Vincent Pelillo talks to Communicate about BBX Optima, digital, sustainability and why being "old" while still evolving in the industry is a badge of honor.
Can you walk us more on Media Market Place which is the ancestor of Communicate and your journey with it?
Absolutely. MenaMarketPlace (MMP) was the first programmatic company in the region when we launched in late 2014. At the time, programmatic was just starting to gain traction in more mature markets, but in MENA, it was almost non-existent. Agencies were still buying media in a very traditional way, and the idea of real-time bidding or automated media buying seemed like a futuristic concept to many.
MMP was built to bridge that gap—we brought programmatic technology before anyone else in the region, enabling advertisers and publishers to transact media with data-driven precision. We introduced the first open marketplace for programmatic buying, which meant bringing transparency, efficiency, and performance at scale, something unheard of back then.
It was challenging at first, education was a huge part of what we had to do. We weren’t just building a business, we were building the market itself. But we knew that once advertisers and agencies would saw the results, adoption would follow. And that’s exactly what happened. MMP has set the stage for what would later become the way-to-do which now plays a critical role in how the market works and transact. This is precisely why, with my partners Assad and Abdulraoof Abuljadai and their group Creative Edge, we came up with BBX Optima now and why we think we can bring value and decent know- how to the market.
BBX Optima, your new venture now that you are back to the MENA region seems to be AI-focused, tell us more about it?
BBX Optima is the natural evolution of everything I’ve done in digital media so far. The advertising industry is changing— faster than ever—and AI is at the core of that transformation.
The goal of Creative Edge group with BBX Optima is to redefine programmatic advertising in MENA by focusing on AI-powered contextual targeting, omnichannel activation, and independence from walled gardens. We want to offer agencies and brands an alternative to the big-platforms-only trend, where they can own their data, optimise their media spend, and operate in a privacy-first ecosystem.
AI allows us to do this at scale. With Contextual Plus, our flagship product, we can analyse massive amounts of content and signals in real time and deliver ads in the most relevant environments—without relying on cookies or invasive tracking. We’re also doubling down on programmatic Audio and DOOH, as these channels represent the next big wave in digital media, especially in a region like MENA where mobile and OOH consumption are dominant. At its core, BBX Optima is about giving power back to advertisers and agencies, helping them navigate an increasingly complex ecosystem while ensuring their campaigns remain effective, ethical, and measurable.
Your capital as a person has apparently been “telling the truth no matter how tough it is”, but people seem not to want to hear about?
That’s probably true, and I don’t plan to change that anytime soon. The advertising industry has a habit of avoiding difficult conversations, whether it’s about transparency, data privacy, or even the actual performance of a campaign. Too often, people sell dreams instead of realities.
I’ve always believed that growth comes from honesty. Whether it’s telling a client that their media strategy is not working or pushing back on industry hype that doesn’t hold water, I’ve never been afraid to say what needs to be said.
Not everyone likes it, but the ones who do appreciate the clarity. And ultimately, those are the people I want to work with but the ones who are committed to actually improving the industry, not just keeping up appearances if you know what I mean.
Since you work in digital, we are sure you heard the epithet “old” more than once. Which implies you no longer understand the scene or what is happening. What is your stance on that?
It’s funny because every five years, someone tells me the industry is changing too fast for “older” professionals to keep up. But the reality is, digital advertising has always been about change. If you don’t adapt, you die, that’s always been the case.
What’s happening now is not new; it’s just the next iteration of what we’ve been seeing for the past 25 years. Automation, AI, privacy-first advertising, omnichannel strategies, these are just the latest evolutions of trends that started long ago.
Experience doesn’t make you outdated I believe, it makes you better equipped to see patterns, filter the noise, and understand what actually drives results. The people who get “old” in this industry are not the ones with experience, they’re the ones who stop evolving and learning.
These days there is always an issue about back-to-office yet BBX seems to be “sort-of” remote, do you truly believe agencies can be agile that way in this time and age?
Sort-of is correct.
While digital tools and remote work have undeniably reshaped the way we operate, we firmly believe that in-person collaboration remains a key driver of success in our industry.
At BBX Optima, we have offices in Dubai, Riyadh, and Jeddah because we recognize that real innovation, problem-solving, and team synergies happen when people work together in the same space.
Some of the biggest challenges in media and advertising like strategy alignment, creative ideation, and fast decision- making are simply more effective in an office setting.
What we know for sure is that:
- Face-to-face collaboration fosters stronger teamwork, faster problem-solving, and better creative output.
- Spontaneous discussions, brainstorming sessions, and real-time decision-making are hard to replicate remotely.
- Clients and partners value direct engagement and a strong office presence enhances trust, culture, and productivity.
That being said, we embrace evolution, hybrid work and digital tools allow for flexibility, but we see them as enhancements, not replacements for a strong office culture.
In our experience, having a physical workspace isn’t just about where you work, it’s about how effectively you work together. That’s why we continue to invest in our regional offices in Dubai, where we just moved for a better place in MediaCity, ensuring our teams have the best possible environment for collaboration, efficiency, and ultimately success.
Environmental concerns seem to be lip-service yet in your case the “green factor” counts as a basic principle of BBX Optima, what can you say about this element?
For too long, sustainability has been an afterthought in digital advertising. But when you look at the actual carbon footprint of online advertising—especially programmatic, with its reliance on data centers and complex supply chains—it’s clear that change is needed.
BBX Optima integrates green media buying principles into our strategy. That means:
1. Reducing waste in programmatic campaigns by optimising supply paths and minimising unnecessary data transfers.
2. Partnering with platforms like SeenThis, Scope3 or Impact+ who are focus on sustainable media delivery, reducing energy consumption without compromising performance.
3. Educating brands and agencies on how they can make smarter, more eco-conscious media choices.
This is NOT just a moral issue, it’s a business issue. More brands are realising that sustainable advertising isn’t just about reputation, it also drives efficiency, improves performance, and aligns with shifting consumer expectations.
For us, it’s simple: doing things better means doing them in a more sustainable way.
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