On November 17th, Riyadh hosted a forum on November 17th for senior and early-career marketers at two back-to-back sessions organized by Publicis Groupe in collaboration with NordStella and Effie Awards MENA.
Held earlier this week, the event aimed at exploring the evolving landscape of brand building, creativity, and precision-driven marketing.
The KSA Senior Marketers’ Effectiveness ThinkLab and KSA Young Marketers’ Effectiveness Masterclass offered participants the opportunity to gain insights from industry leaders, share practical strategies, and engage in hands-on learning.
The KSA Senior Marketers’ Effectiveness ThinkLab, aimed at senior brand leaders, opened with the keynote A.I.RCHETYPES: When Human Imagination Meets Artificial Intelligence, led by Tahaab Rais, Group Chief Strategy Officer and Film Director at Publicis Groupe. Rais introduced a fresh approach to ideation based on strategic archetypes, demonstrating how AI can augment human intuition, predict behavior, personalize experiences, and tackle marketing challenges that humans alone might not identify. Rais explained how 10 key archetypes could be distilled into prototypes to craft campaigns that are both emotionally resonant and strategically effective.
Following the keynote, the panel session Precision in Practice: Building Brand Equity Through Measurable Marketing brought together senior marketers to discuss how Saudi brands are adapting to a rapidly evolving, data-driven environment shaped by Vision 2030. Adel Baraja, Chief Business Officer at Publicis Groupe KSA, moderated the session and said, “Since 2016, marketing in the Kingdom has transformed, the pace is faster, messaging has evolved, and today Saudi brands are making their mark on the global stage.”
Mohammed R. Abaalkheil, VP Corporate Relations at STC, emphasized the human dimension of marketing. “No matter how much data you have and how much you want to use it, you cannot forget that we are dealing with humans,” he said.
Mohammed Jifri, Chief Marketing Officer at Hungerstation echoed Abaalkheil’s sentiment: “The fundamentals of marketing haven’t changed, you start with precision brand building, true differentiation, and distinctive assets before anything else.”
The conversation also explored precision at scale as Saudi prepares for global mega events and an increasingly sophisticated digital ecosystem. Rebecca Cousins, Chief of Outreach and Global Communications at the Digital Cooperation Organization highlighted the importance of cultural nuance across markets.
“We use the same baseline, but we tailor it — the same program looks different in Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, or Cyprus because people engage differently,” she said.
Hamza Jeddawi, Chief Experience Development Officer at the Saudi Tourism Authority, stressed the significance of contributing to the national narrative, noting, “If you’re not contributing to the wider ecosystem shift, you’re missing the power of the brand that the nation itself is building.”
The panel also addressed the challenges of evolving technology. Abaalkheil raised a forward-looking concern, asking, “With AI, data and the tools changing every day, how do we build future communicators and redefine what creativity really means?”
Cousins concluded with a reminder that human skills remain essential, even in an AI-driven world: “You can’t brief a machine if you can’t brief a person—adaptability and clarity will matter more than ever.”
A fireside chat titled The Creative Legacy: Measuring the Emotional Impact of Big Ideas, featuring Fizo Younis, Chief Creative Officer at Publicis Groupe Middle East, and Arifa Hussain, RTD Growth Officer at Nestlé MENA, focused on how brands can build meaningful emotional connections with Saudi youth.
Hussain underscored the importance of understanding young consumers deeply. “We talk to them, not at them… it’s about really knowing the nuances,” she said and added that effective communication must reflect the multiple identities today’s youth navigate.
Younis warned against superficial attempts to mirror youth language: “Trying to speak Gen Z language can be a trap,” he said, emphasizing that engagement comes from shared passions and true co-creation. They also shared insights from the Nescafé RTD campaign, which combined cultural insight, constructive debate, and a willingness to rethink traditional approaches.
Hussain added, “We were late to the party, so we stepped back, unlearned everything, and started with fresh eyes. If everyone’s nodding, nothing amazing will come out of that.” Together, they showcased how tension, trust, and emotion-first storytelling can drive campaigns that resonate authentically with youth.
On his part, Kris Stephan, Managing Partner at NES (Nesma Esports) commented, “The KSA Senior Marketers Effectiveness ThinkLab reinforced that real impact comes from purpose-driven strategy built on solid products and services. Ads shouldn’t communicate at the consumer, but to them. I’m also keen to see how gaming will integrate into future marketing campaigns and how AI will reshape effectiveness across industries.”
Running alongside the ThinkLab, the KSA Young Marketers’ Effectiveness Masterclass offered early-career professionals a hands-on session focused on creativity, measurement, and campaign effectiveness. Also led by Tahaab Rais, the three-hour workshop emphasized the art of crafting briefs, balancing data with strategy, and ensuring campaigns remain human-centric. Rais highlighted the risk of marketers becoming overly focused on data and visuals, stressing that understanding the audience and strategy remains crucial.
Participants praised the masterclass for its practical value. Alia Kong, 14, founder of Kids Power Society and creator of the Superbund Virtual Society from Hong Kong, said, “As a youth advocate and founder of a non-profit of seven years, marketing and knowing your audience is essential to our projects of letting kids’ voices be heard. This course really gave me a further look into the rabbit hole of marketing and briefs that I will definitely use to empower our current initiative of the Virtual to Reality Cultural Exchange between Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia and our Diamond Repurposing Journey.”
