Personalisation without Paranoia
The marketing industry’s long‑standing belief that more data equals better personalization is being upended by AI and privacy regulation. In the Middle East, the Personal Data Protection Law forces companies to redesign systems around contextual, real‑time signals rather than persistent profiles. This shift produces AI that is less invasive, more adaptable, and often more accurate. Brands adopting these privacy‑first models gain risk reduction, faster deployment, and a trust advantage over competitors.
Vodafone Egypt Brings Loved Ones Closer Despite Hectic Schedules During Ramadan
Vodafone Egypt launched a culturally focused Ramadan campaign to counteract the growing fragmentation of family time caused by hectic work schedules and digital overload. The 360‑degree rollout combined TV, digital, OOH, radio, influencer collaborations and a new Bluetooth‑based "Nearby" feature...
Beautiful Isn’t Enough: Why Luxury Brands Must Design for Performance
Luxury brands are shifting focus from pure aesthetics to performance‑wellness, driven by data‑rich consumers who demand tangible benefits like better energy, sleep and focus. Wearable technology has made fatigue measurable, turning performance into a competitive metric. The Middle East, with...
Home Centre Ramadan Campaign Drives 595% Uplift in Engagement
Home Centre’s Ramadan campaign leveraged three gamified hero films to transform passive viewers into active participants, delivering a 595% surge in comment activity compared with the previous year. The social‑first rollout across Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and other channels reached 70% of...
A Look Back at GMG’s Sun & Sand Sports ‘Ready Starts Here’ Campaign
Sun & Sand Sports launched the “Ready Starts Here” campaign in early 2026, syncing with Dubai’s Fitness Challenge to motivate everyday athletes. The initiative combined a hero film, in‑store experiences at Mall of the Emirates and Kite Beach, and a...
Novo Nordisk, Dr Sara Al Madani Encourage People to ‘Champion a Lighter You’
Novo Nordisk has launched the "Champion A Lighter You" lifestyle‑awareness campaign in the United Arab Emirates, partnering with Emirati influencer Dr Sara Al Madani and Saatchi & Saatchi Middle East. The initiative uses a sky‑diving hero video and a suite of digital and experiential activations...
Why Vimto Has Partnered with Fatafeat for Ramadan
Vimto has introduced its new Vimto Rose flavour in the Middle East by partnering with Warner Bros. Discovery’s Fatafeat channel during Ramadan. The collaboration embeds the drink within the channel’s Kitchen Tales programming, positioning it as a natural ingredient for recipes, mocktails...
Nissan Highlights Heritage, Connects Locally Ahead of Kuwait National Day
Nissan Kuwait launched the “Japanese but Kuwaiti at heart” campaign, highlighting its Japanese heritage while emphasizing local cultural relevance ahead of the 2026 National Day. The initiative, developed by Horizon FCBKuwait, centers on a hero film distributed across social media,...
‘Sweet Surprise by Aster’ Raises Awareness on Hidden Sugar as UAE’s Sugar Tax Takes Effect
The UAE introduced a tiered sugar tax on January 1 2026, targeting beverages by sugar content per 100 ml. In response, Aster Clinics UAE opened the Aster Diabetes 360 Care Clinic in Al Qusais and launched the “Sweet Surprise by Aster” campaign, featuring a vending machine...
Clorox Measures Kris Fade’s, Jood Aziz’s Brainwaves: Is Cleaning Better than Coffee?
Clorox Arabia partnered with You Experience to launch a neuroscience‑driven campaign that measured participants' brain activity while they cleaned, drank coffee, ate ice cream and performed other pleasure‑inducing actions. Using EEG headsets on local influencers Kris Fade and Jood Aziz,...
Podcast: Ford MENA’s Andrew Gregory on What It Takes for Automative Brands to Win
Ford MENA’s Marketing Director Andrew Gregory explained how the "Ready. Set. Ford" platform unites OEM strategy with distributor execution to make complex buying decisions easier for customers. He emphasized that modern car shoppers gather 80‑90% of information online, demanding confidence, trust, and...
Careem Launches ‘Seeds For Gaza’, Transforming Its Logo Into a Symbol of Solidarity and Action
Careem has unveiled the “Seeds For Gaza” campaign, turning its logo into a series of watermelon‑seed dots that symbolize Palestinian resilience. The initiative lets riders, restaurant partners and brands donate directly through the app, with every watermelon sold on Careem Quik...
Serviceplan Group Partners with Luma AI to Deploy AI for Creative Across Global Ops
Serviceplan Group announced a strategic partnership with Luma AI to embed generative‑AI tools across its global creative operations. The collaboration introduces a "House of AI" digital twin that mirrors the agency’s entire marketing‑communication value chain, covering strategy, development, production and delivery....
Harrods Collaborates with Regional Creatives for GCC Ramadan Campaign
Harrods has launched a Ramadan and Eid campaign running from 20 January to 20 March, aimed at luxury‑focused customers in the UK and GCC markets. The initiative partners with Dubai‑based studio Bigsea.tv, photographer Mazen Abusrour, art director Serge Asaad and local stylists to blend...
JWI Promotes Adele Baxter to Managing Director, Signalling New Phase of Growth
JWI, the Dubai‑based independent creative agency, has promoted longtime client services leader Adele Baxter to Managing Director as founder Charli Wright steps into the CEO role. Baxter, with nine years of regional experience, will now steer operational strategy and deepen...
X Partners with Real Madrid for New Original Series on Real Talks
X has struck an exclusive deal with Real Madrid to launch “Real talks,” a 10‑episode, player‑driven X Original series. The episodes will roll out throughout the 2025/26 season, aligning with the club’s key fixtures and allowing fans to submit questions...
Snap Inc. Reveals Insights Into Its Users’ Behaviour for Ramadan 2026
Snap Inc. released its Ramadan 2026 consumer insights, highlighting that the holy month will fall in winter for the first time in the Middle East, altering fasting hours and spending patterns. The report shows 40% of GCC Snapchat users plan Ramadan...