Latest News from Campaign ME
Campaign ME
9 hours ago
- Business
- Campaign ME
The Marketing Society GCC Awards 2025: Mashreq, Majid Al Futtaim, Etihad and more shortlisted
The Marketing Society has announced the shortlist for its 2025 GCC Awards, featuring entries from brands including Mashreq, Majid Al Futtaim, Etihad, STA, Red Sea Global, and Mercedes-Benz. The awards, launched in the UAE in 2023, aim to recognise marketing work that demonstrates not only creativity and effectiveness but also contributes to business growth and reputation. The 2025 edition saw a significant increase in participation, with entries tripling year-on-year. The shortlist spans eight categories: Brand Communication, Brand Evolution, Customer Experience & Engagement, Sustainability, Successful & Effective Partnerships, B2B, Best Use of Media, and Best Team. The entries represent a wide range of industries including retail, tourism, tech, banking, aviation, FMCG, mobility and real estate. Brand Communication Virgin Mobile UAE – Superfans, Real Stories: Rehumanising Brand Communications at Virgin Mobile UAE Procter & Gamble – Pampers – Joy Has Come Early Madagascar National Tourism Board – Madagascar Uncharted | Beyond the Baobabs Majid Al Futtaim – The SHARE Touch Miral, Yas Island Abu Dhabi – The Chief Island Officer's Enduring Legacy Mercedes-Benz – Mercedes-Benz presents The Mission XX – Riyadh to Dubai with a single charge Brand Evolution Allinners Media – Empowering Personal Brands In The GCC: A Year of Innovation and Authentic Connections at Allinners Media G42 – Artificial Intelligence, Real Emotions. Mashreq – Climb2change by Mashreq MG Motor – Underdog to Unstoppable National Housing Company – Where Life Begins: How NHC Rewrote The Rules Of Real Estate Marketing Saudia – Revitalising a National Icon Customer Experience & Engagement, in partnership with National Housing Company City Centre Deira – Santa Hotline: A Magical Festive Surprise at City Centre Deira Miral Destinations – Yas Annual Pass PwC Middle East – Our space is your space – بيتي بيتك Careem Kuwait – Careem Kuwait: Captain Wanasa G42 – THE INTELLIGENCE GRID Mashreq – Mashreq AED 1 Specials Sustainability Emirates Nature-WWF – Pioneering Citizen Science and Conservation in the UAE Mashreq – Climb2Change by Mashreq Red Sea Global – The Regeneration Journey – Red Sea Development Dubai Holding – Gift It Forward – A philanthropic initiative Successful Effective Partnerships Madagascar National Tourism Board – Madagascar Uncharted | Beyond the Baobabs Saudi Tourism Authority – The Most Amazing Arla Foods – Selfless Shelves G42 – The Choice Majid Al Futtaim – Increasing Loyalty Through Increasing Partnerships Mashreq – Mashreq AED 1 Specials B2B IBM – The CEO's Guide to Generative AI G42 – THE INTELLIGENCE GRID Mashreq – Climb2Change by Mashreq Best Use of Media Saudi Tourism Authority – The Most Amazing Madagascar National Tourism Board – Madagascar Uncharted | Beyond the Baobabs Best Team Majid Al Futtaim Retail – HyperMax Launch Al Masaood Group – Al Masaood Marketeers – 'The Makers of Results' The Hanging House – The Hanging House Team Etihad – Selling Memories, Not Products: Etihad's Black Friday evolution Wio Bank – A team united by the mission to disrupt banking Informa Bahrain Marketing Team – The Autumn Fair Marketing Team Judging will be conducted in two stages. The first involves a scoring system that evaluates strategy, insights, innovation, risk, results, and the extent to which the work elevates the marketing profession. The second stage sees top-scoring entries debated by the panel to determine the winners. The 2025 judging panel comprises 24 senior marketing leaders from across the region, representing organisations including Mondelez, Diriyah, Gulf Bank, PIF, Wio Bank, Samsung and Pepsi, among others. The Marketing Society GCC Awards 2025 winners will be announced at the awards ceremony taking place on Tuesday, 24 June, from 7–10pm at Atlantis, Dubai.
Campaign ME
9 hours ago
- Business
- Campaign ME
Building authentic brands: From awareness to advocacy
Consumers today are increasingly seeking authentic, meaningful interactions and alignment with their values when they engage with brands. Gone are the days traditional advertising and the old marketing funnel approach really worked. Now, brands must move beyond one-way promotions; and instead work towards fostering emotional connections that drive long-term advocacy. By embracing storytelling as a strategic tool, organisations can turn customers into advocates, creating an impact that extends beyond individual interactions to society. Traditional brand campaigns, while effective in driving visibility, often come with high costs and diminishing returns. The modern marketplace is saturated with brands talking to consumers – making it increasingly difficult to capture consumer attention. Today's consumers demand meaningful interactions and want to be part of a movement. They wanted to be spoken with and not spoken to. They are sceptical of overt marketing; they are more likely to engage with brands that align with their values; that are transparent and authentic. This shift has made traditional advertising less effective, paving the way for community-driven storytelling as a means to foster trust and engagement. Power of authentic storytelling and community engagement Storytelling is not about crafting a polished brand narrative – it is about showcasing real experiences that resonate with people. Consumers gravitate towards brands that demonstrate purpose through action. Stories that highlight impact, social responsibility and shared experiences cultivate emotional connections, making the brand more relatable and credible. When done well, storytelling fosters a sense of belonging, transforming customers into loyal advocates. For storytelling to be impactful, it must be deeply rooted in a brand's core values. It should not just resonate with individual personas but extend to communities, fostering a sense of collective purpose and shared identity. When storytelling is built around real-life experiences and community engagement, it strengthens connections, encourages participation and ensures a lasting impact that goes beyond a single campaign or marketing effort. Engaging customers as authentic advocates Consumers today actively participate in shaping brand narratives. User-generated content, social media interactions and online reviews carry significant influence. Brands that encourage and amplify these authentic voices create stronger emotional bonds with their audience. Community-driven content enhances credibility and fosters a culture of advocacy, where customers become the brand's most powerful ambassadors. Effective engagement means fostering genuine dialogue rather than simply broadcasting messages. Social media platforms provide brands with opportunities to interact directly with their audience through features such as polls, Q&A sessions and live streams, creating dynamic conversations that enhance engagement. These interactive tools allow brands to gather real-time feedback, address customer concerns and personalise interactions. A two-way conversation builds trust, strengthens relationships and enhances brand affinity. Continuous engagement is essential for long-term advocacy. Brands that listen, adapt and respond to consumer feedback demonstrate their commitment to customer-centricity. Implementing a strong feedback loop through interactive platforms, loyalty programmes and meaningful incentives ensures a continuous exchange of insights, helping to cultivate a dedicated community that actively promotes the brand. Building and nurturing communities Building brand advocacy goes beyond individual engagement – it requires fostering strong communities. Mashreq's Climb2Change initiative exemplifies this approach. In Egypt's Wadi Degla Protectorate, volunteers from diverse backgrounds dedicated 809 hours to environmental conservation efforts, including 228 hours from Mashreq employees and 581 hours from schools, universities and community members. Beyond the clean up, the initiative provided 72 local entities with sustainability education, reinforcing long-term impact. Similarly, in Pakistan, Climb2Change volunteers removed 1.73 tonnes of waste from key mountain sites, engaging more than 100 local community members and benefiting 47 small businesses. These initiatives highlight how brands can transcend transactional relationships and cultivate trust by embedding themselves within communities, demonstrating their values through action rather than mere messaging. Consumers are drawn to brands that stand for something greater than their products or services. Those that champion social, environmental and cultural causes build deeper, more meaningful relationships with their audiences, and aligning brand efforts with impactful initiatives enhances credibility and engenders trust. Events and grassroots initiatives strengthen consumer relationships and reinforce brand advocacy. By creating meaningful experiences, brands leave lasting impressions that encourage consumers to share their experiences, amplifying their impact. Staying relevant in a competitive market To remain competitive, brands must evolve from being storytellers to community builders. The future of marketing lies in fostering relationships, nurturing advocacy and embedding purpose into every aspect of brand engagement. By embracing authenticity, creating meaningful connections and empowering communities, brands can transform customers into lifelong advocates who champion their values and mission. By Muna Al Ghurair, Group Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications, Mashreq
Campaign ME
9 hours ago
- Business
- Campaign ME
Magic Mango MENA appoints Chief Marketing Officer to lead Dubai expansion
Advertising agency Magic Mango Group has appointed Roshan Farook as Chief Marketing Officer to lead its Dubai operations starting June 2025. With this move, the agency aims to signal a bold new chapter in its global journey, combining Sri Lankan ingenuity with international ambition. With more than 25 years of experience in marketing and advertising, Farook brings a powerhouse portfolio of regional and global brand experience to the Mango playhouse. His career has spanned high-impact roles across Sri Lanka and the UAE, most recently, leading key portfolios such as Al Habtoor Motors, Arabian Centre Mall, Flora Food Group and VinFast Global. Previously, he managed marquee clients such as Unilever Sri Lanka, Axiata, Ceylon Tobacco Company, British American Tobacco (UAE and London), Farook's strategic acumen has been instrumental in securing breakthrough business wins, including his recent win in public relations (PR) and key opinion leaders (KOL) businesses across the MENA region for VinFast Global. His past achievements include building a consumer engagement unit for Unilever, embedding activation and events as a core pillar of campaign planning, and leading brand growth across diverse sectors including FMCG, tech, and automotive. Co-founders Sugibun Sathiamoorthy and Shehantha Fernando welcomed Farook into this new chapter, saying, 'Roshan is not just a brilliant marketer, he's a builder, a connector and someone who believes in creating meaningful brand stories that deliver results. His leadership in Dubai is central to our goal of building a truly global creative powerhouse.' S R Vickneswaran, Director, Magic Mango MENA, added that Farook's entry to Magic Mango MENA, with a multifaceted outlook on trade and industries in UAE, would certainly enhance current skillsets and enable its efforts to spread its wings in the region and beyond. Ralston Joseph, Group CEO of Magic MANGO MENA, said, 'With Roshan at the helm in Dubai, we are not just expanding — we're evolving. His insight into the region, combined with our collective hunger to do meaningful work, will push us into exciting new territories — both geographically and creatively.' Magic Mango's Dubai office, already buzzing with projects across Asia, Africa and the Middle East, is set to become the agency's hub for cross-continental creativity and client partnership. The move aligns with the agency's strategic vision to grow beyond borders while staying rooted in its people-first, quality-over-quantity philosophy. Commenting on his appointment, Roshan Farook, Chief Marketing Officer, Magic Mango MENA, said, 'I'm truly grateful to the ExCo board for their trust and confidence in me. My focus is to drive meaningful impact in the UAE and the new markets we are preparing to enter. With the exceptional energy and talent within the team, I am confident that Magic Mango MENA will not only meet expectations but consistently exceed them.' With eyes set on Europe and Africa by 2026, Magic Mango Group intends to continue defying conventions, proving that purpose, passion and a bit of 'magic' can turn an idea under a mango tree into a global force.
Campaign ME
9 hours ago
- Business
- Campaign ME
Rethinking performance media: From tactical wins to a strategic growth engine
In the ever-evolving digital landscape of the MENA region, performance media continues to reign supreme. Its undeniable efficiency, high measurability and direct link to acquisition goals have firmly established it as the go-to tactic for marketers pursuing immediate results. Biddable platforms and affiliate marketing consistently deliver compelling return on ad spend (ROAS). Yet, this paradigm begs an important question: Are we fully capitalising on performance media's potential, or merely scratching the surface? Traditionally, performance media is often restricted to the lower funnel – a reliable tool for quick wins, disconnected from broader strategic visions. Yet, there's more to performance media that transcends achieving quarterly revenue KPIs. When strategically elevated, it can transform into a powerful engine for sustainable business growth, moving beyond mere acquisition volumes to cultivate quality and customer lifetime value (CLTV). For far too long, performance media has operated in a silo evaluated solely on its ability to achieve cost-per-acquisition (CPA) metrics or predefined sales targets. This narrow focus perspective risks overlooking the bigger picture. Real strategic value emerges when performance media transitions from an isolated tactic to an integrated pillar of a holistic marketing strategy. Its objectives must align not solely with campaign metrics, but with overarching business ambitions – market share growth, customer retention and enhanced profitability – necessitating seamless collaboration between performance specialists, brand strategists, creative visionaries and product teams. The relentless pursuit of acquisition volumes, often incentivised by temporal KPIs, often leads to attracting low-value or transient customers. A strategic paradigm shift demands utilising performance channels with heightened discernment – emphasising qualitative metrics over quantitative attributes. Performance media offers sophisticated targeting capabilities that can be leveraged to identify and attract customer segments historically associated with superior loyalty and lifetime value. Moreover, contemporary measurement platforms, augmented by recent advancements in predictive AI modelling, have made remarkable progress in quantifying, or at very least, estimating the lifetime value of distinct customer cohorts, subsequently relaying these insights to buying platforms as targeting signals. The data generated through performance media represents a goldmine, yet its insights frequently remain constrained within campaign reports. Which audience segments demonstrate receptivity to specific value propositions? Which creative approaches drive not just clicks, but valuable actions post-conversion? Which channels acquire customers who ultimately demonstrate higher retention? These insights should inform everything from brand messaging and content strategy to product development priorities and market expansion plans. Consider the aviation sector in the GCC region, when media investment is not enough to cover the entire demand volume. A traditional performance media approach would prioritise targeting first-class, long-haul travellers to maximise immediate revenue, rather than focusing on frequent business-class travellers who potentially generate superior lifetime revenue. Conversely, integrating and passing back the CLTV from analytics to buying platforms, in tandem with tailored messaging based on customer lifecycle stage and value segmentation, would not only maximise long-term profitability but also help fortify airline market share and boost repeat purchase behaviour, leading to even higher ROAS from performance media investments. While this sounds great in theory, practical implementation requires synthesising disparate elements into a cohesive strategy. To leverage performance media as a driver of long-term strategic value, measurement frameworks must evolve accordingly. These frameworks must encompass indicators of sustainable growth, including: Customer Lifetime Value (CLTV) of cohorts acquired through specific performance channels; Contribution to sales pipeline or qualified leads: marketing-qualified leads (MQLs) or sales-qualified leads (SQLs); Repeat purchase rates influenced by performance touchpoints; Blended metrics that assess the combined impact of brand and performance activities. Aligning measurement with long-term goals incentivises strategies that build brand/product equity, transcending the pursuit of the next click or conversion. Navigating this shift requires expertise. Agency partners should be regarded not as campaign executioners but as essential strategic collaborators. The ideal agency partner can bring invaluable experience, objective insights and advanced analytical capabilities to the table. Such partners can challenge internal assumptions, guide the development of CLTV-focused measurement frameworks, and help implement refined strategies that align performance activities with long-term business objectives – auditing existing media and marketing KPIs, fostering cross-functional data dialogue and sponsoring a testing calendar to optimise the customers' experience with the brand. The path forward is clear: performance marketing possesses untapped potential to elevate the quality of customers acquired by a business, and nurture relationships with the same efficacy it demonstrates in generating sales volumes. For chief marketing officers, digital strategists and business leaders across the region, embracing this evolution represents more than an opportunity – it constitutes an imperative for constructing resilient businesses and achieving sustainable success in an increasingly competitive landscape. By Ahmed Abayazeed, Head of Performance, Magna Global MENA
Campaign ME
14 hours ago
- Business
- Campaign ME
Twitch Creator Sponsorships launches in MENA via Amazon Ads
Amazon Ads in the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey unveils Twitch Creator Sponsorships, a new set of sponsorship solutions that makes it easy for brands to collaborate with streamers and reach Twitch's millions of monthly visitors, 70 per cent of whom are aged 18–34. The new solutions provide streamlined, authentic ways for brands to engage with streamers and their communities and can be activated in as little as two weeks. Each solution is templated to help brands easily scale campaigns across multiple streamers, at speed, with minimal input required from the advertiser. The new offering includes: Channel skins: Clickable, branded graphics that frame the video player during sponsored streams on both web and mobile. These streamer-endorsed overlays appear throughout the stream with integrated clickable call-to-actions such as 'click here to find out more' helping to drive engagement in real time. While active, skins are promoted to all of the streamer's followers via the Twitch navigation panel, further enhancing campaign reach. Clickable, branded graphics that frame the video player during sponsored streams on both web and mobile. These streamer-endorsed overlays appear throughout the stream with integrated clickable call-to-actions such as 'click here to find out more' helping to drive engagement in real time. While active, skins are promoted to all of the streamer's followers via the Twitch navigation panel, further enhancing campaign reach. Streamer readouts: Streamers deliver brand messages in their own voice, live on stream bringing branded storytelling to life in a way that feels personal and unscripted. Advertisers provide the streamer with key talking points, which they then tailor to align with their audience and tone, helping to deliver a deeper level of engagement between the brand and the streamer's community. Streamer readouts are also an opportunity for brands to get real-time feedback from the Twitch community on a new product or service via 'Chat'. Chat is an interactive function that appears next to the livestream and enables viewers to type messages to the streamer and other viewers, as well as share emotes, Twitch's version of emojis. Sponsored subscriptions: Brands can offer 50 per cent off subscriptions on a streamer's channel for a limited time (typically one day). This boosts goodwill with the streamer's community while giving viewers access to unique emotes and exclusive content, strengthening emotional connections to the brand. Brands can offer 50 per cent off subscriptions on a streamer's channel for a limited time (typically one day). This boosts goodwill with the streamer's community while giving viewers access to unique emotes and exclusive content, strengthening emotional connections to the brand. Follower promotions: Brand-partnered streams are automatically boosted to the top of viewers' following list – maximising visibility at the moment it matters most. These promoted tiles display both the brand's logo and the streamer's image, with hover functionality revealing campaign rewards or incentives like discount codes. Helping brands find the right streamers Amazon Ads has launched the Twitch Creator Matchmaking tool, a simple, free-to-use solution that matches brands with streamers based on their category, audience, location, budget, and previous campaign results. The tool supports brands looking to collaborate on specific campaigns as well as those looking for longer term brand ambassadors and is completely self-service. With 58 per cent of Twitch users agreeing advertising is important as it supports their favourite streamer, partnerships between brands and streamers can drive meaningful business results for advertisers. For example, 42 per cent of Twitch users have purchased a tech product or service after seeing it promoted by a streamer. Across other categories, 32 per cent have purchased food and drink, 23 per cent have purchased clothing / accessories, and 19 per cent have purchased or streamed music, after seeing it promoted by a streamer on Twitch. Filip Jabbour, General Manager, Amazon Ads, Middle East, North Africa and Turkey, said, 'Twitch Creator Sponsorships give brands in our region a simple, scalable way to engage with streamers and their communities across gaming, sports, music, lifestyle, and more.' Jabbour continues, 'With the addition of the Twitch Creator Matchmaking Tool, advertisers can now easily find streamers that align with their brand and objectives. Here in MENA, the world's second fastest growing gaming market, these solutions offer a powerful way for brands to tap into the region's highly engaged gaming community, experiment with Twitch advertising, build awareness, and gather real-time feedback from Twitch's millions of monthly visitors.' Connecting the dots with the Amazon DSP Twitch Creator Sponsorships, along with all Twitch ad formats, are sold programmatically via the Amazon DSP, along with Prime Video, display, online video and audio ads. The Amazon DSP is a comprehensive full-funnel solution that enables advertisers to manage their entire campaign strategy – from awareness to conversion – through a single, tool that is powered by AI and Amazon's trillions of first party buying, browsing and streaming signals. 'Regional advertisers can now access impactful, streamer-led storytelling at scale, with the ease of a streamlined buying experience and the measurement capabilities they expect from Amazon Ads and our DSP,' said Jabbour. 'Leveraging advanced AI optimisation, the Amazon DSP enables brands to make data-driven decisions in real-time, increasing efficiency, and improving campaign performance, regardless of whether the customer journey finishes on Amazon or not.' Advertisers utilising Twitch Creator Sponsorships can access the full range of Amazon Ads measurement solutions to understand the full-funnel impact of their campaigns, including key metrics like sales in their Amazon store, sign-ups, or sales on their own website. This is in addition to standard performance indicators such as impressions, click-through rates, and total views. Twitch Creator Sponsorships are available now across Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Turkey.
