Créo Global Strengthens Performance and SEO Capabilities with Senior Hires
Créo Global announced senior hires to boost its performance marketing and SEO capabilities. Salman Plasterwala joins as Performance Lead, bringing over a decade of experience with brands such as Emirates, Philips and Mercedes‑Benz. Jayesh Jain comes aboard as SEO Lead, known for AI‑driven search automation and work for Jaguar Land Rover, Audi and H&M. The moves signal Créo’s push toward a more integrated, data‑driven marketing model across the MENA region.
Leaders Advise ‘Showing up’ over Silence; ‘Presence with Intent’ over Performance
Regional leaders in communications, creative and media warn that retreating during the Middle East’s geopolitical and economic turbulence erodes brand relevance. They argue that staying visible with intentional, empathetic messaging—rather than silence or noisy “business‑as‑usual”—preserves market share and builds trust....
How Rest, FLC Marketing Re-Framed Sleep in a Heat-Driven Market
Rest introduced its Evercool by Rest bedding line in the UAE, positioning cooling as a core sleep requirement rather than a luxury feature. The campaign, orchestrated by FLC Marketing, used a three‑phase "Cool Sleep System" to move consumers from awareness...
Ocean World Builds Market Reputation Through a Year-Long Brand Positioning
SV Digital spent a year reshaping Ocean World’s portfolio of nine yacht brands, creating a unified brand architecture and digital presence. Five previously unbranded sub‑brands received full naming, logos, and e‑commerce sites, while the agency produced a 171‑piece content library...
Resilience and Leadership in Current Circumstances
Anouschka Menzies, co‑founder and co‑CEO of Bacchus, outlines how consistent leadership and internal resilience are essential for agencies navigating uncertain periods such as the pandemic. She stresses that agencies must act as steady partners, offering measured advice and clear communication...
Anghami Brings Seven Arab Musicians to Release Song on Connection, Community
Anghami released the collaborative single "Aktar Men Ayya Waqt" (More Than Ever), bringing together seven prominent Arab musicians from diverse generations and regions. The track, recorded across multiple locations and sung in Levantine and Khaleeji dialects, underscores the platform’s ability...
HRE Development Appoints Ahmed Mashaal as Group Marketing Director
HRE Development announced the appointment of Ahmed Mashaal as Group Marketing Director, a move aimed at bolstering its brand and accelerating growth in the UAE real‑estate sector. Mashaal brings a portfolio of luxury residential and hospitality projects across the GCC...
Dubai Police, RTA Reveal Campaign Urging People to ‘Drive Like Their Mum’s Watching’
Dubai Police and the Roads & Transport Authority have launched a light‑hearted "drive like your mum’s watching" campaign to curb everyday risky driving habits such as tailgating, sudden braking, distracted driving and unnecessary lane changes. The initiative uses a mother‑voice...
Private View by Umniah by Beyon’s Dina Al Daoud
Dina Al Daoud, director of Umniah by Beyon, reviews five Ramadan‑season campaigns – WABA’s culturally‑rich visual narrative, Birkenstock’s reflective tradition‑focused spot, Al‑Futtaim IKEA’s humor‑laden small‑talk vignette, Careem’s platform‑driven aid initiative for Gaza, and UNHCR’s dignity‑centered generosity message. Each piece leverages regional...
Stop Using AI to Scale Mediocrity
HMD Global’s Haris Munif warns that while 74% of Middle East and Africa consumers view generative‑AI ads positively—the highest global acceptance—brands are falling into the trap of churning out generic content at scale. He argues AI should be leveraged for...
Big4Travel, Horizon FCB Launch Campaign for Those Who’d Rather Miss the FIFA World Cup 2026
Big4Travel, a leading Bangkok travel agency, teamed with Horizon FCB Dubai to launch a contrarian campaign ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026. Instead of joining the flood of football‑centric promotions, the brand offered a travel guide to "Non‑Qualified Countries" and...
How L’Oréal Paris’ Sit Al Bait ست البيت Moved From Cultural Truth to the Classroom
L’Oréal Paris’ Sit Al Bait campaign, launched in 2025 under the Women of Worth platform, transformed the Arabic term “Sit Bait” (housewife) into “Sit Al Bait” (woman of the house), reframing women’s roles across the MENA region. The initiative, created with FP7 McCANN Dubai, McCANN Paris and...
Should Brands Invest in Virtual and AI Influencers?
Campaign Middle East surveyed regional marketers about virtual and AI influencers, revealing a split between proponents and skeptics. Advocates cite scalability, cost efficiency and creative control, while detractors argue that authenticity and trust remain essential for influencer success. The discussion...
From Media Channel to Brand Architecture: How Influencer Marketing Grew Up
Influencer marketing in the Middle East has evolved from a budget‑line vanity channel into a core, always‑on pillar of the marketing mix. Brands now run multi‑month creator programmes that simultaneously drive brand awareness, generate platform‑native content, and deliver measurable sales...
Trust, Truth and the Future of Media Leadership
Rabih Saab, Group Head of Media at Publsh Group, argues that the timeless values of truth, fairness and accountability remain essential even as the news ecosystem accelerates and fragments. In the UAE, the media sector is receiving heightened investment in...
Industry Snapshot: The New Social Playbook
Brands are shifting from platform‑first to audience‑first ecosystems, concentrating spend on fewer high‑impact channels and treating owned social feeds as media products. AI is redefining content planning, moving decisions from intuition to data‑driven signals while accelerating iteration. Creator partnerships have...
Stereo Creative Appointed as BOUNCE’s Agency of Record to Launch New Campaign
Stereo Creative has been named the agency‑of‑record for BOUNCE, the global trampoline and freestyle playground brand, to spearhead a new campaign tied to the launch of a Riyadh venue. The Dubai office will drive the experience‑led effort, blending physical and...
Yas Island Owns the ‘Effortless Holidays’ Space with ‘The Answer Is Yas’
Yas Island launched "The Answer is Yas" campaign to dominate the "effortless holiday" segment, positioning the destination as a one‑stop, all‑inclusive family getaway. The multi‑channel effort, anchored by a narrative‑driven video, was rolled out on April 8 across PR, paid, owned...
Rubicom Agency Appoints Roy Nasrallah as Group CEO
Rubicom Agency, a Beirut‑Dubai based strategy and creative firm, has named Roy Nasrallah as its Group CEO. The move coincides with co‑founders Elie Ghanime and Nizar Gerges shifting to Chairman and Chief Growth Officer roles, respectively. Nasrallah brings more than...
Esports: An Arena Where Every Dollar Is Spent Effectively
The Esports World Cup (EWC) 2025 transformed gaming from a niche hobby into a core marketing platform, drawing over 2,000 players, 200 clubs, and a $70 million prize pool across 24 games. The seven‑week tournament attracted more than 3 million on‑site visitors...
From the Editor’s Desk: April 2026 – ‘Not Fear, but Faith’
In its April 2026 editorial, Campaign Middle East editor Anup Oommen urges the region’s marketing community to replace fear with faith. He observes agencies juggling safety concerns, business‑as‑usual demands, and a workforce coping with anxiety. Gratitude toward Gulf governments for public safety...
Leaning Into Serialised Social Storytelling, Not Campaigns
Danielle Bedin argues that the traditional, time‑boxed campaign model is obsolete on social platforms where users scroll endlessly. Brands that post consistently—three to five times a week—see double the follower growth, while periods of silence hurt algorithmic standing. Serialised storytelling,...
Standing Out From the Sea of Sameness
Touleen Barto warns that AI‑driven tools are flooding the market with fast, cheap content, creating a "sea of sameness" that threatens brand identity. While generative technology boosts production speed, it also homogenises visuals and copy, making campaigns indistinguishable. She argues...
Scaling Mobile Campaigns in the GCC Beyond Volume
Scaling mobile campaigns in the GCC is enticing due to ultra‑high smartphone penetration, but rising CPI and intense competition make a pure volume strategy risky. Marketers are forced to weigh quick‑win install numbers against the long‑term value of high‑quality users....
Dubai Culture: Storytelling Rooted in Culture
Dubai Culture’s Saleh Al Breiki argues that authentic, culture‑rooted storytelling is now essential for brands in the Middle East. He cites the Emirati animated series *Freej*, which leveraged local dialect and heritage to achieve regional and international success. The piece highlights...
Matter of Fact: The Two Audience Problem
Brands targeting Gen Alpha now face a dual‑gatekeeping challenge: they must appeal to kids while satisfying parental safety concerns. Only 25% of Gen Alpha trust social‑media ads, yet 95% of parents first encounter new brands through their children. Gen Alpha directly controls about...
M+C Saatchi Middle East CEO Scott Feasey Appointed CEO for Agency’s Europe Business
M+C Saatchi Group has appointed Scott Feasey, currently CEO of its Middle East unit, as CEO of its Europe business, creating a single leader for both regions. Feasey will stay based in the UAE and retain his seat on the global Executive...
Are We Following Strategy Anymore? Or Are We Following Each Other?
Manisha Bhatia observes a cultural shift in the UAE where businesses are abandoning rigid marketing playbooks in favor of instinctive, empathy‑driven collaboration. Restaurants, platforms and large conglomerates such as Majid Al Futtaim, Talabat and Careem are actively lowering barriers and sharing resources...
Ex-Landmark Executive Harish Pandey Joins GoWit Leadership
GoWit has hired former Landmark Group executive Harish Pandey as Head of Growth for the MENA region and India. Pandey, who previously led retail‑media revenue at Landmark and held senior roles at Khaleej Times and Google, will steer GoWit’s regional...
House of Comms Launches ‘Our House Is Your House’ Initiative
House of Comms, a Dubai‑based strategic marketing agency, has launched the “Our House is Your House” initiative to provide free marketing support to UAE small businesses. The program offers advice across brand strategy, creative, PR, social media, digital marketing and...
Hashtag Agency’s New Social Media Report Unpacks the GCC’s Biggest Brand Challenges
Hashtag Agency released “Speed Without Losing Soul,” a 2026 playbook on GCC social media challenges. Based on a survey of 300 senior marketers in the UAE and Saudi Arabia and 14 in‑depth interviews, the report finds universal social adoption—100% in...
UAE’s Ti22 Films Spotlights The ENTERTAINER’s Brand Storytelling on Global Awards Stage
Ti22 Films, a UAE production house, has been shortlisted in the Corporate Image category of the Branded Documentary competition at the New York Festivals TV & Film Awards 2026. The documentary celebrates the 25th anniversary of The ENTERTAINER, a homegrown brand that has...
Why Polite Brands Don’t Win
The article argues that many Middle Eastern brands play it safe, prioritizing politeness over bold positioning, which leads to sameness and erodes relevance. Regulatory scrutiny and a cultural tendency to equate visibility with risk further discourage firms from taking clear...
Gargash Auto Appoints iProspect as Agency of Record to Power Next Phase of Growth in the UAE
iProspect, a dentsu company, has been named the agency of record for Gargash Auto, the UAE’s official dealer for premium automotive brands such as Mercedes‑Benz and Alfa Romeo. The agency will oversee digital and out‑of‑home media strategy, planning and activation...
Dubai DET’s Beautiful Destinations, MusicNation Launch UAE Campaign for Creative Community
Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism teamed with Beautiful Destinations and MusicNation to launch a nationwide campaign that invites artists to reinterpret the UAE National Anthem. The two‑week, digital‑first initiative collects original, non‑AI recordings via an online portal and promotes...
FATKID Launches to Aid GCC Restaurant Growth with Focus on Contributor Margins
Former Kitopi executives Ali Kandil and Elie Saade have launched FATKID, a Dubai‑based F&B growth partner that manages roughly USD 82 million in annual restaurant revenue across the GCC. The firm differentiates itself by focusing on contribution margin rather than vanity metrics,...
‘There’s No Place Like Home’: How Justlife Turned a Brand Promise Into Real-World Support
Justlife, the UAE‑based super‑app for at‑home services, launched the “There’s No Place Like Home” campaign to turn its “We Got You” promise into tangible community aid. The initiative offers free AED 10 (~$2.70) home‑cleaning sessions, support services for small businesses, and...
Creativity in Times of Strife Has Never Waited for Permission
Creativity does not wait for stable conditions; it persists through crises, as shown by Shakespeare’s plague‑era tragedies, Anne Frank’s diary, Picasso’s Guernica, and Sam Cooke’s civil‑rights anthem. The essay argues that modern creators in the Middle East face similar volatility...
Makers PR Offers Dubai SMEs Free Advisory Services
Makers PR has introduced MENA Makers, a free advisory program for Dubai‑based small and medium‑sized enterprises that runs through mid‑2026. The initiative delivers structured 1:1 sessions and closed‑door workshops covering media positioning, founder storytelling, crisis preparedness, and messaging clarity. It...
How Brands Can Connect with Consumers Even Through Crises and Conflicts
Danube Home’s marketing leader argues that brands in the Middle East must be instantly understandable, using simplicity as a core value. He outlines four pillars—innovation, happiness, ease and passion—to create human‑centered positioning that resonates across diverse consumer lifestyles. Community‑focused initiatives,...
Dubai Media Gaming Powered by Livewire Reveals New Insights
Dubai Media, in partnership with Livewire, released a report showing the UAE’s gaming ecosystem now hosts about 7.5 million players, with women comprising over 30% and Emiratis only 12% of the audience. The study highlights that gamers in the region generate...
Hypermedia Advances Unified Programmatic Offering with Integrated Digital Revenue Function
Hypermedia, the UAE‑based digital out‑of‑home and retail media network, has launched an Integrated Digital Revenue Function that merges its DOOH assets with the programmatic expertise of DXTA Technology, its ad‑tech arm. Led by Head of Digital Sales Hicham Dergham and...
MassiveMusic Adds to MENA Team with New Appointment
MassiveMusic has appointed Tara El Chami as Senior Account Manager for its MENA division, expanding its Dubai‑based team. El Chami brings experience across media, FMCG, telecom and entertainment, having led campaigns for Nestlé, Red Bull Mobile and Billboard Arabia. The hire supports MassiveMusic’s strategy...
GWM Tank Asks: What Happens when the Map Disappears?
Great Wall Motors' Tank division launched the Najm Suhail navigation system in Saudi Arabia, a free, key‑chain‑mounted device that guides drivers when mobile signals drop. The digital‑first campaign, rolled out on March 15, 2026, targets Saudi males aged 18‑34 who rely heavily...
Core42 Appoints Sherif Tawfik as Chief Business Officer
Core42, the G42 subsidiary focused on sovereign cloud and AI infrastructure, announced the appointment of former Microsoft executive Sherif Tawfik as Chief Business Officer. Tawfik will head the global commercial organization, overseeing sales, marketing, partnerships, and professional and managed services....
Why Most Gaming Partnerships Fail to Deliver – and How to Fix Them
Gaming in the Middle East has exploded to an estimated 68‑72 million active players, out‑spending traditional media on platforms like YouTube, Twitch and TikTok. Yet many brands treat gaming as a short‑term experiment, measuring success only by immediate ROI and impressions....
The Good Moon Turns Retail Into a Series of Intimate, Experience-Led Evenings
The Good Moon partnered with regional fashion label ELNALINE for a three‑night trunk show during Ramadan, turning the venue into an intimate, majlis‑inspired experience. Rather than chasing high footfall, the activation focused on curated displays, goodie bags, and a social...
Is Your Social Media Building Your Brand… or Slowly Diluting It?
Social media’s algorithmic focus on activity tempts brands to flood feeds, but relentless posting can blur a brand’s identity. Mazen Abdelkader argues that without a clear narrative, content becomes generic noise, eroding distinctiveness. A shift to purpose‑driven storytelling, rather than...
Kia Middle East and Africa Has Announced Its Participation in the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola
Kia’s Middle East and Africa division has joined Coca‑Cola’s FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour as a title partner and Value‑in‑Kind mobility supporter. The brand will supply a fleet of 48 Kia vehicles to transport the trophy, VIPs and officials across...
Industry Snapshot: Understanding Gaming Audiences
Robin Heymann of Burson outlines a fundamental shift in esports and gaming marketing, noting that a new generation of fans—primarily Gen Z and mobile‑first users—now dominates viewership. He stresses that traditional TV‑style advertising is losing relevance, replaced by data‑driven, community‑centric approaches....