, accountability, and fair competition within the industry. By actively investigating and exposing deceptive advertising practices, the watchdog would protect consumers from misleading claims, false information and manipulative tactics. Additionally, it would foster trust among businesses and consumers, promote ethical advertising standards, and contribute to a healthier and more competitive marketplace. Ultimately, the presence of a dedicated watchdog would help maintain integrity and credibility within the regional industry, benefiting all stakeholders involved.

Hadi Abu Khuzam Group Account Director, FP7 McCann

Mina Sadek Associate Media Director, Havas Media Middle East

YES

The MENA region’s industry urgently requires a watchdog for ad scams. While research specifically focusing on ad scams in the region is limited, broader studies highlight challenges that could contribute to the prevalence of ad scams.

For example, the growth of fintech startups has led to major challenges such as privacy issues, cybercrimes and non-compliance with regulatory authorities. According to the DoubleVerify Global Insights Report 2021, fraudulent ad impressions in the UAE increased by 37 per cent in 2020. That translates to billions of impressions that clients pay for.

Implementing a dedicated watchdog – similar to successful models in other regions – can substantially reduce ad scams, leading to increased trust, enhanced transparency and safeguarded investments and fostering a healthier advertising ecosystem.

YES

Net zero ad scams are not achievable, but we can bring them down and most importantly make fewer people fall for them.

We need private watchdogs, besides the governmental regulations and the option to report suspicious activity, to catch those; something along the lines of the ‘verified user’ tick or the ‘fulfilled by Amazon’ marks, that can assure users that whatever it is they are buying is verified by trusted bodies. Education to be careful alone won’t be sufficient. A collaboration developed by the government and the private sector would provide a safeguard against deceptive advertising tactics, as well as foster healthier and more responsible advertising.

Paula Zambrano Art Director, TBWA\RAAD

YESBut more than a watchdog, the problem is the lack of information out there and how everyone in our region is so confident of being safe and protected. I see an opportunity for the industry to educate and regulate. Nowadays, some of the 'solutions' for these problems are heavy messages that nobody reads. If we join together as an industry, we can create digestible and useful resources in touch points where ad scams are happening, we could change the game. Each ad scam is like a real-time trend that we should be prepared to counterattack.

Mitin Chakraborthy Head of Marketing – Babyshop, Landmark Group

YESThe escalating incidence of ad fraud is indeed a serious concern for marketers. These fraudulent activities are not only inflating advertising costs but also eating into marketers’ abilities to generate a substantial return on ad spend (ROAS). Given the substantial budgets allocated towards digital advertising, it is paramount to ensure that every dollar spent contributes to genuine engagement and isn’t misused for fraudulent activities such as click spamming, domain spoofing, or fake installs.

The urgency and severity of the situation indeed necessitate the need for a dedicated industry watchdog. This organisation could safeguard the interests of advertisers and marketers, leveraging advanced technology and machine learning algorithms for real-time fraud detection.

To counter ad fraud effectively, a united effort from the entire industry is required. By tackling this issue collectively, we can ensure that every advertising dollar is well-spent, yielding tangible results, and fostering genuine user engagement.

Leyal Eskin Yilmaz VP Personal Care, Unilever Arabia

YESThe regional industry needs a watchdog for ad scams. The high prevalence of fraud violations in the GCC is a staggering 93 per cent more than the global average, clearly indicating the urgent need for a dedicated body to address the issue. Ad quality is also a significant challenge, with brand suitability violations at 14.5 per cent and fraud and sophisticated invalid traffic at 2.8 per cent, both surpassing global averages.

Without a specific framework and organisation to measure, report and take corrective action against ad scams in the region, advertisers face substantial financial loss and a compromised ability to engage with consumers. Given the region’s high digital inventory, establishing a watchdog would be crucial to safeguarding the industry and ensuring a safer and more reliable advertising ecosystem.

Rui Quadrado Social Media Manager, Hashtag

YESAs adspend increases every year, due to brands wanting more awareness and selling more on social media, we definitely need a watchdog for scams. Especially with AI getting a bigger share in today’s world of social media and the professional market in general, we need to be aware of the huge and increasing level of scams we face on a daily basis on our phones.

With more fake comments and ratings, fake influencers and profiles, along with infected applications getting into our social environment, we need to create a protective system capable of tracking and removing misleading or deceptive scam advertisements before anything happens.

YESAs professionals from within this industry, we have a better radar for the types of ads that could be scams, so I would go as far as saying that we have a moral obligation to identify them for the average consumer. An industry watchdog that helps make people aware of ad fraud could save people millions of dollars while providing valuable assistance to the authorities responsible for pursuing cases of advertising with criminal intent. In addition, an environment with more consumer trust in ads benefits all advertisers, so it’s a win-win for the industry and the consumer.

Ailidh Smylie Managing Director, Socialize

YESLet’s see watchdogs as superheroes and not oppressors. Trust is absolutely crucial in a landscape where misinformation and false claims are rampant. The presence of an advertising watchdog is vital to build trust and credibility among consumers who shouldn’t have to tolerate shady promises or false claims. I think we all agree on that.

But we also know the Middle East is like no other region, and ultimately needs its own ‘hero’ to regulate and standardise advertising in a rapidly advancing market. The UAE has the highest internet penetration rates in the world, and the region’s rapid shift to e-commerce sees the majority of brand purchases either starting and/or ending online. It’s no longer a luxury but a pressing need to uphold ethical standards and safeguard consumers into making informed, safe purchase decisions for any brand.’

Mohammad Al Sayed Regional Account Manager, Gambit Communications

85 per cent of travellers plan to take at least two leisure trips in 2023, a great opportunity for advertisers to reach travellers with relevant offers through datadriven advertising.

With leisure travel returning to pre-pandemic levels, and Eid Al Adha as well as school summer holidays rapidly approaching here in the region, now is the opportune time for tourism, travel and hospitality companies to start looking at how to reach summer travellers and potential guests. How? By creating personalised summer campaigns using AI-powered programmatic advertising.

RIGHT MESSAGE, RIGHT TIME

Powered by artificial intelligence (AI), programmatic advertising is a data-driven way of buying and selling advertising spaces across all devices, markets and channels in real time. It can be used across multiple touchpoints, including display, video, digital audio, connected TV and even digital out-of-home, which means travel and hospitality organisations can reach their target audience whenever and wherever they are online. Programmatic advertising can also help them measure the effectiveness of their advertising campaigns, by providing real-time data on impressions, clicks, conversions, and therefore, real business outcomes.

The AI-based technology allows travel, tourism and hospitality

marketeers to create personalised ads that reach potential guests based on a variety of factors, for example their interests, location or even external factors like the weather. By connecting with customers who are more likely to be interested in their offerings, travel companies can increase the chances of conversion.

Think about reaching potential guests in Australia who are heading into winter with summer vacation offers in the Middle East, or those in Europe after a week of summer rain with last-minute offers for a vacation in sunny Dubai.

Dynamic creative optimisation (DCO) is one aspect of programmatic advertising that creates each advertisement individually based on data available in real-time technology, meaning that an advertiser is able to send the right message at the right time, and actually specifically send the most relevant message to the right audience.

TRAVEL TRENDS AND INSIGHTS

According to a study by American Express, a staggering 85 per cent of travellers plan to take two or more

strategies for travel offerings. For example, if an eco-resort or property offers a unique experiential travel experience, these are the right consumers to reach. Through programmatic advertising, marketers can create ads that speak to specific traveller interests that resonate with them. This in turn helps increase engagement and drive bookings.

LEVERAGING THE POWER OF AI

With the support of AI, marketeers can accelerate their campaign performance and maximise advertising budgets across channels, audiences and inventory with real-time recommendations. As opposed to directly booked fixed campaigns, AI can identify the highest-value audience segments and reach the right consumers with precision. For example, The Trade Desk sees more than 1 trillion ad opportunities per day – that’s roughly 13 million every second. To make sense of all that data, AI helps to surface the right ad opportunities, to reach the right consumers, at the right time.

REACHING TRAVELLERS THROUGH SMART SUMMER CAMPAIGNS

leisure trips in 2023. The top trends this summer are experiential and sustainable travel. Seventy-four per cent of global travellers care more about creating a travel experience that meets their expectations than about the cost, which is particularly true for Gen-Zs and Millennials. 81 per cent of travellers worldwide state that sustainable travel is important, with 69 per cent planning to travel sustainably this summer and 64 per cent willing to consider less popular destinations to reduce environmental impact.

By Terry Kane, Managing Director Middle East & Africa at The Trade Desk

These traveller preferences can be instrumental in building marketing

The Marriott hotel chain has been very successful in using programmatic advertising on The Trade Desk platform. By using DCO technology, Marriott was able to boost bookings attributed to its campaign by nearly three times, resulting in a 55 per cent reduction in campaign cost.

With rising demand for travel on and the need to stand out in a competitive landscape, travel firms have a great opportunity to reach target audiences that are right for their brands and offerings by building a media strategy that capitalises on consumer interests and travel plans.

Programmatic advertising can create ads based on data available in real-time technology, says The Trade Desk’s Terry Kane

By Footballco’s

‘THE BEAUTIFUL GAME IS CHANGING FAST’

Footballco’s James Lamon explains how the global network of football publishers spots new opportunities

Football has changed. Young fans are loyal to players not just clubs. Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema play in the Roshn Pro League. Messi is going to Miami. According to our readers, Wrexham is a big six Premier League club (based on popularity of content on GOAL). The beautiful game is still beautiful but it looks different, and the change is accelerating.

At Footballco, we operate a global network of football publishers producing content, news, and video in 17 languages. This makes us the second largest sports publisher behind only ESPN, and the world leader in football consumption insights. For us, the Middle East is the most exciting and dynamic market for football this year.

The region was a priority before Ronaldo moved to Riyadh and likes of Qatar Sports Investments and the Abu Dhabi United Group were involved. The clue was the surge in fan attention on our Arabic portals and social accounts. Young fans were driving this growth – fans whose values, habits and preferences in football were and still are different.

This opportunity drove our decision to acquire Kooora in 2022. Now, Footballco operates the two most popular digital football media brands in MENA. We reach more than 60m fans each month, have more than 10m social followers and welcome more than 4.3m fans each month to our websites.

We’re not the only ones investing in the region. Since 2017 more than $15bn has been spent on football infrastructure in MENA. Growth in spending is matched by growth in fandom. Football fans in MENA have increased from 392 million in 2020 to more than 524m today, according to GWI.

Our insights show fans are less tribal and more individual with tastes shaped by cultures and interests adjacent to football, such as fashion and gaming. More than half of fans now say they follow football for reasons outside of their favourite club.

There’s a growing significance of players and

others who are driving the global narrative. Take a look at the surge in social followers for Al Nassr’s Instagram during Ronaldo’s first season (it grew by 13 times). Inter Miami are seeing similar increases.

Modern fans crave entertainment off the pitch as well as on it. Research shows that 41 per cent of fans say they could ‘easily’ substitute football with other forms of entertainment. To us that is a challenge to recruit the next generation of fans into football before they choose other interests.

We believe the secret to winning is to pull out the most human aspects of the sport. We have a global network of talented creators, voices, strategists, and leaders to ensure our content resonates with fans globally as well as across the MENA region.

We launched our Player-Led Video (PLV) strategy based on the insight that players are the most important part of football for fans and to disrupt the post-match interview and provide original insights into players as people.

In nine months since launch, our formats, featuring players including Erling Haaland, Emi Martinez and Declan Rice have generated more than 300 million views.

On Box to Box, we present players with mystery boxes containing items of interest to them - a childhood jersey, a career photo, their favourite snack. The players have no idea what’s in the boxes making for priceless reactions and original insights.

With Kit Collector, we use football shirt culture as a vehicle to explore a player’s career. They go through great kits, terrible kits, and those from their own career. Part football, part fashion.

Players aren’t the only source of entertainment. We also launched Fan-Led Video (FLV) to hero the passion of fans everywhere. Our presenters travel to matches, tournaments, or crowded city centres to ask quick-fire quiz questions, source hot takes, or play ball games with fans.

The authentic moments we capture are perfect for short-form platforms like TikTok and Instagram. These videos were viewed over 500m times last season.

We’re also disrupting pre- and post-match coverage. We reimagined studio punditry for the next generation. Our YouTube show YALLA GOAL has quickly become the most popular football show in Arabic.

Mixing studio production with pre-recorded segments, the series has been viewed more than 23 million times with sponsored episodes created exclusively for partners like EA Sports.

Part of football’s allure is its unpredictability. One prediction we do feel confident in making is that football is going to grow even bigger in the Middle East. We have a responsibility to be a part of this growth and we’re excited that other stakeholders in this journey are evolving the sport alongside us.

EVP of Content and Operations, James Lamon

“Our insights show fans are less tribal and more individual, with tastes shaped by cultures and interests adjacent to football”

Sun & Sand Sports owner GMG has a special relationship with Nike, the U.S sporting giant.

GMG Sports is a distributor for global brands including Nike, Columbia, Jordan, The North Face, Timberland and Vans. It has also developed home-grown concepts like Sun & Sand Sports, Dropkick and Basketbolista.

“We really see ourselves as an extension of the Nike brand in many ways,” Mohamed Azhar Bodiat, Senior Vice President, Brands – Sports at GMG, told Campaign Middle East.

Sun & Sand Sports (SSS) is the flagship brand of GMG, and is expanding its footprint globally. In many of the markets it operates in, SSS runs the Nike stores, a relationship it is supremely proud of.

“I think Nike is obviously an interesting one because we share a very, very special relationship with Nike that goes back a very long time. GMG is the longeststanding Nike distributor globally and one of the largest, if not the largest. We are so entrenched into the Nike system.”

FEEDBACK

When GMG gave feedback to the U.S sports brand about the need for a specially designed head covering for women when playing sports it came up with the Nike Pro Hijab.

“From the research we did, none of the brands were really focusing on how you address the needs of a modest consumer. We know in this region we have many women who wear hijabs and these women want to be active.”

So GMG approached Nike and proposed a lightweight and breathable hijab, which is known as the Nike Pro Hijab.

GLOBAL IMPACT

“These insights we took back to Nike. It took probably about a year to bring this project to life because it takes a lot of research themselves around finding the right fabrics and technology that were going to address the needs of the Middle East.”

The Nike Pro Hijab was launched at the end of 2017 for the region, but then Nike decided to roll the product range out globally.

“This was a proud moment for us as an organisation in that we were really able to influence Nike at that level with product design that has been adopted by consumers around the world.

“I think we’re doing a lot of campaigns regionally that are actually being adopted globally. Certainly they are listening more and more to us as a result of that.”

But as a multi-brand retailer SSS has to balance the needs of all of the sports labels it works with, and manage all their different product launches and campaigns throughout the year.

BALANCING BRANDS

“Brands have certain moments in the year when they want to be louder. The brands give us guidance on which products we should focus on or sometimes they want to help us in terms of just really getting that message out further through more digital activations.”

SSS recently collaborated with New Balance on its Grey Day campaign, which celebrates its rich heritage as an urban running brand.

“It’s fun working with them now because the brands are definitely listening more than they ever have.”

Be it Nike, Adidas, ASICS or New Balance, SSS feels its position as the region’s largest sporting goods retailer “automatically means that we become a strong player and a strong partner to any of the other brands that we work closely with,” says Bodiat.

Alongside brand launches and campaigns, GMG also has its own events diary for campaigns and promotions. This year SSS worked with music superstar DJ Khaled for its own marketing campaign.

“We definitely make sure that while we drive our own initiatives, we work very, very closely with our brands because we see them all very importantly as strategic enablers for us to have a successful business.”

SPORTS BRANDS ARE LISTENING TO US MORE

GMG, the owner of Sun & Sand Sports, is the region’s largest sports retailer and often gives brands ideas for future products, writes Justin Harper

THE STORY BEHIND THE PRANCING WOMAN IN THE RED DRESS

Danube Group Chairman and Founder Rizwan Sajan spoke to Campaign Middle East’s Justin Harper about its latest striking ads

It would be hard to miss images of this woman jumping around in a red dress on your travels around Dubai. She is part of the Fashionz by Danube campaign, marketed as Dubai’s first FashionTV Branded Residence.

Danube Group’s Chairman and Founder Rizwan Sajan gave some insights into the creativity behind these eye-catching ads. The red dress of Fashionz is quite striking –who created the concept?

We wanted to break free from the monotonous branding and marketing tactics and discover the power of curiosity. We wanted to use captivating imagery and weave it into real estate.

Why a red dress?

A red dress signifies style and aspiration in various ways. Red is bold and grabs your attention instantly. Red also exudes confidence and charisma. Wearing a red dress often symbolises a sense of power, elegance and allure.

Is it creating awareness?

Creating curiosity really worked for us in capturing the imagination of potential buyers. We believe in letting our spaces shine and stand out with visually striking imagery that leaves a lasting impression, driving interest and engagement. We are glad it’s creating noise. A lot of people reach out to us every day wanting to know details about the dress. We have a fantastic team –and you can see why now. You also have Viewz. Do your projects always end in a ‘Z’?

There are two reasons. The first reason is that ‘z’ makes the English word trendy. If

you see the difference between American English and British English, you will know what I mean. American English uses ‘Z’ in place of ‘S’ – such as authorize/recognize as opposed to authorise/recognise – that makes them American and trendy. We at Danube are about modern and trendier homes that bring a sense of aspiration –Dreamz, Miraclz, Viewz.

The second reason is more important. The letter ‘Z’ is the last of the 26 letters in the English alphabet. We see it as a finishing letter or a ‘finisher’. In real estate, the common problem is finishing – both on time and on quality.

Most developers find it difficult to finish projects on time. Three of our upcoming projects are running ahead of the promised timeline. The use of ‘Z’ at the end of every project name helps us to focus on finishing the project on time and on quality. This is very close to our hearts and defines Danube Properties’ homes to a certain extent.

Why are branded apartments popular? Buyers like to be associated with brands, especially fashion brands. Most consumers prefer to wear fashion-branded clothes and don’t mind paying a higher premium for the same. This is the case with branded residences as well. It’s like telling friends that they live in a famous branded apartment, designed and inspired by a brand. They take pride in living in branded residences, be it an apartment, a penthouse, a townhouse, or a villa. Fashion is about class, and it reflects a consumer’s choice and preference.

BRANDED PROPERTIES ON THE RISE

Property developer BinGhatti and supercar maker Bugatti have teamed up to launch a branded residency.

The new project was revealed by Mate Rimac, CEO of Bugatti Rimac, and Muhammad BinGhatti, CEO of Binghatti.

Bugatti Residences by Binghatti will be the first-ever Bugatti Residences in the world, and located in the prime area of Dubai’s Business Bay.

As opulent as only Dubai can be, the Bugatti Residences will feature a collection of 171 Riviera Mansions and 11 Sky Mansion Penthouses.

Luxury features will include a Riviera-inspired beach, private pool, fitness club, chef’s table, private valet and garage-topenthouse car lifts.

Binghatti has also signed a a design partnership with jewellery brand Jacob & Co to ‘create a jewel of residential property’.

The brands are collaborating to deliver the Burj Binghatti Jacob & Co Residences, which they hope will become the highest residential tower in the world.

Binghatti has won numerous international awards, such as the International Property Awards and Forbes Middle East Top 100 Real Estate Companies in the Arab world.

‘‘BINGHATTI HAS ALSO SIGNED A PARTNERSHIP WITH JEWELLERY BRAND JACOB & CO’’

CAFU’s Jeff Baker talks to Campaign

Middle East editor Justin Harper about the brand’s growing presence in the UAE

“The CAFU brand is synonymous with disruption,” say Jeff Baker, Chief Experience Officer of the app-based fuel delivery service, stressing how it stands for tech-enabled innovation within the mobility sector. “As an agent of change for car ownership, we are solving problems that car owners may not know they have, due to over 100 years of entrenched behaviour.”

From the time CAFU was founded, the team has always looked to challenge the status quo and ask ‘Why not?’. “The automotive sector is in a significant state of flux, particularly when considering the transition to cleaner fuels. The CAFU brand and the technologies we have developed continue to place us at the centre of this transition.”

In a few short years, it has created a highly recognisable brand with significant levels of awareness, satisfaction and trust. “From our research, we know that after trying our services, the majority of our customers no longer use petrol stations, as CAFU can fuel and service their vehicles while they get on with other aspects of their lives, whether they are at home, out with family or friends, or at work.”

As CAFU introduces new services and expand to other markets, Baker believes the brand will continue to be the guiding force. “We recognise that our brand is not just a visual identity; it is the embodiment of our values and the promise we make to our customers, present and future. It is what sets us apart and establishes

‘WE ARE A DISRUPTIVE, DYNAMIC TECH BUSINESS’

points for every service they purchase through the app, offering them a hassle-free way to save money as well as time.

DISTINCTIVE COLOUR

Proactively, the company made a deliberate choice to transform its trucks from a dark grey colour to the now vibrant CAFU Blue. “While the grey colour represented authority and reliability, qualities we value, we recognised that it did not fully embody our identity as a disruptive, dynamic tech business, which is at the core of who we are.

“Bringing the blue to the fore was a bold step and applying that to our vehicles made them instantly recognisable even from a distance.”

Baker recognises that consistency in CAFU’s brand colour across all of its major touchpoints is crucial to maintaining a strong brand identity.

“Our brand team ensures that the guidelines are followed meticulously, in everything from our website to our marketing materials all the way to our uniforms. This careful approach helps us establish a strong visual presence that is instantly recognisable across Dubai, and the UAE.”

And it takes great pride in this distinctive branding, believing it plays a significant role in forging a connection with customers and building a lasting relationship based on trust and reliability.

Earlier this year, it introduced a loyalty programme, CAFU Rewards, as a token of appreciation for its valued customers. This programme allows customers to earn reward

To support the launch of CAFU Rewards, it launched the CAFU Millionaire campaign, giving users the opportunity to become a ‘CAFU millionaire’ and win 1 million rewards points, daily.

“We implemented a multi-channel strategy with the aim of increasing top-of-mind awareness and driving more sign-ups for our loyalty programme. To kick off the campaign we launched a number of golden trucks across the city, to raise awareness and encourage participation in the campaign for existing and potential customers, which also drew strong media attention.

Its multi-channel approach included work with social media influencer Nasser Al-Rayess.

CAFU’s upcoming summer campaign is called ‘How do you CAFU?’ and reminds people that its fuelling services can be used at work, the gym or other outdoor parking areas.

GLOBAL EXPANSION

CAFU is starting to expand globally, and earlier this year launched a mobile EV charging solution in Canada. “We are making EV ownership more accessible and convenient for consumers and businesses, and solving significant issues related to the adoption of EV’s – range anxiety and infrastructure availability.”

In the UAE, it is enhancing its app, introducing new features and new services for customers. “We have some exciting features and updates due for release in the coming months.”

“IN A FEW SHORT YEARS, IT HAS CREATED A HIGHLY RECOGNISABLE BRAND WITH SIGNIFICANT LEVELS OF AWARENESS”

Jeff Baker, CAFU’s Chief Experience Officer

CAFU as a leader in energy mobility for individual vehicle owners and business operators.”

THIS MONTH’S SOCIAL MEDIA UPDATES

META

Updates Reels monetization scheme

The platform took a reel turn, shaking up how creators cash in on Facebook and Instagram Reels by prioritizing video views as the basis of payment, and not ad earnings.

Introduces AI Sandbox for advertisers

The tool offers a range of AI-powered features for optimized advertising, including text variations, background generation and image resizing.

SNAPCHAT TIKTOK

Adds visual cues to My AI ‘My AI’ chatbot experience just got a visual upgrade, where users can now share visual queries to get the appropriate responses from the chatbot.

Introduces Snap AR Learning Hub

The Snap AR Learning Hub serves as a gateway to master Augmented Reality, offering free lessons, beginners’ courses in Lens Studio and valuable resources for creators at all skill levels.

LINKEDIN

Adds AI-assisted InMails to LinkedIn Recruiters Recruiters now have an AI sidekick enabling them to craft InMails based on candidate profiles, job descriptions and company details, making impersonal cold emails a thing of the past!

Introduces ‘AI Copy Suggestions’

Taking another stride into the world of AI, LinkedIn announced a new feature that offers advertisers headline and text copy options for their ads customized based on their LinkedIn Page.

TWITTER

Opens new earning opportunities for creators

Verified creators will now receive a fair share of revenue generated from ads displayed in their replies. This provides them with a new monetization avenue for their on-platform engagement.

Extends tweet editing window for Blue subscribers

Previously set at 30 minutes, Blue subscribers will now have up to one hour to edit their tweets, offering them ample time for meticulous refinement.

YOUTUBE

Brings unskippable ads to TV YouTube is bringing 30-second non-skip ads to the big screen, replacing consecutive 15-second ads with a single, uninterrupted longer one instead.

Shuts down YouTube Stories

YouTube Stories are going away as of June 26, 2023 – a change aimed at prioritizing key features like Shorts, Community Posts, Lives and long-form videos.

Launches ‘TikTok Script Generator’

TikTok caught the AI fever! Its new AI-powered tool enables advertisers to easily create video scripts for their ad campaigns with just a few inputs like industry, product details and video length.

Expands access to its paywall feature ‘Series’ Creators will now have the option to offer exclusive videos at varying prices, ranging from $1 to $190. Also, these videos can be up to 20 minutes long –double the previous 10-minute cap.

INSTAGRAM

Enables search ad placements via Meta Marketing API Instagram is capitalizing on the rise of social search by allowing advertisers to place ads on search results. On top of that, it will be providing previews and performance insights for improved planning and optimization.

Tests ‘Appointments’ within Direct Messages

The feature will allow businesses to book and manage appointments directly from within their Instagram inboxes, providing a streamlined scheduling process.

Generative AI is taking the spotlight in this month’s social media updates, with almost all platforms vying to integrate this technology into their features portfolio. But that’s not all! Dive in to get the scoop.

Snapchat Introduces Snap AR Learning Hub

FACES TO

We highlight the young talent at brands’ marketing and communications departments who are working on some of the region’s most exciting campaigns

FACES TO 2023 WATCH

ALAA ZAKI, 25 Social Media Manager, New Media Academy

Nominated by: Waleed Laham, Head of Content

I highly recommend Alaa for Campaign Middle East’s Faces to Watch. As our social media manager, she showcases exceptional creativity, organisation and a unique marketing mindset. Alaa’s growth, diverse skillset and value to our company make her a deserving candidate for this recognition.

EBTISAM ALMASRAHI, 29 Senior Marketing Channels Specialist, Tasheel FinanceUnited Company for Financial Services

Nominated by: Monerah

AlMousa, Marketing Channels Manager

Ebtisam brings an exceptional level of chemistry to the marketing and commercial team at Tasheel Finance, a fintech company in KSA. One of Ebtisam’s greatest strengths is her boundless creativity. In a constantly evolving marketing landscape, Ebtisam demonstrates a keen ability to develop innovative ideas for our campaigns that push the boundaries of what is possible for our brand in terms of both sales and brand sentiment. She’s an outstanding marketing professional who deserves recognition for her expectational work.

ABDELRAHMAN AHAB, 23 Motion Designer and Video Editor, Damac Group

Nominated by: Benjamin Lees, Senior Creative Director Abdelrahman may be young, but he has a hunger to do good work and push the boundaries of every brief that he is given. He is truly an asset to the team and I am proud to be with him at this stage of his career. He is definitely one to keep an eye on and a fantastic representation of young creatives.

AYA HAFEZ, 30 Senior Team Leader, Vodafone Egypt

Nominated by: Mohamed Hammad, Senior Manager – Media

I have seen and worked with lot of talents in the market over the past 15 years, coming mostly from agency backgrounds. So, when I joined Vodafone and got to work with Aya and compared her to the previous teams and talents that I managed in previous jobs, I was surprised that she was not from a media agency. Aya was also acknowledged as a ‘top talent’ within Vodafone based on her level of dedication, commitment and unmatched attention to detail. Definitely, a talent to watch out for.

AVA VICTORIA, 28 Brand Designer, Damac Group

Nominated by: Benjamin Lees, Senior Creative Director

Ava is an extremely talented brand designer with a deep understanding of how design can transform user experiences. At Damac, we have been working closely on a diverse range of projects, ranging from real estate to tech, and her ability to effortlessly switch between the two is truly impressive. She always brings a unique and unexpected point of view to every project. I have every confidence that her star will continue to rise.

ANKITA DAYANAND, 23 Public Relations Specialist, Property Finder

Nominated by: Noha Zeid, Vice-President of Marketing

Ankita has consistently demonstrated unwavering dedication to her work and our team’s success. Her positive attitude, diligence and determination have made her an invaluable asset to our organisation. She has a natural talent for collaboration and goes above and beyond to support her colleagues, consistently adding value to our team dynamics. Ankita’s maturity and independence in handling multiple projects are truly commendable. Her exceptional project management skills have elevated our overall PR efforts, showcasing her ability to tackle challenges with grace.

BASHAYER ALKHAYYAT, 27

Nominated by: Alex Malouf,  Executive Director, Corporate Communications and Public Relations

Bashayer is a unique talent. She is able to conceive brands that convey such a powerful message. And we love working with her. I’ve worked in the industry for over two decades, and I’m learning so much from her in terms of telling a story through visual elements. It is a true pleasure to work with her.

DANA EL HASSAN, 30 Platform Marketing Strategist, TikTok

Nominated by: Sally Ballout, Platform

Marketing Solutions Lead

Amongst many things, Dana is dubbed as our organisation’s trends master and wordsmith. She is capable of uncovering real human insights, unlocking business opportunities and forecasting the future for industries. Her talent in tackling a business’s present challenges and painting them differently has helped TikTok unlock some of our biggest partnerships. Dana’s been nominated for J. Walter Thompson’s HiP club for high potential individuals, completed Marketing Society’s ‘One’s to Watch’ marketing leadership programme and is building her brand one accomplishment at a time.

ANAS MANSOUR, 25

Graphic Digital Designer, Al Tamimi & Company

Nominated by: Shriya Sanjeev, Creative Brand Manager

As a graphic designer, my guiding principle is to embrace creative expression and authenticity. I believe in using my skills and expertise to give life to my own unique thoughts and ideas. By staying true to my artistic vision, I aim to create work that reflects my individuality.

CEDRELLE AZZAM, 23 Marketing Management Trainee, Hya Regency Dubai Creek Heights

Nominated by: Neha Duhoon, Marketing and Communications Manager

Cedrelle started out as a young talent with an eager mind. She is a quick learner and excellent with attention to detail. Her follow-ups get the magic done, and in the last eight months, she has evolved into the typical marketing powerhouse that our team can depend on. She’s got a great sense of humour and a special knack for weighing pros and cons, especially in figuring out ideal solutions for the business. A bright mind like her is exactly what we wish to see more in today’s generation under 30. We’re proud to see her flourish and she will surely become a great leader in the years to come.

Nominated by: Najeeb Jarrar,Regional Marketing Director, Middle East and North Africa

Dina has consistently demonstrated a strong ability to develop and drive the product marketing strategy. Her work on building the Search, an Android brand in MENA, and planning and launching the YouTube Shorts brand and communication across the Middle East and North Africa, in Arabic as well, are great examples of her ability to scale and drive education and adaptation, along with building excellence for Arabic Tech brand building in the region.

Nominated by: Monika Prokop, Dina Alsharif’s line manager

Dina is a passionate strategist with the incredible skill of turning observations into insights and bringing them alive creatively. She willingly takes on challenges and is able to dissect any brief, leading to interesting storytelling and effective solutions for brands. Dina is a leader; one that takes the reins on projects, while also being an empathetic team player who seeks to develop and mentor newer strategists. She is an invaluable asset and a colleague that people genuinely enjoy working with.

Senior Graphic Designer, Ceer

DINA BARAKAT, 29

Product Marketing Manager, Google

DINA ALSHARIF, 29 Senior Strategist, Vice

FACES TO 2023 WATCH

FATIMA LOUGHZAIL, 26 Marketing Manager, Majid Al Fu aim

Nominated by: Sereen Hindawi, Senior Manager – Marketing

This year, I am proud to be submitting two incredible women, out of which one is Fatima Loughzail, to be a part of this list. She is a true epitome of young, smart, female talent. It’s been an honour to support her and to play a small part in the bright future she has ahead. Fatima has been on the team for only six months but brings her bigger, bolder style to complement her colleagues and add impact. Share, Majid Al Futtaim’s liftestyle rewards programme, with its brand, awards and successes, would not be possible without Fatima.

JELITH THAYYIL, 30 Marketing Manager, The Box

Nominated by: Tarun Shyam, CoFounder, Street FZC

Having worked in marketing and advertising for more than 15 years around the world, I couldn’t think of anyone better suited to being featured on a list like this. Jelith is well beyond his years with respect to the maturity he shows with his marcomm strategy.

The balance Jelith is able to achieve, by smashing revenue targets while building brand affinity in an industry not known for brand names, is truly commendable. As a marketing manager, he is able to draw productive boundaries by working with agencies, giving them enough space to create while being a responsible brand custodian.

ELAF ELZEITY, 28 Marketing Executive, GMG

Nominated by: Sanam Prem Jeswani, Senior Marketing Manager

Elaf joined my team a little over a year ago. Since then, she has shown great potential in the field of content creation. She is hard-working and has a flair for influencer marketing. She brings warmth and laughter to the team and is always up for a new challenge.

JOUD ALMUTAZ, 27 Corporate Communications Specialist, Ceer

Nominated by: Alex Malouf, Executive Director, Corporate Communications and Public Relations Joud is a trooper, who is able to take on any task and improve upon an idea. She’s a fast learner, always looking to grow and a joy to work with.

Joud’s ability shows maturity beyond her years. She’s a fundamental part of our team as well as how we are looking to make the Kingdom and wider region go electric when it comes to mobility. I’m learning so much from Joud, and I see bright things for her career as a communications leader.

EMAN QADEER, 24 Assistant Marcom Manager, Bayut and Dubizzle

Nominated by: Remya Menon, Associate Director of Marketing

In a professional environment, there are very few people who distinguish themselves as indispensable and irreplaceable. Eman Qadeer is definitely an individual who fits the bill. A dedicated, proactive and efficient team member, there really is no mountain high enough for Eman. She faces challenges head-on, supports everyone in the team and comes up with innovative solutions to unexpected problems. An excellent communicator and strategist, Eman’s contributions to the team extend to planning, budgeting, campaign management, content management and more. She is an absolute pleasure to work with.

JYOTSNA THARAKAN, 30 Senior Marketing Manager, Mubashir

Nominated by: Khalid Alawad, Chief Marketing Officer

Jyotsna is an extraordinary individual who has a very strong track record of delivering amazing results and multitasking for the sales and marketing departments. With her great teamwork ethics, our company has won many prestigious awards and continues to grow. She genuinely cares for everyone around her and the success of the company. I enjoy working with her and am very proud to have her in my team. She is one of our biggest assets.

MAANVI VEERVANI, 24 Digital Marketing Executive - Contracted Brands, GMG

Nominated by: Rumaisa Khan Schoonhoven, Digital Communication Manager

Maanvi is one of the brightest people I have managed. Her sense of ownership and proactivity is commendable. She is a natural problem solver and has a strategic mindset apt for finding data-driven solutions. Her sharpness enables her to pick things up very quickly, making her a quick learner. Maanvi is an excellent team player, but also works very well on solo projects. Maanvi is also a gifted public speaker who simplifies and translates complex business objectives into easy-to-understand marketing solutions for anybody she presents to. Her passion for her brands is visible to anyone who speaks to her.

KHUSHBOO RAINA, 30 Social Media and PR Manager, Redtag

KARINE RAMADAN, 29 Brand Director, Zaam

Karine Ramadan is an expert when it comes to brand building. With a Marketing and Advertising degree from Université Saint Joseph, she moved to Dubai to begin her career. Starting off in advertising agencies, she absorbed industry secrets before flipping the script and diving into the client-side madness, where the true magic happens. Right now, Karine is developing the brand of a GCC technology startup. She’s shaking things up and propelling them to stardom in the market. She’s on a mission to make their success story legendary.

MANAL MAHMOUD HAROUN, 30 Corporate Communication

Officer, Dubai Land

Department / Emirates Real Estate Solution

Nominated by: Ammar Al

Hammadi, Senior Director of Marketing and Communications Department

I highly recommend Manal for her exceptional leadership and management skills at work. She has a deep understanding of media and PR strategies and leverages her expertise to enhance the department’s reputation. Her ability to develop and execute strategic media campaigns has resulted in impressive increases in coverage, brand recognition and engagement. Manal excels as a communicator and at building strong partnerships. She consistently shows a strong work ethic, going above and beyond her responsibilities. I strongly recommend her for Faces to Watch due to her exceptional skills and unwavering commitment.

Nominated by: Avantika, Founder, Rayna.ae agency Over seven years, I’ve excelled in social media, spanning across hospitality, fashion, and agency sectors. I launched TikTok for my company and gained 300,000 followers in a year. I also lead the brand ambassador initiative, delighted platinum customers with gifts and vouchers, and created 1 per cent revenue impact. My guiding principle in my work is to create authentic and engaging experiences that resonate with the audience. I believe in the power of creativity and innovation to captivate and connect with people, and I strive to consistently deliver high-quality content that inspires.

KELLY SMITH, 27 Marketing Communications Advisor, Al Tamimi & Company

Nominated by: Shriya Sanjeev, Creative Brand Manager

Kelly is an absolute rockstar. As our Marketing Communications Advisor, she goes above and beyond to improve our comms. Her drive is off the charts, and on top of her busy role, she’s also studying for the bar exam to become a qualified lawyer and somehow finds time to lift barbells. Kelly effortlessly wears multiple hats, bringing a fresh perspective and contagious enthusiasm to our team. She’s an invaluable member of our team. I’m confident she’ll continue to achieve great things in her career – all with a cuppa in hand.

LOJAIN AL SAIF, 28

Marketing Manager, Majid

Al Fu aim

Nominated by: Sereen Hindawi, Senior Manager, Marketing

This year, I am proud to be submitting two incredible women, one of whom is Lojain Al Saif. She is the true epitome of young, smart, female talent. It’s been an honour to support her and to play a small part in the bright future she has ahead. In her four years with us, Lojain has brought a quiet force of empathy and creativity to excel in her role. Share, Majid Al Futtaim’s liftestyle rewards programme, with its brand, awards and successes, would not be possible without without Lojain.

FACES TO 2023 WATCH

MARAM AL ARADI, 28 Marketing Executive, Property Finder Group

Nominated by: Nancy Matar, B2B Senior Marketing Manager, Qatar, Bahrain and KSA

A great example of ‘we cultivate and create innovation’, Maram harnesses resilience with her proactive approach when organising marketing events or handling PR, social media and content writing.

Maram embodies leadership and excellence; she is dedicated and one step ahead. Keeping “the customers’ best interest at heart”, She is always ‘working as one’ with the team to drive impact. Her change agility leads her path of excellence, cultivating innovation and creativity in her role. At Property Finder, we are proud to see how far she has come and excited to see how far she will go.

MAYA KAABOUR, 29 Marketing Director, Washmen App

Maya’s career began in 2012, collaborating with renowned agencies on global accounts like Ford, Visa, Bayer and L’Oréal. She has crafted award-winning campaigns that resonated with audiences in the region. As the youngest speaker at the 2016 Dubai Lynx, she shared insights on leading millennials. In 2023, Maya joined Washmen App as Marketing Director to play a role in driving its next growth phase. Passionate about storytelling and marketing, her journey continues.

NADA ABDELAZIZ, 26 Assistant Arabic Marketing Manager, Emirates Literature Foundation

Nominated by: Krishna Dela Paz, Head of Branding and Marketing

Over the past year, Nada has taken the lead on marketing and communications efforts aimed at our Arab audiences. Her creative and strategic approach to engaging with our Arabic-speaking audience has resulted in successful campaigns that have been widely praised by various stakeholders. She also strives to be better, always on the lookout for how we could improve our marketing and communications strategies. Thanks to her dedication and hard work, we are well on our way to growing our reach and spreading the love of reading in the UAE and the Arab World.

MARWAN AL-HASBINI, 27 Social Media Specialist, Trafalgar Luxury Group

Nominated by: Asmae Fahoum, Head of E-commerce and Digital Marwan worked in my team as a social media specialist. His results speak for themselves. His team spirit, joy and laughter make our working environment a good place to work. I highly recommend Marwan to be a face to watch in social media.

MARIAM SHOUR, 27 Senior Creative Copywriter, Vice

Nominated by: Sarah Berro, Senior Creative Director

I recommend Mariam as a Face to Watch and a lucid brain to get to know and an unstoppable power to be inspired by every day. As a senior writer at Vice, Mariam keeps amazing us with an outstanding can-do attitude that turns everything she dabbles with into a fun and exciting journey. She launches cities and destinations, innovates with podcast ideas, and ventures into challenging stereotypes and flipping biased narratives, all that with a baby on her shoulders and while having fun. And that is just admirable and exciting to watch.

MARWA AL MALIK, 29 Senior Communications Manager, Procter & Gamble

Nominated by: Deepa Vaidyanathan, Senior Director, P&G Global Innovation and Acceleration I hired Marwa during Covid which, as we know, was not easy on new hires. But this didn’t hold Marwa back at all. She demonstrated her ability to make an impact from the get-go, bringing in and leveraging her knowledge of influencers, platform strategy, agencies and the media. In her role, she was given the opportunity to not only influence our business in the Middle East, but also those across Asia Pacific and Africa. Her strong foundations in brand and reputation building have been highly valued and have reaped rewards for many P&G brands, such as Gillette and Ariel.

MUBASHSHIR BAKALI, 30 Assistant Marketing Manager - Digital, Jashanmal Group

Nominated by: Anamika Priyadarshi, Head of Marketing

Right after joining Jashanmal, Mubashshir managed to build a trusted working relationship with all his colleagues and hit the ground running. Thanks to his eye-for-detail characteristic, he has made contributions towards all departments within the e-commerce environment beyond his role. He consistently brings innovative ideas while accepting positively any feedback that makes those ideas better. An extremely talented professional who is a delight to work with.

NAZRENE GILL, 30 Senior Digital Marketing Executive, GMG

Nominated by: Rumaisa Khan Schoonhoven, Digital Marketing Manager

Nazrene is one of the greatest assets that the sports marketing team at GMG possesses. As the backbone of the team, she has contributed to content creation, social media and digital strategy for more than 20 brands at GMG over the course of her tenure. Her professionalism and dedication to the campaigns and projects that she commits herself to is widely spoken about across the organisation, including those among whom she manages and the senior leadership. Needless to say, as the content guru of the whole marketing team, Nazrene is someone who mentors her juniors and impresses her seniors on a regular basis.

MONERAH ALMOUSA, 30 Marketing Channels Manager, Tasheel FinanceUnited Company for Financial Services

NISHANT THAKWANI, 26 Associate Technical Implementation E-Commerce, Chalhoub Group

Nominated by: James Schlesinger, Customer Acquisition Director - E-Commerce, and Muhammad Peerally, PPC Lead Nishant Thakwani is exceptional, always punctual and exceeds expectations. His dedication and attention to detail shine in every task. Nishant embraces inclusivity, fostering a collaborative environment where everyone feels valued. His contributions make him a true asset to our team. He excels with exceptional productivity and unwavering dedication. His innovative mindset and relentless pursuit of excellence make him a valuable asset. Nishant’s ability to think outside the box and tackle challenges head-on is truly inspiring.

Nominated by: Yulia Ilyina, Head of Marketing She has a deep understanding of our target audience and a keen ability to create engaging and impactful marketing campaigns. Her efforts have not only increased brand awareness but have also driven measurable growth in customer engagement and conversions. Her meticulous approach to planning, execution and optimisation has been instrumental in achieving Tasheel Finance’s objectives. Her qualities of establishing clear goals and managing resources effectively have resulted in seamless campaign implementations. These have led to campaigns surpassing expectations while aligning initiatives with sales, product development and customer support. This has led to a holistic approach that enhances the customer experience.

NORA HUSSEIN OMAR, 26 Marketing Communication Team Leader, Vodafone Egypt

Nominated by: Alia Faizy, Marketing Communications Senior Manager  Nora is a very passionate, hardworking and committed individual. She always strives to take initiative and remain innovative on all levels, even in her ability to resolve challenges as they arise. She truly is a go-getter and refuses to take no for an answer.

She has an incredible spirit and is a true team player. Her social skill set is another one of her truly special attributes. I am proud of her performance, her dedication and her growth-centric mindset.

NOOR UL AIN MEHDI, 26 Marketing Executive – Social Media,

Babyshop, Landmark Group

Nominated by: Mitin Chakraborty, Head of Marketing Noor is a young, dynamic leader within the business. She has been anchoring our social content and media activations across markets. She’s calm, strong and a creative powerhouse. She’s driven many successful projects. I am proud of how she stepped up to lead the social activations for the Ramadan event in Saudi Arabia. She has an incredible positive attitude and is a fantastic team player.

FACES TO 2023 WATCH

REEM HIASAT, 30 Corporate E-Commerce Manager, Rotana Hotel Management Corporation PJSC

Nominated by: Amal Harb, Corporate Vice President – Marketing

Reem is one of the key players among the Rotana Corporate Marketing team. With her digital marketing expertise, Reem helped us achieve a tremendous leap in our social media presence and content development. She has also been instrumental in driving our online performance through brand.com and various digital and social media channels. Reem has also trained many new e-commerce colleagues and has been a role model to each one of them. With her drive, positive attitude and reliability, I am confident that she will continue to achieve greatness and inspire others in the field.

SAKEENA AL RUMAITHI, 30 Design and Events Executive,

Nominated by: Marwa Kaabour, Group

Head of Marketing and Corporate Communication

Sakeena is a talented graphic designer with a genuine passion for creativity. Her exceptional skills in creative marketing, event branding and content creation have greatly enhanced our brand image. I highly recommend Sakeena for her dedication, versatility and ability to bring ideas to life with her unique artistic touch.

OLIVIA JOVITA, 25 Senior Content and Social Media Executive, OMX Digital

Nominated by: Cormac Moylan, Head of Digital Marketing

In the three years I have worked with Olivia, she has proven to be a standout professional.

She distinguishes herself in her field with her exceptional work ethic and unwavering professionalism. She brings forth innovative strategies that set us apart from our competitors, resulting in a customer affinity that our rivals can only aspire to. Her skills and ability to think creatively have made a positive impact on the brand’s marketing efforts. Her natural curiosity about all things digital makes her an invaluable team member and core to the success of our business.

SHARJEEL AHMED, 30 Radio Presenter, Vibe FM 105.4

Nominated by: Arsalan Rehman, CEO

One of the fastest growing RJs and one of the most passionate ones that I have come across in a very long time. He isn’t afraid of taking any risks and is a go-getter.

SHAHD EL-SAADANY, 29 Marcom Production Team Leader, Vodafone Egypt

Nominated by: Mariam Elwan, Marcom

Production Manager

Shahd is a passionate independent producer who gets things done in the smoothest way possible. She joined the team and not only added a positive witty spirit to our day-to-day but also supported us in overachieving on our annual KPIs. Her project ownership, dedication and multitasking skills have made her successful in handling her projects perfectly.

OSHEEN SALAH, 29 Senior Social Media Executive, Landmark Group – Shoemart

Nominated by: Anna Mathew,  Head of Marketing

She has been instrumental in growing our social media presence for Shoemart, Shoeexpress and Pablosky. She is a creative and strategic thinker, who is always looking for new ways to engage our audience. In addition to her work in social media, she is also a valuable member of our team. She is always willing to go the extra mile and is always looking for ways to help the team succeed. I would love for her to get this recognition.

Al Masaood

SANAM HUSSAIN, 27 Creative Designer, ThinkMarkets

Nominated by: Gilda Castro Rios, Creative Manager

Sanam has a great and positive attitude as she is an excellent team player. In a remarkably short period of time, Sanam has taken charge of branding and social media projects. She has transformed concepts into illustrations in no time and developed a style for new branding that aligns with the necessities of the business.

She embraces feedback and displays a strong appetite for learning, constantly seeking out new knowledge and visual solutions to any creative challenges. She is a very collaborative person and a talented designer with a big interest in learning and succeeding.

PASSANT DAOUD, 28 Marketing and BD Specialist, Baker McKenzie

Nominated by: Tim Meredith, Director of Business Development.

Passant is the ultimate team player and a true pleasure to work with. Over the past couple of years, she has been the driving force in taking the profile of the firm in Egypt to another level with ramped-up activity on social media channels and has counselled the lawyers admirably in securing new clients and winning higher value and higher-profile mandates.

SHEREEN AWADA, 30 Brand and Customer Care Executive, Innerspace Dubai

Nominated by: Maya Itani, Brand and Marketing Director While Shereen has just hit 30 in January, I do think she would be a stellar addition to this list as she approaches her role with such zeal and determination. Although she only recently transitioned to marketing a few years ago, you would assume she’s been a marketer her whole career based on her understanding of the clients and how to leverage their needs into a mutually beneficial journey. As part of her role, she represents Häcker Kitchens, Kaiser Kitchens, Rolf Benz, hülsta and other luxury German interior brands. She is highly recommended.

RANDALL MACHADO, 30 Marketing Head, Flora D’lite

Nominated by: Love Marquis, Founder and CEO

Since Randall joined our company, his impact on our marketing efforts has been nothing short of transformative. His knowledge, strategic thinking and remarkable dedication have played a pivotal role in driving our marketing initiatives and propelling our company’s success to new heights. Not forgetting his leadership skills, he has fostered a collaborative and high-performing team environment, inspiring his team to excel and go above and beyond. His expertise and leadership have contributed to an enhanced brand reputation and visibility, improved sales performance, and market expansion.

SHWETA DARYANI, 30 Assistant Manager – Corporate Communications, GMG

Nominated by: Reka Sepsy, Senior ManagerCorporate Communications

Shweta currently holds the Assistant Manager –Corporate Communications role at GMG. In her role, she is actively involved in day-to-day communications, strategy implementation and ensuring that all campaigns are executed to the highest standards. She is also key in ensuring that there are seamless synergies between internal and external communications. In her remit, she liaises with various stakeholders and has the ability to bridge and balance the communications needs across all of them. Shweta is a true people person and brings passion and dedication to her everyday work.

FACES TO 2023 WATCH

YEHIA GAMAL EL DEEN, 27 Marcom Production Team Leader, Vodafone Egypt

Nominated by:  Mariam Elwan, Marcom

Production Manager

Yehia has made great progress and developed a lot since he joined. He has become one of the most hard-working producers that I have worked with, adding a lot to my team. He is always willing to go the extra mile to get the job done. His can-do attitude made us over-achieve our annual targets. Yehia somehow gets everyone to love him during that process, no matter how stressful the work is, and is always willing to help out his colleagues.

ZEINAB NASSREDDINE, 26 Digital Marketing Executive, GMG – Sun and Sand Sports

Nominated by: Rumaisa Khan-Schoonhoven, Digital Marketing Manager – Sports Portfolio

VISHAKHA MEHRA, 30 Digital Marketing Manager, 6thStreet.com

Nominated by: Ankit Bansal,  Head of Digital Marketing at 6thStreet.com.

Vishakha has been my MVP since the day she joined. She has been really good at what she does, but her main strength lies in surpassing expectations on new projects she has been involved in, such as platform commercialisation and customer-centric reporting. She takes on responsibility with a very disciplined approach and is extremely structured in her work. She loves documenting everything, which makes working with her very easy. She is a truly valuable team player and an asset to the business.

takes on responsibility with a very disciplined approach and work. She loves documenting

Zeinab is a sharp 360-degree omnichannel marketer with five years of experience in the industry, within the MENA region. She is one of the fastest-learning individuals I’ve had the pleasure of managing. Her contribution towards the Sun and Sand Sports’ DJ Khaled campaign helped the campaign establish huge success, gaining 1 million user-generated content submissions in the TikTok hashtag challenge. Seeing her grow in her role fills me with pride and she has proven that no amount of pressure or challenge can hold her back. As a natural problem solver, she is always at the top of her game, finding data-driven solutions with innovation.

SIDRAH AHMED, 30 Paid Social Manager, Chalhoub Group

Nominated by:

James Schlesinger, Customer

Acquisition Director

VIJETHA JESSICA TAURO, 28 Marketing

Executive – Brand Activations, GMG – Sun and Sand Sports

Nominated by: Sanam Jeswani, Senior Marketing Manager, Sports at GMG

has an industrious approach to her highest revenue figures we’ve seen in our short tenure. We look forward to supporting her continued success

Sidrah joined us a year ago and quickly grasped our business complexities, seamlessly taking charge of the vendor relationships and media management across paid social and jumping into full-scale account audits for the brands. She has an industrious approach to her work, but is equally adept at conveying strategic opportunities and pushing the boundaries of our media and adtech capabilities. She has been able to manage more than six brands, helping drive some of the highest revenue figures we’ve seen in our short tenure. We look forward to supporting her continued success within the Group.

Vijetha joined my team a year ago, and since then, has been an integral part of it. She brings creativity, dynamism and energy to the team. She also has a flair for PR, especially in writing. In a short span of time, she has shown her dedication and passion to learn and has been part of many key campaigns for Sun and Sand Sports in the region, such as #CommitToNothing featuring DJ Khaled. She is an eager learner and is always on the lookout for opportunities to grow her interpersonal skills. Her passion for marketing shines through in every project, making her an invaluable asset to our team.

Saudi focus

How are consumers and agencies changing in Saudi Arabia?

Saudi consumers have embraced digital technologies at a rapid pace. With widespread smartphone usage and improved internet connectivity, online shopping, mobile banking and digital payment methods have gained popularity. E-commerce platforms have witnessed significant growth, leading to a shift in consumer behaviour towards online purchasing.

Also consumers now seek personalised experiences and tailored products. They expect brands to understand their preferences and provide customised offerings. This trend has led companies to invest in data analytics and develop personalised marketing strategies to cater to individual consumer needs.

Saudi consumers have become more discerning, placing a greater emphasis on product quality and brand reputation. They value authenticity, reliability and trustworthiness when making purchasing decisions. Companies need to focus on maintaining high standards and building a strong brand image to gain consumer loyalty.

Social media platforms play a significant role in shaping consumer behaviour in Saudi Arabia. Consumers actively engage with brands and influencers on platforms like Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube. They rely on social media for product research, reviews, and recommendations, making it crucial for businesses to have a strong digital presence and engage with consumers effectively. Understanding and adapting to these evolving consumer preferences is essential for companies to remain competitive and meet the evolving needs of Saudi consumers.

Clients in Saudi Arabia are embracing digital transformation and looking for innovative technological solutions. This leads to demand for advanced digital platforms, mobile applications, e-commerce solutions and online service delivery. Additionally, clients are interested in emerging technologies such as AI, blockchain, and the Internet of Things (IoT) to enhance their daily lives and business operations.

THE CHANGING SAUDI ADVERTISING AGENCY MODEL

The rise of digital technologies has revolutionised the advertising landscape in Saudi Arabia. Advertising agencies have shifted their focus from

traditional mediums, such as print and television to digital platforms. They now offer a wide range of digital marketing services, including social media marketing, search engine optimisation (SEO), pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, content marketing and influencer marketing.

Advertising agencies in Saudi Arabia have recognised the importance of compelling storytelling and content creation. They now offer services that go beyond traditional advertisements, focusing on creating engaging and shareable content that resonates with the target audience. This includes video production, branded content, viral campaigns and immersive storytelling techniques.

Advertising agencies now heavily rely on data and analytics to inform their strategies and decision-making. They leverage customer data, market research, and analytics tools to gain valuable insights into consumer behaviour, preferences and trends. This data-driven approach enables agencies to optimise their campaigns,

target specific audience segments and measure the effectiveness of their advertising efforts.

Influencer marketing has gained significant prominence in Saudi Arabia. Advertising agencies collaborate with social media influencers and content creators to promote products and services. They facilitate influencer partnerships, negotiate contracts and develop creative campaigns that leverage the influence and reach of popular social media personalities.

Advertising agencies in Saudi Arabia recognise the importance of cultural sensitivity and localisation in their campaigns. They understand the nuances of the local culture, traditions and values, and adapt their strategies and messaging accordingly. This approach ensures that the advertising content resonates with the Saudi audience and effectively communicates the brand’s message.

DIGITAL AGENCIES

Digital technology advertising agencies are also adapting their offerings to reflect changes in Saudi Arabia. Agencies have focused on localising their offerings to cater to the unique cultural and linguistic aspects of the Saudi Arabian market. This involves understanding local consumer behaviour, preferences and values to create advertising campaigns that resonate with the target audience.

Given that Arabic is the official language in Saudi Arabia, agencies have been expanding their Arabic language capabilities. This includes hiring bilingual or Arabic-speaking professionals who can effectively communicate and create content in Arabic. By offering Arabic language services, agencies can better connect with the local audience and deliver messages that are culturally relevant.

Recognising the importance of Islamic values and sensitivities in Saudi Arabia, agencies have incorporated these considerations into their offerings. They may provide guidance to clients on how to align their advertising messages with Islamic principles and ensure their campaigns respect local cultural norms.

Social media platforms such as Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat are widely popular in Saudi Arabia. Agencies have adapted their offerings to include specialised social media marketing services. They help clients navigate the nuances of each platform, develop engaging social media content and leverage influencer marketing to effectively reach the Saudi Arabian audience.

With the increasing popularity of e-commerce in Saudi Arabia, agencies may have expanded their offerings to include e-commerce solutions. This includes helping businesses establish and optimise their online stores, implementing secure payment gateways and developing digital marketing strategies specifically tailored for e-commerce platforms.

From personalised experiences to influencer marketing, Speakol’s Amir Harby gives his insights

‘‘Advertising agencies in Saudi Arabia recognise the importance of cultural sensitivity and localisation in their campaigns"

Talking talent and tech in KSA

Campaign’s Breakfast Briefing went on the road with a packed event in Saudi Arabia. The Campaign Saudi Briefing featured a wide range of speakers and panels under the theme of Talent and Technology. The one-day event discussed the challenges across media, marketing, advertising and communications in the Kingdom. The headline keynote speech was on Communicators: The Game-Changers by Mohamed Al Ayed, CEO of TRACCS. Other keynote speeches talked about

brands and football (by Footballco), AR in marketing (Snap Inc), advertising in an emerging world (Amazon Ads) and using AI in performance marketing (Pixis).

There were also a number of lively panel discussions covering the use of data to unlock growth (Publicis), how human capital will reimagine marketing (MCN), tapping into Saudi’s youth and talent (Boopin) and using tech for new metrics and Performance Measures for Faster Growth (OMG).

Editor Justin Harper Snap Inc.’s Vishal Badiani Publisher Nadeem Quraishi

TRACCS’ Mohamed Al Ayed

Pixis’ Neel Pandya

Footballco’s Seth Hart and James Lamon

In the realm of social media marketing, understanding the cultural nuances and preferences of your target audience is crucial for success. For brands seeking to captivate the Saudi Arabian market, localizing captions plays a pivotal role in establishing a strong connection with the audience. This article explores the power of localizing captions in social media campaigns, delving into the strategies and benefits of tailoring content to resonate with Saudi Arabian users.

CULTURAL CONNECTION: Saudi Arabia boasts a rich cultural heritage, with its own customs, traditions, and dialects. By incorporating localized captions in social media content, brands can demonstrate a deep understanding and appreciation of the local culture. This fosters a sense of connection, establishing an emotional bond between the brand and its Saudi audience.

LANGUAGE AND DIALECT: Arabic is the primary language in Saudi Arabia, but it’s important to note that different regions may have variations in dialect. Adapting captions to the specific dialects prevalent in different parts of the country showcases a

encounter content that speaks their language and reflects their culture, they are more likely to interact with it by liking, commenting, and sharing. This heightened engagement not only amplifies the brand’s message within the target market but also increases its visibility as users organically spread the content among their networks.

BRAND LOYALTY: By employing localised captions, brands can build trust and foster a sense of loyalty among Saudi consumers. When brands invest in understanding the local culture and language, it demonstrates respect and an authentic desire to connect with the audience. This, in turn, cultivates a loyal customer base who appreciates the brand’s efforts to cater to their unique needs and preferences.

LOCAL INFLUENCERS: Collaborating with local influencers who have a deep understanding of the Saudi market further enhances the effectiveness of localized captions. These influencers can provide invaluable insights into cultural references, language nuances, and trending topics that resonate with their followers. By incorporating localized captions in collaboration with trusted local influencers, brands can establish a credible and authentic presence in the Saudi social media landscape.

SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS: Different social media platforms have their own dynamics and user preferences. Brands should consider tailoring their captions to suit the specific platform on which they are engaging with the Saudi audience. For example, utilizing trending hashtags, employing colloquial language, and capitalizing on popular cultural events can significantly enhance the visibility and engagement of content.

commitment to linguistic accuracy and creates a personalized experience for Saudi users. This attention to detail enhances the brand’s credibility and relatability.

BRAND VALUES: Localisation enables brands to effectively communicate their core values and messaging in a culturally relevant manner. By integrating local idioms, phrases, and references into captions, brands can convey their message in a way that resonates deeply with the Saudi audience. This tailored approach showcases a brand’s commitment to understanding the local context and establishes a strong brand identity within the market.

INCREASED REACH: Localised captions have the power to capture the attention of Saudi social media users, leading to increased engagement and reach. When users

As brands seek to tap into the Saudi Arabian social media market, the power of localizing captions cannot be overstated. By incorporating culturally relevant language, dialects, and references, brands can establish a deep connection with the Saudi audience, driving increased engagement, trust, and loyalty. In a landscape where personalization and cultural relevance are highly valued, mastering the art of localised captions is key to unlocking the vast potential of the Saudi social media market.

Speak local or fall on deaf ears

Hashtag’s Abeer Alamoudi gives some pointers for brands looking to make an impact in Saudi Arabia

‘‘Brands should consider tailoring their captions to suit the specific platform on which they are engaging with the Saudi audience"

Saudi focus

By Abeer Alamoudi, Senior Content Writer at Hashtag

Private View

RAMZI IBRAHIM

Executive Creative Director, Cheil Middle East & Africa

DHL: MESSAGE DELIVERY (1)

Funny and attention-grabbing. Appreciate the craft that turned each unpleasant message into a performance. Or, these mundane excuses could’ve just stayed so. Wonder if the initial submission was widely communicated or if the intended person saw the SMS and tuned in.

DELIVEROO: NEVER MISS OUT EVER (2)

Someone shared it with me, so I know it resonated and entertained some viewers. Not sure if it’s trying too hard or not enough. The humour feels a bit forced, maybe needing a more exaggerated performance. Interesting premise and yet it feels misplaced.

LAY’S X NETFLIX: MONEY HEIST (3)

The main film’s production is on par with the actual show and very entertaining. The eye witnesses are full of character and their performances kept me interested to watch throughout. As far as potato chips ads go, they’re usually much simpler, so this was pleasantly surprising.

IKEA: PROUDLY THE SECOND BEST (4)

Heartfelt and sweetly sneaky. By positioning the brand as second only to the viewer, they’re playing with different emotions. Gotta love brands that dare to self-deprecate in a smart and good way. I loved it. The execution itself is well done and simply so.

HUNGERSTATION: TIP WITH TIME (5)

Well thought initiative to help protect delivery drivers. Great idea to integrate it as part of the UX so users are at least aware of the importance of time for drivers’ safety, even if they don’t click it initially.

AAMIR ALLIBHOY

Chief Marketing Officer, Tim Hortons – Middle East

DHL: MESSAGE DELIVERY (1)

Fantastic tension point and insight by the team at Horizon FCB. But DHL itself is a delivery channel and platform, so I really didn’t get the need for radio to pop in and be used as such. It was kind of random to be honest.

DELIVEROO: NEVER MISS OUT EVER (2)

FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) man is cool, well done More and Deliveroo, engaging social content and I love the call to action.

LAY’S X NETFLIX: MONEY HEIST (3)

Netflix x Lays Heist was smart, engaging with a punch of integrated storytelling. I enjoyed the various personas. Kudos to Science & Sunshine as the marketing team at PepsiCo finally stepped out of their comfort zone.

IKEA: PROUDLY THE SECOND BEST (4)

Having a three-year-old son that changed my life forever, IKEA’s ‘proudly the second best’ was brilliant, single minded, super and compelling.

HUNGERSTATION: TIP WITH TIME (5)

Cute, sentimental but stretched with the multiple ‘In Time’ wars when it already was at the climax. The creative team on Hungerstation clearly still have ‘In Time’ withdrawals.

DHL

Title: Message Delivery

Agency: Horizon FCB Dubai

Deliveroo

Title: Never Miss Out Ever

Agency: More Lay’s X Netflix

Title: Money Heist

Agency: Science & Sunshine

Production house: Film Pudding IKEA

Title: Proudly the Second Best

Agencies: David Madrid and Ingo Hamburg

Marketing Director: Karla Klumpenaar

Hungerstation

Title: Tip with Time

Agencies: Wunderman Thompson KSA

Production house: Foward

ECD: Rayyan Aoun

Motivate Media Group

Head Office: 34th Floor, Media One Tower, Dubai Media City, Dubai, UAE. Tel: +971 4 427 3000, Fax: +971 4 428 2266, Email: motivate@motivate.ae

Dubai Media City: SD 2-94, 2nd Floor, Building 2, Dubai, UAE. Tel: +971 4 390 3550, Fax: +971 4 390 4845

Abu Dhabi: Motivate Advertising, Marketing & Publishing, PO Box 43072, Abu Dhabi, UAE. Tel: +971 2 677 2005, Fax: +97126573401, Email: motivate-adh@motivate.ae

Saudi Arabia: Office 452, Regus Offices, 4th Floor, Al Hamad Tower, King Fahad Road, Al Olaya, PO.Box 12381, Riyadh 6764, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Tel: +966 11 834 3595 / +966 11 834 3596 Fax: +966 11 8343501

London: Motivate Publishing Ltd, Acre House, 11/15 William Road, London NW1 3ER. motivateuk@motivate.ae www.motivatemedia.com

EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief Obaid Humaid Al Tayer Managing Partner and Group Editor Ian Fairservice Editor Justin Harper Junior Web Reporter Ishwari Khatu Junior Reporter Sonia Majumder

DESIGN Art Director Clarkwin Cruz Designer Thokchom Remy

ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES Tel: +971 4 427 3000 Chief Commercial Officer Anthony Milne Publisher Nadeem Ahmed Quraishi (+971 50 6453365)

PRODUCTION General Manager S. Sunil Kumar Production Manager Binu Purandaran

HAYMARKET MEDIA GROUP Chairman Kevin Costello Managing Director Jane Macken

The publishers regret that they cannot accept liability for error or omissions contained in this publication, however caused. The opinions and views contained in this publication are not necessarily those of the publishers. Readers are advised to seek specialist advice before acting on information contained in this publication which is provided for general use and may not be appropriate for the readers’ particular circumstances. The ownership of trademarks is acknowledged. No part of this publication or any part of the contents thereof may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form without the permission of the publishers in writing. An exemption is hereby granted for extracts used for the purpose of fair review. CampaignMiddleEastincludes material reproduced from the UK Edition (and other editions) of Campaign , which is the copyright of Haymarket. Campaignis a trademark of Haymarket and is used under licence. The views and opinions expressed within this magazine are not necessarily those of Haymarket Magazines Limited or those of its contributors.

GOT A VIEW?

MATTER OF FACT

News, views & trends from across the spectrum PASS THE COOKIES, BUT NOT ALL OF THEM: THE EVOLUTION OF DIGITAL ADVERTISING

TARIQ AL SHARABI

Director

As we navigate the labyrinth of the digital age, with all of its AI babies, our privacy online has become a high-stakes concern. It is against this backdrop that Google plans to phase out third-party cookies from Chrome by 2024, heralding a seismic shift in digital marketing. These cookies, notorious for tracking users across di erent sites and enabling targeted ads, have been a staple of digital advertising for years. However, the era of third-party cookies is waning, and advertisers will have to recalibrate their strategies to keep up. Google is not leaving advertisers stranded though. The tech giant is developing a new technology called Federated Learning of Cohorts (FLoC), designed to group users based on their interests, allowing ad creators to target these groups rather than individuals. Meanwhile, marketers will need to increasingly rely on first-party cookies, contextual advertising, and retargeting to connect with audiences in this new landscape. Furthermore, Google's forthcoming 'Privacy Sandbox,' set for release in July, promises to o er marketers a way to drill down on users without third-party cookies while protecting them from data abuse. These winds of change are gathering pace, and we're bracing ourselves for a thrilling ride.

84%

The rise of programmatic ad spend globally as of mid-2023

200%

The average ROI of a current SEM campaign

360%

The recent increase in total spend resulting from one-click automated upselling ads

18X

The revenue generated by automated targeted emails compared to generic email blasts

GAME CHANGER AI meets Google Ads

Amidst a set of conversations that have generated a lot of interest, Google recently introduced conversational AI to Google Ads. Users can now feed the AI their landing page, and it will produce headlines, keywords, descriptions, images, and more, simplifying the process of launching SEM campaigns like never before.

BREAKING THE NET The Estate of Us Shakes Up the Housing Scene

Addressing the housing crisis in Ireland, a creative group known as 'The Estate of Us' has employed brutally honest outdoor advertising to shed light on the issue. Despite the ads' short lifespan, social media massively amplified the message, showing the power of a well-crafted promotional campaign in driving discussions about societal challenges. Some examples of these messages included “100K Over Asking” and “Vulture Funds Only”; brash statements that brought out the sentiment that every layman around the country was thinking.

#NOT Tubi or Not Tubi, That's The Question

Streaming platform Tubi recently purchased ad space during the American football playo s, featuring an ad that made it seem like someone was changing the channel away from the game. While the ad was indeed memorable, it sparked a nationwide uproar and a multitude of household arguments, highlighting the need for brands to consider audience behaviours while crafting innovative campaigns

Managing

of Cicero & Bernay Communication Consultancy

Skin in the game

While I missed the boat on gaming as a kid (and subsequently an adult) I am catching up fast. Call of Duty, League of Legends, Fortnite, Grand Theft Auto. I’ve never played these games and probably never will. But I’m beginning to understand how big they are, who typically plays them and what brands they have been collaborating with. The gaming sector is huge, and growing all the time. This has opened the door for more brands to get involved and tap into their captive audiences. Gamers can spend hours playing online, and another few hours watching other (often better) gamers do their thing on livestreams. So what a great opportunity the sector represents.

I was fully immersed in gaming when I hosted our recent Campaign Breakfast Briefing, which focused on gaming and AI. During my research I came across some eye-opening stats.

Gaming has now grown into such a big industry that it has surpassed Hollywood in terms of revenue generation. And of course it continues to grow. The global gaming industry is expected to be worth $321 billion by 2026, according to PwC. Saudi Arabia possibly plays a big role in boosting these figures, with some of the highest numbers of gamers in the world (per head).

And then we have the recent attempt by Microsoft to buy gaming developer Activation Blizzard for a cool $69 billion. It’s a lucrative sector and it seems everyone wants a slice of the pie.

The gaming industry is also looking to widen its appeal and has been lobbying to be included at the Olympics. While gaming is not yet an Olympics sport, its governing body, the IOC, has organised an Olympic Virtual Series. Actually one of our panellists Collin Allin, from Oakley, called gamers athletes which struck a chord with me. I’d never viewed them as that before.

Some of these brands are natural fits such as lifestyle and clothing (Oakley now makes eyewear for gamers) while other less obvious brands have creatively crowbarred their way into the gaming sector. There are a lot more females in gaming now, so that presents even more

opportunities, particularly for skincare and cosmetics brands.

Fashion labels seem to have jumped on brandwagon first and we have had Gucci, Prada and Louis Vuitton entering the world of virtual fashion through popular game franchises from the likes of The Sims, Roblox and metaverse gaming platforms.

JUSTIN HARPER Editor

justin.harper@motivate.ae

And then you have the food brands like Pizza Hut and KFC entering the gaming space which makes sense. Gaming has been intrinsically linked to fast-food culture for a while. In this region we even saw Pizza Hut set up its own gaming channel last year. Its sister company KFC also joined the conversation with its Colonel Shield, a controller skin allows gamers to eat and game at the same time without ruining their consoles.

More e-sports and gaming agencies are also popping up too. Power League Gaming has been very active in the region and recently launched a new service called Flux to help brands enter the gaming and e-sports space. And there’s also Yalla Esports, whose founder Klaus Kajetski took part in our panel discussion recently. Funny and entertaining, passionate and knowledgeable, he made me want to take up gaming.

The industry is expanding, maturing, becoming more lucrative and at the same time shaking off its image of greasy teenagers holed up in their bedrooms. Today’s gamers are smarter, fashionable and have disposable incomes they are willing to spend on brands that connect with them. Game on.

Thinking visually, like a cow

Temple Grandin received her BA from Franklin Pierce College, her MS from Arizona State University, her PhD from the University of Illinois, and is currently Professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University.

She’s had a book on the New York Times bestseller list; Time rated her one of its 100 Most Influential People; she’s had an award-winning HBO movie made about her.

But what makes her unusual is that Grandin was born severely autistic – she couldn’t speak until she was four, she would throw tantrums and chew the wallpaper.

Because no-one understood autism, she was diagnosed as brain-damaged.

Because of her experience, she divides the world into two kinds of thinkers: those who think verbally and those who think visually.

Verbal thinkers use logic, progressing step by step towards a conclusion; our entire civilisation is based on verbal thinking, all laws and agreements are made of words.

Grandin said that the first time the world began to make sense to her was when she spent the summer on a farm as a youngster.

She connected with the world of

animals – animals didn’t think, they just reacted.

She understood animals and that became her area of expertise. As she became an authority on animal science, stockyards began asking her advice.

The farmers couldn’t work out why the cattle fought and panicked and injured each other.

So Grandin did something that made them think she was crazy.

She got down on all fours into the chutes that the cattle were driven along, and she made the journey the same way the cattle would.

She noticed things the farmers never would – a piece of metal glinting in the sun, a chain rattling as it hung down, a piece of flapping cloth, a gate making a loud noise.

All these things were trivial to the farmers, there was no reason to be frightened of them.

Grandin explained that cows weren’t verbal thinkers like the farmers, they were visual thinkers like her, plus they were prey animals.

Prey animals don’t have time to work out what’s a genuine threat, their instinct is to react and run without thinking.

That’s what she could feel

walking through the chutes, just like the cows would.

Unlike the farmers she wasn’t thinking what made sense to them, she was thinking what would scare the cows.

All over the US, farmers began to adopt her methods, not because they’re sentimental folk but because they saw that calm cows gained weight quicker and made more profit.

Now half of all beef in the US is prepared using Grandin’s methods.

Advertising and marketing are mainly composed of verbal thinkers, people who’ve been to university, which is mainly verbal thinkers.

People who learned to write strategies, briefs and campaigns based on a style of thinking they learned at university.

People who create advertising based on intellectual arguments about what should work, according to their own logical thinking.

Maybe it would be a good idea for us to introduce some thinking that was more like Grandin’s: visual thinkers instead of just verbal thinkers.

People who don’t just think like farmers but get down and walk where the cattle walk.

Dave Trott is the author of The Power of Ignorance, Creative Blindness and How to Cure It, Creative Mischief, Predatory Thinking and One Plus One Equals Three

The Spin

It seems that colonisation is not dead, at least not at one local supermarket chain Nesto. While America broke free from British rule more than 200 years ago someone in Nesto’s sign department wants to turn back the clock. Adding the Union Jack to the good ol’ Star Spangled Banner might not make you many friends on both sides of the Atlantic.

Staying with America, it seems breakfast goers there like their milk outside their cereal bowl. Well at least that’s what cereal maker General Mills seems to think. While I personally prefer mine inside the bowl, I’m not going to cry over spilt milk.

Another big U.S company may also need some lessons in what consumers like. Amazon seems to think that shaving your legs counts as gaming. Based on this online image, one of its best-selling gaming products is a….lady’s leg shaver. Amazon has always been a smooth operator but this may be pushing things too far.

And finally, if you can make sense of this road sign please let us know. It definitely involves three people but then things get a bit hazy. Whatever they are doing, please don’t try this at home.

Send your advertising fails to Justin.Harper@motivate.ae

Appointments

Publicis

Groupe Middle East has announced the appointment of KAREEM MONEM as Chief Executive Officer for Digitas ME, the marketing transformation agency. Monem will aim to accelerate the agency’s growth by connecting data-driven insights, creative experiences and innovative technologies.

Merkle has announced the appointment of ANDREAS SKOPAL as its Managing Director for the Middle East and North Africa region. Skopal has more than 20 years of experience in customer experience, marketing, technology, and strategy across the MENA and APAC regions.

Havas has announced the promotion of FABIO SILVEIRA to Managing Director, Havas Creative Middle East. He will continue to develop the business, strengthen its business units and grow client partnerships while focusing on implementing the Havas ‘village’ model further.

Havas has also announced the appointment of DANA TAHIR as Managing Director, Red Havas Middle East to strengthen the ‘village’ model further and build business growth. Tahir has more than 15 years of experience in the PR and

Communications industry. Her role at Red Havas Middle East has spanned across all aspects of the agency’s growth, strategic counsel, team management and overall operations.

Havas Middle East also announced the appointment of NAVEEN MATHEWS as General Manager for Havas Media UAE. Mathews has been a part of Havas Media for more than nine years in the Head of Business role. In his new role, he will oversee all media operations in the UAE along with client servicing.

Xelement announced the appointment of EDDY HANNA as its new

Media Director to head its newly launched media offering. Hanna previously served as the Media Director at OMD where he led the development and implementation of media strategies for several clients across the MENA region. He has worked with brands such as Apple, PepsiCo, Zain Group, Expo Dubai and Saudi Central Bank.

Gambit Communications has announced the appointment of MARY PAULOSE, as Senior English Editor. She is an ex-journalist with 15 years of crossfunctional editorial experience, including creating content for government, consumer and corporate clients. Paulose has worked at The National, Gulf News, Khaleej Times, and Times of Oman.

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