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Campaign ME
09-04-2025
- Business
- Campaign ME
How programmatic curation is reshaping MENA's advertising challenges
MENA's digital advertising landscape has reached a pivotal moment. Marketers and buyers must navigate an ecosystem of platforms and channels while contending with evolving privacy regulations, heightened brand safety concerns, and demands for more precise audience engagement. As traditional programmatic approaches show their limitations, programmatic curation is emerging as a strategic solution. One that aligns perfectly with regional regulatory developments like Saudi Arabia's Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL) and the region's rapidly expanding Connected TV (CTV) market. Why programmatic curation has become essential in the MENA region Programmatic curation is reshaping how advertisers in MENA manage their digital inventory, offering greater control over premium placements while seamlessly integrating audience data for more effective targeting. As regional brands prioritise quality and brand safety, curation delivers the transparency and fraud protection essential for building consumer trust, complementing existing programmatic strategies through enhanced precision and relevance. When combined with supply path optimisation and contextual targeting – particularly with emphasis on Arabic-language content and cultural sensitivity – programmatic curation creates a stronger foundation for digital advertising success in the MENA region. Finally, curation is the most effective way to run a programmatic campaign across multiple countries, ensuring both quality and efficiency. For instance, tourism brands in MENA looking to target European and Asian markets can leverage curation to build high-quality, brand-safe marketplaces tailored to each region. By selecting premium publishers, vetted inventory, and relevant audience segments, they can ensure their ads appear in the most impactful environments while maintaining control over transparency and performance. Unlike open-market buying, which can be fragmented and riskier for a brand with stringent guidelines, curation allows them to streamline their strategy, access top-tier inventory with ease, and launch campaigns in new markets quickly maximising reach, relevance, and return on investment. Enhancing addressability in a privacy-first world Curation's most valuable contribution is how it enhances addressability in an increasingly privacy-conscious marketplace. While global markets have transitioned to first-party data strategies, many MENA publishers are still in the early stages of adoption. Curation bridges this gap through collaborative partnerships where publishers and advertisers can create tailored audience segments within premium environments without relying on third-party identifiers. This approach benefits both sides. Publishers see stronger revenue through fair CPMs and guaranteed deals, while advertisers gain access to high-quality inventory with precise targeting. In a multilingual market where audiences engage with content in Arabic, English, and increasingly South Asian languages, curation ensures advertisements maintain contextual relevance to target audiences. The result is dynamic pricing models that reflect true audience value, building a more efficient ecosystem focused on quality rather than volume. The potential of CTV in MENA Curation solutions play a key role in CTV, which is rapidly emerging as the next frontier in programmatic advertising. While CTV offers unique inventory opportunities and access to rich audience segments, its diversity across multiple platforms and publishers adds a layer of complexity. Curation helps bring clarity to this fragmented space by refining inventory selection and ensuring precise audience targeting. With centralised data activation and consistent measurement, curation streamlines cross-platform campaign execution, preserving inventory quality while enabling seamless scaling across markets. This ensures campaign effectiveness at every level of activation. For example, a luxury automotive brand looking to engage high-net-worth consumers in MENA can leverage curation to access premium CTV inventory across different local Video on Demand services, focusing on drama and documentary genres where affluent, culturally engaged viewers are most active. This approach ensures ads appear in high-quality, brand-suitable environments that resonate with the target audience. Maximising success through implementation Successful curation strategies strike a balance between revenue optimisation and performance management. In MENA, where many premium publishers still rely heavily on direct deals, curation presents an opportunity to shift more revenue into programmatic without sacrificing pricing control. Publishers can protect inventory value while driving optimal yield by layering curated marketplaces with high-CPM direct deals, PMPs, programmatic guaranteed campaigns, and strategic preferred deals backed by supply path optimisation (SPO). With SPO gaining traction in MENA, advertisers are increasingly focused on cost efficiency and reducing unnecessary ad tech fees. Strategic sell-side technology integrations and secure data partnerships enhance programmatic capabilities, ensuring precise audience targeting at scale while maintaining control over media quality. For buyers, tracking key performance metrics – such as viewability, brand safety, return on ad spend (ROAS), and cross-platform attribution – is essential to maximising curation's effectiveness. These insights enable continuous optimisation, helping publishers refine their approach and unlock stronger results. A combination of strategic implementation and rigorous measurement ensures that curation delivers both performance and protection while preserving the value of premium inventory. The future of programmatic curation in MENA As programmatic advertising matures, curation provides the structure needed to navigate MENA's shifting regulatory landscape while adapting to new channels. With data privacy laws tightening across the region – though at different speeds in each market – curation offers a way to maintain targeting precision without compromising compliance. Looking ahead, AI-driven optimisation, deeper integration with first-party data, and enhanced cross-channel capabilities will further elevate curation's role in programmatic strategy. As these innovations take shape, curation will remain essential for balancing performance with control, ensuring advertisers and publishers can drive meaningful outcomes in an evolving digital ecosystem. For marketers navigating MENA's rapidly evolving digital landscape, the time to act is now. Curation aligns the interests of advertisers, publishers, and audiences by prioritising quality, relevance, and brand safety – critical factors in a region where premium inventory and audience trust are key. Businesses that embrace curation's strategic potential will be better positioned to run privacy-compliant, highly targeted campaigns that drive meaningful engagement and measurable results in MENA. By Amélie Grenier-Bolay, Country Manager, Italy and MENA, PubMatic
Campaign ME
11-03-2025
- Business
- Campaign ME
Why clean rooms are the lighthouse in a data haze
The digital marketing world is in upheaval, much like a ship caught in a storm. With third-party cookies crumbling and privacy laws tightening, first-party data is now the star of the show. Businesses are racing to harness its power for deeper insights and personalised experiences. But this rush has created a 'first-party data haze' – a maze of collection, management and activation challenges. Enter data clean rooms, the beacons of light offering a secure, privacy-friendly way to navigate these treacherous waters. First-party data remains the treasured gold. It's the direct link to your customers, revealing their behaviours, preferences and needs. Collected with consent, it can supercharge marketing campaigns, boost revenue and build loyalty. But the voyage to leveraging this data can be complex and turbulent, resulting in a whopping 75 per cent of marketers still relying on third-party cookies for their marketing strategies. The hurdles 1. Data overload: First-party data is scattered across customer relationship management (CRM) systems, marketing platforms, and e-commerce databases. Integrating this into a single, actionable view requires significant technical expertise and investment. Plus, data quality is crucial – inconsistent formats, incomplete records, and outdated information can lead to flawed insights and misguided marketing efforts. Think of it as trying to navigate with outdated maps and scattered coordinates. 2. Privacy maze: Ever-changing regulations such as the Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL) and National Data Management Office (NDMO) standards demand transparency and explicit consent for data use. This makes navigating the compliant collection and use of first-party data harder, especially when collaborating with partners. 3. Measurement effectiveness: Without access to third-party cookies, attributing conversions and understanding the customer journey across different touchpoints has become significantly more complex. This lack of clarity hinders the ability to optimise marketing spend and to demonstrate return on investment. The solution: data clean rooms Data clean rooms offer a secure and privacy-preserving space for multiple parties to analyse data together without sharing the raw data. Think of it as a secure vault where different datasets can be brought together, analysed and matched, but the individual records remain protected. Data clean rooms operate on the principle of differential privacy, a sophisticated mathematical technique that adds noise to the data to make it impossible to identify individual records. This ensures that insights derived from the combined datasets do not reveal personally identifiable information. They employ techniques such as data masking, aggregation, and noise addition to safeguard individual privacy while enabling valuable analysis. This enables businesses to leverage: Enhanced first-party data: By combining their own first-party data with that of a partner, businesses can gain a more holistic view of their customers and identify new segments, enabling more targeted and engaging advertising campaigns. A recent PwC study found that businesses using data clean rooms experienced 10-15 per cent increase in customer engagement. Effective measurement: Data clean rooms enable businesses to measure the impact of their marketing campaigns across different channels and platforms. By matching anonymised customer data with campaign exposure data, they can accurately attribute conversions and optimise their marketing spend. Facilitated partnerships: Data clean rooms enable secure data sharing and collaboration with partners, such as publishers, retailers and other data providers. This allows businesses to expand their reach and access new audiences while adhering to privacy regulations. New revenue streams: By combining data from different sources, businesses can gain a deeper understanding of customer needs and preferences, unlocking revenue streams. As digital marketing evolves, data clean rooms will get even smarter, integrating AI and other technologies. Businesses must invest in data quality and governance to ensure accuracy and compliance. With 63 per cent of CMOs eyeing clean rooms as a top investment, the future is bright. By responsibly harnessing first-party data, businesses can build stronger customer relationships, gain a competitive edge, and drive growth. Navigating the data haze 1. Start small, scale fast: Begin with a pilot project to test the waters. Identify a specific use case, gather initial insights, and then scale up based on what works. 2. Invest in technology: Equip your team with the right tools for data integration, quality management, and privacy compliance. This will streamline processes and ensure you're always a step ahead. 3. Foster a data-driven culture: Encourage collaboration across departments. Break down silos and promote data sharing to create a unified approach to customer insights. 4. Stay updated on regulations: Keep abreast of the latest privacy laws and ensure your practices are compliant. This will build trust with your customers and protect your business from legal pitfalls. 5. Leverage AI and machine learning: Use advanced analytics to determine propensity to purchase and trends in your data. This can provide a competitive edge and drive more effective marketing strategies. At the risk of taking the seafaring analogy too far, your data strategy should begin by setting sail on a short voyage before embarking on a long expedition. You'll need to upgrade your ship with the latest navigation equipment and ensure your crew works together seamlessly. Think of your tech stack as an investment in a seasoned navigator who can predict weather patterns and chart the best course. And don't forget to get up to speed on your maritime law knowledge, crucial for safe sailing. The shift towards activating first-party data is transforming digital marketing and by embracing a technology first approach, businesses can navigate the first-party data haze, build stronger customer relationships, and drive sustainable growth. By Keyur Dhavle, Associate Director – Data and Analytics Strategy, Merkle MENA
TECHx
05-03-2025
- Business
- TECHx
Seclore Opens Riyadh Office to Boost Saudi Arabia's Cybersecurity Vision News Desk - 05/03/2025 ShareSeclore, a global data-centric security solutions company, has announced the opening of its Saudi headquarters in Riyadh, reinforcing its commitment to supporting Saudi Arabia's digital transformation and cybersecurity initiatives in line with Vision 2030. This strategic expansion aims to meet the growing demand for advanced data protection, secure collaboration, and regulatory compliance solutions as the Kingdom accelerates its focus on AI, cloud computing, and smart city development.As part of this expansion, Seclore launched its Secure 2030 initiative, designed to empower Saudi enterprises, government agencies, and critical infrastructure sectors with comprehensive data-centric security. The initiative focuses on providing persistent data protection, enabling secure third-party collaboration, and ensuring compliance with Saudi Arabia's Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL), National Cybersecurity Authority (NCA) guidelines, and international regulations such as GDPR, CCPA, and NIST.The Riyadh office inauguration was attended by key dignitaries, including Justin Endres, Chief Revenue Officer at Seclore, Andrew Billard, Senior Commercial Officer at the United States Department of Commerce, and Mohammed Al Badrani, Chief Digital Officer at Paramount Group (SPCS), along with other prominent guests. Their presence marked a significant milestone for Seclore's growth in the Kingdom and its commitment to supporting Saudi Arabia's evolving cybersecurity landscape.Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 places data sovereignty and cybersecurity as top national priorities, and Seclore's Secure 2030 initiative is designed to help organizations protect sensitive information while driving innovation. By ensuring data remains secure throughout its lifecycle and enabling safe collaboration with partners, vendors, and remote teams, Seclore is providing the tools needed to embrace digital transformation without compromising security or compliance.Seclore's expansion into Saudi Arabia is supported by partnerships with leading local organizations, including Saudi Paramount Computer Systems, Cipher Saudi, NTT Data, Versos, and Tamkeen Intelligent. These collaborations aim to drive national data security initiatives while fostering local talent development and technology innovation to strengthen the Kingdom's cybersecurity ecosystem.'With the opening of our Saudi headquarters, Seclore is deepening its investment in the Kingdom and supporting the data security needs of enterprises and government entities,' said Justin Endres, Chief Revenue Officer at Seclore. 'Saudi Arabia is leading in digital innovation, and our Secure 2030 initiative will help ensure that this progress is built on a strong foundation of cybersecurity, compliance, and data sovereignty.'Parag Shah, Global CFO and General Manager of Seclore Saudi Arabia, emphasized the company's commitment to the region, stating, 'As data security becomes central to Vision 2030, Seclore is here to help protect the Kingdom's most critical information while enabling seamless and secure collaboration.'With its Saudi operations now established, Seclore aims to accelerate the adoption of cybersecurity solutions across vital sectors, including finance, healthcare, energy, and the public sector, supporting Saudi Arabia's goal of becoming a global leader in secure digital innovation.
Seclore Opens Riyadh Office to Boost Saudi Arabia's Cybersecurity Vision Seclore, a global data-centric security solutions company, has announced the opening of its Saudi headquarters in Riyadh, reinforcing its commitment to supporting Saudi Arabia's digital transformation and cybersecurity initiatives in line with Vision 2030. This strategic expansion aims to meet the growing demand for advanced data protection, secure collaboration, and regulatory compliance solutions as the Kingdom accelerates its focus on AI, cloud computing, and smart city development. As part of this expansion, Seclore launched its Secure 2030 initiative, designed to empower Saudi enterprises, government agencies, and critical infrastructure sectors with comprehensive data-centric security. The initiative focuses on providing persistent data protection, enabling secure third-party collaboration, and ensuring compliance with Saudi Arabia's Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL), National Cybersecurity Authority (NCA) guidelines, and international regulations such as GDPR, CCPA, and NIST. The Riyadh office inauguration was attended by key dignitaries, including Justin Endres, Chief Revenue Officer at Seclore, Andrew Billard, Senior Commercial Officer at the United States Department of Commerce, and Mohammed Al Badrani, Chief Digital Officer at Paramount Group (SPCS), along with other prominent guests. Their presence marked a significant milestone for Seclore's growth in the Kingdom and its commitment to supporting Saudi Arabia's evolving cybersecurity landscape. Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 places data sovereignty and cybersecurity as top national priorities, and Seclore's Secure 2030 initiative is designed to help organizations protect sensitive information while driving innovation. By ensuring data remains secure throughout its lifecycle and enabling safe collaboration with partners, vendors, and remote teams, Seclore is providing the tools needed to embrace digital transformation without compromising security or compliance. Seclore's expansion into Saudi Arabia is supported by partnerships with leading local organizations, including Saudi Paramount Computer Systems, Cipher Saudi, NTT Data, Versos, and Tamkeen Intelligent. These collaborations aim to drive national data security initiatives while fostering local talent development and technology innovation to strengthen the Kingdom's cybersecurity ecosystem. 'With the opening of our Saudi headquarters, Seclore is deepening its investment in the Kingdom and supporting the data security needs of enterprises and government entities,' said Justin Endres, Chief Revenue Officer at Seclore. 'Saudi Arabia is leading in digital innovation, and our Secure 2030 initiative will help ensure that this progress is built on a strong foundation of cybersecurity, compliance, and data sovereignty.' Parag Shah, Global CFO and General Manager of Seclore Saudi Arabia, emphasized the company's commitment to the region, stating, 'As data security becomes central to Vision 2030, Seclore is here to help protect the Kingdom's most critical information while enabling seamless and secure collaboration.' With its Saudi operations now established, Seclore aims to accelerate the adoption of cybersecurity solutions across vital sectors, including finance, healthcare, energy, and the public sector, supporting Saudi Arabia's goal of becoming a global leader in secure digital innovation.
Saudi Gazette
03-03-2025
- Business
- Saudi Gazette
Secure 2030 by Seclore strengthens Data Sovereignty, Cybersecurity and Regulations in Saudi Arabia
Justin Endres, Chief Revenue Officer and Global Head of Sales said: 'At Seclore, we consider data sovereignty and cybersecurity as vital aspects in safeguarding Saudi Arabia as a global leader undergoing an impressive and rapid digital transformation. To uphold the integrity of the modern digital ecosystem, it is essential to implement scalable data-centric security solutions, such as those provided by Seclore. Saudi Arabia's 'Vision 2030' has an essential element of digitally transforming the country and at Seclore, we believe that a key part of the longevity of the digital transformation is to be sure cybersecurity and data sovereignty are at the core of technology implementations.' 'Seclore offers solutions that protect data at its core bringing cybersecurity protections to transformation. Through policy-driven controls, enterprises and government entities can define who can access, modify, and share data, ensuring compliance and minimizing risk. By embedding security directly into the data itself, organizations can confidently collaborate and innovate without compromising control or confidentiality. Through Seclore's Secure 2030 Initiative aligning with Vision 2030, Seclore ensures that Saudi businesses and government entities can embrace digital transformation without compromising on security or compliance.' he added. Justin further elaborated, ''Secure 2030' showcases our unwavering commitment to enhancing Saudi Arabia's cybersecurity resilience by leveraging three key areas. To begin with, persistent data-centric protection, ensuring that sensitive data remains secure even after it leaves an organization's network. Secondly, we facilitate secure third-party collaborations and safe information-sharing with external partners while maintaining security controls and data sovereignty. Finally, our regulatory compliance support services help organizations to ensure compliance with Saudi and international cybersecurity regulations such as PDPL, NCA, GDPR, and NIST, among others. Seclore is also committed to continuous technological advancement, investing in AI-driven security solutions, automated compliance frameworks, and secure cloud adoption to align with Saudi Arabia's vision of a technology-powered economy. Additionally, Secure 2030 strengthens cybersecurity talent development through training programs, workshops, and knowledge-sharing initiatives, ensuring that organizations are well-equipped to defend against evolving cyber threats. As Saudi Arabia accelerates its digital transformation, a harmonized approach between government and private sector players is essential to achieving Vision 2030's ambitious goals. Public-private partnerships (PPPs) will be key in driving innovation, securing critical digital infrastructure, and enabling a resilient digital economy. By working closely with regulators, enterprises, and industry leaders, Seclore is dedicated to ensuring that Saudi organizations remain secure, compliant, and globally competitive in the evolving digital landscape.' Speaking of investment support beyond the opening of headquarters, Justin Endres, Chief Revenue Officer and Global Head of Sales said: 'As a leading global cybersecurity firm with a consolidated regional presence, Seclore invests in local talents to drive technological innovation and support the Kingdom's growing cybersecurity sector. Moreover, through the 'Secure 2030' initiative, we are championing regional talent development by investing in thought leadership. On the technology front, our solutions help ensure regional and local compliance. Similarly, we support key national data security initiatives by actively collaborating with Saudi government agencies, cybersecurity regulators, and prominent industry players. Moreover, these strategic partnerships help us better align with the goals of 'Saudi Vision 2030', which is an important focal point for our investments. Within Saudi Arabia, we regularly collaborate with government agencies, financial institutions, healthcare providers, energy companies, and critical infrastructure organizations, all where data security is paramount. In addition, our cutting-edge tech solutions are trusted by 'Fortune 500' enterprises and leading financial institutions around the globe, and we bring the same expertise to the Saudi Arabian market. Furthermore, the opening of our brand-new headquarters in Saudi Arabia has empowered us to better serve the nation and advance the goals of 'Saudi Vision 2030', aimed at national development. It is a great privilege and honor to be a part of this nation's success journey, and we hope to make significant contributions by bolstering regional industries through keeping sensitive information and data secure.'
Campaign ME
11-02-2025
- Business
- Campaign ME
Predictions 2025: The year ahead for upskilling through AI and data
Under the UAE's National AI Strategy 2031 and Saudi Vision 2030, the region will continue moving towards digital transformation and upskilling across wide sectors, with artificial intelligence (AI) remaining the biggest driver for this transformation. The best depiction of the status of AI use in the market is memes. The one that comes to mind is the ketchup sauce being drizzled in the sandwich, on the sandwich after wrapping it, on the box after it's closed, on the plastic bag before being handed to the customer, and to finish off the job, on the customer after taking the bag. While funny, it is very true. Companies are rushing to squeeze AI into everything whether it is effective or not. In the region we have seen AI-infused initiatives that enable brands to deliver hyper-personalised experiences, automate repetitive tasks and gain deeper insights through data analytics. Moving forward, in 2025, upskilling to bridge emerging gaps is fundamental with the reduced barrier of entry for AI tools, increased complexities for AI-driven apps and the plethora of AI choices. Upskilling AI literacy and technical proficiency A main area to focus on is AI literacy – grasping how AI models function in general (unlocking the power of AI is a good place to start) and in specific (select AI-driven software and applications). For example, platforms such as Salesforce Einstein offer sophisticated customer segmentation and predictive analytics, but many marketers find it challenging to use most of these tools or even interpret the findings, missing opportunities for valuable actionable insights. Challenges in AI technology integration AI technology integration presents its own set of challenges. While plenty of AI systems, such as chatbot Drift, integrate smoothly with customer relationship management (CRM) systems, the functionality of the chatbot remains under the control of the operator to align properly with marketing goals. A certain level of technical proficiency and some behavioural psychology skills to tailor responses are needed. Without proper optimisation of the customer experience (CX) and evaluating if AI tools have a space in this optimisation, companies risk deploying fragmented or ineffective AI solutions. Upskilling data analytics Data analytics skills tend to be a weakness in the field, with high dependency on automated software that caters to the masses rather than to a specific business. Deep knowledge of tools such as Google Analytics 4 or Tableau are great for deeper business-related insights and are ideal for meeting new privacy regulations that tend to limit access to third-party data. Navigating data privacy and ethics The changing landscape of data protection laws in the region, the UAE's Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL) and Saudi Arabia's PDPL, focus on consent, data localisation and privacy. Staying updated with data privacy and ethics is important to shape strategic marketing. Tools such as OneTrust assist in managing consent banners, but effectively utilising such platforms demands specific compliance expertise. The phasing out of third-party cookies has increased the importance of managing first-party data, putting more weight on data analytical skills. As for ethics, marketers need to prioritise the ethical collection and management of customer data through platforms such as HubSpot. For instance, a loyalty programme must ensure that all customer data adheres to local laws and that consumers have complete control over their data preferences, providing clear consent and options to opt out of communications such as SMS and emails. The shift to contextual targeting Moreover, programmatic advertising strategies need to pivot towards contextual targeting to stay effective and compliant. Tools such as Google Ads Manager facilitate privacy-safe campaigns by concentrating on the context of content rather than user behaviour across the internet. For example, an automotive brand in Saudi Arabia could utilise contextual targeting to place ads on car review sites instead of depending on behavioural tracking. Marketing mix modelling As detailed tracking becomes less available, models such as marketing mix modelling (MMM) allow marketers to assess campaign ROI using aggregated data. Having advanced analytics skills is essential for measuring marketing performance in this privacy era. A healthcare brand in the UAE might leverage Tableau or Fivetran to gather and analyse data from both digital and offline channels, ensuring compliance while gaining valuable insights. The shifting grounds of technology and regulation are putting pressure on companies to bridge the skill gaps brought about by the transition. It is essential to implement upskilling initiatives in 2025. These initiatives should emphasise the practical use of AI, data analytics and compliance, ensuring that marketers are prepared to thrive in the region's fast-changing environment. Action can start simply with allocating time for AI investigations, research and practice, and expand to scheduled company-wide workshops delivered by institutes and educational bodies or be at a much larger scale with international tech leaders and collaborations with UAE's National AI Strategy 2031 and Saudi Vision 2030. Regardless of the route chosen, join the transformation in the marketing landscape of the Middle East. By Hiba Hassan, Head of the Design and Communications department, SAE Dubai
