Meet Rasha El-Ghoussaini, Head of Agency and Business Development at Snap Inc. MENA, a seasoned professional with over 18 years of experience in advertising and digital media.As a Board Member of IAB MENA and with a background in developing and managing brand communication and digital strategies, she brings a wealth of expertise to the table. 

In this interview, Rasha shares her insights on the evolving advertising landscape in the MENA region and Snap’s innovative strategies to stay ahead of the curve. From discussing the impact of AR in advertising to Snapchat’s approach to user privacy, she provides valuable perspectives on key industry trends. 

In your experience with the advertising and digital media landscape in the MENA region, especially from a brand communication and digital strategy standpoint, how has it changed over time? 

It’s become increasingly competitive. Legacy media is struggling to find new audiences, as Gen Z and millennials live their digital lives on mobile devices. Content formats have also diversified; we’re seeing short-form video content preferred by these generations who have limited time and value the convenience of their mobiles. Advertisers want to leverage this new landscape but also want to work with trusted partners to ensure their ads reach their target market in a brand-safe environment and reach them when they’re in a positive mindset.

The majority of people in the market today are actively searching for brand experiences and prefer to make purchases following an AR experience. How can brands and agencies leverage AR to provide unforgettable experiences to such audiences? 

Globally, AR delivers almost double the levels of visual attention compared to the non-AR equivalent, and in our UAE and KSA markets, AR experiences lead to a 94% higher conversion rate. When marketers add AR to a traditional Snap Ad video, brands earn up to 31% incremental reach. We’re seeing some impressive developments in AR, and brands and agencies need to leverage this technology to enhance the AR retail experience. Great examples include our TASAWAR campaign in Saudi Arabia, where five leading Saudi design brands presented their collections on captivating virtual runways to great acclaim, and our partnerships with Cartier, Tiffany & Co., and Dior, where shoppers could use AR to ‘try on’ products before buying. 

Snapchat is one of the most successful experiential marketing companies in the world. What makes Snapchat superior to its competitors and other social media platforms? 

Snapchat is the #1 platform enjoyed by Gen Z for shopping and sharing purchases they love. It’s also a place where brands can deliver real results; brands viewed on Snapchat are three times more engaging and more than twice as relatable as on other social apps. While many brands struggle to be part of real conversations, our differentiator is that we’re based on real connections. An environment built around real friends makes people happy and engaged, and more likely to remember ads, purchase from brands advertising, and recommend those brands to friends. This translates to real influence and powerful results for brands.

The Saudi Vision 2030 aims to increase the tourism industry’s contribution to the GDP. Moreover, travelling and Snapchatting go hand-in-hand. How significantly will this roadmap help Snapchat’s ad business and partnership opportunities? 

We know travellers use Snapchat to share their experiences. Locals in KSA say Snapchat is their favorite app for sharing their most meaningful moments. Born into 24/7 internet connectivity, Gen Z tends to rely on digital platforms for destination discovery and vacation planning, thus exposed to a wealth of travel inspiration. But there’s a nuance that’s usually overlooked – the youngest generation of adults craves authenticity and unfiltered experiences over polished facades. When it comes to traveling, Gen Z prioritizes authenticity and living in the moment. They don’t only share the most picture-perfect photos; they appreciate the funny, silly, real moments that make a trip truly memorable. 

With users mainly comprising Gen Z and Millennials, platforms such as Snapchat provide a wealth of opportunities for brands in the travel and tourism sector to engage with this target audience. According to an Ipsos study commissioned by Snapchat in 2022, more than 80% of daily Snapchatters agree that traveling makes them happy and that they like to explore the world and experience new countries and cultures. Furthermore, Snapchatters use Snapchat throughout their travel journey – from the planning stage until after they return home. As many as 86% of daily Snapchatters look to Snapchat for inspiration before a trip, 40% share Snaps with friends and family while traveling to show what they are doing, and 30% post to their Stories after a trip to provide reviews.

 

Snapchat has been in the ad business for over a decade. With increased data privacy regulations, what tools is Snapchat developing to compete with larger digital advertising networks? 

Privacy has always been a core priority at Snap because we know it’s vital to help our users feel safe, confident, and comfortable in their connections, just like in the real world. Content on Snapchat is ephemeral, and we minimize the data we collect from our users. Our products go through rigorous safety and privacy processes, and users rate Snapchat best at both supporting the psychological benefits of privacy and protecting against privacy threats. In fact, 65% of people surveyed said that Snapchat makes them feel safe communicating openly with others, and 62% said that Snapchat cares about their privacy. 

We offer detailed insights into how we collect, use, and share data for advertising purposes, ensuring advertisers can reach their target audience effectively while respecting user privacy preferences. From personalized ads driven by user interests and activity to audience targeting based on demographics and preferences, Snapchat provides advertisers with a range of tools to create relevant and engaging ad experiences. By maintaining a balanced approach to personalized advertising, we foster trust and confidence among both users and advertisers. 

In your opinion, what are some of the upcoming trends in the AI landscape that you foresee? How is Snapchat preparing to implement these for customer engagement? 

We see greater interaction with features such as chatbots becoming a significant part of the AI future. We recently rolled out a chatbot called My AI onto the platform, built on OpenAI’s latest iteration of GPT technology that we’ve customized just for Snapchatters. My AI was trained to operate with a unique tone and personality that aligns with Snapchat’s core values centered around friendship, learning, and fun. It’s pinned to the top of the Chat tab and is there to help users in various creative ways, from learning more about Snapchat to finding the answer to a burning trivia question.