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Search Results for : Mena

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Industry
March 02, 2021
Anghami's New Report Helps Paint a Picture On What Ramadan 2021 Will Look Like
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Industry
February 25, 2021
New Research Shows Popularity And Reach of YouTube in UAE And Saudi Arabia
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People
February 23, 2021
MEPRA Learnings: the Bold and the Brave in the Podcast Market
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Industry
February 22, 2021
The Emerging Trends Shaping the Future of Brands in Saudi Arabia
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People
February 15, 2021
What We Learned From The Latest State of Podcast Industry Report
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People
February 15, 2021
Mullen Lowe Raises Awareness On a Grave Issue
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People
February 14, 2021
Streamlining Video Streaming
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People
February 14, 2021
Hussein Kandil: "Hardees' First Complete Rebrand in More than Three Decades Comes as We Seek to Reinvent Ourselves For Generation Z"
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Choueiri Group Deep Dives
CG Updates
February 14, 2021
Rotana Audio Visual Appoints Choueiri Group's Digital Media Services (DMS) - KSA, as its Exclusive Advertising Media Representative
man
Facebook Hub
Masterminds
February 11, 2021
How Memac Ogilvy and Lexus Built a Seamless Online Car-Buying Experience with Facebook
man
People
February 10, 2021
MCN Announces Karim Slim as New Regional Managing Director at MRM
man
Industry
February 09, 2021
IPG Mediabrands’ Latest Media Responsibility Index Proves Top Platforms Have Responded Favorably to Network's Media Responsibility Push
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Industry
February 08, 2021
The Marketing Society’s Global Conversations: New Year’s Revolutions
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People
February 07, 2021
Claudius Boller: "We Know That Now More Than Ever, Listeners Expect Highly Advanced Personalization"
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Choueiri Group Deep Dives
CG Updates
February 04, 2021
Choueiri Group’s C-Media Appointed as Exclusive Media Representative for Al-Nahar TV and Al-Nahar Drama Channels
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People
February 04, 2021
Charting the Unchartered: the Role of Telcos & the Future of Media & Marketing Models
man
LEAD with ABG
Transparency in Influencer Marketing
February 03, 2021
New LEAD Engagement Targets Lack of Transparency in Influencer Marketing in UAE
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Choueiri Group Deep Dives
CG Updates
February 03, 2021
Abu Dhabi Media Appoints Choueiri Group’s Media Sat As its Exclusive Advertising Media Representative
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People
February 01, 2021
The Story Behind Canon's Trailblazer Series
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People
January 31, 2021
Omnicom Media Group MENA Appoints Luca Allam as Chief Executive Officer of PHD MENA
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People
February 24, 2021
George Maktabi : "The Level of Gaming In The Kingdom Is So Evolved"
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People
February 19, 2021
Edmond Moutran Has Passed Away
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People
February 18, 2021
AR As the Next Step for Outdoor
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People
February 02, 2021
What Happens When Technology And Art Come Together?
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Industry
January 31, 2021
Insights from WARC's Latest Report Show Signs of Hope
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Industry
January 28, 2021
All Ears On Clubhouse
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People
January 27, 2021
What the Michael Page 2021 Salary Guide Tells Us About the State of Marketing In the Region
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People
January 21, 2021
How 180 MENA Aims to Be Part of the Region's Culture of Progress
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People
January 20, 2021
The Effects of the Pandemic on Customer-Brand Interactions
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Industry
January 14, 2021
The TikTok Year in Review, Celebrating 2020 Creative Excellence in MENA
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People
December 28, 2020
Recognizing Digital Excellence During Covid-19
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People
December 17, 2020
The Acceleration From an Unexpected Slowdown
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People
December 09, 2020
Twitter Announces #BestofTweets 2020 in MENA
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Industry
December 06, 2020
How Long Will it Take for the Global Ad Market to Recover?
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OMD Corner
OMD Corner
November 30, 2020
Collaboration, or the Importance of Casual Collisions
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People
November 29, 2020
Everything to Know About Google's First Startup Accelerator Program In MENA
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Industry
November 22, 2020
Filling Gaps in the Influencer Marketing Industry
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People
November 19, 2020
OSN Originals Aims to Celebrate Diversity Through Its Content
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Industry
November 12, 2020
SMB Day At The Tik Tok Hive
People
November 08, 2020 Alexander Elsas : "Mercedes-Benz Has Enjoyed a Long Association with the Creative World"
Communicate speaks with Alexander Elsas, Head of Marketing and Communications of Mercedes-Benz Cars Middle East, to learn more about their new initiative titled 'How To' and what it hopes to achieve.
People
November 05, 2020 How Gaming Is Powering On in MENA as a Strong Marketing Channel

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 […]

Culture
November 01, 2020 Let's Experience… Something… Together
Communicate explores the world of ASMR, one of the Internet’s strangest audio-based trends, and looks at how brands are cashing in on it.
People
October 25, 2020 David Fregonas : “We are Facing a New Reality, and its Characteristics Include Change, Volatility, and Uncertainty”

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 […]

People
October 20, 2020 Careem Goes Super

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 […]

People
October 19, 2020 The Travel Industry in the New, Never Normal
Darien Harris, Founding Partner at JansenHarris, on the future of the travel & hospitality industry in a post-Covid world.
Industry
October 15, 2020 PRCA’s New Report Aims to Promote Mental Wellbeing in the Communications Industry in MENA

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 […]

Industry
October 14, 2020 Google Launches Program to Accelerate Economic Recovery in MENA

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. […]

People
October 13, 2020 Amol Ghate: “The Tenets of Branding Will Continue Irrespective of the World We’re in Today”

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 […]

Industry
October 06, 2020 Findings from the 12th Arab Youth Survey

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 […]

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Facebook Hub
Masterminds
October 04, 2020
It’s Not Business, It’s Personal
People
September 30, 2020 What Does The Road Ahead Look Like?

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 […]

People
September 30, 2020 Hospitable Situations
“Everything considered conventional has been redefined,” said Lama Accary Bibi, Managing Director of boutique advertising agency, Means Design when asked about what the new normal looks like for the hospitality industry.
CG Updates
Choueiri Group Deep Dives
September 29, 2020 Pierre Choueiri Issues his First Comments on the Non-Renewal of the Partnership Between MBC Group and AMS FZ LLC
Tackling the non-renewal of the partnership between MBC Group and AMS FZ LLC after nearly 16 years of sustained commercial growth, Pierre Choueiri: “We’re proud of the mutual trust, record growth and shared successes with MBC Group, over 16 years. New partnerships with top industry players in perspective.”
People
September 28, 2020 Data Drives the World

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 […]

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Facebook Hub
Masterminds
September 28, 2020
Enabling the Agency of the Future with Facebook
Industry
September 16, 2020 The Rise of Video Streaming In MENA

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 […]

Industry
September 14, 2020 Meet the Six Types of Gamers

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 […]

People
September 14, 2020 Why Embracing Change Is Crucial for Media Agencies Post COVID-19
Nourah Al Fayez, Head of Transformation at Google, on how the pandemic has accelerated the need for digital transformation.
Industry
September 10, 2020 Explore the MENA Programmatic Maze
Who does what in the regional programmatic ecosystem? Communicate maps it out for you.
Industry
September 09, 2020 How Having a Purpose Changes the Way Brands Do Business

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 […]

CG Updates
Choueiri Group Deep Dives
September 01, 2020 Zoomers Worldwide – What Are They Watching?
The Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in a notable increase in TV viewership for the “global zoomers” audience group. Powered by the Choueiri Group’s Data Team, findings from their latest research which are illustrated in the infographic below highlight how the increased viewership enables the group’s advertising partners to tap into the full range of opportunities that TV stands to deliver to this heavily impacted audience group.
Industry
August 30, 2020 MEPRA Leadership Majlis Goes Virtual

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 […]

OTT vs TV
Choueiri Group Deep Dives
August 26, 2020 Brands Can Now Get Behind Disney Soundtracks On Anghami

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.

Industry
August 25, 2020 A One on One Connection

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 […]

Industry
August 23, 2020 Automotive, From a Lifestyle Perspective

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 […]

Industry
August 20, 2020 How to Keep It Light When Times Are Tough

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 […]

CG Updates
Choueiri Group Deep Dives
August 20, 2020 What Are ‘Zoomers’ in the Region Watching?
Continuing to take a closer look at how the Covid-19 Pandemic has given rise to an entirely new and very significant TV audience – GEN Z “Zoomers” – in the MENA region, AETOSWire’s latest research piece (powered by Choueiri Group’s Data Team) identifies the most popular content (Top 5 Series) which this audience segment has been tuning into. With media consumption on the rise and TV viewership in particular soaring to new heights, this information is aimed at benefiting brands seeking the most impactful advertising and sponsorship opportunities which TV can deliver today.
Industry
August 18, 2020 Deezer It Like It Is

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 […]

Industry
August 16, 2020 How to Tell Effective Stories Through E-Commerce Today

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 […]

Industry
August 10, 2020 Adapting to Change

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 […]

People
August 02, 2020 Elie Aoun Will Lead Adex

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. […]

Industry
July 23, 2020 Gaming Up Content

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 […]

Industry
July 22, 2020 QVC for the Internet

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 […]

Content
Choueiri Group Deep Dives
July 13, 2020 Music Streaming in MENA – Why It Matters to Be Local
First-of-its-kind research study on music streaming in the region to benefit brands and advertisers.
Industry
July 12, 2020 Snap Gives a Push to E-Commerce in MENA

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 […]

Industry
July 09, 2020 What It Feels Like for a Girl

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 […]

Industry
July 06, 2020 How Digital Marketing Transformation Can Help CPG Brands in MENA

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 […]

Culture
June 28, 2020 A day in the life of…

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 – […]

People
June 28, 2020 Ipsos Expands Footprint in MENA

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 […]

Masterminds
Facebook Hub
June 25, 2020 How Emirates NBD Leveraged Facebook to Build Awareness and Acquire New Customers

“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.

Industry
June 24, 2020 Crazy Little thing Called Brand Love

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 […]

Industry
June 17, 2020 From the Small Screen to the Silver Screen

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 […]

Industry
June 17, 2020 Let the Hustle Start

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 […]

Industry
June 17, 2020 Audio Everywhere You Go

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 […]

Industry
June 16, 2020 Pandemic Perspectives: Mounir Harfouche

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 […]

Industry
June 15, 2020 Pandemic Perspectives: Patou Nuytemans

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 […]

man
Choueiri Group Deep Dives
Programmatic
June 15, 2020
Taking the Long View
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Choueiri Group Deep Dives
Programmatic
June 10, 2020
The Cold, Hard Truth
People
June 08, 2020 Making the Best Out of a Lockdown

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? […]

Ad Fraud
LEAD with ABG
June 08, 2020 ABG and Mediaquest Launch LEAD Initiative

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

Industry
June 07, 2020 How TikTok Engaged Users to Celebrate Ramadan’s Values

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 […]

Industry
June 07, 2020 Pandemic Perspectives: Ravi Rao

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 […]

Industry
June 07, 2020 How Brands Celebrated Ramadan 2020 on Twitter in MENA

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 […]

Industry
June 04, 2020 Radio Listenership Stands Strong In the UAE

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 […]

Industry
June 03, 2020 Pandemic Perspectives: Tarek Miknas

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 […]

Industry
May 31, 2020 The Spotify Experience

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 […]

Industry
May 28, 2020 Navigating Turbulent Times

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 […]

Industry
May 26, 2020 Virtual Events – What To Do After the Event?

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 […]

Industry
May 25, 2020 Reintegrating the Workforce

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 […]

Industry
May 24, 2020 How Does KFC’s New Blockchain Program Work?

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 […]

Industry
May 20, 2020 Virtual Events – Strategies to Promote Your Event

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 […]

Industry
May 19, 2020 Pandemic Perspectives: Joy Sahyoun

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 […]

Industry
May 18, 2020 What is the Workplace Wellness Program?

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% […]

Industry
May 17, 2020 Iftar Hourglass

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 […]

man
Choueiri Group Deep Dives
Programmatic
May 17, 2020
Accelerating Publishers’ Transformation
Industry
May 14, 2020 Bold Approach

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 […]

Industry
May 11, 2020 The Rise of Online Experiences

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 […]

Industry
May 11, 2020 The Gap In Programmatic Knowledge

“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 […]

People
May 07, 2020 Niall Sallam Talks About Elevision Media’s New Initiative

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 […]

Culture
May 06, 2020 OMG Rallies Media Partners To Support Partner Charities

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 […]

People
May 06, 2020 Harnessing the Power of Communication During Ramadan

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 […]

Industry
April 27, 2020 Virtual Events – What Tools Can I Use?

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 […]

Industry
April 23, 2020 IPSOS’s Latest Report Highlights Key Concerns of Residents of MENA

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 […]

Industry
April 22, 2020 Virtual Events – Best Practices to Set One Up

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 […]

Industry
April 22, 2020 Creativity in Less than 60 Seconds

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 […]

Industry
April 20, 2020 IAB Survey on the Impact of Covid-19

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 […]

Industry
April 19, 2020 COVID-19 Social Conversations In MENA

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 […]

People
April 16, 2020 Say Hello to Safwan El Roufai

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 […]

Industry
April 12, 2020 Will Quibi Get Pushed Around in the Playground?

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 […]

CG Updates
Choueiri Group Deep Dives
April 05, 2020 MBC Group – An Indispensable Companion during Hard Times
In the third installment of their series on the unprecedented Covid-19 situation and its impact on TV Advertising, Arabian Media Services International (AMSI, part of the Choueiri Group and the exclusive media representative for MBC Group) take a closer look at data findings that illustrate, how MBC Group has firmly established itself as a trusted companion to Saudi audiences, seeking premium entertainment during these testing times.
People
April 01, 2020 Putting Sharjah On the Map

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, […]

Industry
March 30, 2020 An Inside Look at Producing Ramadan Content on Snapchat

 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? […]

man
Choueiri Group Deep Dives
CG Updates
March 29, 2020
How COVID-19 Is Impacting TV Advertising
People
March 24, 2020 A Solution To Keep Kids Occupied At Home

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 […]

Industry
March 23, 2020 Whatsapp Launches Initiatives To Tackle the Coronavirus Pandemic

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 […]

Industry
March 23, 2020 Instagram Takes Initiatives To Keep the Community Informed

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 […]

Industry
March 18, 2020 What Does China’s Revised Adspend Forecast Mean For Others?

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 […]

Industry
March 17, 2020 Snapchat Shares Hacks For Ramadan 2020

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 […]

People
March 16, 2020 Digital Tales

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. […]

Industry
March 08, 2020 IAB urges industry-wide participation in digital initiative

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 […]

Industry
March 04, 2020 OMD Named Global Media Agency of the Year

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 […]

Industry
March 01, 2020 Highlights From WARC Global Ad Trends Report 2020

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 […]

Industry
February 26, 2020 How to Communicate a Successful Merger and Acquisition

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 […]

Industry
February 25, 2020 Insights from the Michael Page Salary Guide

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 […]

Industry
February 17, 2020 Where Snap and Publishers Meet

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 […]

man
Choueiri Group Deep Dives
Content
February 16, 2020
In Search for the Human Truth
Masterminds
Facebook Hub
February 12, 2020 A Facebook Messenger Bot by Nestlé with All the Answers
“The collaboration with Facebook to run the Ramadan bot pilot on Messenger was very insightful. It is a very powerful and innovative way to create relevant and customized brand experience.” – Rainer Mueller, communication and marketing services director, Middle East & North Africa (MENA)
Industry
February 09, 2020 Welcome to the 500 Club

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 […]

Content
Choueiri Group Deep Dives
February 04, 2020 How TikTok is Pushing to Attract Celebrities You Love

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. 

man
Choueiri Group Deep Dives
Data & Measurement
February 03, 2020
Getting to Know You
man
Choueiri Group Deep Dives
Content
January 16, 2020
Addressing the Lag in the Region’s Gaming Industry
man
Choueiri Group Deep Dives
Data & Measurement
December 19, 2019
The Power Is in the Detail
Industry
December 16, 2019 Snapchat’s ‘Swipe Up to Call’ Feature Exclusively for Middle East

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 […]

People
December 09, 2019 Sergey Golubovsky Joins As New Creative Director of Liquid Retail

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 […]

OTT vs TV
Choueiri Group Deep Dives
November 27, 2019 Shahid and the OTT Market in the Middle East

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

Industry
November 26, 2019 A Day At the Marketing & Sales Show

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 […]

Industry
November 25, 2019 Horizon FCB Dubai Wins Big at Two Luxury Awards

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 […]

People
November 25, 2019 Wissam Najjar Promoted As New COO of OMD MENA

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 […]

man
Choueiri Group Deep Dives
OTT vs TV
November 24, 2019
An Overview of Shahid, MBC’s OTT Platform
man
Choueiri Group Deep Dives
Data & Measurement
November 21, 2019
Driving Data Towards Marketing Excellence
man
Choueiri Group Deep Dives
Data & Measurement
November 21, 2019
One Place for Data
Industry
November 18, 2019 The Most Important Things You MUST Request from your Digital Marketing Agency

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 […]

Industry
November 17, 2019 10 Questions To Harris Diamond

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 […]

Industry
November 14, 2019 What Happened At This Year’s Socialbakers’ Engage Conference

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 […]

man
Choueiri Group Deep Dives
OTT vs TV
November 14, 2019
How Starzplay Plays the Long Game
Industry
November 13, 2019 The Forgotten Art of Storytelling in the Age of Video

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 […]

Industry
November 06, 2019 From Public to Personal: the Changing Face of PR

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 […]

Industry
November 05, 2019 Webedia Arabia, a New Arabic Media and Entertainment Powerhouse in the Region

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 […]

Culture
October 29, 2019 MCN Spearheaded Digital Participation for Breast Cancer Awareness in October

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 […]

Industry
October 23, 2019 Arab News Launches Japanese Online Edition

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 […]

Industry
October 22, 2019 Snapchat Enriches Discover Feature with Regional Video Content

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 […]

Industry
October 21, 2019 YouTube Premium and Advertising: Is it Time to Work More with Content Creators?

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 […]

People
October 20, 2019 Hande Guler Takes Over Creative at MRM/McCann Dubai.

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 […]

People
October 17, 2019 Meet Akhilesh Bagri from Serviceplan

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 […]

People
October 17, 2019 TJ Lightwala joins Accenture Interactive

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 […]

Industry
October 16, 2019 IAB launches new study about the MENA digital advertising market

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 […]

Industry
October 06, 2019 Adylic To Start Operation In MENA

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 […]

Industry
October 02, 2019 UM’s Global CEO On New Focus Points

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.

People
September 26, 2019 Infiniti Defines Itself As A Progressive Challenger Brand

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.  

Industry
September 25, 2019 Careem: Start Something!

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 […]

Industry
September 22, 2019 Wunderman Thompson: Creative, Data, Technology

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 […]

People
September 22, 2019 Tony Bourached New CEO Of Mindshare MENA

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 […]

Industry
September 15, 2019 Bringing Chris Hemsworth To The Desert

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 […]

Masterminds
Facebook Hub
September 15, 2019 How OSN Achieved 6.3X Increase In Online Sales

“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

Industry
September 13, 2019 Youtube MENA Launches Music Streaming Service

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, […]

Industry
September 11, 2019 Lessons On Effective Marketing Tools

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 […]

People
August 22, 2019 OMG MENA Announces New Hires

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 […]

Industry
August 20, 2019 Meet Gambit, A New Addition

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 […]

Industry
August 07, 2019 Why Google Is Looking For New Search Providers In The EU

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 […]

Industry
August 05, 2019 Young At Heart!

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 […]

Industry
August 04, 2019 Do Clients Pay For What They Get?

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 […]

Industry
August 02, 2019 Uber LayOffs Third Of Marketing Team WorldWide

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 […]

Industry
July 24, 2019 TBWA/RAAD Announces Launch of New Creatives Deck

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 […]

Industry
July 21, 2019 Personalization, User data and Tech Are Key to Next-Gen Publishing: BBC

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. […]

Industry
July 15, 2019 Xavier Anglada On Leading Digital Transformation

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 […]

Industry
July 08, 2019 How Advertisers Can Reconcile Branding and Performance?

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 […]

Industry
July 07, 2019 Geolocation Data In The Age Of Privacy

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 […]

Culture
July 04, 2019 Communicate’s Fiction Contest

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 […]

Industry
June 25, 2019 Virtual Reality Unfulfilled Promise

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 […]

man
OMD Corner
OMD Corner
June 25, 2019
A Talk With Waseem Afzal
People
June 11, 2019 OMG Mena Announces Three Promotions

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 […]

Industry
June 09, 2019 Internet Ad Formats Are Increasing

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 […]

People
May 26, 2019 Social Entrepreneurship: A Stride Towards Social Development

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 […]

Industry
May 05, 2019 Twitter Launches #StartWithThem and #TwitterFronts Ahead Of Ramadan

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 […]

People
April 30, 2019 Alex Saber Resigns As Chairman Publicis Media MENA

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 […]

Industry
April 25, 2019 No More Copy-Paste

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 […]

Industry
April 23, 2019 Snapchat Commercials: They Are Here To Stay

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 […]

Industry
April 15, 2019 Crowd Analyzer Publishes its Annual Social Media Findings

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 […]

Industry
April 11, 2019 Three Insights to Watch Out for During #RamadanOnTwitter

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, […]

Industry
August 12, 2018 Another brand, another chat bot. Who is it this time?

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 […]

Industry
July 08, 2018 “The best way to market to women is NOT to market to women”

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 […]

Industry
May 21, 2018 EXCLUSIVE RAMADAN INSIGHTS: What brands need to succeed

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. […]

Industry
May 20, 2018 How did Middle East brands capitalize on the Royal Wedding?

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 […]

Industry
April 23, 2018 There are going to be more Ramadan ads on YouTube this year, thanks to…

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 […]

Industry
April 08, 2018 This tech brand is the latest to launch its e-commerce website

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 […]

Industry
March 25, 2018 Centrepoint partners with Anghami

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 […]

Industry
March 07, 2017 Babyshop refreshes brand positioning

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 […]

Industry
March 04, 2016 Simplifying happiness

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 […]

Industry
January 14, 2016 Roma’s Egyptian winger Mohamed Salah unveiled as Pepsi’s brand ambassador

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 […]

Industry
December 08, 2015 New Arabic channel Quest Arabiya goes live

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 […]

Industry
August 02, 2015 Homeland

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 […]

Industry
May 19, 2015 Oliver’s Twist

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 […]

Industry
March 31, 2015 Not content with content marketing

  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 […]

Industry
November 18, 2014 Discovery Networks and OSN launch pay-tv advertising

  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 […]

Industry
November 06, 2014 Diwanee launches entertainment website Mashaheeri

  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 […]

Industry
October 21, 2014 Online payment platform Telr secures investment in growth funding

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 […]

Industry
September 29, 2014 PepsiCo sets up innovation center in the Middle East

  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 […]

Industry
September 29, 2014 Ogilvy launches Ogilvy CommonHealth Middle East Operation

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 […]

Industry
August 31, 2014 Citruss TV secures investment from Valoris Capital

  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 […]

Industry
June 16, 2014 Visa launches its activation program for the FIFA World Cup in the Middle East

  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 […]

Industry
May 13, 2014 Road junctions

  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’. […]

Industry
May 12, 2014 Capital flaws

  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 […]

Industry
May 11, 2014 New dawn

  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 […]

Industry
February 11, 2014 Choueiri Group appoints exclusive media rep for AMSI in Turkey

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 […]

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