Latest news with #Digitas
Fast Company
07-08-2025
- Business
- Fast Company
Moving consumer experiences forward: What it means to be a modern marketing partner
The agency landscape is going through a period of significant consolidation and transformation. As holding companies restructure, independent shops get acquired, and traditional players merge, a new clarity about the agency model is emerging—one that goes beyond the industry's past identity crisis. After two decades of watching talent and attention shift toward Silicon Valley's tech giants, agencies are now positioned at the forefront of a profound shift back to human-verified solutions. This reset isn't about rejecting technology, particularly as AI platforms stand under the spotlight. But we all need to put AI in its proper place: as a tool wielded by human intelligence, creativity, and empathy. This is the moment to get this transitional period right. As brands navigate increasingly fragmented audiences and rapidly evolving platforms, they're seeking agency partners who know how to serve up real value, delivering answers in an AI-driven world, and pairing it with authentic design. Brands that inspire culture and build community will dominate. Fail to deliver on this, and your brand won't just fade—it'll vanish into irrelevance. Agencies, having weathered the tech industry's dominance, are uniquely positioned to deliver this balance. This moment demands that we rethink what an agency truly is. At Digitas, we've evolved from our roots as a 'direct marketing start-up' to become an established innovator, but our mission remains unchanged: inventing what our clients don't yet know they need. That forward-looking perspective has never been more vital than in our current rapidly evolving landscape. But as with any period of change, marketing professionals need to do a better job of clarifying what their roles and responsibilities are—and why they're important to clients and consumers. Let me lay the cards on the table: The term 'advertising agency' no longer captures the scope of what modern marketing demands. The very nature of marketing is experiencing a fundamental transformation surrounding the ways that brands connect with consumers across an ever-expanding array of touchpoints. This new reality requires a partner and modern marketing talent who can navigate the full spectrum of modern marketing. I'm talking about everything from commerce strategy to cultural storytelling, from data science to creative innovation—a veritable herd of unicorns at the helm. What sets agencies apart is our ability to serve every kind of client across any industry or location. I get it; who knows your brand better than the people working inside every day? Those benefits may be of limited value, however. After all, you and your internal stakeholders are not the audience you need to attract and maintain. Agencies bring together multidisciplinary talents and perspectives, synthesizing diverse skills and viewpoints. This ability to see across varying mindsets, cultures, identities, geographies, and business needs isn't just an advantage; the outside frame of reference is essential for marketing success in a complex global marketplace. Information is increasingly shaped and filtered by AI, calling on us to pioneer a new industry model, one that recognizes the need for human agents who know how to direct those virtual agents. Many advertising and marketing leaders have sought to assuage professionals' career fears by saying adoption of AI isn't about replacing human creativity; rather, it's about amplifying it. True enough. But after that, the details get a little fuzzy. THE MODERN AGENCY ADVANTAGE The future belongs to those who can harness AI's efficiency while maintaining the human touch that drives genuine connections and fosters transparency and community. We're moving beyond factory-oriented processes to create an environment where creativity flourishes in every aspect of our work, from media buying to data science. For the agencies that invested in data-driven marketing in a way that made it foundational to their work, that effort is paying off now as we move into the AI era. But data alone isn't enough. The real magic happens at the convergence of media, data, technology, and creative. This intersection is where tomorrow's marketing leaders are born, whether they start as data scientists, creative directors, or strategists. The modern agency advantage lies in our rejection of the assembly-line approach to marketing. Every function, from media buying to creative development, demands genuinely new thinking. When a data scientist joins our team, they're not just crunching numbers—they're becoming future agents of brands and learning to translate analytical insights into strategic guidance that drives business growth. Our strength comes from our ability to balance and integrate multiple disciplines. The market's priorities may shift—right now, technology and media are particularly hot—but success comes from combining these elements in ways that serve our clients' specific needs. It's not about choosing between media planning, creative, or digital capabilities. Everything we touch must support and reinforce the entire spectrum of marketing tools at our disposal. This integrated approach allows us to be more than service providers. We become true partners in our clients' success. By maintaining empathy for both the consumer and our clients' business objectives, we can make strategic recommendations that go beyond the expected. Sometimes that means advising against a Super Bowl ad in favor of performance marketing, or suggesting a shift in resource allocation based on data-driven insights. The promise of modern marketing isn't just about personalization at scale or the latest technological innovation. It's about understanding what makes someone feel like a super parent, an accomplished professional, or whatever aspiration drives their decisions. That understanding comes from a combination of contextual intelligence and human insight that no algorithm alone can provide. It also recognizes that the funnel as we've known it is dead. The funnel is fluid now. That means a consumer's experience exists within a networked ecosystem. To deliver on that, you need to balance tech, media, data, and intelligence. Agencies that thrive understand that. And those that can maintain their humanity while embracing technological advancement. We're not just adapting to change—we're actively shaping it to create the future of marketing one advancement at a time.
Zawya
16-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Digitas Middle East achieves Platinum Partner Status with optimizely in UAE and KSA
Dubai, United Arab Emirates: Digitas, a connected marketing agency under Publicis Groupe Middle East, has officially been awarded Platinum Partner status by Optimizely, marking a key milestone that positions the agency as the only regional player to hold this distinction in both the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Praveen Prabhakaran, General Manager at Optimizely, commented 'We're proud to recognize Digitas Middle East as a Platinum Partner — a testament to their outstanding expertise, strategic leadership, and commitment to delivering transformative digital experiences. As the only regional partner to hold Platinum status in both the UAE and Saudi Arabia, Digitas is setting a new standard for digital innovation in high-growth markets. Their recent win as Optimizely's 2024 Partner of the Year for the Middle East and Africa further underscores their exceptional impact in the region. We're excited to build on our collaboration and help more organizations realize the full potential of Optimizely's industry-leading platform.' Platinum status represents the highest level of partnership within Optimizely's global ecosystem, granted only to agencies that demonstrate deep technical expertise, strategic alignment, and a strong track record of delivering successful digital experiences using the platform. The recognition provides Digitas with access to exclusive features, early product releases, advanced training, and priority support, benefits that will directly translate into more agile, data-driven, and personalised solutions for clients. Digitas has already been putting these capabilities into action, transforming the experience of their partners. The announcement follows Digitas being named Optimizely Solution Partner of the Year 2024 for the MEA region, recognition of the agency's ability to turn the platform into real business results. Kareem Monem, CEO of Digitas ME, commented 'This recognition is more than a badge, it's a reflection of our commitment to pushing the boundaries of customer experience in the region. As digital expectations rise, our clients need smarter, faster, and more adaptable solutions. With Optimizely, we now have the industry's leading Digital Experience Platform as recognised by Gartner and Forrester to lead that charge and deliver results that matter.' These achievements further solidifies Digitas' commitment to delivering best-in-class digital capabilities across the region, particularly in high-growth markets like the UAE and KSA. With clients in sectors ranging from telecom to public services, the agency is now better positioned than ever to help organisations transform how they engage with their audience Digitas' Platinum status is effective immediately and will inform several key client programs launching in 2025. About Publicis Groupe - The Power of One Publicis Groupe [Euronext Paris FR0000130577, CAC 40] is a global leader in communication. The Groupe is positioned at every step of the value chain, from consulting to execution, combining marketing transformation and digital business transformation. Publicis Groupe is a privileged partner in its clients' transformation to enhance personalization at scale. The Groupe relies on ten expertise concentrated within four main activities: Communication, Media, Data and Technology. Through a unified and fluid organization, its clients have facilitated access to all its expertise in every market. Present in over 100 countries, Publicis Groupe employs around 96,000 professionals.
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
How Brands Can Build Lasting Relationships With Fickle Customers
Loyalty today means giving customers a reason to stick with a brand. First-party data is the loyalty engine, as is creating mutual value. Experiences, not discounts, seal the relationship. Consumers today have infinite ways to scroll past, swipe away, or price compare a brand out of their lives, and brands now have the daunting task of giving consumers a compelling reason to stay. During an ADWEEK House Cannes Group Chat co-hosted with Fetch, senior marketing leaders gathered to discuss and compare playbooks for turning fleeting attention into lasting loyalty. Loyalty used to be a punch card or points game. It's now a live scorecard that updates with every tap, scan, or scroll. Robin Wheeler, chief revenue officer at Fetch, opened the conversation by explaining how the rewards platform sees over 11 million receipts a day, and about 88% of consumers' monthly purchases. That breadth of data matters. "We know exactly what this person is doing in all aspects of their life," Wheeler said. Fetch can deliver targeting segments that nurture loyalty over time, vital when "consumers have more and more things to choose from." Citing fresh qualitative research run with Digitas, she reframed the stakes: "Loyalty is no longer about keeping the customer; it's about giving the customer a reason to keep you." Brands can't coast on yesterday's perks. "I think loyalty certainly has changed a lot, and I don't think it's necessarily about what you've done for that customer in the past," noted Jason Acker, VP of media, digital, and consumer data, Diageo North America. "It's what is the next thing you're going to provide for that consumer." For Coca-Cola, that "next thing" is built on credibility. "Simply put, it's a trusted relationship," shared Robin Triplett, VP of integrated marketing experiences at Coca-Cola North America. "Loyalty for me is pretty simple. It's mutual value," stated Melissa Berger, chief solutions officer at Digitas. When the exchange tilts, she warned, "Then it's just a discount. It's not loyalty. It's not driving a further relationship." That sentiment echoed across categories. Elaine Rodrigo, chief insights and analytics officer at Reckitt, stressed that enduring loyalty starts with shared values. "First and foremost, the product has to be superior and deliver on what it promises," she said, pointing to two of Reckitt's brands, Lysol and Dettol. "After that comes the relationship you build with people individually, so you have this shared value system." For Allegra Krishnan, chief loyalty and engagement officer at McDonald's, loyalty lives at the intersection of transactional and emotional rewards. "A program is our way of thanking customers for their loyalty to us in exchange for data," she explained. At Ulta Beauty, data is the brand's "secret sauce." With 45 million active loyalty members responsible for 95 cents of every sales dollar, the retailer sits on what CMO Kelly Mahoney called "a mountain of first-party data." That reservoir lets Ulta bring together each guest's beauty goals, suggest the perfect shade match, and nurture "lifelong loyalty and brand love." Andy Wells, head of growth marketing at DoorDash, shared the same principle in on-demand commerce. The brand uses data to understand "how the consumer has engaged with us, and then what's the next best thing to put in front of them, to teach them about a new use case or a new opportunity to leverage DoorDash." Digitas' Berger distilled the consumer side of the equation: ease is everything. Research that her agency just completed found that shoppers abandon programs that make them "do math." Her advice: bake rewards into the native experience, so the value shows up before customers even think to ask. "I think it's so important to follow the data, what drives the outcome, and be able to be nimble enough to quickly adopt and change," shared Carmen Gonzalez-Meister, general manager of food, beverage, and pet at Fetch. "So, if you're trying to get a brand buyer to shop your entire portfolio, how do you get them to actually make that change?" It's clear that younger generations are changing the loyalty game. "They want to be rewarded for everything they do, not just how they spend their money," explained Gonzalez-Meister. "Gen Zs, especially, want to be rewarded for how they spend their time." Experiences matter more to the younger generation than points, shared Ulta Beauty's Mahoney. However, they do "want to come to the stores" with their friends. And "we want the stores to become very much a destination." It's this insight that is driving Ulta's roadmap of in-store events, destination-style "eventing," and built-in gifting moments aimed at what Mahoney calls "the next generation of consumer." Featured Conversation Leaders Jason Acker, VP of Media, Digital, and Consumer Data for Diageo, North America Melissa Berger, Chief Solutions Officer, Digitas Carmen Gonzalez-Meister, General Manager, Food, Beverage, and Pet, Fetch Allegra Krishnan, Chief Loyalty and Engagement Officer, McDonald's Kelly Mahoney, CMO, Ulta Beauty Elaine Rodrigo, Chief Insights and Analytics Officer, Reckitt Zoë Ruderman, Chief Content Officer, ADWEEK Robin Triplett, VP, Integrated Marketing Experiences, Coca-Cola Andy Wells, Head of Growth Marketing, DoorDash
