Communicate Online | Activate the digital transformation reshaping the GCC advertising & marketing industry
The View
Sadek El Assaad
Sadek El Assaad Business transformation strategist and operator
Rami Selo
Rami Selo COO Sedar Global
Mark Leeming
Mark Leeming Co-founder Taggy
Hubert Boulos
Hubert Boulos CEO Das Kapital Dekuple Group
Aidan O'Brien
Aidan O'Brien Strategic Advisor, Executive Mentor & International Speaker
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The end of “Build It and They Will Come”

The end of “Build It and They Will Come”

At Rewiring Growth & Marketing Strategy, a forum organised by Communicate in collaboration with INSEAD, Strategic Design Thinking Advisor to C-suites, Anand Vengurlekar, challenged one of…

Google expands AI disclosure labels across Search, YouTube, Discover ads

Google has expanded its AI transparency efforts by rolling out labels that identify advertisements created or edited using artificial intelligence across its advertising platforms. Users can…

NEWS

Adobe appoints Hussein M. Dajani as Director, Partner Marketing for Middle East and Africa

Adobe has appointed Hussein M. Dajani as Director, Partner Marketing for the Middle East and Africa (MEA), where he will oversee partner marketing and strengthen the…

NEWS

The accidental selfie that became the GCC’s hottest marketing trend

Blurry selfies, fingers covering the camera lens and awkward close-ups have replaced polished campaign visuals on the Instagram feeds of some of the Gulf’s biggest brands.…

NEWS
Branded

From Homepage to Doorstep: How Lenovo’s Omnichannel Campaign with Amazon Ads Drove Success During Peak Shopping Season

By Communicate Staff

Transparency in the storm: How the GCC managed crisis communication

By Hoda Rizk

Ounass expands into physical retail activations with Stage

By Communicate Staff

Aramco remains Middle East’s sole entrant in Kantar BrandZ global top 100

By Communicate Staff
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Insights

YouTube ad growth slows amid TikTok, Netflix challenge

YouTube generated more than $40 billion in advertising revenue in 2025, but its ad business is entering a slower growth phase as competition from TikTok and…

US export policy shift opens new chapter for UAE’s AI ambitions

The United States’ decision to significantly ease export controls on the United Arab Emirates is expected to accelerate the Gulf nation’s push to become a global…

INSIGHTS

Can AI read consumers’ minds? new study says it’s surprisingly close

Large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Grok can generate synthetic consumer responses that closely resemble those of real people, potentially making marketing research…

INSIGHTS

The end of “Build It and They Will Come”

At Rewiring Growth & Marketing Strategy, a forum organised by Communicate in collaboration with INSEAD, Strategic Design Thinking Advisor to C-suites, Anand Vengurlekar, challenged one of…

INSIGHTS
BRANDS

Moroccan-Belgian singer DYSTINCT fronts PUMA Middle East’s ‘Never Not Suede’ campaign

PUMA Middle East has launched the latest regional chapter of its global “Never Not Suede” campaign, partnering for the first time with Moroccan-Belgian artist DYSTINCT to…

BRANDS

How K-Beauty turned a trend into a 53% growth story

Korean beauty products, popularly known as K-Beauty, are witnessing rapid global expansion, with value sales rising 53% year-on-year and 131% over the past two years, according…

NEWS

talabat tests creator-first marketing with 48-hour Dubai hackathon

Food delivery platform talabat has wrapped up its first Creator Hackathon in Dubai, bringing together 20 creators for a 48-hour challenge designed to explore a new…

NEWS
AGENCIES

IKEA Alsulaiman appoints FP7 McCANN as creative agency for Saudi Arabia, Bahrain

IKEA Alsulaiman has appointed FP7 McCANN as its creative agency of record across Saudi Arabia and Bahrain following a competitive pitch, expanding its partnership with the…

AGENCIES

TBWA\RAAD named among Best Workplaces in Media, Advertising & Marketing 2026

TBWA\RAAD has been recognized as one of the Best Workplaces in Media, Advertising & Marketing 2026 by Great Place To Work, Middle East, joining the list…

NEWS

Dentsu revises down global advertising spending forecast

Global advertising group Dentsu has revised down its 2026 global advertising spending forecast in a mid-year update, citing economic uncertainty linked to geopolitical tensions, while raising…

NEWS
Cannes Lions Special Issue

Cannes Lions Special Issue

June 2026
The FMCG Crisis Playbook

The FMCG Crisis Playbook

March 2026
Best Brands and Best Marketers

Best Brands and Best Marketers

February 2026
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Latest Issues
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KIA

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Doritos

Peter Carstairs / Cummins & Partners

Skittles

adam&eveDDB

Pepsi

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The Guardian

Boase Massimi Pollitt (later BMP DDB)

Google

Google Creative Lab

Ad of the week Lamborghini Italy | Dentsu Creative, Milano

Lamborghini Urus SE Performante - Urus as its peak

Lamborghini's latest film for the Urus SE celebrates ambition and achievement, drawing parallels between people reaching their peak and the SUV's uncompromising blend of performance, innovation, and design. Created by Dentsu Creative Italy, the campaign reinforces the brand's promise of power without compromise.

Ranking

MENA’S CREATIVE PULSE – TOP CAMPAIGNS

MENA creativity has entered its main character era. From AI-powered seat maps and blind football seats to seasoning-led fandoms and parking spots turned media space, the…

NEWS

Best Brands and Marketers

The Brands and Marketers Who Actually Won 2025 In 2025, marketing noise was everywhere. Visibility was easy to buy, reach was easy to inflate—but true distinction…

NEWS

Top 70 CEOS

Influence doesn’t always announce itself with titles or corner offices. Sometimes it’s quieter, moving people without visible force. To build this Top List, we looked beyond…

NEWS
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