UM MENAT Empowers Female-Owned SME Businesses on Global Impact Day
The UM MENAT office took to 'building a better future' by sharing their knowledge and skills with seven SMEs to bring marketing excellence to their brands.
On July 20, UM, a global media agency network of IPG Mediabrands, launched its sixth Global Impact Day, 'Building a Better Future.' Together, employees across 50+ countries, 100+ markets, and 120+ offices united and gave back to their local communities.
The UM MENAT team organized the initiative focusing on empowering SMEs and supporting female entrepreneurs in the spirit of creating meaningful change and driving economic growth. UM partnered with Female Fusion, UAE’s professional network group for women looking to build, grow and scale their businesses and connect with female-owned companies who require marketing support.
“Female start-ups in MENA receive a mere 1.2% of all VC funding. We are very grateful to be able to support a network like Female Fusion to truly give value and impact others on Impact,” commented Maria Poulton, MD at UM UAE. “Female empowerment is close to my heart and at UM we are very passionate about sharing our knowledge with those who may not be able to access the expertise of a large media and advertising organization. We continuously investigate ways we can be more of a support function for the local community of business owners, especially women, and elevate them to their full potential.”
Over 90 UMers split into teams and took up a challenge: to develop seven marketing strategies for seven businesses in just 90 minutes. The team demonstrated their excellence across various industries by offering new thinking and marketing approaches to companies including a swim school, dental practice, production house, events company, natural honey retailer, and an interior design brand. Each team presented their strategies to a jury and the best work was awarded recognition for going over and beyond the requirements of a detailed marketing framework. The teams then gave their strategies and marketing plans to the seven entrepreneurs to take on board and execute at will. These strategies will serve as valuable roadmaps, guiding entrepreneurs toward success and growth in their respective industries.
UM MENAT extends its appreciation to the Female Fusion Network for its collaboration and TikTok for sharing insights with female entrepreneurs on leveraging the digital platform for their businesses.
Andrea Suarez, Global CEO of UM, commented on the global efforts of the agency, “From picking up litter on beaches and parks in the US to providing essentials for those with disabilities in South Korea and feeding unhoused people in Greece, our community’s micro-actions will drive macro results that build a better tomorrow, today.”
