Campaign Middle East August 30, 2020

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August 30, 2020

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Choosing a communications agency can feel like a roll of the dice sometimes. So many options and so little guarantee that you’ve made the right choice. Statistically, you only have a 2.7% chance of rolling double sixes with your dice. When you’re choosing the right communications agency for your brand, those odds simply won’t work. You need to be sure you have the right people, the right tools, the right dice, to achieve success. You need a team that will always come up with double sixes for you.

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August 30, 2020

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Horizon FCB and sister agency BPN to handle creative and media for DHL Express in MENA Global logistics and courier firm DHL has appointed Horizon FCB and BPN to manage its creative and media business for the MENA region with focus on the GCC, Egypt and Morocco. Following a regional pitch that extended over a period of four months, Horizon FCB and BPN emerged as clear winners of the marketing communications for DHL Express. Horizon FCB will lead the group’s relationship with focus on behavioural consumer segmentation and planning, creative and content creation both for new products and for existing ones, while BPN will handle media planning and buying for the same region. Najwa Raslan, marketing director at DHL Express MENA, said: “We found at Horizon FCB the superior strategic approach and creative product that we were seeking and the strength in creating locally relevant work, taking into consideration the local insights and dialects of each market; BPN also delivered an exceptional media solution for our brief, which are the reasons we chose to move forward with the group.” Reham Mufleh, general manager of Horizon FCB Dubai and the leader of this relationship, expressed her joy and excitement, and said: “DHL offers an amazing portfolio of

Superior strategic approach: Horizon FCB will focus on behavioral consumer segmentation as part of its brief

innovative services. It is a client at the forefront of its industry, and one that we are proud to partner with. We are keen to play a catalyst role with DHL to create work that challenges the norms, drives

awareness and, most importantly, delivers on our objectives.” Mazen Jawad, president of Horizon Holdings, added: “Never finished and always transforming, we keep evolving and adapting to the future

needs of our clients, constantly offering the excellence they are seeking. This has been an exciting pitch with an insightful brief, one that drove the agency group to create outstanding work while having fun.”

ArabianEye goes Covid-relevant

BURGER KING PAY CUT WHOPPER Burger King UAE is offering people discounts that match their pay cut percentage with the ‘Pay Cut Whopper’ campaign. The well-timed campaign, created by Wunderman Thompson Dubai, promotes the burger chain’s new mobile app by providing customers this option on all home delivery orders for the duration of their workplace pay cuts. All anyone has to do is download the Burger King Arabia app, add in their pay cut percentage and duration and get the equivalent discount right away. The offer is valid on unlimited home delivery orders in the UAE, with the discount and duration capped at 30 per cent and 3 months respectively.

Photo library ArabianEye has launched a new, exclusive collection of locally Covid-relevant images and footage featuring the ‘new normal’, working from home, hygiene, and premium lifestyle content for the upcoming national days in the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Operations manager Madeeha Khan said in a statement: “As a local specialist, we’ve quickly adjusted our production schedule to fulfill the increased demand for specific types of content that our creative partners have been requesting since the pandemic began.” Boasting more than 40,000 assets, the ArabianEye collection features unique creative model-released, Middle Eastern-themed images and footage clips suitable for advertising and marketing campaigns. The image library partnered with Gallery Stock and Trunk Archive earlier this year.

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August 30, 2020

Majid Al Futtaim’s VOX Cinemas to start showing new films post-lockdown Majid Al Futtaim Cinemas, the cinema arm of shopping and leisure conglomerate Majid Al Futtaim, is preparing to screen new releases after months of government-mandated closures and no new content. Cameron Mitchell, CEO of Majid Al Futtaim Cinemas and Majid Al Futtaim Leisure & Entertainment, said: “After several months of speculation and delays, I’m excited to announce that blockbusters are back at VOX Cinemas and unveil our impressive slate of must-see movies. Throughout its history, cinema has weathered numerous societal storms and, at VOX Cinemas, we are steadfast in our commitment to the cinematic experience and fundamentally confident about the future and resilience of the cinema industry. Movies not only have the power to move people but are a vital part of social life and, now more than ever, guests want the collective, exhilarating and unrivalled experience that watching a movie on the big screen provides. There is a real pent-up demand for new releases and, with major tentpoles such as Tenet about to hit our theatres, we’re expecting a significant increase in box office sales.”

He added: “The cinema industry, like most industries, has been massively affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. 48 per cent of the world’s cinema screens are now re-opened, and we look forward to rebuilding our industry blockbuster by blockbuster.” Following the recent premiere of Scoob!, a computer animated reboot of the Scooby-Doo franchise, VOX Cinemas’ upcoming wave of new releases kicked off with Peninsula, the sequel to Korean zombie thriller Train to Busan. Last week, one of the most anticipated movies of the year, Christopher Nolan’s Tenet, was due to hit the big screen. In a break from tradition, the espionage thriller will launch in overseas territories, including the Middle East, ahead of the US, allowing UAE audiences to be among the first to see the movie. In advance of the release, VOX Cinemas was also screening a special 10th anniversary re-release of Christopher Nolan’s critically acclaimed Inception. The September slate features Mulan, a live-action adaptation of Disney’s animated film of the same name, and The King’s Man, the third installment in Matthew Vaughan’s

Christopher Nolan’s Tenet will be among the first new films to be shown

spy franchise. Wonder Woman 1984 is a sequel that continues the story of its eponymous heroine, while those who appreciate murder mysteries can look forward to Death on the Nile, in which Kenneth Branagh reprises both his directorial role and that of the iconic detective Poirot in the adaptation of

the Agatha Christie novel. To ensure that cinemagoers have a safe and comfortable experience, VOX Cinemas has introduced extensive precautionary measures, it says, including disinfecting auditoriums using fogging machines, and sanitising surfaces after every guest interaction.

VISA WHERE YOU SHOP MATTERS

VISIT DUBAI WE WILL SEE YOU SOON

Visa Middle East and advertising agency Impact BBDO have run a campaign that inspired consumers in the UAE, KSA and Pakistan specifically to support small businesses through the pandemic. Engaging and informative content was hand-crafted by the teams to create beautiful and memorable stories around local businesses: merchants – ranging from the well-loved Iranian institution Al Ustad Special Kebab House in Dubai, to Polly and Other Stories in Pakistan – were featured as digital content. These gave audiences a behind-thescenes look into a range of small businesses within the region, while also allowing them to discover local merchants that they can easily support.

Independent digital communications agency Create Media Group has been selected by The Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) to handle the social media accounts for Visit Dubai and Business Dubai. Create Media has called on its in-house production agency Create Production to develop one of their first pieces of video content for Visit Dubai – the recently released We Will See You Soon film – showing Dubai readying to welcome tourists back to the city.

August 30, 2020

Location-based advertising company Blis launches interactive confidence tracker Blis, which specialises in locationpowered advertising and analytics, has released the Blis Consumer Confidence Pulse, an interactive tracker that captures a quick snapshot of consumer sentiment. The tracker plots how consumers are feeling about their local economy, household finances and spending intent, and the survey is running in the UAE, UK, USA, Singapore and Australia. Based on three topical questions around finances, the Blis Pulse is updated twice monthly to provide a rounded picture of how consumers are reacting to changes in their situations, both personally and on a national scale. Head of insights Alex Wright said: “We started this tracker in the wake of the Covid-19 outbreak being declared a pandemic ,to give us a quick read on consumer sentiment. Armed with the knowledge of what consumers are telling us, we can then plot this against our retail foot traffic and consumer movement data to give a rounded view of progress through crisis, stability and recovery.” Over the past six months, physical movement restrictions have ebbed and flowed in different cities across the country with daily activities requiring new safety measures. As a result, most consumers are behaving

Optimisim is returning as the UAE economy recovers from a July low point

differently, with many working from home, avoiding crowded public spaces and communicating virtually. For brands, this tracker provides an opportunity to contextualise other data sources to better understand the concerns of their audience. “There is optimism as the economy of the UAE recovered from late July, its lowest dip since tracking began,” said Blis. “Looking closer, we can see that this resulted in people shifting

from pessimistic to optimistic, with those feeling neutral remaining relatively flat, which of itself is a positive outcome. The same pattern was replicated when we asked people about household finances following recent announcements regarding economic stimulus for non-oil and small or medium-sized private-sector businesses. Perhaps unsurprisingly, saving remained the top way people would spend spare funds.”

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Finyal calls for podcast ideas Finyal Media, the MENA podcast network that focuses on storytelling podcasts to cater to young Arabs, has launched a competition to support the region’s growing podcast community. Launched to coincide with the announcement of Finyal Studios, a “virtual hub for Arabic podcast talent”, the competition invites budding podcasters to submit ideas for a new Arabic series that will then be developed by the network. The podcast series – which will need to be in Arabic – can be based on any subject matter that caters to the interests of those living in the region, and the winning creators will then work with Finyal’s team to see their ideas developed, with the eventual series being released across podcasting platforms, under Finyal Media’s umbrella. The competition is now open for entries. It was launched to cater to the growing requirement for content to be developed from the region by the region for the Arabic community. Mshari Alonaizy from Finyal Media said: “We wanted to launch Finyal Studios in an innovative way, and as we are creating a hub for Arabic talent to come together and bring their ideas to life, we thought it would pave the way for us to launch a competition.”

UNILEVER FACE MASK ANTHEM

LEBANESE ARMY PEACECAMO

The Covid-19 pandemic has had a severe impact on Pakistan, where it has claimed more than 6,000 lives and left a socioeconomic crisis in its wake. Every year, on Independence Day, the sound of the national anthem echoes across the country. This year, in light of the coronavirus, this performance features acclaimed singer Shehzad Roy and an accompanying choir – singing the national anthem through face masks, to highlight the significance of a continued focus on safety. Presented by Unilever Pakistan as a public service message, the short and emotionally charged video sees Roy leading the vocals on the anthem with a group of singers, who are all wearing face masks. The anthem appears to have a slightly muffled sound, but it retains the same powerful emotions it is designed to bring alive. The visuals also showcase a diverse image of the country, with Pakistanis from all backgrounds, especially minorities, represented performing the anthem together. The agency was Impact BBDO.

For generations, soldiers have worn camouflage to hide from the enemy. During the first few months of 2020, and due to different circumstances including Covid-19 and the political and economic crisis affecting the country, the Lebanese Army has been responsible for establishing peace between protesters, helping resolve conflicts and protecting both the government and civilians to preserve security and civil peace. To commemorate its 75th anniversary this year, the Lebanese Army wanted to remind people that it is always up to the most difficult missions, committed to serving, protecting and caring for Lebanon and its people. The PeaceCamo has transformed the pattern of war into an icon of peace, while still serving its purpose of camouflaging. Instead of different shades of the same color, the new pattern makes use of actual pictures of daily life scenarios. The agency was TBWA/Raad.

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August 30, 2020

THE HYBRID MANOEUVRE Virtual events are nothing new, but Covid-19 has forced an acceleration in thinking around them and the opportunities they open up, writes Entourage’s Mohammed Tayem

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et’s understand one thing: on-ground events and virtual events are not substitutes for one another. They are instruments that complement each other and, when combined together and executed correctly, are poised to be much more beneficial. Virtual events in the form of webinars, web conferences and meetings have been around for a long time. The pandemic brought on-ground events to a halt, which in turn renewed the focus on online events. But this time with much larger expectations. The glaring questions of how long the pandemic will last, the impact on the economy and the media and events sector, and whether things will ever go back to pre-pandemic normal kept coming up. As a solution to these challenges, event and technology companies around the world took it upon themselves to build robust platforms that will sustain and grow the event industry. Many virtual platforms have come up in the last few months that simulate the experiences of on-ground events on virtual platforms, harnessing smart technologies to bridge the gaps and provide continuity. Many big events in the region and around the world are recognising the potential of virtual platforms. Imagine the combination of the promise of on-ground events and the potential of virtual events, a hybrid format – the new horizon that this can open up for event organisers and marketers. This is a wake-up call for the events sector to start adapting and accepting the hybrid model. Let’s look at the evolution of media marketing, for instance. Print, TV and outdoor campaigns ruled every brand’s outreach plan; that’s where they could engage with their target audiences. Then, with the advent of digital mediums, we a saw the paradigm shifting towards digital campaigns, as social media channels and online media consumption gained more traction. Exclusive offline and online campaigns may have worked well in the past, but not as well as marketers expected them to. Globally, brands have had to reassess their strategies to find the right mix, the sweet spot so to speak, to reach their target audiences on their choice of platforms. More and more brands are using a media mix of offline and online marketing, experiential and event marketing tools to stay connected and engage with audiences. This is what we call the omni-channel or the ‘hybrid model’ approach. Hybrid events, with a limited number of people physically attending the event and audiences across the globe attending the event virtually, offer a whole other demographic waiting to be conquered. Traditional events have remained popular due to the unlimited number of opportunities they provide to all their stakeholders. Therefore, these opportunities need to be simulated virtually to ensure the success of a virtual or a hybrid event.

Ergonomically speaking, the hybrid format has many benefits. Unlike before, the amount of money spent to build an event is no longer limited to the number of attendees. Previously, we used to spend millions of dollars building a conference in Dubai or Riyadh to attract a maximum of 10,000 to 12,000 people to attend, with a possibility of live broadcast over streaming channels. The hybrid model allows us to use the same amount of money or even less to double, triple or even quadruple the reach, significantly amplifying brand awareness and engagement with multiple target segments across the globe. One of the world’s most popular talent-hunt franchises, America’s Got Talent, held its auditions in the hybrid format this year, with the judges and the host live at the venue, the participants joining in virtually from different states, and audiences from across the globe. The talent show got a tremendous response to the hybrid format, as it enabled the show to keep going and allowed participants to showcase their talent virtually and opened doors to a much larger live audience. Understanding customer behaviour and journey is another aspect that event marketers can leverage to build encapsulating experiences. Data plays a key role in enhancing customer journeys and helps in creating an omni-channel approach for customers. On-ground events usually collect basic data during the registration process but, once the attendees enter the event, it is not possible to monitor their behaviour. The hybrid model makes it easier to reach the audiences and measure their behaviour. Due to the integration of physical and virtual, there is an ocean of data available to event organisers to analyse behaviours, engagement rates and journeys of attendees. For example, if an electronics company is launching a new product in a hybrid format, the virtual platform will be able to measure the journey and interaction that people have with the product or brand, powered with latest technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, augmented reality, emotion-sensing technology, mixed reality, etc. to understand how people interact with the brand, understand the emotions the brand invokes in customers and measure feedback. Meanwhile, the live product launch event will have actual people on-ground to interact with customers, understand what they are looking for and support with product demos. The credibility, tangibility, direct communication and social aspect of an on-ground event, amplified multi-fold with virtual platforms with global reach, immersive environments and unlimited opportunities, is where best of both the worlds meet – meet the hybrid model. Welcome to the new norm of the events universe.

‘‘THE HYBRID MODEL ALLOWS US TO USE THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY OR EVEN LESS TO DOUBLE, TRIPLE OR EVEN QUADRUPLE THE REACH.” By MOHAMMED TAYEM, founder & CEO, Entourage

PREMIUM PARTNER

August 30, 2020

INTRODUCTION

T

his should be one of the busiest times of the year for the PR and events industries. We would normally be expecting a fourth-quarter flurry of launches, announcements and events. Conventions and shared experiences would be preparing to fill ballrooms, conference halls and bespoke venues around the region. Instead we are waiting. Waiting as we have been for most of the year. The industry is waiting for client budgets to ease up and start flowing again (they can’t turn off their comms taps forever. Can they?). Waiting to see if the latest upturn in coronavirus cases is due to ill-advised Eid minglings, the screening of teachers as term begins, or something more sinister. Waiting for decisions from clients, government, scientists, accountants and a million other stakeholders that the industry has little or no visibility or control over. But the PR and events industries have always been poster children for resilience and resourcefulness. It’s what they do for a living. Look how fast events have transformed from real to virtual, and now they are going beyond. The companies listed in this guide have taken all their decades of accumulated skills and turned events on their head. We all miss meeting friends, colleagues and contacts over unmasked coffees. But smart players have turned virtual experiences to their advantage. What might have seen a leading local representative on stage is now just as likely to put you face-to-digital-face with an international industry superstar. A standard post-presentation call for ‘any questions’ as the speaker casts her eyes around the room has turned into interactive polls and personal feedback. A convention hall full of stands has become a world of interconnected participants. Even as lockdown eases, the promise of hybrid events demonstrates how an innovative industry is doing more than reacting to tough times; it is taking its learnings and transforming itself for a smarter future. That’s just in events, one of the most hard-hit of industries during lockdown. Public relations too is reminding us that it is a sector made up of agile, creative, think-on-your-feet professionals whose skillsets run deep beyond the stereotypes of media releases and press conferences. We are seeing a renewed focus on internal communication, crisis management and agile messaging strategies. We are seeing agencies shift their clients’ personas overnight – from severely corporate to warm and personal to supporting the community to in-it-together. They are keeping more stakeholders than ever – employees, customers, media, influencers, business partners and more – constantly in the loop, even as they expand, contract, flip and flick that loop like a ranchero’s lasso. The companies listed in this, our annual PR and Events Guide, may be doing a lot of things differently from a year ago, but the consistency in their skills and remits mean they are still bringing people together for their clients, while sending their messages out. And they will do that no matter what the fates can throw at them.

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Front cover and guide cover designed by Thokchom Remy

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PR & EVENTS GUIDE

August 30, 2020

Absolute Communications Group

AKQA

Founded 2011 Headquartered Dubai; regional office in Mumbai Head of company Victor King info@absolutecg.net +971 4 399 7297

Founded 2010 Regional headquarters Dubai Holding group WPP Heads of company Oussama Jamal and Tim Baker karan.chimnani@akqa.com toufic.daher@akqa.com

SPECIALISMS Public relations, media relations, corporate communications, events, social media KEY CLIENTS Nikon, BenQ, TP-Link, MGD Lifestyle Jewellery, Global Indian International School, Institute of Chartered Accounts of India (Dubai Chapter), Leva Hotels, Dial-A-Battery

Active Digital Marketing Communications

SPECIALISMS Brand activations & events; creative communications; content production; media planning & buying; website design & development KEY CLIENTS Dubai Tourism, Americana Group, Toyota – Al Futtaim Automotive, THAT – Majid Al Futtaim, Home Centre – Landmark Group

Alisa PR

Founded 2003 Headquartered Dubai Heads of company Sawsan Ghanem & Louay Al-Samarrai www.activedmc.com info@activedmc.com +971 4 433 5226 SPECIALISMS Aviation, fashion, finance, healthcare, hospitality, lifestyle, real estate, security, technology, telecommunications

Founded 2017 Headquartered Dubai Head of company Alisa D’souza www.alisapr.com alisa@alisapr.com +971 50 785 8298 SPECIALISMS Public relations, digital marketing, advertising

KEY CLIENTS Citrix, Michigan Ross, InterSystems, Genetec, Forcepoint, SentinelOne, Xerox, Eaton, Aspentech, FireEye, Commscope, J.P. Morgan Private Bank, Blizzard, Okadoc, Zoom, Diligent

Founded 1994 (UAE); 1971 (global) Offices UAE (MENA Hub), Russia (Hub), Nicosia, Cyprus (HQ) Managing director UAE: Euan Megson +971 4 390 2960 www.actionprgroup.com uae@actionprgroup.com LEADERSHIP PANEL

Chris Christodoulou

Euan Megson

CEO, Global

Managing Director, UAE

A fully independent and integrated marketing and communications network spanning 40-plus countries, Action Global Communications provides hands-on local insights and expertise to help organisations in dozens of industry verticals advance their agendas in target markets. Delivering game-changing ideas and tactical executions that shape perceptions, build awareness and protect reputations, our teams create meaningful connections between companies and audiences by leveraging the full spectrum of modern communications. Committed to driving our clients’ brand engagement and enabling sustainable business growth, Action UAE employs 40 people across its public relations, social/digital, finance and administration departments in the Dubai and Abu Dhabi offices. SPECIALISMS Public relations communications consultancy; multi-market co-ordination; media relations, content creation (in 60+ languages); crisis and issues management; digital marketing; social media management; creative design; videography and photography; event and exhibition press office management. KEY CLIENTS Abu Dhabi Department of Culture & Tourism, Abu Dhabi Department of Education & Knowledge, Dubai Retail / Dubai Holding, Dubai World Trade Centre, Informa Markets, Intel, Messe Frankfurt Middle East, Mubadala, UFC

Barry King

Gavril Mankoo

General Manager, UAE

Digital Director

AWARDS PRCA MENA 2017: Best PR Campaign – Media Relations (British Airways); MEPRA 2018: Best Use of Influencers (P&G); SPIA 2019: Best Use of PR in Sport – FIFA Club World Cup UAE; MEPRA 2019: Best Use of Limited Budget – Museum of Illusions; MEPRA 2019: Best Sports & Recreational Campaign - FIFA Club World Cup UAE

PR & EVENTS GUIDE

August 30, 2020

AllDetails Middle East

Aurora, The Agency

Founded 2004 Regional headquarters Dubai Owners Isabel Tapp; A. Al Humaid Head of company Isabel Tapp, founder and CEO www.alldetails.net info@alldetails.net +971 4 448 4670

Founded 2013 Regional headquarters Dubai Head of company Iona Al Suwaidi www.auroraadvertising.ae contact@auroraadvertising.ae +971 55 7149694

SPECIALISMS Luxury hospitality; travel; F&B; strategic event planning; social media; influencer marketing; media relations; crisis management; media training; content creation KEY CLIENTS Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group; Mandarin Oriental Jumeira, Dubai; Velaa Private Island; Expedia LPS; Campbell Gray Hotels; AVANI Hotels

Alserkal Founded 2008 Headquartered Dubai Heads of company Abdelmonem Bin Eisa Alserkal (founder) and Vilma Jurkute (director) www.alserkalavenue.ae events@alserkalavenue.ae +971 4 333 3464 SPECIALISMS Creative venue services, cultural consultancy and content, bespoke experiences, event management, exhibition production, brand advisory and strategy

SPECIALISMS Lifestyle PR; corporate PR; hospitality; retail; education; energy; semi-government; reputation management; strategy KEY CLIENTS Sofitel Dubai The Palm; Atmosphere Hotels & Resorts, Maldives; Burjuman Centre; Forrey and Galland; Emirates Maritime Arbitration Centre; Titan Watches, Middlesex University Dubai, Jysk, Smart Automation Energy; Abu Dhabi Department of Culture & Tourism (DCT); Les Mills

Borouj Consulting Founded 2006 Headquartered Dubai Head of company Randa Mazzawi www.boroujconsulting.com randa@boroujconsulting.com SPECIALISMS B2B; financial; media relations; media training; issues and crisis communication; issues and crisis training

KEY CLIENTS Google, Burberry, Rolls Royce, Sephora, Facebook, Mckinsey, Victoria & Albert Museum, Hayward Gallery

APCO Worldwide Founded 2005 Regional headquarters Dubai, with Offices in Abu Dhabi, Saudi, Bahrain request.proposal@apcoworldwide.com SPECIALISMS Strategic advisory & advocacy; corporate communications; creative, storytelling, digital & AI analytics; crisis, issues and litigation management; government relations KEY CLIENTS LinkedIn, TECOM, Economic Development Board of Bahrain, UAE Space Agency and Emirates Mission to Mars, Royal Commission for Riyadh City

BPG Orange Founded 1980 Headquartered Dubai Ownership Abdulla Majed Ahmad Al Ghurair; WPP Group; Avishesha (Avi) Bhojani Heads of company Ketaki Banga (COO) & Arif Ladhabhoy (general manager) ketaki.banga@bpgorange.com arif.ladhabhoy@bpgorange.com www.bpggroup.com +971 4 506 5555 SPECIALISMS Content marketing; communications strategy; public relations; creative campaigns; social and digital KEY CLIENTS Sony, HMD Global, Booz Allen Hamilton, KPMG, Innoventures

Atteline Founded 2016 Regional Headquarters Dubai Heads of Company Sophie Cooke; Brooke Boyschau www.atteline.com hello@atteline.com +971 4 368 2571 SPECIALISMS Fashion, sustainability, design, beauty, wellness, luxury lifestyle KEY CLIENTS Jacquie Aiche, Signature Element, Alberto Sartori, Kalebr, Joseph & Alexander, Parfums De Marly, Leem, Nabeel Perfumes (The Spirit of Dubai), Aspinal of London, Usra, LIWA (Aspinal of London, GANT)

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Brave Founded 2014 Headquartered Dubai, United Arab Emirates Head of company Florence Janin www.brave-agency.com f.janin@brave-agency.com +971 4 551 9212

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PR & EVENTS GUIDE

August 30, 2020

Brazen MENA

Catch Communications

Founded 2015 Headquartered Dubai, with a sister company in Manchester Managing Partner Louise Jacobson, mena@wearebrazenpr.com +971 4 240 8395 mena.wearebrazenpr.com

Founded 2018 Headquartered Dubai Managing director Injeel Moti info@catchcomms.com

SPECIALISMS Public relations; PR strategy; social media; influencer engagement; events

KEY CLIENTS Gates Hospitality, Al Ghurair Retail, Majid Al Futtaim LEGO, Apparel Group’s Birkenstock, Wild & The Moon, D1 Milano

SPECIALISMS Public relations; social media; content creation; influencer marketing

KEY CLIENTS Dubai Tourism, The Walt Disney Company MENA, Atlantis, The Palm, The Galleria Al Maryah Island, and OJ Lifestyle

Bridge of Minds Founded 2016 Headquartered Beirut, with office in Dubai CEO Marina Araigy info@bridgeofminds.com www.bridgeofminds.com +961 1 567 764 +961 1 568 764

CoCo Communications Consultants Founded 2017 Headquartered UAE Founders Caroline Holmberg & Laura Jones caroline@coco-comms.me laura@coco-comms.me

SPECIALISMS Branding; communications; creative; digital design; Google Ads; marketing; public relations; web development

SPECIALISMS F&B; travel; fashion; wellness & beauty; entertainment

KEY CLIENTS Castania, Resense Spa, HiCart, La Siesta Beach Resort, Joseph Events Dubai ,Bou Melhem Restaurant, House of Marmalade, Dr. Grace Obeid, Pergola Kits

LEADERSHIP PANEL

Founded 2000 Offices Dubai (HQ), Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Jeddah, Manama, Amman; Affiliates in Oman, Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Iraq, Palestine Territories and Pakistan Holding group WPP President, Middle East Sunil John info.asdaa@bcw-global.com +971 (0)4 450 7600 www.asdaa-bcw.com ASDA’A was founded in 2000 as an independent agency by Sunil John. In 2008, WPP acquired a majority stake and ASDA’A became part of the Burson-Marsteller global network. After the merger in 2018 of BursonMarsteller and Cohn & Wolfe to create Burson Cohn & Wolfe, the firm is now ASDA’A BCW. Today, the agency employs more than 160 professionals across seven wholly owned offices. In addition, nine affiliates cover 15 MENA countries. The agency, along with its two subsidiaries – Proof (Digital/Social) and PSB Research – now serves more than 100 retained

clients and is the leading PR consultancy in MENA. Its groundbreaking annual Arab Youth Survey is now in its 12th edition. SPECIALISMS Digital and data-driven creative content and integrated communications programmes grounded in earned media and scaled across all channels. KEY CLIENTS Abu Dhabi Department of Energy, ADNOC, Emirates NBD, Ford Middle East, Nestle Middle East, Ministry of Sports/ Saudi Arabia Football Federation, Crown Prince Court-Abu Dhabi, Dubai EXPO 2021, General Electric, GEMS Education, Jumeirah Group, Ras Al Khaimah Government Media Office, Raytheon, SHUAA Capital, STARZPLAY, VISA International. AWARDS Winner, Best PR Professional in the Middle East, Sunil John, PRWeek Global Awards 2020. Highly Commended, Best Agency in the Middle East, PRWeek Global Awards 2020 Winner, Middle East Consultancy of the Year, EMEA SABRE 2019 by The Holmes Report

Sunil John Founder ASDA’A BCW and President – Middle East, BCW

Margaret Flanagan Executive Vice President Strategy & Client Experience

Tim Walmsley Executive Vice President Digital & Innovation

CASE STUDY

August 30, 2020

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The Most Awarded Thought Leadership Initiative in MENA Founder, ASDA’A BCW Sunil John (foreground) speaking during a special panel on the findings of the 11th AYS at the IMF and World Bank Annual Meetings in Washington, DC on October 19, 2019. With John on the panel are (L-R) moderator Brian Cheung, reporter with Yahoo Finance; Her Excellency Sahar Nasr, the then Egyptian Minister of Investment and International Cooperation; Jihad Azour, Director, IMF Middle East and Central Asia; and Syrine Chaalala, co-Founder and Managing Director, nextProtein.

A Survey like no other What do 200 million young Arabs have to say about their future? Every year, we set out to answer this question with the annual ASDA’A BCW Arab Youth Survey – the largest study of its kind into the region’s largest demographic: its youth. The 12th annual edition will launch in September 2020. Why do we do this Survey? For three reasons. Our first inspiration was to deliver valuable evidence-based insights on what defines the region - its youthful demographic. When we began our annual Survey back in 2008, the region was known for being data-poor on this important market segment - and the Survey has filled this gap. Our second belief was to fund the Survey entirely ourselves, ensuring its independence and credibility. We have lived by that belief, as we built and nurtured this initiative. And finally, we wanted to provide the key findings of the Survey freely on a public domain arabyouthsurvey.com - giving governments, the private sector and civil society across the world critical information, and analysis by global experts, to inform decision-making and policy formation.

Our efforts have paid off with a clean sweep of all major global PR awards providing ASDA'A BCW a distinct position as an industry thought leader. Research, Insights and Outreach A key strength is our unbroken chain of data since our first survey in 2008, as we measure sentiment on critical issues year-on-year. We commissioned international polling firm PSB Research, who conducted 3,300 face-to-face interviews with youth aged 18-24 in 15 Arab states in January 2019. The sample split was 50:50 male to female. Our strategy was to amplify our findings through the support of well-known experts, while harnessing the power of VIP endorsements to ensure maximum global media coverage. Their input – ranging from shareable social media soundbites to in-depth commentary and analysis – formed the basis of online teaser campaigns, exclusive media content, syndicated op-eds and a white paper. Global Impact The 2019 Survey earned coverage in 600+ regional and international media outlets and achieved a total earned airtime of 156 minutes.

On social media, our livestream of the event attracted 50,000+ views, was also shared on the IMF’s Facebook page, and we gained 49,000+ followers across our channels. Our social media content generated 15m+ impressions and reached 12.4m+ people. The notable personalities and entities that shared our findings with their followers included HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, H.E. Ludovic Pouille, H.E. Patrick Moody, H.E. Marcy Grossman, and the IMF. Post launch, we provided in-depth briefings to VIPs, business leaders and politicians, with a presentation given on request to more than 25 European Union Ambassadors based in the UAE. Sunil John also presented findings by invitation at Chatham House, London in September 2019, and at a dedicated session at the annual World Bank/IMF annual meetings in Washington DC in October 2019, and US political title The Hill created AYS panels at three of its events in Washington DC and London in October and November 2019 – illustrating just how vital this research is in shaping debate about the region and Arab youth at the highest levels around the world.

AWARDS

PR WEEK

Winner, Best Campaign – Middle East/Africa, PRWeek Global Awards 2018

SABRE

Winner, Thought Leadership in PR, In2 SABRE Awards 2018, 2017, 2016

MEPRA

Winner, Best Campaign in the Middle East & Winner, Best Use of Data & Insights, MEPRA Awards 2019

PRCA

Highly commended, Best Regional Campaign, PRCA Awards 2020

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Founded 2006 Offices Dubai (HQ), Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, India, Iraq, Jordan, KSA, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Macedonia, Montenegro, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Russia, Serbia, Spain, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, North America and Yemen Holding group The Publicity Network (Publinet) Founder and CEO Ahmad Itani +971 4 3341 140 www.cbpr.me info@cbpr.me

LEADERSHIP PANEL

Ahmad Itani

Tariq Al Sharabi

Founder & CEO

Managing director

Cicero & Bernay Public Relations is an award-winning communication agency that delivers bespoke traditional and new media strategies and campaigns to some of the region’s most prominent brands. Cicero & Bernay is headquatered in Dubai and has 28 offices around the world, covering the MENA region, Asia, Russia, Europe, and North America. Its team comprises industry veterans and professionals who work closely with clients and anticipate the future of the medium. SPECIALISMS Contributor relations; thought leadership; online reputation management; new-age media; corporate reputation management; content development; strategic planning and counsel; influencer marketing; CSR strategy; crisis communication

Maysa-Jana Atoui

Updesh Kapur

Director of business development & operations

Director of strategy

KEY CLIENTS Dubai South; Dubai Economy (DED); Dubai Culture & Arts Authority; Dubai Police; Wasl Asset Management Group; Dubai Land Department; Dubai Investments; Dubai Judicial Institute; Arabian Automobiles Company; Azizi Developments AWARDS 2008 International Stevie Award; 2014, 2018 Guinness World Records; 2016, 2017, 2018 MEPRA Awards; 2018 MENA Digital Awards; 2020PRCA MENA Awards

By the time you read this, things will have changed TARIQ AL SHARABI Managing Director, Cicero & Bernay Public Relations

T

here was a time when the role of agencies was to connect clients with the right people and media outlets to help spread the word. Things were simpler back then. With work tools primarily comprising a book of contact details and venues, a communication professional was set for a long and prosperous career. However, while processes were gradually evolving to embrace the new world, the ongoing digital evolution surpassed the pace at which practitioners were operating. This forced them, within a short time, to leap years into the future to catch up with the need to fully embrace new-age mediums and their true potential and learn enough to confidently guide clients on the relevance and utility of every possible tool.

Agencies today have adopted a new fundamental role that has them integrate with the machinations of each client to present them with new, omnichannel ideas, execution possibilities, estimated returns and, most importantly, projected outcomes, to preemptively plan future campaigns and activations. What was previously deemed speculative has now been re-labelled as strategic, and what once may have been considered inconceivable in our industry is now definitely within reach. Our field is one of constant change, and it is on us to keep up with it, no matter the pace or circumstance. Survival of the fittest? Maybe in other industries. In ours, it’s survival of the fastest and earliest adopter.

PR & EVENTS GUIDE

August 30, 2020

Cosmopole Consultancy

Definition

Founded 2018 Headquartered Abu Dhabi Managing director Claire Micheletti www.cosmopole.com info@cosmopole.com

Founded 2010 Headquartered Dubai Ownership Privately owned Head of company Adil El-Aouad www.definitionagency.com younes@definitionagency.com +971 4 390 1996

SPECIALISMS Public relations; digital marketing; social media; strategic planning; branding KEY CLIENTS Aldar Education, Thailand Pavilion – Dubai Expo 2020, COYA Abu Dhabi, Luxembourg Trade and Investment, Chestertons MENA

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SPECIALISMS PR & reputation management; media relations; blogger outreach and influencer marketing; web development & content marketing; social media; KEY CLIENTS Winston & Strawn; Sensus; Thales; Veritas; Wyndham; GP Global

Edelman Middle East

Custard Events Founded January 23, 2010 Regional offices Dubai, Abu Dhabi Head of company Michelle Quinn, general manager www.welikecustard.com hello@welikecustard.com +971 4 361 8850 SPECIALISMS Brand activations; product launches; public events and entertainment; conferences; award ceremonies; gala dinners; exhibition stands; sports events; press events; team building KEY CLIENTS Meraas; Flash; ADNOC; Tesla; Home Centre; Lenovo; Oppo; Yas Marina; Berkeley Assets

LEADERSHIP PANEL

Mohammed Tayem

Nicholas Pereira

Founder & CEO

Creative Director

Founded 2008 (Middle East operations) Regional headquarters Abu Dhabi, with offices in Dubai and Riyadh and a network of affiliates across the MENA region Ownership Family-owned Head of Company Omar Qirem, CEO www.edelman.ae info@edelman.ae +971 2 234 4718 (Abu Dhabi) +971 4 568 2540 (Dubai) +966 11 261 1540 (Riyadh) SPECIALISMS Communications strategy; brand & reputation management; digital; crisis; training; content; business transformation; internal communications; public affairs

Founded 2009 Headquartered Dubai Holding group TGW Live Founder & CEO Mohammed Tayem +971 4 338 8834 www.entourageintl.com info@entourageintl.com Entourage is an independent live communications agency, operating in the MENA region for the past 11 years with offices in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt and Jordan along with a main office in New York City. Driven by strategic vision, entourage offers all-round integrated marketing services from creative, to PR to social and digital marketing and events. One of the latest milestones for entourage is the launch of eve – a virtual hosting platform. The digital infrastructure and technology of the platform has been completely developed in the UAE/Dubai. SPECIALISMS PR and social media, media buying, advertising, content strategy and development, creative and events KEY CLIENTS Google, YouTube, WETEX, G20, Egypt Tourism Authority, MBRF, Morocco Ministry of Agriculture, Snapchat, Jordan Tourism Authority

Ziad Faour

Manoshi Banerjee

Head of Strategy

PR Manager

AWARDS Listed on the SME100 twice by the Dubai Economic Department (the latest 2015 awards ranked entourage at No.19 among the top 100 companies in Dubai); EFFIE Awards MENA in 2012, 2013 and 2014; Dubai Lynx 2011 & 2014; MEPRA awards 2014; Middle East Event Awards 2012, 2013 & 2014; EACA Care Awards 2018; Business Awards 2017 – Best Emerging Creative Agency

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LEADERSHIP PANEL

Founded 2019 Headquartered Dubai, UAE Founder and managing director Jamal Al Mawed +971 4 578 6446 www.gambit.ae jamal@gambit.ae Gambit Communications is an independent PR, social media and influencer-engagement agency headquartered in Dubai and overseeing the GCC and Levant. With a name inspired by the game of chess, Gambit offers strategic thinking, digital acumen, communications expertise, creative executions, influencer relations and practical thinking that allows brands to achieve their business objectives, start conversations and stay one move ahead of the competition. SPECIALISMS: Public relations Thought leadership, media relations, crisis communications, media training, CSR strategies, event management, editorial services, strategic planning Social media Content planning, campaign management, monitoring & analysis, page management Influencer engagement Content development, creative executions, visual communication, brand ambassador management KEY CLIENTS: PR Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles (Jeep, Dodge, Ram, Chrysler, Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Abarth, Mopar), Maserati KSA, Help AG, Swissquote MEA Social media Ferrari Middle East and India

Jamal Al Mawed, founder and managing director, is an Emirati-British thought leader in the regional communications industry with a celebrated agency background and previous senior director roles on the client-side at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars and the Dubai Properties Group. He is also a senior judge for the MEPRA and Effies Awards, and has been selected in prestigious lists such as The Holmes Report’s EMEA ‘Innovator 25’, The PR Week Powerbook and The Huffington Post’s ‘ten to watch’ series.

TEAM LEADERS

Mirna Tamimi is a PR girl with a penchant for automotive. A Riyadh-raised rising star in the region’s communications industry, Mirna was named in Campaign Middle East’s Faces to Watch 2020 list and has already worked on brands such as FiatChrysler Automobiles group, Pagani, Ferrari, Maserati KSA and The Ritz-Carlton. She was also part of the Dubai Properties team nominated for MEPRA Inhouse Team of the Year.

Dalia Baddar leads on social media and influencer engagement at Gambit. A member of Campaign Middle East’s Faces to Watch 2020 list, Canadian-Palestinian Dalia is a creative force with experience on brands such as Samsung, Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, Fiat and Pinar.

Ziad Ashkar is a tech and automotive expert who always has a card up his sleeve. Experienced in PR and talent management, Ziad’s vibrant personality and infectious enthusiasm have seen him work across brands such as Bacardi, Philip Morris, Lamborghini, Jaguar, Ferrari and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.

Rahaf Awad is a lifestyle media maven with an enviable suite of clients in her experience set, including Infiniti Middle East and Marriott International across the disciplines of public relations and influencer engagement. A Syrian raised in Riyadh, cosmopolitan Rahaf graduated from Malaysia’s prestigious Limkokwing University of Creative Technology with a master’s degree in Communications & Public Relations.

PR & EVENTS GUIDE

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Eleven PR

Hanover Middle East

Founded 2020 Headquartered Dubai Holding group Omnicom General manager Dan Leach dan.leach@tbwaraad.com

Founded Hanover Group founded in 2008; Middle East office launched in 2017 Heads of company Jonty Summers, managing director, Middle East Offices London, Brussels, Dublin, Dubai, Abu Dhabi Holding Group Hanover, part of Avenir Global jsummers@hanovercomms.com hanovercomms.com +971 4 433 6122

SPECIALISMS Government relations; corporate PR; consumer PR; crisis & Issues; social media KEY CLIENTS Abu Dhabi Investment Office, Kempinski, Catrice, Essence, Womanity Foundation

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SPECIALISMS Corporate communications; crisis and issues management; financial communications and special situations; healthcare communications

FleishmanHillard Middle East Founded 1946 Headquartered Dubai Holding group Omnicom Group Head of company Lucy O’Brien, general manager & partner www.fleishman-me.com lucy.obrien@fleishman.com +971 4 330 4010 SPECIALISMS Corporate and brand communications; healthcare communications management; reputation management; employee engagement and internal communications; crisis communications; stakeholder mapping; strategy development; regional campaign coordination KEY CLIENTS Agility, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bosch, Bose, Fitbit, Medcare, Signify, UBS, USDEC, Western Union

Hill+Knowlton Strategies Founded 1927 in US; 1985 in Bahrain Regional headquarters Dubai, UAE Head of company Bashar AlKadhi, CEO www.hkstrategies.com +971 4 553 9543 SPECIALISMS Energy & industrial; health & wellness; sports, entertainment, culture & sponsorship; technology; finance & professional services; corporate & brand; government & public sector; crisis communications

Four Communications Group Founded 2001 in London; 2004 in MENA Regional offices Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Riyadh Head of company Ray Eglington, group managing director fourcommunications.com mena@fourcommunications.com +971 2 447 2774 +971 4 362 5129

Houbara Communications

SPECIALISMS Integrated campaigns, social analytics & engagement, brand strategy, public relations, marketing, media planning & buying, creative & design, digital marketing, media training.

SPECIALISMS Media training; digital; senior communications counsel & advisory; graphic design; content & outreach

Founded 2002 Formerly Grayling Headquartered Dubai Founder and CEO Loretta Ahmed loretta@houbaracomms.com

KEY CLIENTS CNN, DFSA, DIFC Courts, Thales and Volkswagen

KEY CLIENTS Etihad Airways, UPS, UAE Space Agency, Marriott International, Honeywell, Infiniti, Abu Dhabi Department of Culture & Tourism, Emirates Airline Festival of Literature; Daman

Golin MENA Founded 1956 (Chicago); 1976 (UAE) Regional headquarters Dubai Ownership IPG and Horizon Holdings Heads of company Yiannis Vafeas, managing director; Nitin Nambiar, general manager www.golin.com +971 4 332 3308 SPECIALISMS Corporate; financial communications; technology; consumer; luxury; healthcare

House of Comms Founded 2012 Regional offices Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia Co-founders and managing partners Abby Wilks, Kaja Evans and Jamie Wilks talk@housofcomms.com www.houseofcomms.com +971 4 275 4900 SPECIALISMS Automotive; government; F&B and hospitality; retail; tech

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The Idea Agency

In2 Consulting

Founded 1996 Regional offices Dubai / Beirut Ownership Aviamost Advertising Managing partner Rita Boustany rita.boustany@tia.ae SPECIALISMS hospitality, tourism, retail, services, food & beverage

Founded 2010 Headquartered Dubai Managing director Anne Bleeker www.in2consulting.com in2@in2consulting.com +971 4 455 8499

KEY CLIENTS Millennium Hotels & Resorts, Ajman Tourism, Ajman Media City Free Zone, Natuzzi & Western Furniture

SPECIALISMS Communication strategy; internal communications; content strategy & creation; positioning & messaging; training & capacity building KEY SECTORS Hospitality, technology, government, B2B

Impact Porter Novelli

Innovative Advertising & Marketing

Founded 2000 Regional headquarters Dubai, UAE Ownership BBDO Worldwide, an Omnicom holding company Head of company Fouad Bou Mansour www.porternovelli.com +971 4 330 4030

Founded 2012 Headquartered Dubai www.iam-me.ae info@iam-me.ae tanveer@iam-me.ae +971 4 259 3572

SPECIALISMS Corporate communications, brand communications, technology, reputation management

SPECIALISMS Branding, digital print and production, exhibition stands, events, acrylic works, designing; advertisement campaign development (BTL), activation, brand building, brand activation

KEY CLIENTS Al-Futtaim, P&G, Amazon, Seddiqui Holding

LEADERSHIP PANEL

Nick Walsh

Elias W. Bassil

CEO, Geometry MENA

Head of Strategy, Geometry MENA

KEY CLIENTS Versace, Estee Lauder Group, Chalhoub Group, Paris Gallery, Al Futtaim, Juma Al Majid, Al Tayer, Clarins, Emaar, MAF.

Founded 2014 Regional offices Geometry MENA HQ is based in Dubai, overseeing teams across KSA, the GCC and North Africa Holding group A WPP company and part of the MEMAC Group in the Middle East CEO, Geography Mena Nick Walsh +971 4 305 0408 www.geometry.com nick.walsh@geometry.com Geometry, part of WPP, is the world’s largest and most awarded, end-to-end, experiential, brand activation and creative commerce agency. In an experientially led, digitally enabled world, we create rich, people-centric experiences that cultivate the exchange between people, brands and cultures. Taking our legacy of expertise in retail, design, and innovation, we help marketers build strategic and conversion-oriented experiences, both physical and digital. Our ideas are emotionally and contextually relevant for people and commercially powerful for businesses. We do this in 54 cities across 40 markets, everywhere life intersects with commerce. SPECIALISMS Experiential, brand activation, expo and cultural builds, LDX (live digital experience), innovation, digital, e-commerce, branding and design, integrated retail experience KEY CLIENTS Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola Arena, British American Tobacco, Colgate, Pfizer, Roads & Transport Authority, Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi, BP Castrol, Global AI Summit, Twitter, Danone, GSK, UAE Central Bank

Safwan El Roufai

Julian Hernandez

EVP, Geometry MENA

ECD, Geometry MENA

AWARDS WON Cannes Lions, Dubai Lynx, London International Award, New York Festival of Advertising, D&AD, One Show, Effies

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Inspiratus Group

ISD

Founded 2012 Headquartered Dubai, with offices in Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Cairo, Toronto, London and Washington DC www.inspirat.us pr@inspirat.us +971 4 392 6610

Founded 2005 Headquartered Dubai, with offices in India, UK, USA, Vietnam, Malaysia, Australia and Mauritius Founder Suresh Dinakaran www.groupisd.com suresh@groupisd.com

SPECIALISMS Strategic communications; PR; media relations; media training; crisis communications

SPECIALISMS Brand strategy; creative services; media; AI & digital marketing; PR & ORM/events

KEY CLIENTS Disney, National Geographic Partners, National Geographic Abu Dhabi, FOX Networks Group, ADNOC Logistics and Services, Shell

KEY CLIENTS Toshiba, Kioxia, Grand Stores, University of Bolton, Nikon

Instinctif Partners MENA Founded 2013 Regional headquarters Dubai Ownership Instinctif Partners (Global) Head of company Samantha Bartel, CEO & managing partner, MENA www.instinctif.com middleeast@instinctif.com +971 n4 369 9353 SPECIALISMS Financial PR & investor relations; capital markets communications; corporate communications & public policy; corporate reporting (print/digital); ESG strategy & reporting; crisis communications KEY CLIENTS National Bank of Kuwait; Almarai; Mobily; Habib Medical Group; Amlak International; Jupiter Asset Management; ENBD REIT; Alwaleed Philanthropies; ADES International; Shaker Group

Jack Morton MENAT Founded 1939 Regional HQ Dubai Holding group Regionally held under the Middle East Communications Network (MCN) and globally part of the Interpublic Group of Companies (IPG) Managing Director Rebecca Amey rebecca.amey@jackmorton.com SPECIALISMS Brand experience; event & experiential marketing; integrated campaigns; strategic & experiential design; experience innovation in data, content and technology KEY CLIENTS Saudi Aramco, Ericsson, Siemens, adidas, Uber

LEADERSHIP PANEL

Founded 2001 Ownership Havas and Promopub Limited Head of company Dana Tahir, general manager dana.tahir@havasprme.com +971 4 455 6000 Regional offices Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Jeddah, Muscat, Cairo, Beirut The youngest agency network in the top 10, Havas PR has offices in six countries and eight cities. Based out of Dubai, we provide our clients with fully integrated public relations services including social and digital PR. While we are known

for being the region’s premier luxury, fashion and beauty agency, our portfolio also includes a diverse, blue-chip set of clients that range from automobile, finance, FMCG, hospitality and retail to environment brands.

Dana Tahir

Marie Capucine Akilian

General manager

Senior communications director

KEY CLIENTS COTY, L’Oréal, Jergens, Faces, L’Occitane, Nakheel, Agthia, Idemia, Cofrex, KIKO Milano, CH Carolina Herrera, Tory Burch, Michael Kors SERVICES Corporate; health; luxury; fashion and beauty; strategic alignment; key messaging; media relations; social engagement; event concept and management; measurement and analysis; media training; crisis and reputation management

Razan Karim

Mathilde Montel

Communications director

Communications director

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Katch International

Market Buzz International

Founded 2010 Offices Dubai and London Head of company Georgina Woollams katchinternational.com info@katchthis.com +971 4 243 8577

Founded 2001 Headquartered Fujairah Head of company Mita Srinivasan www.themarketbuzz.net mbi@themarketbuzz.net +971 6 7409793

SPECIALISMS PR and communications; social media management and content creation; design and branding; digital marketing; photography and videography

SPECIALISMS Technology, start-ups

KEY CLIENTS Rove Hotels; Dubai World Trade Centre; Live Nation; Suit Supply (Dual Investment); Najahi Events; Empire Movies; Dubai International Financial Centre;Dubai Opera; OPSO (Rafid Gourmet); Global Event Management

KEY CLIENTS ChannelHub, EasyPick, Jackys Business Solutions, Pagero, Nokia, Qafila, TiE Dubai, Metallicoin

Markettiers Leidar MENA Founded 2018 Regional headquarters Dubai Ownership Leidar SA Heads of company Rolf Olsen, founder & CEO; Andreas Keller, managing partner; George Kotsolios, managing partner andreas.keller@leidar.com george.kotsolios@leidar.com SPECIALISMS Communications strategy; positioning & messaging; content development; crisis management; training KEY CLIENTS Al-Futtaim Engineering, Al-Futtaim Commercial Vehicles, DC Aviation, Mondia, ZIINA

LinkViva Founded 2003 Headquartered Dubai Managing director Alexander Bendiouis www.linkviva.com alex@linkviva.com +971 4 442 0743

Founded 2014 (in Dubai); 1990 (globally) Regional headquarters Dubai; global headquarters in London Managing director, MENA Cheryl King www.markettiers.com/dubai cheryl.king@markettiers.com +971 4 369 2709 SPECIALISMS International and regional broadcast media relations; podcast strategy; production, distribution; promotion and measurement; virtual and live streaming; surveys; video distribution KEY SECTORS Automotive; governmental; technology; consumer focused clients

Matrix Public Relations Founded 1999 CEO Hilmarie Hutchison matrixdubai.com/public-relations talk@matrixdubai.com +971 4 343 0888 SPECIALISMS PR; social media; influencer marketing; digital marketing; crisis management; media training; content marketing; reputation management; website and app development. KEY CLIENTS Al Masah Capital, Regulus Capital, Allied Investment Partners, Himalaya, India Gate, Diva Abaya Couture, Steve Madden, ECCO, Ajman Sewerage, Oxford Business Group

SPECIALISMS Experiential; festivals; MICE; activations; government events KEY CLIENTS Department of Culture & Tourism, Department of Tourism and commerce, Dubai Festival City, Emaar Malls, Nakheel Malls

Memac Ogilvy M&C Saatchi Public Relations UAE Founded 2017 Offices Dubai and Abu Dhabi, with its global HQ in London, with eight offices worldwide, as well as a network of international partners across Asia-Pacific and Benelux. Ownership M&C Saatchi Head of company Amy Brill, head of PR UAE; Molly Aldridge, global CEO mcsaatchipublicrelations.com +971 4 446 3209 SPECIALISMS Public relations, experiential, social media,corporate/B2B, design, consumer/B2C, editorial, content creation, media relations KEY CLIENTS Discovery, Rolls-Royce Abu Dhabi Motors, Pizza Hut, Disney Destinations, Benefit Cosmetics, United Nations

Founded 1984 Regional offices Abu Dhabi, Amman, Beirut, Cairo, GCC, Dubai, Jeddah, Kuwait City, Manama, Riyadh, Tunis Holding group WPP Heads of company Patou Nuytemans (Chief Executive, MENA), Ghassan Maraqa (COO, MENA), Ashraf Shakah (Regional Director, PR & Influence, MENA) www.memacogilvy.com info@memacogilvy.com +971 4 332 0002 SPECIALISMS Brand strategy and advertising; customer engagement and digital; social media performance; consulting; PR and influence (reputation protection, C-suite advocacy, brand influence, employee engagement and media influence) KEY CLIENTS Adnoc Distribution, American Express, Arab Bank, The CocaCola Company, Expo2020 Dubai, IBM, IKEA, Mondelez, NCB, STC (Bahrain and Kuwait), Yahsat, Zain Iraq

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LEADERSHIP PANEL

Plus 1 Communications Founded 2013 (London); 2015 (Dubai); 2015 (Mumbai) Offices London (HQ), Dubai, Mumbai Chairman Ricky Ghai hello@plus1comms.com +971 4 326 1133 +971 55 240 5752 www.plus1comms.com Plus 1 Communications is a fully integrated PR and digital solutions agency with offices in Dubai, London and Mumbai. We are expert storytellers that that make brands stand out from the crowd by developing the perfect story to reach their target consumer with the right message at the right time, via the right channel. We have an influential senior team to ensure high-calibre delivery, focusing on integrated delivery so that we never miss an opportunity. We build our client relationships on a balance of trust and transparency and will only promise excellence where we can truly deliver it.

Ricky Ghai

Karen Lane

Chairman

Group Managing Director

Anna Hope

Nermine Kashef

Managing Director, Middle East

Senior Publicist (Bi-lingual)

SPECIALISMS PR, social media, content creation, creative design KEY CLIENTS Bloom Education, Canadian University Dubai, Aldenham Education Group, Dubai Design Week, Euronews, Sole DXB, Tough Mudder, CarFest, Wagamama, Waterfront Market

INDUSTRY SNAPSHOT

ANNA HOPE Managing Director Middle East, Plus 1 Communications

HOW HAS COVID-19 CHANGED YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CLIENTS?

Our relationships have strengthened as we’ve helped our clients navigate through the continuous changes of the past few months, and advised heavily on how best to communicate during the pandemic. Our digital strengths have also allowed us to work differently and support our clients with their multiple needs. The key for us is to work with clients who truly understand the value of communication. We’ve all seen a number of brands that have thrived during the pandemic and have done so through innovative communication campaigns and collaborations. When a crisis hits, it’s really not a time to stop communicating; it’s a time to change your message and reassure your customer base.

we’ve just opened a third office opposite Windsor Castle in the UK) ,just a laptop, phone, a contact list and off we go. We really can work from anywhere as long as the team is connected and coordinated, and as a team that has worked together for many years, we understand our strengths and weaknesses and can easily support each other.

HOW HAS THE PANDEMIC CHANGED YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH MEDIA?

HOW HAS COVID-19 CHANGED THE WAY YOUR AGENCY OPERATES?

We’ve witnessed the further decline in media titles, and noticed that editorial teams have shrunk, so there has certainly been an added pressure to find editorial space. We noticed the introduction of paywalls, and pay-per-press-release, but, having worked in this industry for 20 years, I truly believe that if you have a strong news story and you pitch it to the right media outlet then it will be published. News doesn’t stop. If the story isn’t strong enough, then you have go back to the drawing board.

As communicators, we don’t really need much in terms of a physical office (although

The pandemic has certainly sped up the digital transformation of businesses, and as a result we’ve noticed an increase in digital campaigns for our clients. The key for all campaigns, though, is communicating the right message to the right audience at the right time via the right medium. Media will always be part of our communications strategy, but we’ve learnt to adapt and ensure we use the best channels to get the best results.

Having international offices, has always meant we have been digitally connected, so the UK, Dubai and Mumbai team were all able to adapt quickly to remote working. Moving all our client meetings online was a big change, and I’m sure it is something that we will continue with. We’re also thankful to have such a diverse portfolio, and will continue to expand this.

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Motivate Events

MVM & Co

Founded 1979 Headquartered Dubai Heads of company Anthony Milne, chief commercial officer; Mona Motamedi, senior event manager motivatemedia.com/services/events/ events@motivate.ae +971 4 427 3000

Founded 2015 Headquartered Dubai Head of company Morgan Venison, founder www.mvm-co.com hello@mvm-co.com +971 4 261 6334 +971 50 843 9826

SPECIALISMS Motivate Media Group has a thriving events division, with numerous high-profile events staged throughout the year. From glamorous award ceremonies, to all-day music festivals, a dedicated marketing and events team ensures that all events are a valuable extension of our clients’ brands.

SPECIALISMS Public relations, influencer endorsements, social media management, content creation, event organising, talent management, digital marketing, consulting KEY CLIENTS Tips & Toes, Tania’s Teahouse, 1004 Gourmet, Kaffe Bloom, Lamise Beauty, Protein Bakeshop

Pencell PR & Events MSL Group ME Founded 2001 Offices Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Beirut, Riyadh, Jeddah, Cairo Holding group Publicis Groupe Head of company Ajit Ramaswami middleeast.mslgroup.com dubai@mslgroup.com SPECIALISMS Corporate communications; crisis management; strategic media relations; consumer & influencer management; public affairs KEY CLIENTS Samsung, Procter & Gamble, Ericsson, Aramco, Global Village

Founded 1999 Headquartered Dubai, with offices in Abu Dhabi, Beirut, Dubai, Jeddah, Riyadh Holding group The Network Communication Group Sister companies/affiliations Wetpaint, AGA ADK, Equation Media, BrandTribe Heads of company Roger Sahyoun, chairman; Eddie Maalouf, COO; Jessy Abi Khattar, communication director pencellpr.com +971 4 4503933 KEY CLIENTS Piaget, Bosh, Siemens, Al Khayat Group, Meraas Leisure and Entertainment, BBAC, AMGEN, BEAR Real Estate Consultants, LG Electronics

LEADERSHIP PANEL

Founded 2007 Regional Offices Dubai, Jeddah Head of Company Steven Hetzer +971 4 552 0565 www.sweetwatermea.com contact@sweetwatermea.com

Steven Hetzer

Tom Gray

CEO & Founder

Executive Director

We are one of the region’s leading experience agencies. Some of the most compelling and effective experiences in the region were dreamed up, carefully crafted and delivered with love from sweetwater. Our mission is to connect brands with their audiences by executing daring ideas flawlessly in order to deliver tangible results. We continue to strive to be globally recognised for creating the most disruptive, authentic experiences in the region. SPECIALISMS Experiential marketing, live events, brand experiences, retail engagement, social media, digital and content, PR and culture marketing, sponsorship activation, conferences and exhibitions, virtual events and interactives KEY CLIENTS adidas Group, Pernod Ricard (Absolut, Jameson, Chivas Regal), British American Tobacco, Unilever, Marriott Group, Cerner, Netflix, Vans

Usman Saleemi

Das Baby

Head of Creative

Patron Saint of Disruption

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Performance Communications

PRCO Dubai

Founded 2009 Regional headquarters Dubai Head of company Ian Drinkwater www.performancecomms.com admin@performancecomms.com +971 4 551 5472

Founded 1990 Headquartered Dubai, UAE Head of company Jonathan Rivlin enquiry@prco.com

SPECIALISMS Public relations; events; digital; social media management; content creation; video & photography; sponsorship activation; influencer relations; paid media

KEY CLIENTS One&Only Resorts, Radisson Hotel Group, Rome Cavalieri Waldorf Astoria Hotel, Dubai Golf, One Wall Street, The Towers at Waldorf Astoria New York

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SPECIALISMS Strategic consultancy; media and influencer relations; content creation; digital marketing

KEY CLIENTS Bentley; SAIC Motors (MG); Peugeot; Continental; Renault Trucks; Lamborghini

Pop Communications Founded 2017 Headquartered Dubai Heads of company Zainab Imichi Alhassan and Sarah Curtis www.popcomms.ae info@popcomms.ae +971 4 876 8717 SPECIALISMS PR; social media; events; influencer marketing; digital marketing KEY CLIENTS NRTC Fresh, KARE, Chattels & More, BOSCH, Saba Kombucha

PS Events & PR Established 2009 Headquartered Beirut info@pseventsandpr.com +961 3 066 337 +961 3 102 659 +961 1 290 390 ext.1212 SPECIALISMS Public relations firm catering to a select clientele – art, fashion, hospitality, real estate, entertainment and media KEY CLIENTS CMA CGM, ABC Department Store, Pikasso, Pikasso d’Or, Medco, Depeche Mode, 6:05

W7Worldwide Marketing Communications Consultancy Agency Co-founders Abdullah Inayat; Abdulrahman Inayat +966 12 661 4579 +966 56 720 1039 www.w7worldwide.com/ info@w7worldwide.com abdulrahman@w7worldwide.com a.inayat@w7worldwide.com W7Worldwide is an independent consultancy that has established itself as a prominent marketing communications agency in Saudi Arabia. Our understanding of the local market converged with our global reach and knowledge enables us to bridge our clients with their audiences. We specialize in marketing communications, which serves as an umbrella for our broad array of services. Clients approach us when they are looking to build brand awareness, elevate their brand reputation, or are in need of crisis management.

LEADERSHIP PANEL

Abdullah Inayat Co-Founder

Our extensive work and experience span the technology, healthcare, government, corporate, consumer products, and entertainment sectors and their various subdivisions. W7Worldwide’s purpose and objective is to fill the gap in communication that exists in the local market. Communicating effectively with audiences has become essential for the survival of brands the world over and we aspire to leverage our local insight of the market as an innovative solution to this growing need. SPECIALISMS Brand solutions; reputation management; crisis management; stakeholder mapping and engagement; media outreach and media relations

Abdulrahman Inayat Co-Founder

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Q Communications

Shadani Consulting

Founded 2010 Offices Dubai, Abu Dhabi, UK Heads of company Elsa Roodt & Katie Harvey elsa@qcomms.ae katie@qcomms.ae www.qcomms.ae

Founded 2016 Headquartered Dubai, with affiliate agencies in Saudi Arabia Head of company Zaib Shadani, founder & managing director www.shadaniconsulting.com; www.thecommsroom.academy info@shadaniconsulting.com +971 50 911 6138

SPECIALISMS Public relations; social media; digital marketing; influencer marketing; content development

SPECIALISMS PR outreach and strategic planning; events (including press conferences, product launches, etc.); content creation and copywriting; media interviews, features and in-depth profiling; crisis communication; reputation management; influencer activations and engagement; training through The Comms Room sister company

KEY CLIENTS Aldar, Reebok, Repton School Dubai, Soneva Maldives, Sunset Hospitality Group

Quill Communications Founded 2010 Headquartered Dubai Head of company Maan Abou Dargham, owner www.quillmena.com info@quilmena.com +971 4 439 0490 SPECIALISMS Public relations; social media management; event management; digital advertising; creative design KEY CLIENTS Damac Properties; UAE Exchange & Unimoni; Foreign Exchange & Remittance Group (FERG); Emirates Defense Industries Company (EDIC); Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation (MBRF); International Institute for Tolerance; Zakat Fund; Al Fardan Exchange; Federal Electricity & Water Authority (FEWA); Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University (HBMSU)

The Shakespeare Agency Founded 2014 Headquartered Dubai Founder and CEO Ananda Shakespeare ananda@theshakespeare.agency +971 50 296 0503 +971 4 311 6732 SPECIALISMS Public relations, media relations, strategy, content and branding KEY CLIENTS The Brooklyn Creamery, CafĂŠ Isan, PH Real Estate, Spotii, Plantation Villa

Social Shop by Aurora Founded 2003 Headquartered Dubai www.raeeme.com +971 4 450 6870

Founded 2016 Headquartered Dubai Heads of company Annie Meikle and Iona Al Suwaidi www.socialshopdubai.ae annie@socialshopdubai.ae +971 4 456 2921

SPECIALISMS Strategic PR consultancy; media relations; reputation management; blogger engagements; crisis management; media training; corporate social responsibility.

SPECIALISMS Content creation; B2B; social media strategy; influencer outreach; digital PR; thought leadership; social listening; community management; social advertising

KEY CLIENTS Ajman Free Zone, Citizen, Cityland, Repton & Foremarke Schools, Aster

KEY CLIENTS Injazat; Fuji Instax Middle East; Julphar Life; BurJuman Centre; Viva Supermarket; Smart Automation Energy; Titan Watches; Forrey and Galland

Raee Public Relations

The Revelation Consultancy Founded 2016 Headquartered Dubai, with affiliates in the GCC and MENA, partnering a global agency covering all international geographies Head of company Urvashi Kadam. urvashi@therevelationconsultancy.com +971 50 357 0206 SPECIALISMS Reputation management;, PR strategy and outreach; crisis management; CSR; influencer marketing KEY CLIENTS Tech Mahindra, Sennheiser Middle East, SAMENA (South Asia Middle East North Africa) Telecommunications Council, Lukoil, GfK

Sociate Founded 2015 Headquartered Dubai Head of company Rosa Bullock www.sociate.ae hello@sociate.ae +971 4 321 3139 SPECIALISMS PR; thought leaders (personality PR); blogger/influencer activations; marketing; social media; PR and marketing consultancy; copy writing; translation; events; design KEY CLIENTS SoBe; Waterclub.ae; WET; Yalla Baby Box; Taikun; PLACE Community Managers; Analog Room; The Collective DXB; Distillery; Arctic Trucks

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Founded 1998 Offices Dubai (regional HQ); Jeddah (corporate HQ); network offices in Riyadh, Kuwait, Muscat, Manama, Cairo, Beirut and Amman; affiliate offices in Casablanca, Istanbul, Tunis and Algiers President and CEO Mohamed Al Ayed +971 (0)4 367 2530 (Dubai); +966 (0)12 662 5757 (Jeddah) www.traccs.net info@traccs.net

LEADERSHIP PANEL

Mohamed Al Ayed

Majdi Al Ayed

President and Chief Executive Officer

Executive Vice President & MD – UAE

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TRACCS is MENA’s largest independent communications consultancy network with more than 200 professionals working across 13 countries. A multiple award-winning practice, TRACCS is the only MENA-based agency to be featured in the Global Top 250 PR Agency Ranking by PRovoke (#128 in 2020) and is a member of Public Relations Communications Association (PRCA). Founded with the goal of building an indigenous Arab public relations industry, it is the only communications practice with a sustained commitment to nurturing the talent of young communicators across the region, and today employs the largest pool of Arabic-speaking communications professionals, with 85 per cent of its employees being native Arabic speakers. SPECIALISMS Strategic advisory; media engagement; content development; crisis management; CSR; digital; Enrich (communications training) and internal communications

Roger Mezher

Shereen Bushehri

Chief Financial Officer

Vice President – Innovation and Development & MD – Bahrain

KEY CLIENTS Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia, Toyota Motor Corporation, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Huawei Technologies, DHL, Deezer, National Bank of Bahrain, Boursa Kuwait, Dubai Mercantile Exchange, and Saudi Customs AWARDS TRACCS has won 76 international and regional awards and distinctions for service and creative excellence from PRovoke (formerly known as The Holmes Report), The Sabre Awards, IPRA and PRCA

Communications for a changing world MOHAMED AL AYED President and CEO, TRACCS

In a world of new normal, only organisations and brands that can reimagine their communications will be able to restart impactful conversations

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ne of the biggest after-effects of Covid-19 has been the seismic shift in priorities for organisations globally as well as in our region. In an effort to safeguard their interests, companies have gone into survival mode to navigate the challenges posed by the pandemic. Across all functions, the “must-haves” have quickly become “the-can-do-withouts” and the long-term objectives have been replaced with immediate needs. Accordingly, the communications machinery of organisations has been hard at work to maintain the same level of connection with their audiences as before in an effort to sustain their bottom line and stay afloat. But, to truly restart conversations that will generate an enduring impact on business operations, organisations and brands must look beyond the survival mindset and small, short-term wins to embrace a cautious but refreshed approach to bouncing back in this new normal we live in today. The need of the hour is to look at the ongoing crisis as an ‘opportunity in disguise’, especially since the seeds of the massive change that this pandemic

has brought about were sown much earlier. Take, for instance, the rise of strategic communications gradually displacing service-based deliverables in the last few years. While the offering has largely remained the same, it is now packaged under an advisory-based solutions mix that responds to clients’ growing need for strategic input. To survive and then also succeed in this evolving ecosystem, companies must reimagine their approach to communications. As the region’s largest independent communications consultancy, we have seen that companies that are successful at ‘recalibrating their strategy’ by acknowledging the new reality and adapting themselves to deliver meaningful outcomes, stand to gain the most. This also needs to be coupled with a ‘reinvention of communications tactics’ to focus on quality over quantity, value over volume and change over convenience. And, finally, the approach needs to be packaged and perfected with a ‘rejuvenated appeal’ that humanises and emotionalises the brand to make it relatable, relevant and, most importantly, resilient. Communications for a changing world, therefore, is communications that serves as both a differentiator and an enabler more than as a mere facilitator, as was the reality for many years. In a changing world, communications is nothing short of a game-changer – and that is the new reality of the new normal.

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Spread Communications

TishTash Marketing & Public Relations

Founded 2014 Headquartered Dubai Head of company Shamim Kassibawi https://spreadcomms.com/ Hello@SpreadComms.com +971 4 551 7285

Founded 2012 Headquartered Dubai Head of company Natasha Hatherall natasha@tishtash.com

SPECIALISMS Corporate PR; healthcare PR; B2B PR; personality profiling

SPECIALISMS Beauty; health; wellness; kids & family-focused brands KEY CLIENTS Medcare, ASICS, Bath & Body Works, Rodial, Häagen-Dazs

Story Public Relations

Toh PR

Founded 2018 Headquartered Dubai Head of company Laetitia Tregoning, owner www.story-pr.com tellme@story-pr.com +971 56 724 2154

Founded 2011 Headquartered Dubai Holding group PRCO Head of company Sophie Toh www.tohpr.com +971 4 382 8900

SPECIALISMS Extraordinary individuals, design & culture, luxury hospitality (senior advisory, thought leadership, CEO communications, brand development, strategic partnerships)

SPECIALISMS Consumer brand building; collaborations and partnerships; media and Influencer relations; event management; photography and digital content generation

KEY CLIENTS Dr Reem el Mutwalli, Manal Omar, Mango Tree Restaurants Worldwide, Delivering Asia Communications, Flint Cultures, FCM Travel Solutions

KEY CLIENTS Ferrari Middle Easta and India, Viacom, Savills, Tata Group, Patek Philippe

sweetTalk

Umami Communications

Founded 2019 Regional offices Dubai,Jeddah Social media manager Luanne D’Souza +971 4 552 0565 www.sweetwatermea.com/sweettalk talk@sweetwatermea.com

Founded 2016 Headquartered Dubai Head of company Colin Hutton www.umamicomms.com taste@umamicomms.com +971 52 487 0923

SPECIALISMS social media (social commerce, omnichannel integration, community management, content creation, ad campaign management); PR (guest list management, media outreach, product seeding); influencer marketing (analysis & selection, strategy and consultation, KOL management); culture marketing (hype launches, insights & trends, brand partnerships)

SPECIALISMS Press/media management; marketing/PR – campaign creation; social media advertising; content creation; social media management; brand synergies; bespoke events; F&B advisory services

KEY CLIENTS adidas, American RagCie, Pukka, Reebok, Vuse, Westin Hotel & Resorts, Sunsilk, Ray Ban, Seven Sisters

Those Guys Events Founded 2015 Headquartered Dubai Head of company MonBelle www.wearethoseguys.com monbelle@thoseguys.ae SPECIALISMS Event project management; conference and exhibition management; corporate branding; event production and décor; audio-visual event production & stage management KEY CLIENTS Meraas, Dubai Sports Council, KHDA, Tecom Group, Chalhoub Group

KEY CLIENTS Zuma Dubai & Zuma Abu Dhabi, Remy Cointreau Group, Pickl, LPM Restaurant & Bar (Dubai and Abu Dhabi), ROKA Dubai, London Dairy Cafe, THREE Coffee, The Roost, Sausage Fabrique

Viola Events Founded 2001 Headquartered Abu Dhabi Holding group Viola Communications Head of company Ammar Sharaf, CEO and board member http://vevents.ae/ marketing@viola.ae +971 2 6449444 SPECIALISMS Conceptual & experiential design; content creation; innovative technology; event management; event production and logistics KEY CLIENTS Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge; Meraas; UAE Ministry of Tolerance; First Abu Dhabi Bank; Department of Health – Abu Dhabi

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Viola Public Relations

Yardstick Marketing Management

Founded 2001 Headquartered Abu Dhabi Holding group Viola Communications Head of company Ammar Sharaf, CEO and board member marketing@viola.ae press@viola.ae http://vpr.ae/

Founded 2012 Headquartered Dubai Head of company Anishkaa Gehani www.yardstick-marketing.com info@yardstick-marketing.com +971 4 351 8584

SPECIALISMS Strategic external and internal planning; content development and media relations; stakeholder engagement; crisis and issues management; corporate social responsibility KEY CLIENTS Abu Dhabi Digital Authority, Emirates Rail, Federal Tax Authority, Abu Dhabi Social Support Authority, Emirates Foundation

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SPECIALISMS PR; social media; digital marketing; events and activations; corporate gifts; media buying; copy writing; design, podcast, influencer marketing KEY CLIENTS Al Wahda Mall, Plaza Premium Group, Motorola, B&O, VAIO, Fluke, Landmark Leisure, Thrustmaster, Hercules, RSM International, Habib Bank AG Zurich, BNI, doramakaba, Scott Safety, Semmco Ltd., IBM, MENALAC, Bedaya General Trading LLC, Organic & Real, Cambridge, King’s Traders, Gifto’s of London, Abicalçados, Jabra, Precious Paws, QNA International, Banks Legal, Al Rostamani Communications

w2w Events Founded 2010 Head of company Zareen Khan, owner www.w2wevents.com zareen@w2wevents.com +971 52 765 5525 SPECIALISMS Art exhibitions; artist management; PR management; creative events; film scripting & production; content writing; fashion shows & conferences

Yugen Public Relations Founded 2015 Offices Dubai and Manila Head of company Josh M Yugen info@yugenpr.com SPECIALISMS Fashion; luxury; beauty; tourism/hospitality; real estate

KEY CLIENTS MECSC – Middle East Council of Shopping Centres; The Ballet Centre Dubai; Mad About Dance; ABRA VM SD – Visual Merchandising & Store Design; PT Explores – Wildlife & Nature Preservation

KEY CLIENTS AMATO Couture, Dubai Autism Center, Aston Martin Residences Miami c/o City First Realty, Smile Train, The Miss Universe Organization

Weber Shandwick MENAT

Z7 Communications

Founded 1983 Regional HQ Dubai Holding group Middle East Communications Network (MCN) CEO Ziad Hasbani zhasbani@webershandwick.com

Founded 2007 Headquartered Dubai Head of company Zeina El Dana, owner www.z7communications.com +971 4 477 2389

SPECIALISMS Corporate reputation; banking and financial services; consumer marketing; government communications; integrated communications

SPECIALISMS Brand consulting & strategy; PR & communication; events & experiential; digital & social strategy; content creation & production

KEY CLIENTS Mastercard, First Abu Dhabi Bank, General Motors, Farah Experiences, Netflix

KEY CLIENTS Salvatore Ferragamo, NET-A-PORTER, MR PORTER, Ermenegildo Zegna, Kristina Fidelskaya, Charlotte Tilbury, Aesop, Messika, Vacheron Constantin, Bagatelle

White Water Public Relations Founded 2008 Headquartered Dubai, with affiliates across the globe Head of company Prem Ramachandran www.whitewaterpr.com prem@whitewaterpr.com +971 50 453 7253 SPECIALISMS Communication strategy for Expos; strategic communications; media training; CEO positioning; social media communications; launch campaigns; event conceptualisation KEY CLIENTS Multinationals including local, regional and international brands

Zia Creative Network Founded 2009 Offices Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Halifax Head of company Waseem Yakdi waseem@zianetwork.com SPECIALISMS Advertising; marketing; photo/video production; PR and events KEY CLIENTS Ministry of Interior, Dubai Police, Jaguar Land Rover, Abu Dhabi Pension, ADNEC

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August 30, 2020

HANDS-FREE HANDSET SALES

Lucy Aziz, GCC public relations manager for phone manufacturer Oppo, explains how Covid-19 affected the brand’s PR strategy

C

ovid-19 coincided with key initiatives for Oppo. We had two major launches in the pipeline, introducing our latest technology in the Reno3 series and one for Find X2 Pro, and both were important drivers of success for our region. We had to adapt overnight and pivot to new channels very quickly as we had a small window to react. We reframed our strategy towards a more content-centric, digital approach without sacrificing our pre-Covid visibility objectives. The learnings from what was initially an experiment have brought forward very poignant audience and channel insights that will shape our strategies for the region as we approach the new normal. The interesting thing about the situation we found ourselves in is that it really forced us to reconsider our approach and think outside the box. Physical events are usually a huge aspect of global phone launches. Still, we had to completely change tack and think of innovative approaches to ensure our phones had consistent messaging, awareness and visibility in the market in the absence of a physical launch. While this

presented limitations, it also presented opportunities and enabled a broader scope. The launch of the Reno3 coincided with the start of the pandemic in the UAE, when lockdown had just been enforced. We had to reconsider the online customer journey and ensure that it was achieving efficacy and efficiency to deliver ROI on our spend through our growing e-commerce business channels. The objectives remained the same for comms: driving awareness, consideration and understanding of the phone’s benefits. We had to adapt quickly to make sure that while we were not able to physically launch, consumers were still able to understand the benefits of the product. We realised that we can still achieve successful noise online, especially as so many people were at home in front of their screens. It also gave us more freedom to invest in content creation and promote it well to reach more eyeballs and get more visibility. Oppo is a very young brand, driven by young people, for young people, so our customers are already online, making this switch to digital channels seamless.

We could speak to a wider audience but create customised messaging for each market and have a tailored approach to satisfy the different nuances we experience across such a diverse region. A virtual event means a larger attendance and reach, so is less of a time investment for many of our media. We are now seeing people are getting more and more used to online events as we adapt to the new lifestyle. Just recently, we hosted our SuperVOOC conference online, and we received as much interest and engagement post-event as we would have if this were a physical event. Another positive learning that came from the pandemic was that we, as Oppo, truly realised the benefit of brand love and having loyal supporters that genuinely believe in the brand and help it grow. We have worked tirelessly to build our brand in the MEA region since we entered the market in 2015, and we really saw this effort bear fruit during these last few tough months. We have longstanding partnerships and relationships with many top-tier media and influencers – our army of Oppo ambassadors, as we call them – who continued to support us and remain as active as ever as we brought them our products in different ways. They are more than just partners to us; they are an extended part of our team. Despite the absence of physical events, we’ve experienced high sales of both the Reno3 and Find X2. What we’ve seen is that as things start to return to normal, consumers want to treat themselves and celebrate the return to some normalcy, and one way of doing this is by purchasing a new device. We take great pride in the fact that we treat our customers as partners – every single person that buys an Oppo phone plays a part in our success, and we treat them as such. It is our customers that have contributed to us experiencing 214 per cent year-on-year growth for Q1 2020, something we are hugely proud of. At a time when consumers are very critical of brands, it is brands with integrity that people react positively to. Throughout all of this, we live by our guiding principle of the Chinese term and philosophy, ‘benfen’, which means one’s part or duty; it is focused on accountability. We believe our duty is to share our technology to make our customers’ lives easier. We have seen time and time again that our customers take the time to truly understand the real value and benefits that Oppo can bring them. We recognise that and we respect their needs and aim to deliver accordingly. While the pandemic forced our hand, four months into the journey, we’ve learned quickly, and these new approaches will inevitably shape our path forward. Our mission remains the same; will keep forging ahead, keep learning and keep bringing the best of Oppo to the region.

By LUCY AZIZ, public relations manager GCC, Oppo

August 30, 2020

W NON-

STOP NEWS

In an era of chaos, confusion and change, Sophie Toh asks, how should we communicate?

ell, it’s been quite the year. And as I type today, there seems no end to the relentless pace of change, to the level of daily uncertainty and to the level of resilience employees and business leaders need to navigate their way through the ‘new normal’ – two innocent words currently striking dread into the hearts of the most experienced CEO. To use another cliché, in such ‘unprecedented times’ the pace of news has stepped up to keep up, covering infection rates by the hour, government responses by the day and what feels like fresh disasters by the week. Digital media has come into its own, with social media adding another breathless layer of coverage, made more complex by a proliferation of fake news and a smear of sensationalism. So, in a world where we face the largest health crisis since the Spanish flu, the most serious civil rights crisis since the 60s, one of the biggest non-nuclear explosions in history and the most drastic economic downturn seen a century, what does that mean for the people helping brands find a voice? Is there a sensitive yet impactful way to communicate through the confusion and the melee, and, if so, what does it look like? THINKING GLOBAL What is clear is that communications professionals have no choice but to think global. In a pragmatic sense, in a world where client revenues are compromised, such consolidation may be a case of basic business survival. However, it’s also vital that brands think on a global level to match the spread of the virus. These few months have been marked by the opening and shutting of borders at incredible speed, meaning that consumer travel and spending trends change with them. For example, at the start of the year, many of our international hospitality and retail clients zoomed in on the Middle East as a lucrative market as a response to the closure of Chinese borders. Many wanted accelerated strategies quickly rolled out in March and April, to capitalise on the summer outbound travel from the GCC market. As the virus

‘‘WHILST MANY THINGS REMAIN UNCLEAR, WHAT IS APPARENT IS THAT DURING THESE TIMES, CYNICISM AND OVERT SELLING TACTICS MUST BE PARKED FOR A WHILE.” By SOPHIE TOH, founder of Toh; director, PRCO Group

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spread, plans were scrapped, and we changed course again to focus on all things domestic, and locations that covered the new vogue for staycations or Covid-19appropriate leisure experiences. Our network of seven offices, from London to Shanghai, has let us weather this process relatively well. But the need to stay responsive, communicate incredibly quickly and pivot our plans with just hours of preparation seems far from over. STRATEGY MATTERS The tone of communication has to change too. In a ‘cancel’ culture where the public can exile brands or people with unfavourable views via Twitter, and in a world where frontline workers are our new celebrities, there’s a need for brands and people of influence to proceed with caution. Communicating in a world of rapid societal shifts and quick judgements is not straight forward. Who, like me, has not cringed at the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s moralistic and clumsily ‘woke’ input into the racial debate in the US, whilst releasing a book called Finding Freedom, bemoaning the difficulties of their gilded former royal cage? Or guiltily hidden their Boohoo fast-fashion at the back of their wardrobes? This is most definitely the time to trust and call in the experts. Since March, we’ve successfully advised tourism boards and global retail titans such as Value Retail and Monte Carlo SBM on when and how to promote to GCC consumers; brands such as Tata Group and Savills Middle East on how to focus on commercially viable yet responsible CEO and CSR messaging; and also helped clients such as Harvey Nichols Dubai and Patek Philippe embrace digital transformation, when they resourcefully took their products online during the worst of the lockdowns. We are also supporting major new tourism brands looking to announce new ventures in amongst the noise, setting brand tonality and positioning that we feel are future proofed for the post-Covid-19 era and in sync with public mood. It’s exhilarating stuff, but it’s not the tried and tested route of 12 months ago. KINDNESS IS KING What does the future hold? Whilst many things remain unclear, what is apparent is that during these times, cynicism and overt selling tactics must be parked for a while. As the world grapples to get back on its feet, companies can do worse than simply focus on authentic acts of care and reacquaint themselves with their core values and purposes. My team has been so moved by the plight of the Lebanese community that we’ve offered our spare time to give complimentary services to Beirut companies needing marketing support. And we recently donated our old computer equipment to a deserving community in Manila, whose families needed expensive technology to home school their kids. For the moment it seems that community and communications must go hand-in-hand. For now, whilst the state of the world is all too easy to sum up in a blackly humorous meme, kindness is most certainly king.

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August 30, 2020

A VIEW FROM

Ramsey Naja THE ACCOUNTABILITY GAMES

I

f there is one thing that’s louder today in Lebanon than the recent devastating explosion in the port of Beirut, it must be the sound of voices calling for accountability. Now you have to admit, it’s not something we’re particularly good at in this region, accountability. Hummous, fattouch, stuffed vine leaves, we dig, but the closest we come to that notion is probably the sacrificial lamb. Perhaps part of it is down to the untouchability of the ruling classes but, overall, it is more likely to be the confusion between accountability and its close relative, responsibility.

The immediate aftermath of the Beirut explosion was the Passing The Buck Olympics. The immediate aftermath of the Beirut explosion was the Passing The Buck Olympics. This event saw the above-mentioned confusion in its most impressive dramatisation. It featured people in key positions dashingly engaged in such exciting sports as the Blame Throw, the One Hundred Memos Hurdles, the Justification Marathon and the Liability Run. The only thing missing from the programme was – you guessed it – the High Jump. You see, the bigger and more complex the issue – or

TECH TIPS

YouTube named most responsible social platform Ramsey Naja is the former CCO of JWT MEA; @geminisnake

tragedy in this case – the easier it is to find disposable riffraff that should have been paying attention anyway and who you can justifiably throw on the altar of public appeasement, and the more difficult it is to nail down the guys in high positions who should really be brought down to account. But scapegoating – for that’s what it is – is of course not monopolised by politics. If anything, it finds a shinier champion in the big corporation. Here you’ll find jobsworths who turn this survival game into a fine art. These are the people who will rise to the top by sandbagging their inefficiency or ineptitude with their own brand of politics, finger-pointing and the bcc’d email – indeed with all the tools that contribute to a decisive blurring of the line between responsibility and accountability. That’s because, contrary to common perception, it is not your responsibilities that grow with your career; it is the other part. The higher you go, the more exposed you are to the policies, the culture and the people that you select, that you adopt and that you champion along your way, and the more accountable you are for the failures they may produce. The Beirut explosion teaches us that a culture of laxity and negligence can have catastrophic effects. But it also tells us that the guilty parties are not the lax and the negligent as much as the ones who nurtured that culture and allowed it to thrive.

Motivate Publishing Group Head Office: 34th Floor, Media One Tower, Dubai Media City, Dubai, UAE. Tel: +971 4 427 3000, Email: motivate@motivate.ae Dubai Media City: Motivate Publishing FZ LLC, Office 508, 5th Floor, Building 8, Dubai, UAE. Tel: +971 4 390 3550, Fax: +971 4 390 4845 Abu Dhabi: Motivate Advertising, Marketing & Publishing, PO Box 43072, Abu Dhabi, UAE. Tel: +971 2 677 2005, Fax: +971 2 677 0124, Email: motivate-adh@motivate.ae London: Motivate Publishing Ltd, Acre House, 11/15 William Road, London NW1 3ER. motivateuk@motivate.ae www.motivatemedia.com EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief Obaid Humaid Al Tayer Managing Partner and Group Editor Ian Fairservice Editor Austyn Allison DESIGN Senior Art Director Olga Petroff Art Director Sheila Deocareza Junior Designer Thokchom Remy ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES Tel: +971 4 427 3000 Chief Commercial Officer Anthony Milne Group Sales Manager Nadeem Ahmed Quraishi (+971 50 6453365) Group Marketing Manager Anusha Azees PRODUCTION General Manager S. Sunil Kumar Assistant Production Manager Binu Purandaran HAYMARKET MEDIA GROUP Chairman Kevin Costello Managing Director Jane Macken

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YouTube has been named most responsible social media platform in an audit carried out by IPG Mediabrands that aims to hold social companies accountable in improving their responsibility policies. The agency has launched a quarterly Media Responsibility Audit that put YouTube in first place as a result of how it responded to brand-safety concerns three years ago, when some advertisers pulled campaigns after they found their ads were running alongside extremist content. Twitter follows in second place, with LinkedIn a close third, Snap in fourth and Facebook in fifth. Pinterest (sixth), Twitch (seventh), Reddit (eighth) and TikTok (ninth) were listed as “below average”. The report analysed the platforms against 10 principles: promoting respect; protecting people; diversity; data collection and use; children’s well-being; whether they block hate speech; misinformation; how they enforce their policy; advertising transparency; and accountability. Each social platform completed a survey with 250 questions around these points. The audit found that most platforms are falling short of backing up their policies with consistent enforcement. The study said: “They rarely focus on the platforms holding themselves accountable for their own enforcement of policies.” It added that there is also an “urgent need” for third-party verification when it comes to protecting brands from their ads appearing next to content considered to be harmful. “The industry needs to promote and use third-party verification partners more widely, so we are not at the mercy of the platforms’ lack of controls,” the report noted. Other findings included that misinformation is a challenge for most platforms and this is therefore an opportunity for advertisers to apply pressure on them. “While certain platforms work with many organisations to combat misinformation, others work with none at all,” the report said. “Some platforms cited their unique engagement models as reason to deprioritise fact-checking, but our desktop research shows that even minor instances can lead to unsafe ad placement for advertisers.” By Gurjit Degun

August 30, 2020

31

An unexpected turn of events

A

ccording to my CV I’ve run events, and that’s true. Sort of. Campaign’s Breakfast Briefings have been a big success over the past few years, as has our annual Marcomms 360 conference, and our other industry gatherings with great speakers, great content and Campaign’s name all over them. I help plan, programme and host those events, and as Campaign’s editor I take a lot of the credit. But I’m not an events person. There is no way I could call myself an event organiser. I wouldn’t have the nerve to give myself that label because I don’t have the nerve to do that job. The parts of the process I take on are useful and necessary, sure, but no matter how worried I am about trying to persuade a speaker to join me on stage or getting my note cards in order, that is nothing to the pressure that full-time events people handle on a daily basis. There’s a reason ‘events coordinator’ often appears on lists of the most stressful jobs. In a 2019 ranking by US jobs website Careercast, the role was ranked sixth, making it more taxing than journalism, PR or being a senior corporate executive, and only being beaten by careers such as firefighter and enlisted military personnel. Events people spend their lives among spinning plates. Great big expensive plates, often plates with huge budgets, reputations and careers balanced on them. Speakers, attendees, sponsors, permits, venues, caterers, security, marketing, timekeeping… the list goes on. All of us in the wider communications industry are involved with events from time to time, but most of us merely plug ourselves into the matrix that full-timers live in. Perhaps because we are not as tough. Perhaps because our doctors have had strong words with us about blood pressure. This year coronavirus has dialled the challenges up to 11. Expos and conferences have been cancelled. Venues aren’t safe. Sponsors aren’t sure. Populations aren’t allowed out of their house. That sort of thing.

Yet the events professionals have somehow managed to take this in their stride. They have shifted to online models, to hybrid models. And not as weak imitations of physical gatherings; they have made a virtue of the virtual. Events organisers have had me hosting panels with social media experts in New York and music specialists in Europe. I have ‘attended’ talks by industry gurus like DDB’s Les Binet, and I’m currently preparing to host a webinar with Editor speakers joining from the UK and China, as well as the Middle East. austyn.allison@motivate.ae Nimble and resourceful events @maustyn folks have turned our stay-at-home weaknesses into world-connected strengths, and they continue to innovate. Interactive polls are becoming de rigueur, and questions are open to everyone, from front-row CEOs to cheapseat juniors, helping democratise professional debate. These innovations will carry forward. The Republican National Convention in the US is being run as a hybrid model, and most professionals I have spoken to predict that even once the pandemic is over, Covid-era tech will be integrated into more live events, now that it has proven its worth. If you’d asked most people a year ago what they thought a global lockdown would do to the events industry, they might have said it would be a disaster. That’s an easy mistake to make until you remember the calibre, skill-set and mentality of the people who run the show.

AUSTYN ALLISON

You snooze, you lose T

A VIEW FROM

DAVE TROTT

Dave Trott is the author of Creative Mischief, Predatory Thinking and One Plus One Equals Three

here are 3.24 million cashpoint machines (ATMs) in use worldwide. But the invention of the cashpoint is a typically British-bodge story. It didn’t have teams of electronic engineers working in research and development labs. It had one eccentric Scotsman named John Shepherd-Barron. In the 1950s he wanted some cash out of the bank, but they shut at 3pm in those days. So he couldn’t get his own money out of his own bank account. This annoyed him and, in his bath, a thought struck him: why not get machines to dispense cash the way machines dispensed chocolate bars? He worked on the idea and eventually persuaded Barclays bank. He used cheque-like paper tokens impregnated with radioactive Carbon-14 (it wasn’t dangerous; you’d have to eat 136,000 cheques to have any ill effects). Shepherd-Barron wanted a sixfigure PIN but his wife could only remember four numbers, which is why we have a four-figure PIN. He thought withdrawals should be limited to £10, which he felt was “Quite sufficient for a wild weekend”. In 1967 it was launched at Barclays’ Enfield branch. The first

withdrawal was made by Reg Varney (who played a bus driver in the TV sitcom On the Buses). Later, Shepherd-Barron received an OBE for his invention. Which really infuriated another Scotsman, James Goodfellow, who says he was the real inventor of the ATM. A year before Shepherd-Barron unveiled his cashpoint machine, Goodfellow had officially patented his. The banks were worried that the unions were going to stop bank staff working Saturday mornings, which was the only time working people could access their cash. So Goodfellow had to get 2,000 ATMs available for one million bank customers. And Goodfellow’s version had the plastic card we use today, not a radioactive cheque. He was angry about not getting the credit because “The race to get it on the street was not as important. Getting it right was the answer, not getting it first.” But, as we know, in the public’s mind that isn’t true. In Al Ries and Jack Trout’s book Positioning, they say it’s binary, the public divides any market into two: number one and everybody else. The public don’t study every single market in fine detail.

That’s why everyone remembers Isaac Newton as the inventor of calculus, despite the fact that it’s Gottfried Wilhelm Liebniz’s version we use today. That’s why everyone remembers Pablo Picasso as the inventor of cubism, not Georges Braque. That’s why everyone remembers Thomas Edison as the inventor of the lightbulb, not Joseph Swan. That’s why everyone remembers Guglielmo Marconi as the inventor of radio, not Nikola Tesla. That’s why everyone remembers Steve Jobs as the inventor of the computer mouse, the scroll-down menu and desktop publishing. Despite the fact that he admits taking all those ideas from the Palo Alto Research Centre. So, in our terms, Goodfellow got it exactly wrong – if he wanted the credit for inventing the ATM machine, the object was to stake a claim in the public’s consciousness. Differentiation is crucial – without that, we’re just part of the mass. But differentiation will give us clarity and identity in one of the thousands of categories fighting for attention in their daily lives. Amanda Walsh used to tell me the retail mantra was: “One is wonderful. Two is tolerable. Three is threatened. Four is forgotten.”

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August 30, 2020

Emirates Nation Brand… ‘The execution didn’t really help.’ (SS)

BAS Mall… ‘I loved the idea, energy and music.’ (JL)

Batelco… ‘I’m concerned about the withdrawal symptoms that can come from all these rewards we keep giving people for the smallest things.’ (JL)

Zegna… ‘Words are as powerful as imagery when used effectively.’ (SS)

YouTube… ‘Are people still bothered about Guinness World Records?’ (JL)

August 30, 2020

33

Private View JACK LEONARDO

STEPHANIE STEPHAN

Director and cinematographer, Crisp

Associate creative director, Liquid Retail

The “Hope Probe” campaign for EMIRATES NATION BRAND (1) has the likeable Khaled Al Amiri interacting with passengers at Dubai Airport in a candid-camera-style performance. While Khaled’s passion provided warmth and appeal, if the purpose of the video was to spread awareness about the probe, almost no information comes out from the interactions. Half of the video focuses on amusing reactions and his personality, but never pushes beyond this. I’d have liked to see him explain what’s actually happening in a more unexpected way than pretending to be confused with a space helmet.

(1) EMIRATES NATION BRAND. A moment of pride that deserves the attention of the world, and the brand made sure to shed light on this achievement. A perfect location: the airport, Dubai’s gateway to the world. A great idea to intrigue people with an ‘out-of-earth’ destination, one that shows the nation’s determination to ‘make the impossible possible’. The execution, however, didn’t really help in delivering interesting content and getting organic engagement from people. A failed attempt at comedy or a lack of seriousness, which made it sit in a middle zone that is not particularly intriguing. Let’s hope they had better equipment for their actual mission to Mars.

Another Hope Probe-inspired campaign from BAWABAT AL SHARQ MALL (2) in Abu Dhabi is a romanticised telling of the UAE’s history of developments and successes. I loved the idea, energy and music, but felt the execution was rushed and the use of a lot of well-worn commercial stock footage takes away the simplicity and impact of the story. Overall, a positive tribute from a mall going the extra mile. BATELCO’S (3) campaign glorifies regular people who #Stayathome, with medals of honour developed into a Snapchat filter. It’s a great idea, and anything that encourages people to be conscious of and treasure the new personal skills developed over lockdown is, for me, very welcome in corporate campaigns. Execution and timing were brilliant. But I’m concerned about the withdrawal symptoms that can come from all these rewards we keep giving people for the smallest things. The idea of involving the power of words and poetry in fashion branding campaigns can be an interesting challenge. ZEGNA (4) has opted for Alisha Patel, a Dubaibased ‘Instapoet’, whose work focuses on inspirational quotes of an often generic fashion. If this collaboration was a book, it would be found in the self-help section of the branding bookstore. I’m not sure how this can help Zegna further their narrative in a long-term organic way, other than as a pastiche Covid-19-stunt. Other than this, they usually have killer visual content, and you should check it out. Are people still bothered about Guinness World Records? Apparently yes. BBDO partnered with YOUTUBE (5) to connect six of the region’s biggest YouTube creators all in one platform during the month of Ramadan, allowing almost 200,000 people to be with them during iftar, and 7 million people to watch after the event. It’s great community work and the creators’ genuine happiness does make a positive ripple in this problematic year.

(2) BAWABAT AL SHARQ MALL. The UAE is a country that moved from the inhabitancy of a desert into a modern green state that competes on a global level. Today, they continue to challenge the impossible by setting a mission to Mars. A very brief video that managed through creative storytelling to celebrate the past and future achievements of a successful nation. Who better than the UAE to promise a possibility of life on Mars? (3) BATELCO . ‘Heroes’ is a used and abused term during this pandemic, but much needed at a time where the world had to stand together and fight. This campaign expands the notion of a hero and takes it to the zone of ‘everyone is a hero’, just like ‘everyone is a winner’ at school. An interesting spin to celebrate the ‘stay-at-home heroes’ and emphasise the importance of self-isolation. Confining yourself to a couch actually contributed to saving lives. Isn’t this what heroes are about? Love the copy and art direction. A successful campaign that achieved engagement and positioned the brand as a responsible actor. (4) ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA. I will keep it as short as the two posts that the brand has invested in for this campaign. I love the use of poetry as a form of expression; words are as powerful as imagery when used effectively. Empathy to break man’s stereotype? Well, a good starting point to break the coldness of a traditional suit and spark some emotions. (5) YOUTUBE. A Guinness World record? Being an 80s kid I am very excited to see what is coming next… Back then, the content of every page of the Guinness Book of World Records had something so different and unique. But it seems the focus these days is only about breaking numbers, and this is another example of that. The only great thing about the idea is bringing celebrities together and broadcasting playful content that is much needed during this pandemic. While iftar is a gathering of loved ones to share food, I left this table feeling hungry.

Emirates Nation Brand

Title: Flight UAE001 Probe to Mars Agencies: Socialeyez; Public Diplomacy Office

Bawabat Al Sharq Mall

Title: Mars Hope Probe Agency: AMC – Advertising & Marketing Consultants Creative director: Imran Mohideen English copywriter: Samir K Shaji Arabic copywriter: Asem Hatem Motion graphics: Zahran Hameed, Yasser Shaker Account manager: Rabiah Atat Social media executives: Katrina Salaysay, Ghazal Hawwash

Batelco

Title: #StayAtHomeHeroes Agency: And Us Founder and CCO: Fadi Yaish Senior creative: Camila Venegas Gomez Creative directors: Sandy McIntosh; Jamie Kennaway; Steve De Lange Head of content & video production: Serena Chemaly Shot and produced by: Studio Melt Online content production: Black Box Design agency: No One Lens development: Tactical

Ermenegildo Zegna

Title: @WordsmithAlisha Poetry Instapoet: Alisha Patel

YouTube

Title: World-Record Live-Streamed Iftar Agency: Impact BBDO

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August 30, 2020

The Spin Some mistakes are almost too big to be mistakes. Like plastering the side of an Ikea store in Bahrain with a massive ad where the Arabic translates as “same text as above, but in Arabic”. The Spin wonders if this is all a ploy to get people talking about the furniture retailer. If it is, it’s working. If it’s not, well, it’s still working. While most of us – as consumers, customers and regular Joes – probably prefer to opt out of most mass emails, marketers do love to send them (remember to subscribe to Campaign’s newsletter, by the way!). And sometimes, The Spin suggests, they might just try to confuse their customers into signing up. But we’re sure that’s not what this clothing store’s website was aiming for. The Spin was recently served this ad for, well, ads. Which is pretty meta when it is delivered to a magazine about advertising. But we wonder what sort of existential crisis the designer was having as he sat there, laughing at his laptop, eating his baby food, and finally just apologising. For what? Are you “high-up on the purpose pedestal”? Then this book, apparently, is a must-read for you. The problem with pedestals, though, is that people famously fall from them. Be warned.

CAMPAIGN DIARY

Marketing Mania

Lynx Live

December 6-9 Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai

October 5-7 Virtual event

There is a new kid on the block that promises to rock your world. Marketing Mania, a creative and digital festival, is coming to Dubai this December. It promises more than 10,000 marketing, design, advertising, social and creative professionals under one roof , with competitions, activations, demo zones, performances, live art and training as well as high-profile speakers.

Dubai Lynx has launched a free, curated three-day digitally streamed experience. The festival organisers say: “From the UAE to Egypt to Saudi Arabia, Lynx Live is for anyone in the MENA communications industry and beyond who believes in creative possibility.” The event will run from 5-7 October, and will bring together talent from across the world to talk about what’s next for creativity in MENA. There will be a daily programme of original series, creative conversations, debates and interviews in a magazine show format.

For more details: marketingmaniashow.com

More details at dubailynx.com

The power of three. When insightful research and deep capabilities in digital, social and design come together with the leading PR consultancy in the Middle East and North Africa, the result is an integrated creative and digital-first team geared to address the challenges of today and tomorrow.

asdaa-bcw.com

proof-communications.com

psbinsights.com