Search Results for : Mena

Interested in the fast-growing gaming community in the region? Communicate spoke with Mathew Pickering, Managing Director at gaming and esports communications agency Power League Gaming, to break it down for you. What does PLG do, exactly? Power League Gaming connects brands with Arabic gaming and esports audiences, primarily across MENA, of which 30% of the […]

Communicate sits with David Fregonas, Accenture Interactive lead, Middle East to learn more about the company’s latest brand move and their recent shift in operations to the cloud. What is the strategy behind this new initiative? We’re following the same advice we give our clients in this time of relentless change: act with great agility and […]

On October 15, Dubai-based mobility online platform Careem launched a new campaign highlighting its transition from ride-hailing company to Super App. Communicate had questions, so we asked Noha Zeid, Director of Marketing, and Haya Kalbouneh, Senior Brand Manager at Careem. What exactly is a Super App? Careem is the region’s everyday Super App: the first […]

92% of  MENA PR professionals believe that mental health and wellbeing are important to their overall quality of life. This was one of the key findings in the mental health reported that was jointly curated by PRCA MENA, the largest and most influential PR and communications membership body and international internet-based market research and data […]

Google pledges to mentor local businesses and help them grow online in the UAE, especially those in retail and tourism. Google announced today ‘Grow Stronger with Google’, a new program to accelerate the MENA region’s economic recovery through digital transformation, by offering digital tools, training, and financial grants to support local businesses and job seekers. […]

World’s leading evidence-based insights and consulting company Kantar and multinational holding company WPP, have released the BrandZ study, which highlights the most valuable brands in the MENA region. With a combined value of $50 billion, the ranking includes consumer-facing brands from across a range of categories, from food to energy, which reflect the changing lifestyles and […]

Launched in 2008, the Annual ASDA’A BCW Arab Youth Survey is the largest survey of its kind of the Middle East and North Africa region, covering its largest demographic – the youth. The findings of the survey provide governments, the private sector, civil society and academia with insights into the hopes, concerns and aspirations of […]

At the beginning of September, Snap Inc appointed Jake Thomas as the Head of UAE operations. This comes as the company rapidly expands its local partner ecosystem and seeks to deliver more opportunities to consumers and brands than ever before. Communicate spoke with Thomas to understand how he plans to grow the company’s vision in the […]

Data is the most valuable currency in the 21st century. Data and analytics guru, Bernard Marr said: “While the average small business has less self-generated data than big players. . .this doesn’t mean big data is off-limits. In fact, in many ways, big data is more suited to small businesses, because they’re generally more agile […]

Global custom research and analytics consultancy, PSB Research was commissioned by  Starzplay, the leading subscription video on demand (SVOD) service in the MENA region to study the SVOD trends during the period from January 2019 to May 2020. The study covered two key phases – the Covid-19 situation that led to a region-wide lockdown and […]

The lockdown has introduced a new generation of gamers. In fact, it is being said that there are now as many gamers as there are people who watch TV. That can only mean one thing: brands now have a new potential audience group they can reach. But brands and advertisers need to first understand more […]

Deepa Vaidyanathan, Head of Communications – IMEA at Procter and Gamble, explains why brands should care about being purpose-driven, and how to do that the right way. How would you define a purpose-driven brand? At P&G, we believe in being a force for good and a force for growth. As a company, we want to […]

The Middle East Public Relations Association (MEPRA) will be hosting the sixth edition of their annual leadership majlis virtually this year. The majlis will include a series of daily sessions starting from 30th August till 3rd September with communication leaders from the Middle East and abroad. Communicate speaks with Jonty Summers, Chairman of MEPRA and Managing Director […]

Anghami, the regions largest and most loved streaming service, announced today a new collaboration with The Walt Disney Company Middle East in which brands are able to reach millions of consumers through various branding and media solutions alongside hit Disney movie soundtracks.

HalaHi, the region’s first platform that allows people to get shout outs from their favorite celebrities has announced a new addition to their services – HalaHi for Brands. The new vertical aims to cut out the middlemen and provide an avenue for brands and influencers to communicate and partner directly. American based video-sharing website, Cameo […]

Regional online platform StriveME approaches the automotive industry in a different way, stepping outside of the usual technical details to grab the audience’s attention from a lifestyle perspective. Communicate spoke with Managing Director and Co-Founder Samah Safa, to better understand what difference this strategy makes. What is the thinking behind your editorial approach? In order […]

Elias Karam, Strategic Planner at Publicis Middle East, explains why you should tap into lighthearted communications in times of crisis, and how to avoid blunders doing it. One of the quotes I found to ring most true in times like these is by Benjamin Franklin: “While we may not be able to control all that […]

French online music streaming service Deezer, launched in 2007, has carved itself a major place in the industry, globally and in the Middle East. Mazen Abdallah, Director of Ad Sales MENAT at Deezer, explains what Deezer can bring to the region’s advertisers. What is the current shape of the audio marketing industry in MENA? Digital […]

By Darren Hodgkin, CEO of PPMG A website is more than a window to your store. In 2020 it is your store; as important as your brick and mortar, stand, or stall. For web-only brands, it is the one sales environment they have and as crucial as the products they sell. While visual merchandising tells […]

Over the past few months, as the pandemic began to loom across the MENA region and globally, many businesses were in a state of panic and uncertainty.  During this time, Ziad Rahhal, Head of Marketing Solutions at LinkedIn decided to create a series, comprising of extremely insightful and engaging discussions with industry experts across a […]

Elie Aoun, CEO of Ipsos Media in MENA, will take the helm as the new global leader for Adex service. Communicate spoke with Aoun to learn more about the service and how it’ll benefit the region. What is Adex? Adex (Advertising expenditures), is a service that measures the advertising expenditures on different media, in different markets. […]

Gaming has become one of the most profitable entertainment spaces in recent years but brands in the region have yet to dig into it. Why? Haven’t you heard? Since last September, French couture powerhouse Louis Vuitton has been designing outfits for Riot Games’ free-to-play video game League of Legends’ virtual characters. What’s more, Louis Vuitton […]

Livestream shopping has been around since 2016 in China, but the recent lockdown measures that were implemented in the country caused a massive upsurge in this industry. Now livestreaming has become an indispensable format through which Chinese consumers shop. Major international e-commerce companies such as Amazon have already begun to put their money behind this […]

Last June, Snap launched Dynamic Ads, a new e-commerce offering designed to help brands grow their online business by simplifying the consumer purchase journey and driving measurable ROI – especially at a time when the Covid-19 lockdowns got many businesses to quickly expand their e-commerce efforts in response to consumer demand. Shayan Rahimi, Head of e-Commerce – MENA […]

Last June, Procter and Gamble launched the “New Brave” campaign for Always Arabia. The content-driven piece, meant to celebrate the resilience of women during these challenging times, is in line with the P&G’s focus on positioning itself as a force for good. Deepa Vaidyanathan, Head of Communications – IMEA at Procter and Gamble, tells Communicate […]

Majd Alaily, Data & Audiences Lead – MENA, and Huda Serhan, DMT Project Manager, explain how Google’s new framework for CPG brands in MENA, developed in partnership with MCN Mediabrands and announced last week, can facilitate digital marketing transformation.    Like many industries, the fast-moving consumer goods vertical (CPG) experienced rapid pressure in a dynamic environment due to […]

Cortlan McManus, Head of Content Practice at Publicis Media. I work with great people who inspire me to be better than I would be myself. I get my hands dirty in <code> to think of internal products that allow us to make better products for our clients. We think about people – their problems – […]

As part of Ipsos MENA’s ongoing commitment to deliver fast, high-quality data, the company introduces a new online panel in the country of Iraq. Iraq is the latest addition to Ipsos Interactive Services’ (IIS) MENA panel which already covers Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Morocco, and Kuwait. Communicate spoke with Joseph […]

“As a digital-first brand, Emirates NBD is an early adopter of social platforms and digital marketing strategies to drive customer targeting and acquisition. Our approach has helped us create effective campaigns and, more importantly, rewarding engagements for our customers.” – Vikram Krishna, Executive Vice President and Head of Group Marketing & Customer Experience at Emirates NBD.

Talkwalker, a global social listening and analytics company reveals the list of most loved brands globally as well as in the region. With the world economy experiencing a downturn, brand love can really help a brand grow and connect with the audience emotionally during this difficult time. Using Talkwalker’s enterprise social listening platform, the company […]

Saba Omaish, OSN’s Head of Marketing, explains how the MENA broadcaster challenges us on TikTok to keep our eyes peeled for the world’s best entertainment. What do you do when you have a massive list of amazing TV shows and movies to watch and only 24 hours in a day to watch them in? Keep […]

Shant Oknayan, recently appointed General Manager of Global Business Solutions across the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey (MENAT) at TikTok, explains why he took on this role and where he sees the platform going in the region. What will your new role at ByteDance, encompass, beyond TikTok? As the General Manager of Global Business […]

Marco Bertozzi, Vice President, EMEA Sales & Multi-market Global Sales at Spotify, tells  Communicate what users were listening to while social distancing was in effect around the globe and in the region.  What were the significant consumption trends by users on Spotify during the lockdown period? Audio plays a very important role in people’s lives, because of […]

How Covid-19 is changing the business and the industry at large, according to Mullen Lowe’s Chief Executive Officer of Middle East and North Africa. How is the Covid-19 crisis reshaping the marketing and advertising industry in MENA? The impact of Covid-19 was a sudden shock that forced everyone [in the industry] to quickly find solutions to […]

How Covid-19 is changing the business and the industry at large, according to Memac Ogilvy’s Chief Executive MENA, and Ogilvy’s Chief Digital Officer EMEA, and Executive Partner Worldwide.  How is COVID-19 reshaping the marketing and advertising industry in MENA? When it comes to any major social or cultural transition, it takes time for us to be able to fully […]

Meet Farah Souhail, Global Marketing Manager at Morgan Philips Group in London. When the world went into lockdown, Souhail got busy and launched her new podcast series called The MENA CMO. Communicate spoke with Souhail to learn more about the podcast and how it came into fruition. Can you give me an overview of the podcast? […]

Partnership aims to drive change via actional insight generation on issues that matter most to the advertising & marketing sector.

Rami Zeidan, Head of Video and Creative at TikTok, explains how the platform’s creative community united to come up with virtual Ramadan traditions during Covid-19. The holy month of Ramadan has always been a time of togetherness marked by reflection, gratitude, charity. This year, with social distancing measures in place, universally-enjoyed Ramadan traditions were, in […]

How Covid-19 is changing the business and the industry at large, according to Group M MENA’s Chief Executive Officer. How is the Covid-19 crisis reshaping the marketing and advertising industry in MENA? The time has come to ‘re-optimize’ everything from brand purpose, positioning, company structures, processes and growth strategies. Consumers have become far too picky and […]

Consumers look to businesses to feel more positively about how these brands support society. A recent global study by Kantar on Twitter shows that, in fact, only 8% of people believe that brands should stop advertising during the global pandemic. This has been especially evident in the month leading up to Ramadan, when there has […]

In the new age of podcasts and audio streaming, one wonders whether radio still garners any listeners? The answer is yes. According to a new survey conducted by data measurement firm Nielsen, the radio industry is still thriving in the UAE. The new study conducted by Nielsen’s UAE Radio Audience Measurement (RAM)- a service designed […]

How Covid-19 is changing the business and the industry at large, according to FP7 MENA’s Chief Executive Officer. How is the Covid-19 crisis reshaping the marketing and advertising industry in MENA? The coronavirus has and will continue to restructure our everyday: actions, habits, feelings, need for safety and security, how we connect with others personally and […]

Digital Advertising Specialist Chris Gregory-Pasha reflects on what the Joe Rogan deal really means for the future of podcasts on Spotify. Hands up who only started listening to The Joe Rogan Experience podcast during lockdown and quarantine? Me too (I typed that one-handed). Spotify announced recently that it has entered into a multi-year, rumored to […]

Since the start of the Covid-19 crisis, TBWA\RAAD has been actively sharing insights, data, and tips to better address today’s and tomorrow’s new normal. Remie Abdo, Head of Strategy (left), and Jennifer Fischer, Chief Innovation Officer (right), explain how this strategy was developed and what it means to achieve. TBWA\RAAD is the Disruption agency. How […]

Communicate’s virtual events series explores the steps to take after the event comes to an end. To create brand value and attract new audiences, it’s important to keep the conversation around the event ongoing, even after the event is over. There are multiple ways to keep the conversation alive. Here are the steps – Post-event […]

Organizations around the world are going to be facing even more difficult challenges, once the chaos of Covid-19 passes. One of them being, reintegrating employees who’ve been confined to their homes for the past 2-3 months, back into the workplace. In response to this challenge, United Minds, Weber Shandwick’s management consultancy specializing in organizational transformation […]

KFC launches an innovative blockchain program for its digital advertising and media buying, making it the first QSR (Quick service restaurant) brand in the region to do so. Communicate got a chance to speak with Ozge Zoralioglu, Chief Marketing Officer at KFC, to learn more about this new step, and what it means for the digital media buying […]

The fourth edition of Communiciate’s Virtual Events Series explores the strategies to consider while marketing a virtual event. With the increase in virtual conferences and webinars, it’s important to consider an effective strategy to stand out from the clutter and help drive awareness and registrations to the event. Read our best practices to set up a […]

How Covid-19 is changing the business and the industry at large, according to TNCG (The Network Communication Group)’s Client Services Director. How has covid-19 impacted the group’s activity? I think it goes without saying that the impact is felt the same everywhere; operational on one end, with the closing of offices, adapting to a new […]

The Middle East Public Relations Association recently conducted a survey to understand the impact of Covid-19 on the mental health and wellbeing, of the region’s PR professionals.  The survey which comprised of 108 respondents from the MEPRA group, revealed some alarming findings. The number of respondents who suffer from stress tripled during the lockdown. 38% […]

During the holy month of Ramadan, food companies must abstain from showing food in their ads to avoid temptation during fasting. Sounds tricky, doesn’t it? However, McDonald’s and Leo Burnett KSA, have found a way to work around it. Their new Iftar Sandclock campaign features a virtual, live hourglass that counts down the time until […]

How Saudi Bold Communication Agency ranked 22nd in the 2019 Good Report. Riyadh-based communications shop Bold was the only GCC and Saudi agency ranked in the 2019 edition of the Good Report, out of 673 agencies evaluated from 76 markets. The report, produced by ACT Responsible in collaboration with WARC, recognizes the world’s best use […]

The global pandemic has brought the events industry to a complete standstill. Large scale annual and quarterly events such as the SXSW conference and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics have been canceled or postponed. These numerous cancellations have put a huge dent in the events industry. A dent that innovative companies are filling, by navigating another […]

“The main problem is certainly a lack of education around the subject,” said Yves-Michel Gabay, Managing Director of MEA at programmatic agency Gamned. With people confined to their homes due to the current situation, many professionals have taken time out to learn new skills in various subjects. In response to this growing trend, many firms […]

With the global pandemic affecting businesses of all sizes in the region, the SME community, in particular, is being hit the hardest. In response to this, digital OOH company, Elevision Media launches a new initiative called, “Support your local community” to help small businesses navigate these difficult times by leveraging Elevision’s media assets. Communicate got a chance to […]

As part of the company’s COVID-19 relief efforts, Omnicom Media Group MENA joins forces with regional media owners in the Middle East- to provide complimentary media space to its long-standing partner charities. With their support, the NPO’s – Dubai Cares, Gulf for Good, and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) will be able to reach a larger […]

Abdulrahman Inayat, Co-Founder and Director of KSA-based independent marketing communications consultancy W7Worldwide, on how to communicate with the community during the holy month.  The coronavirus pandemic is a reminder that we are all part of one global community and dependent on each other. This year, the holy month of Ramadan lands amidst efforts across the […]

The third piece of Communicate’s virtual events series looks into the various tools that are available for brands and organizations to utilize, in order to showcase their webinars and conferences. It’s important for the hosting company to outline their requirements. The best tools should provide ease of access, opportunities for engagement, and overall a hassle-free […]

Multinational market research firm, Ipsos has released the fourth wave of COVID-19 MENA Consumer Sentiment Tracker from April 10 to April 13, 2020; a report on understanding attitudes, behaviors, and future expectations in various countries in the MENA region. The study covered KSA, UAE, Jordan, Lebanon, and Morocco and was conducted through online surveys. The tracker […]

Earlier Communicate covered the pros and cons of creating a virtual event and how it provides an opportunity for brands and organizations, who had events lined up for the year, a chance to showcase not only their planned event but also their resilience, in the face of adversity. For those who are confused about how to […]

Rami Zeidan, Head of Video and Creative at TikTok, explains how the platform has grown well beyond lip-sync and funny videos. What is TikTok today? TikTok is a short-form video platform for people who want to showcase their creative expression. [Initially,] creators wanted to react to certain songs or movie clips; that got us into […]

The International Advertising Bureau (IAB) recently conducted an online survey with 29 senior executives from the marketing teams of agencies and clients, to understand their media spending plans for the remainder of the year. The survey sample includes 62% representation from agencies, 24% from clients and 14% from other entities such as publishers. The respondents […]

Talkwalker used its social media search engine tool, Quick Search to dive into the online conversations happening in the MENA region around Covid-19. Here are the insights: The conversation clusters around Covid-19 in the Middle East includes insights from various sources as such as media, consumer and social data. The main conversation topic that is […]

Geometry Global, WPP’s end-to-end creative commerce agency has appointed Safwan El Roufai to lead its experiential offering as Executive Vice President for Middle East & North Africa. Communicate got an exclusive interview with Roufai to learn more about his new role and what plans he has in store for the agency. Why make the shift from […]

Digital Advertising Specialist Chris Gregory-Pasha on how Quibi could disrupt the OTT landscape, or not… Launching a brand new short-form streaming service in the middle of a global pandemic – utter madness or disruptive brilliance?Well, in reality, it’s probably a bit of both… Quibi, for the uninitiated, is the brainchild of Jeffrey Katzenberg, the founder […]

The Sharjah Entrepreneurship Centre (Sheraa) recently launched their new initiative titled Access Sharjah, with a goal to help support and build the entrepreneurship community in the region. Their new program focuses on the digital content and publishing sector and has welcomed 14 startups into the program. Communicate got to have an exclusive chat with Najla Al Midfa, […]

 Henry Windridge, Head of Brand – MEA at Discovery and Rowan Ashraf, Snap Content Manager at UTurn, talk about creating content on Snapchat for their respective brands and share some insights into how consumers interact with content differently on the platform, during the holy month of Ramadan.  What do you like the most about Snapchat? […]

With the temporary closure of schools, parents are faced with a challenge on how to keep their kids occupied at home, while they manage their own workload. QiDZ, a family-friendly application created by mothers recently launched a sub-product called QiDZ at Home to solve this very challenge. The product offers free indoor activities that can […]

WhatsApp launches two initiatives to support the global fight against the Coronavirus pandemic: the global launch of the WhatsApp Coronavirus Information Hub in partnership with the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and UNDP, and a $1m donation to the Poynter Institute’s International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN). The WhatsApp coronavirus information hub which can be found on whatsapp.com/coronavirus,  provides […]

With the ongoing pandemic affecting the globe, social media platform Instagram has partnered with the World Health Organization (WHO) to tackle misinformation being spread online- in an effort to ensure the online community is safe, well informed on COVID-19 and following the appropriate health guidelines. Keeping our community informed With the influx of news being circulated on […]

As life in China slowly begins to return to normal, the draconian measures that were earlier implemented to curb the spread of the virus have taken a toll on the country’s economy. The two-month-long pandemic forced businesses to halt operations and residents to remain indoors, causing a stint in the country’s economic growth. This also […]

Social media has become a haven for users to share intimate moments with friends and family. Snapchat is no stranger to such moments and expects to see a lot of those kinds of moments during the holy month of Ramadan. Vishal Badlani, Creative Strategy Lead at Snap Inc. MENA shares a few hacks which will […]

Weyyak’s Nadine Samra explains how great content is the key to success for OTT platforms during Ramadan. Just like it is for traditional TV, Ramadan always is becoming a critical period for over-the-top (OTT) platforms. These fast-growing digital entertainment providers anticipate this time of year’s high viewership and the advertising boon that comes with it. […]

The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) GCC urges for greater participation in an industry-wide study to comprehensively measure the size of the region’s digital advertising market. The study which was launched in October of last year is designed to deliver an estimate of the GCC’s digital advertising market. However, the involvement by industry stakeholders has been lower than […]

OMD, a global media network that is a part of the Omnicom Media Group secured a trifecta of first place wins including- the title of Global Media Agency of the year for the second consecutive year by Adweek, a leading advertising industry publication.  The accolade marks the sixth time, that OMD has been named the publication’s […]

According to the report released by the international marketing intelligence service, global advertising spend is set to rise by 7.1% to $660bn this year, guided by a 13.2% growth in internet investment. Quadrennial events such as the US presidential elections and the Summer Olympic games in Tokyo are expected to help TV spend to rise by […]

By Komal Mishra, communications specialist at Active DMC Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) can often create uncertainties and discomfort for employees and stakeholders. An effective and accurate communications strategy can ease some of this stress. Without it- you run the risk of rumors, perplexed brand messaging, disappointed employees and distrustful customers. Here are a few tips […]

The Michael Page salary and skills guide provides an overview of market and employment trends, including observations such as job seekers’ sentiments, while also highlighting salary trends per role within each industry. The report listed four key job market trends which were prevalent in the region: The top reasons for people living and working in […]

A communications platform inspired by real-life interactions, Snap has been aggressively pushing its Discover feature towards media companies. Because its core objective remains to allow users to communicate easily and comfortably, unlike other social media platforms that focus more on popularity, Snap is offering a unique avenue to publishers aiming to reach the 218 million […]

There’s a love-hate relationship with influencer marketing. The need for it, in driving consumer attention is undeniable- 94% of marketers in the UAE believe so, according to a study by BPG Group in 2017. But despite the numbers, many have begun to question the ROI of collaborating with influencers, especially the macro ones who command […]

TikTok may be at the center of many controversies in the West, but it’s making a name for itself in the Middle East thanks to a smart celebrity-driven strategy, explains Hady Hajjar. 

Snapchat has launched ‘Swipe up to call’, a new feature exclusive to users in the Middle East, which will make it easier for customers to connect with businesses through the platform. Swipe up to call literally allows customers to make a direct phone call with a business they see advertised on Snapchat – with no […]

The Multi-Award winning creative director joins the management team of the independent retail consultancy and will be responsible for the creative direction of four creative teams. He will play a crucial role in leading a team of 20, towards integrating their retail, direct and shopper marketing capabilities, whilst driving the growth of Liquid as a renewed […]

Johannes Larcher, managing director-digital at MBC, shares a detailed overview of the industry’s regional landscape, its various players and its potential.

Edition 1 of the Marketing & Sales Show opened its doors today at the Festival Arena in Dubai. The event gathered professionals from all across the region in one space to discover, discuss and develop ideas. The event is structured around six key streams: Business to Consumer (B2C) Marketing, Business to Business ( B2B) Marketing, Sales Innovation […]

Horizon FCB Dubai was tasked with designing the logo and creating an iconic identity for the world’s first 7-star VIP terminal for Dubai South. Dubai South is an emerging master-planned city leveraging its strategic location which connects both air and sea mega-ports to create a self-sustained destination that will empower businesses, families and individuals. The logo needed […]

The former regional managing director of OMD MENA, will now add the North African and UAE offices to his remit along with Levant, Egypt and the Gulf as he takes the helm as the new COO of OMD MENA. During his 16 year tenure at OMD, Najjar has proved instrumental in spreading OMD’s culture and difference across all […]

By Aida Saharoui I have been active in the GCC digital agency ecosystem for the past eight years, and seem to still witness a lot of questionable practices when it comes to agencies’ practices in the region and worldwide. With the support of Communicate, we have listed the top 5 things that any business should […]

Harris Diamond, McCann World group chairman & CEO, sat down exclusively with Communicate for a wide-ranging discussion. Do you see specific trends emerging in this digital environment? The biggest trend continues to be consumers’ awareness and knowledge of where information is coming from; their ability to understand that we are marketing to them. They are […]

Socialbakers, a media analytics firm hosted its sixth Engage conference at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Dubai today. The event brought together a variety of experts from the digital space, to deliver insights into the latest trends that are happening in the social media spectrum for the audience and how they can take advantage of […]

By Gregg Fray, owner of Seven Media and Seven Studios There’s a school of thought that suggests humans are unique among animals due to our ability to tell – and believe in – stories. We’re able to engage huge numbers of our species using facts woven together as narratives, and through fictional stories that get […]

By Tariq Al Sharabi, MD at Cicero and Bernay Public Relations. Technological disruptions and digital progressions have impacted the world in ways that are complex and multifaceted. Consequently, all industries are facing a constant evolution. The communication and public relations (PR) sector is no different, with the field being in constant flux, always adapting, witnessing […]

Saudi-based online entertainment network, UTURN Group and digital media company, Webedia have joined forces to create Webedia Arabia. Webedia Arabia stands as a new key entrant and one of the largest networks in the digital media landscape. The company has a following of 30 million across all social media platforms and four million monthly visitors […]

MCN has changed its logo to incorporate the Pink Ribbon as a symbol of its participation to the Global Breast Cancer Awareness throughout October. To drive further awareness, both internally and externally, MCN has updated all of its brand collateral including its website, Intranet and all social media pages.     The awareness initiative was […]

The Middle East’s leading English language daily, has launched a Japanese online edition as part of its global expansion. Arab News which is a part of the Saudi Research and Marketing Group (SRMG). It has been the English newspaper of record for Saudi Arabia and the region for over 40 years. The Japanese-language edition is the […]

Social media platform Snapchat just announced it signed 18 new video shows produced in the region for Discover, its subscription-based video content feature. In the era of online streaming, content has become more diversified and region-specific. An increasing number of brands and production houses are working with streaming and social media platforms to create and […]

Bayan Ishtaiwi, digital media manager at Vizeum, discusses YouTube Premium and what it means for marketeers. Anyone who utilized YouTube as a media channel will probably know that it can be one of the most impactful channels to boost brand awareness and ad recall; not only that, but also driving conversions if you are leveraging […]

MRM/McCann, one of the leading global customer relationship agencies has enlisted Hande Guler to oversee the company’s creative operations in the region. Hande comes with a global perspective on the industry after having a career that spanned across 3 countries. She specializes in developing integrated campaigns and products, designing and leading digital transformation strategies, and […]

Serviceplan Group Middle East has a new executive creative director. Akhilesh Bagri began his career in advertising 15 years ago, and he hasn’t looked back since. Today, he plays a key role at Serviceplan Group Middle East. We had a chat with him about his journey in the business, where he finds inspiration and his […]

WPP’s GroupM MENA’s former head of digital now is Experience Services Lead for Accenture Interactive in the Middle East. With nearly two decades of industry experience in the US and the Middle East, TJ Lightwala was officially appointed Experience Services Lead for Accenture Interactive in the Middle East. For seven years, Lightwala was leading regional […]

The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) announced on October 2nd,  the start of a new study aiming to evaluate comprehensively the actual size of the region’s digital advertising market. Adopting tried and tested methodologies from IAB Europe and financed by industry stakeholders, the new research will strongly focus on delivering a neutral perspective and ensuring the […]

Omnicom Media Group MENA has announced in a statement  the opening of the regional operation of its dynamic creative specialist agency Adylic. Adylic works in data-driven, personalized creative advertising and dynamic creative optimization (DCO) solutions. The Dubai operation, Adylic’s seventh in the world, will serve the Middle East/North Africa region (MENA), said the statement. Raouf […]

As Global Chief Executive Officer, Eileen is responsible for UM’s global strategy, direction and operations, overseeing global management for UM’s client. We speak to her about the challenges their clients are facing, whilst the company’s eagerness in including different people to ensure delivery.

By Max Al Awaad Infiniti Global Head of Marketing and Comms, Phil York, discusses with Communicate the communication direction that the luxury brand is taking. This year, the brands celebrates 30 year anniversary. Despite the challenges the brand has been facing in different international markets, the brand views itself as a progressive challenger brand.  

Careem, the regional transportation network, has launched for the first time a global campaign that communicates a call to “Start Something,” which aims to reinforce the company’s brand purpose. While the campaign targets “everyone,” it specifically looks at “people with passion and ambition for a better future, people that are proud to be part of […]

Mel Edwards is the Global CEO of the newly created agency, Wunderman Thompson. The agency is a creation of a merger between J. Walter Thompson (JWT) and Wunderman that took place months ago. “When we looked at our clients, we thought, actually, there was a huge amount of benefit and how we could collaborate and […]

Tony Bourached is announced as the new CEO of Mindshare MENA, as of October 1st, 2019. Bourached is the current Regional Digital Director for Mindshare. His marketing career started back in the UK before he joined Mindshare Saudi Arabia in 2010 as Head of Digital. During his time in Saudi Arabia, he was tasked to establish the first fully dedicated digital department within […]

Bayut.com, a UAE property portal, recently launched their TV commercial starring Hollywood actor Chris Hemsworth. The agency, Crayons Communications, said that the choice of Chris Hemsworth was due to his position as a Hollywood A-lister and was making news in the world with the release of Avengers – Endgame and Men in Black movie. The ad […]

“We were able to fully realize the potential Facebook holds in delivering incremental reach and driving effective performance. This campaign was a true testament to the benefits one can derive from marrying the right proposition with the right audience.” - Saba Omaish, Head of Marketing at OSN

By Max Alawwad Youtube has launched music streaming service in MENA earlier this week. According to the company the amount of music content  watched on their platform has reached to 60 percent, every year, within the past three years. The following is an interview with Tarek Abdalla, regional director of marketing at Google Middle East and North Africa, […]

WARC, the global authority on advertising and media effectiveness, has released the 2019 MENA Strategy Report that outlines successful key marketing trends in the region. “This year’s entries demonstrated a more robust style of strategic thinking across the region that generated some impressive returns,” said Lucy Aitken, Managing Editor, Case Studies, WARC in a statement.  The […]

Omnicom Media Group’s data, analytics and technology consultancy Annalect, announced in a press statement, two new senior executives in the Middle East and North Africa region. “Andreas Frangeskides has joined as Director-Marketing Solutions, while Oleksandr Cherviakov is now the consultancy’s Senior Manager-Business Solutions,” said the statement. OMG also said in the statement that they hired Joubran Abdul Khalek […]

Gambit Communications, a local independent agency, has announced its launch late July in the Middle East market. Gambit Communications is named after the opening move of the game of chess. “The name is also a double-entendre because the phrase ‘make an opening gambit’ also means ‘to start a conversation with someone’, and in our field […]

After it was fined a record-breaking $5 billion for not following antitrust laws in the EU, search giant Google recently announced that, starting early 2020, Android users in Europe will see a new choice screen allowing them to choose between four search providers, including itself.  “Next year, we’ll introduce a new way for Android users […]

There was something intriguing about The Network Communication Group (TNCG) making a big deal out of the anniversary of its 22 years in business. Why 22, and not 21 or 23? We sat with Roger Sahyoun, the advertising veteran behind Arabian Gulf Advertising (AGA, and the future TNCG) since 1997, to discuss why 22 would […]

With a growing necessity to operate cost-effectively within the market, more clients on a global level are stressing to have a transparent relationship with the agencies. Various research has recorded misunderstandings between clients and agencies, what they have agreed upon in terms of their work. There are multiple reasons why these misunderstandings occur. Stewart Morrison, Managing […]

The riding giant Uber has announced earlier this week a layoff of third of its’ global marketing team.  Some of the members of the marketing team in the Middle East and North Africa has been affected. Overall around 400 employees has been let go worldwide. According to a sheet that went viral, the employees within […]

Internationally accredited advertising agency, TBWA, announced in a press statement today, a change in its creative team in their Dubai headquarters, which according to them, will be working at full potential immediately. The new creative structure is being led by Executive Creative Director Manuel Bordé, who will be responsible for all creative output. The team also […]

Notable for its news coverage, BBC.com  is also home for wide genres of content ranging from informative to entertaining topics such as lifestyle, science, culture, natural history and more.  The BBC team explains that real time and accumulated data plays significant roles in identifying the type of content audiences most likely want to engage with. […]

Xavier Anglada, the Managing Director at Accenture Digital and Innovation Lead in the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey, believes that companies have no other option but to innovate. “Innovation is not about waking up and thinking a great idea. It’s a very streamlined process of things you need to do to bring ideas that […]

By Tomasz Wnuk Digital advertising represented the largest portion of ad spend for Middle East marketers in 2018 at 52 percent— and that number will only grow, according to the 2019 Middle East Report on Travel Advertising published by SOJERN. Whereas, two in three (61 percent) travel marketers plan to spend more on digital in […]

We spoke to Puja Panuum, the Managing Director of Blis, about how companies can leverage geolocation data while maintaining people’s privacy. She said that in today’s age companies only work with others who are privacy conscious and take the matter seriously. Today, businesses use data very differently which is why it is considered the “new […]

Communicate’s upcoming issue, September 2019, is deep-diving into a topic that is close to our hearts: Creativity. As part of the issue, we look to see some work from creative people themselves. You can be a resident anywhere in the MENA region. Write a fiction piece, a poem or any other type of creative format […]

By Muzammil Hamza Although Virtual Reality rung it’s announcement bells first in 2012, the “reality” aspect was still fictitious to mainstream users in the MENA region until mid-2015. Initial applications of the technology, and sneak-peaks of the gadgets involved spurred a global race to identify the next major market opportunities, especially among tech-enthusiasts, who expected the […]

Omnicom Media Group EMEA has announced three promotions at the top of its Middle East/North Africa (MENA) operations in a press statement. The regional CEO, Elie Khouri, has been promoted to chairman, while OMD MENA’s CEO, Nadim Samara, takes the same position at the regional holding and PHD’s CEO Elda Choucair moves to the newly […]

A Research conducted by the World Advertising Research Center or WARC on Global Advertisement Trends for the year 2019 uncovered that online advertisement has indeed experienced growth and will continuously keep growing, thereby becoming the most frequented advertisement format for Global Media by 2020.  The expected rise in spend on internet ad formats is charted […]

By Nariman Zouheiry, Lebanon “Social entrepreneurs are not content just to give a fish or teach how to fish. They will not rest until they have revolutionized the fishing industry.” – Bill Drayton, founder of international social enterprise promoter Ashoka. No one could have said it better than the father of social entrepreneurship himself. Drayton initiated […]

By Elías Jabbe Twitter celebrated the regional launch of its global #StartWithThem and #TwitterFronts initiatives in March and April in both Dubai and Riyadh. Following its global #WhatsHappening motto that has been at the center of Twitter’s marketing campaigns over the past few years, #StartWithThem highlights the unique ways that Twitter has been leveraged in […]

Publicis Groupe MENA announced in a press statement the resignation of Alex Saber, Chairman of Publicis Media MENA. The company said in a statement that Alex will leave office end of May. “Alex has played a critical role in the development, growth and success of Publicis Media in the region. He is leaving to start […]

By Rishi Saxena Measuring impact is the big challenge. An average person in the Middle East is served over 1,500 online impressions a month and can see up to 600 marketing messages across different media channels within a day according to the results of a 2018 Nielsen benchmark study on MENA media trends. This does not […]

Snapchat has announced partnership with advertising partners for the debut of its new advertising product, Commercials. The Snapchat Commercials are an unskippable, six-second ad unit that are exclusively run on premium partner content called Snapchat Shows. According to the company, TV networks and entertainment studios are reimagining popular series for Snapchat, with shows across entertainment, sport, food […]

An analysis of the languages used through social media shows that Arabic is a dominant language within Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the UAE. Findings of the research reveals that 90 per cent of the posts, across the studied industries, were in Arabic, compared to only 10 per cent in English. However, the majority of the users […]

With Ramadan quickly approaching, advertisers are planning for one of the busiest months of the year. This also extends to the digital landscape, which experiences a significant increase in user consumption during this period and therefore a peak in the advertising industry. Twitter conducted an online survey with users who celebrate Ramadan in the UAE, […]

Virtual assistants, or more simply chatbots, have been all the rage in recent times. Brands like Hamleys, Nissan and Emirates NBD are just a few who have deployed chat bots to engage with customers. Now, INFINITI has launched Idris, its new AI-powered virtual assistant that aims to helps customers with any product-related questions. Idris is […]

Recently, Twitter held a half-day event bringing together agencies, brands and publishers to shed light on female Twitter users’ behavior, mindset, and habits. With women now driving in Saudi – and 3 million* being expected to do so by 2020 – brands have found themselves a shiny new opportunity. While the short-term and direct impact […]

The holy month of Ramadan is an introspective and spiritual time of the year, when people fast, pray, change their daily routines, catch up with their favorite TV drama series and spend more time with their near and dear ones. It’s also that time of year when television and digital screens are bombarded with commercials. […]

The royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was no private affair. Other than it being a widely covered occasion by all media outlets, it was also an opportunity for brands. That shouldn’t really be a surprise given the massive interest in the event. Google Trends reports a surge in the ‘Royal Wedding’ with […]

Ramadan is a peak period for advertisers with 23 percent of TV ad spends being spent in the Holy Month according to Ipsos 2017 research. During this time, video consumption also increases, YouTube reports. Why YouTube? According to Ipsos reports last year, Ramadan viewership on YouTube over the last three years has increased threefold in […]

E-commerce is a burgeoning industry with AT Kearney expecting e-commerce in the UAE to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 25 percent per year up to 2020, while Frost and Sullivan estimate that the market could be worth up to $10 billion by 2018. In fact, according to Global WebIndex (GWI) 56 percent […]

Fashion retailer, Centrepoint, has joined forces with music streaming platform Anghami, in the Middle East, for a new season of “Anghami Sessions”. The collaboration will see the retailer supporting the concept, with the aim of nurturing musical talent from the region. The partnership has been facilitated by media planning agency, Wavemaker Global and will feature […]

Landmark Group’s kids’ retail store, Babyshop, has reinvented its brand positioning to cater to the changing parenting styles and millennial mindsets. The new positioning, “It’s your Style”, is focused on three broad parameters of authenticity, openness, and playfulness, explains the brand in a statement. The new positioning isn’t just a fashion statement, but also a […]

Coca-Cola, one of the world’s most iconic brands, announced a new strategy on January 19 in Paris that left some feeling a tad disappointed, and others curious. At its Dubai press event, the brand revealed everything that went into its new one-brand strategy and its new campaign, “Taste the Feeling”. The brief For the first […]

Pepsi has chosen Egyptian professional footballer, Mohamed Salah as the new brand ambassador for Pepsi-Cola in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region in 2016. Salah is known globally for his football performances with professional Italian football club A.S Roma. “Mohamed Salah is a celebrated Arab footballer, a representative of local talent making it […]

Quest Arabiya, launched as a partnership between Image Nation Abu Dhabi and Discovery Communications, brings factual entertainment shows in Arabic to audiences across the MENA region. Mohamed Al Mubarak, chairman of Image Nation Abu Dhabi, says in a press statement, “There is a great need for more Arabic content across TV and digital, and by […]

Recently, several Middle Eastern countries – even smaller cities and towns – have been promoting themselves through destination marketing campaigns. Following the Arab Spring revolution, the Middle East’s tourism market took a hard hit and as the influx of tourists started dwindling, governments began to realize the importance of destination marketing to put themselves back […]

Yes, JC or Jonathan Oliver, is every bit as crazy as he looks in the picture and as we got to witness up close during his talk at the first ever Festival of Media MENA held in Dubai this April. It’s the good kind of crazy; the kind that is good for a company like […]

  The growth of the digital medium, including social and mobile, combined with the increasing consumption of online video in the region, has led marketers to complement traditional marketing with content marketing. “Brands are now challenged with evolving their strategies to not only create the volume of content required to satisfy consumer appetite, but to […]

  On the sidelines of the Abu Dhabi Media Summit, Discovery Networks Central & Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (CEEMEA) – a division of Discovery Communications – JB Perrette, President of Discovery Networks International, announced they will be creating a central hub for Middle East-based advertising sales, starting with the launch of local advertising […]

  Regional digital publisher and media group Diwanee Media Group has launched Mashaheeri.com, a specialized Arabic celebrity and entertainment portal. The portal will feature celebrity stories from the world of television, music and film, as well as breaking news and trending entertainment topics in the Middle East. Founded in 2009, Diwanee – operating in Beirut, Belgrade, and […]

Telr, a Singapore and Dubai-based, emerging market focused online payment gateway, has secured Series A funding, from Hatcher and iMENA, two leading Singapore and Middle East-based investors. The round, which closed on September 24, comes on the heels of Telr’s recent merger with Innovate Payments. The investment in growth fund will help Telr’s next phase […]

  PepsiCo announced yesterday the opening of its first innovation facility in the Middle East out of Dubai, which will serve as a center for new product and flavor innovation testing for PepsiCo’s businesses across the region. “The new facility is equipped with an advanced culinary center and test laboratories focused on developing and tailoring […]

Karen Kamel, business director, Ogilvy CommonHealth MENA The health marketing arm of Ogilvy, Ogilvy CommonHealth Worldwide (OCHWW), has officially launched its MENA operation in a press conference late last week out of Dubai. Currently, OCHWW staffs 1200 experts (medical strategists and writers, health marketing consultants, regulatory specialists, doctors, pharmacists, biologists, digital health teams, PR specialists […]

  Multi-channel home shopping business in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Citruss TV has announced an investment by Valoris Capital to support its expansion plans. The company intends to use the new capital to continue strengthening its operations, progressively move to LIVE TV, expand its e-commerce and m-commerce presence and increase penetration in […]

  Visa, FIFA’s exclusive financial services partner for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil, shared its global FIFA World Cup activation program across the Middle East, which is aimed at enhancing the sporting experience for millions of fans, clients and partners in 104 countries worldwide. The activation program features film and print spots starring Nobel […]

  Angel investor, entrepreneur and founder of The SmartStart Fund, Prashant Gulati, has grown his share of MENA startups over the past years. He’s also grown intolerant to repetitive business concepts in the regional entrepreneurship scene – with a “What’s Not Next” list to match. The list goes something like this: “Don’t come to me and start with, ‘I’m developing an app’. […]

  The Social Network, a movie detailing the early days of peculiar, somewhat reclusive and smug Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, started an irrevocable trend in the startup world – a new generation of young entrepreneurs whose personas preceded any promise of a success story, or one of survival. The temptation to follow in Zuckerberg’s footsteps was too irresistible for even Evan Spiegel, the […]

  You recently moved to Yahoo after a 30-year stint in television. What will your previous experience in broadcasting bring to Yahoo? A number of things: I have an understanding of business-to-user experiences, an appreciation of audiences – which I think is critical – but also a deep understanding of and contacts within the advertising […]

Turkey-based leading independent media representation house, SatisOfisi, recently announced its appointment as the exclusive and official local media representative office in Turkey for Choueiri Group’s  Arabian Media Services International (AMSI) – which acts  as the exclusive media representative of MBC Group – the Middle East North Africa region’s largest  entertainment and media conglomerate. Made effective  as […]