Coca-Cola and Microsoft Partner on Cloud and AI
Microsoft Corp. and The Coca-Cola Company on Tuesday announced a five-year strategic partnership to align Coca-Cola’s core technology strategy systemwide; enable the adoption of leading-edge technology; and foster innovation and productivity globally.
As part of the partnership, Coca-Cola has made a $1.1 billion commitment to the Microsoft Cloud and its generative AI capabilities. The collaboration underscores Coca-Cola’s ongoing technology transformation, underpinned by the Microsoft Cloud as Coca-Cola’s globally preferred and strategic cloud and AI platform.
Through the partnership, the companies will jointly experiment with groundbreaking new technology like Azure OpenAI Service to develop innovative generative AI use cases across various business functions. This includes testing how Copilot for Microsoft 365 could help improve workplace productivity.
“Through our long-term partnership, we have made significant progress to accelerate system-wide AI Transformation across The Coca-Cola Company and its network of independent bottlers worldwide,” said Judson Althoff, executive vice president and chief commercial officer at Microsoft. “We are proud to support Coca-Cola as it continues to embrace the era of AI and looks to solutions like Azure OpenAI Service and Copilot for Microsoft 365 to drive innovation across every area of its business.”
Read more: Generative AI SaaS startup Onetab expands India operations
Coca-Cola has migrated all its applications to Microsoft Azure, with most major independent bottling partners following suit. As a pioneer in AI adoption, Coca-Cola has been innovating with generative AI for nearly a year and has already leveraged Azure OpenAI Service to reimagine everything from marketing to manufacturing and supply chain and beyond. The company is currently exploring the use of generative AI-powered digital assistants on Azure OpenAI Service to help employees improve customer experiences, streamline operations, foster innovation, gain a competitive advantage, boost efficiency and uncover new growth opportunities.
“This new agreement builds on the success of Coca-Cola’s partnership strategy with Microsoft, showing our commitment to ongoing digital transformation,” said John Murphy, president and chief financial officer of The Coca-Cola Company. “Our partnership with Microsoft has grown exponentially, from the $250 million agreement we initially announced in 2020 to $1.1 billion today.”
The agreement reflects a significant step in advancing Coca-Cola’s digital transformation, focused on providing expanded access to Microsoft’s cloud and AI platforms — as well as solutions such as Microsoft 365, Power BI, Dynamics 365, Defender and Fabric — to enhance efficiency and scalability while fostering innovation across the system.
“Our expanded partnership with Microsoft is an important next chapter in Coca-Cola’s journey toward a digital-first enterprise powered by emerging technologies,” said Neeraj Tolmare, senior vice president and global chief information officer for The Coca-Cola Company. “Microsoft’s capabilities help accelerate our adoption of AI to create incremental enterprise value.”
Read more: PubMatic Announces Partnership with GroupM For Cohort-Based Modeling Capabilities
Insights from Publicis Amir Zeitouni: Navigating UAE’s Communication Landscape
Amir M Zeitouni, the accomplished Business Director at Publicis Communications UAE. With a wealth of experience in the telecommunications industry, Amir brings a unique blend of strategic vision and creative ingenuity to his role. Spearheading innovative communication strategies, he is renowned for his adeptness in navigating challenges and consistently delivering exceptional results. In this exclusive interview, he offers invaluable insights into his journey, strategies, and the keys to his success in the ever-evolving realm of communications.
Having worked across the advertising, creative, and telecommunications sectors, how has your professional experience been? What have been some of the challenges and lessons you have learned?
In the fast-paced realm of telecommunications, the advertising industry is already fiercely competitive. My journey through advertising, creativity, and telecom has been both stimulating and rewarding.
Navigating through the years, and balancing client demands with our creative vision has been quite the challenge. Personally, I thrive when I find the right balance between innovation and achieving concrete marketing objectives. However, it’s crucial never to underestimate the value of iteration. The ability to clearly communicate ideas and work through drafts and revisions is essential, as is the capability to articulate our creative vision convincingly to clients and stakeholders.
When delving deeper into telecom, keeping up with technical advancements and embracing the ever-changing landscape is paramount. Building strong partnerships within the industry and collaborating with other companies to achieve common goals are also vital. Notably, telecom giants are undergoing a significant transformation, transitioning from traditional service providers to comprehensive technology entities, often termed “Techcos.”
How do you ensure Publicis Communications’ strategies align with the client’s vision and marketing objectives? What KPIs do you monitor and how do you make sure they are met?
The Publicis Groupe model is designed to revolve around and fulfill all our clients’ needs. From the Power of One model, offering all solutions under one roof, to the consultancy approach, Publicis Groupe becomes your one-stop orchestra, where every instrument plays in perfect harmony to deliver your brand’s unique melody.
Our powerful model acts as the conductor, ensuring that all elements – from creative spark to strategic savvy – come together seamlessly to create a masterpiece. We don’t just meet clients’ needs; we anticipate them, becoming an extension of their team, meticulously crafting every detail to bring the brand vision to life.
In the month of Ramadan, viewer consumption patterns differ significantly from those of normal times, so how can brands leverage these differences to reach their audiences in the best way possible?
Many regard Ramadan as the “Superbowl” of the Middle East, but I believe it’s much more than that. Ramadan is an incredibly exciting time – the consumer journey shifts entirely from the rest of the year. It’s a special period where we aim to forge emotional connections and establish long-term relationships with our audience.
The alteration in viewer consumption habits during Ramadan presents a unique opportunity for businesses to engage with viewers. To make the most of these changes, brands should prioritize shorter, high-impact ads and strategically schedule their advertisements.
Is it award-winning campaigns or understanding new emerging trends and technologies or something else that presents the biggest opportunities for the UAE’s advertising agencies?
When it comes to advertising in the UAE, the sweet spot lies in staying abreast of emerging trends and technology while tackling the challenge of creating award-winning campaigns. Allow me to elaborate:
Accolades spotlight efficiency and originality, two qualities vital for attracting customers. The advertising landscape is in a constant state of flux. Agencies can craft more creative and captivating campaigns by keeping pace with and leveraging new technology and trends, such as augmented reality, virtual reality, data-driven marketing, and the rising popularity of influencer marketing. Agencies that can showcase their creative prowess through award-winning campaigns and stay ahead of the curve in terms of technology and trends will thrive.
The UAE has recently passed a decree-law aimed at controlling media operations within its borders. How has this impacted the media landscape and how are media agencies complying with it?
The UAE’s media law change presents media agencies with an intriguing new chapter. Clear standards and responsible content development are emphasized, offering a chance to prioritize quality over quantity and engage viewers with powerful messages. Media agencies are adaptable; thus, I believe they will succeed. Innovative content that complies with the new regulations may see an increase. This could foster a more positive and cohesive media environment, showcasing UAE culture and values. Overall, this is a positive step towards a more mature and responsible UAE media climate. Creative minds should be excited to develop new methods to engage audiences within this evolving landscape.
Do you have any advice for young professionals looking to get into advertising and media?
My advice to young professionals will be limited to 5 points, and I’ll elaborate a little on each:
1. Demonstrate Business Acumen: Advertising is a business, but innovation is key. Showcase how innovative ideas translate into measurable outcomes. Learn data analysis basics and showcase your skills in interpreting data for advertising strategy. Understanding marketing principles, such as customer journeys and market research, enhances your value.
2. Stand Out of the crowd: Specialize in areas like social media marketing or content production to build a strong portfolio. Highlight your business knowledge and outcomes achieved.
3. Networking like a pro: Connect with industry experts and attend relevant conferences. Use LinkedIn to engage in industry debates and network with employers. Reach out via emails or messages to introduce yourself, express interest, and showcase talents.
4. Start Strong: Seek real-world experience, even through small opportunities.
5. Embrace Persistence: Overcome challenges and show passion for the industry. Grit and a growth mindset are your secret weapons.
Vice Media’s Rafael Lavor: Shaping Media Strategy for Tomorrow’s Audience
Meet Rafael Lavor, Head of Strategy MEA at Vice Media, whose illustrious career spans over 18 years of shaping the creative landscape. With a diverse background that includes leadership roles in local innovation consultancies and global creative agencies, he has orchestrated groundbreaking campaigns for iconic brands such as Peugeot, Mastercard, and Amazon. Renowned for his strategic prowess, his work has been celebrated with numerous accolades, including awards at esteemed ceremonies.
Join us as Rafael shares his wealth of experience and insights into navigating cultural complexities, harnessing AI in gaming, and pioneering impactful brand activism in the ever-evolving media realm.
Congratulations on your appointment as the Head of Strategy MEA at Vice Media. Having worked in creative strategy, digital communications, brand management and more for over 18 years, could you please share your career journey and any interesting experiences you encountered?
Thank you! I’m really excited to join the VICE team. One thing that I emphasized throughout my interviews for this job was my love for working with unconventional individuals. I believe that interesting experiences often arise from embracing the unusual, leveraging the unexpected, and capturing unique perspectives. Around 17 years ago, I used to manage research for an innovation consultancy. This involved moderating focus groups, conducting interviews at various locations like parties, subway stations, and malls, and even stopping people on sidewalks to inquire about behaviours and brand perceptions, among other things.
Once, during ethnographic explorations around neighbourhoods in São Paulo for a gas company, my colleague and I approached a woman to discuss her preferences regarding household services. While we were near her home, she asked us to wait outside. Suddenly, her husband emerged—with a gun on his belt. Yes, a gun. Despite being terrified, we managed to explain who we were and what we were doing, partially diffusing the tension. Despite his initial suspicions, we ended up engaging in a lengthy conversation about his experiences as an unemployed security guard, local politics, rising prices, housing issues, and, yes, gas services. It was an incredibly strange, risky, and unexpected encounter, but nonetheless valuable. This experience taught me a great deal about genuine dialogue, sensitivity, openness, personal biases, and the unpredictable nature of life.
As a strategist and researcher who has worked across different markets and different agencies and consultancies in automobile, FMCG sectors, how different is the MEA region from Brazil? How did you cope with the transition?
Outsiders tend to perceive Brazil as a monolithic country, but it is certainly not. It is replete with internal regional nuances, cultural specificities, ethnic diversity, historical issues, and severe inequality problems. Similar to the Middle East, Brazil presents a spectrum of societal complexities. Navigating these continental challenges requires keeping biases in check, conducting thorough research, and remaining open to listening. Listening becomes a superpower to cope with such a transition. I have conversed with numerous individuals and delved into various books about the region, encompassing its history, diversity, dialects, landscapes, economies, religions, cities, conflicts, cultures, and more. Yet, I still acknowledge that I know very little. I will always remain a foreigner, continuously learning. As long as I retain this perspective, I will be fine.
In the MEA region, there are bound to be cultural nuances that matter. How do you accommodate them in your creative campaigns? How are audiences responding to them?
Cultural nuances, at a certain point within the creative process, culminating in execution issues: do we ultimately have the capacity to incorporate all cultural nuances into everything we planned, or do we need to compromise somewhere? It’s a conundrum we all face. We either promote something extremely resonant to a specific audience on a smaller scale or go big and risk diluting the message. The best scenario is trying to find a universal human truth hidden within local habits: the need for love, the search for meaning or security, the desperation of being lost and alone, or the craving for external validation. Desires, wishes, anxieties, fears—regardless of one’s ethnicity, religion, or cultural background, we all seek the same things as humans. Culture is built upon human needs and emotions. Whenever we can unearth and refine those raw inner emotional triggers, chances are the audience will have a resounding response.
While conceptualizing a brand campaign, how can you ensure that the idea resonates with the audiences the way it should?
Do your homework: Conduct thorough research to uncover something deeply relatable to the audience—a truthful insight, an interesting fact, a behavioural paradox, or a gripping tension—anything that can resonate amidst the noise of timelines.
Frame it beautifully: Distill the most poignant insight or truth about the audience into a single keyword or short expression that everyone involved in the process memorises. This becomes an internal dogma, a guiding meme, repeated until it’s recited back to you.
Recruit internal allies: Ensure that the team involved has relevant previous experience and a cultural background suited for the challenge. Team members may share important similarities with the audience, such as age group, mentality, overall perspective, stage of life, expertise in the category, or other relevant factors. You need a collectively empathetic team.
Finally, trust the process: Have faith in your creative partners and help them take ownership of the audience’s perspective by crafting the details of ideas and executions through people’s lenses along the way.
As a result of emerging technologies such as cloud computing and IoT, the media industry has been impacted significantly. Please provide your insight into how to implement these technologies to stay on top of trends while not sacrificing people’s touch?
Honestly, I’m not sure. I don’t see the omnipresence of connected screens and touchpoints as a good thing. It’s like more connected devices mean more screens, more interruptions, just more of everything. But here’s the thing: the more options we offer, the less value they seem to hold for people. It’s basic supply and demand. And our attention span – and our patience – keeps on diminishing. We’re drowning in a sea of uninspired content, diluting the impact of advertising spaces. The way I see it, the answer is to make advertising premium. We’ve got to make it worth people’s time, something they actually want to watch. With technologies like IoT, Cloud Computing, and Machine Learning, we can streamline processes, sure, but from the consumer’s side, it might feel like an invasion of privacy or just too much information. As we navigate this digital landscape, let us prioritize the needs of our audience. Let’s put people first and craft premium content spaces that resonate deeply with them.
What are some of the most innovative or creative campaigns you have overseen? How did they differ from similar campaigns and what did you learn from them?
Let me tell you about one campaign that I absolutely adore. Activision Blizzard teamed up with Crispin Porter and Boguski to launch Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 in Brazil. The game, with its flawless revamped gameplay mechanics, not only brought back the classic Tony Hawk experience but also revived beloved soundtracks from previous editions.
What made this launch truly special was its homage to the Brazilian audience. Among the iconic tracks, there was a special nod to “Charlie Brown Jr.,” a band that made history in the 90s and 00s scene. It was led by the charismatic singer and skater, Chorão.In a stroke of brilliance, the team decided to make this homage even bigger. They remastered not just the game, but also the band’s hit track’s music video. Through family contacts, they secured never-before-seen footage of Chorão and the band, giving fans a glimpse into their history.
The result? A brand new music video launched with zero media effort that became an overnight sensation. More than a decade after the band’s dissolution, fans from that generation felt deeply honored by the game’s tribute. This beautiful campaign tapped into nostalgia in a distilled, truthful, and well-crafted manner. It serves as a reminder that even in today’s digital age, connecting with the most basic human emotions remains the most effective strategy for capturing hearts and minds.
With a new year ahead, what do you think will shake up the entire creative and media sector in 2024? What should we be prepared for?
The blockchain has undoubtedly left its mark, but the NFT trend proved to be a fluke, and dedicated Metaverse spaces are yet to make a comeback. Surprisingly, Space Computing remains a distant concept. In the current landscape, my bets lie on Gaming powered by Artificial Intelligence and Impactful Brand Activism.
AI is revolutionizing the creative industry, offering both challenges and opportunities. Embracing this transformation, we must harness AI’s potential to elevate creativity to unprecedented heights. Consider the possibilities of Gaming Platforms as canvases for exploring AI’s capabilities. With AI tools, we can craft immersive content with minimal resources, leading to unimaginable outcomes. Moreover, brands and companies must take decisive action. The world faces crises—from environmental degradation to geopolitical tensions—and it’s time for businesses to step up. With their influence, corporations can drive positive change, shaping regional and global policies for a sustainable future. Ultimately, it’s everyone’s responsibility to contribute to creating a livable world.
Disney+ Unveils New Logo and Welcomes Hulu Integration
Disney’s unveiling of its new logo coincides with its acquisition of the US-streaming website Hulu. This significant development was announced on the same day as the global launch of Hulu content on Disney+.
Why new logo?
The evolution of the new logo incorporates Hulu’s iconic green hue into the traditional Disney+ blue, resulting in a design that exudes a “premium and elevated” ambiance. This blend of colors not only serves to welcome Hulu onto the Disney+ platform but also signifies a fresh chapter in storytelling for the streaming service, as stated by a representative of the company.
Disney+ Embraces Cultural Inclusivity
Furthermore, the updated logo in the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region introduces the inclusion of the words “Disney+” in Arabic. In a statement, the company expressed that the addition of Arabic script underscores its dedication to the region and aligns with its mission of fostering connections with local audiences. This move reflects Disney’s ongoing efforts to resonate with diverse audiences worldwide while reaffirming its commitment to cultural inclusivity.
Read More: Reliance and Disney Ink Binding Agreement to Combine Media Business in India
Criteo Receives Debut MRC Accreditation for Retail Media
Criteo, a prominent commerce media company, has announced its attainment of a significant milestone: accreditation by the Media Rating Council (MRC). This accreditation marks a first for Criteo and pertains to the measurement of display-rendered impression and click advertising metrics cross desktop, mobile web, and mobile in-app environments for Onsite Sponsored Products and Onsite Display Ads on its enterprise retail media platforms, Commerce Max and Commerce Yield. As part of this accreditation, Criteo was evaluated against MRC’s guidelines for detecting and filtering General Invalid Traffic (GIVT), which provides enhanced assurance that marketers can trust the commerce outcomes driven on the Criteo platform.
This recognition by the MRC validates that Criteo’s impression and click metrics are valid and reliable – providing advertisers with added transparency. Accreditation by the MRC also included a review of Criteo’s GIVT detection for both Onsite Sponsored Products and Onsite Display Ads, which enables advertisers and agencies to flag certain invalid sources.
For years, Criteo has been building a commerce media strategy for advertisers to connect with consumers throughout their shopping journey. Retail Media is one of the fastest-growing sectors in advertising and is expected to represent over $150 billion in global ad spend by 2026, according to GroupM.
And what they said
George W. Ivie, Executive Director and CEO of the MRC said,
“We commend Criteo for earning MRC accreditation, an important milestone that speaks to Criteo’s commitment to transparency and industry leadership.Retailers, brands and agencies can now have the confidence this MRC-accredited measurement solution provides in helping them navigate the booming retail media space.”
Brian Gleason, Chief Revenue Officer at Criteo said,
“This accreditation is a significant step forward in the maturation of retail media, and Criteo couldn’t be prouder of this accomplishment.An industry-grade seal of approval reinforces our ability to deliver the highest quality, most accurate measurement for our clients to advance their retail media strategies.”
Read more: GroupM and Criteo Pilot Omnichannel Commerce Boost in APAC
Omnicom’s PHD Secures Integrated Media Mandate for OPPO
PHD India, a division of the Omnicom Media Group, has clinched the integrated media mandate for OPPO India, following a multi-agency pitch.
This partnership will see the agency support OPPO India’s journey of growth in the region by drawing upon PHD’s strength in comms planning, creative ingenuity, and capabilities to drive business outcomes.
With nearly two decades of groundbreaking advancements in smart technology, OPPO is steadfast in its commitment to pushing the boundaries of innovation. Partnering with PHD, they aim to strengthen their position in the Indian smartphone market, offering discerning consumers their preferred choice.
Expressing enthusiasm about the collaboration, Monaz Todywalla, CEO of PHD India,said,
“We are thrilled to embark on this journey of growth with our new partner, OPPO. The brand is an innovator in its space and with PHD’s deep expertise in media, consumer strategies and advanced thinking – ‘Intelligence. Connected.’ – that combines data, technology, and human expertise collaboratively, we look forward to building a stronger affinity for OPPO India.”
Read more: Omnicom Secures Creative Mandate for Air India Express
Memac Ogilvy’s Jon Marchant: Driving Impact Through Creative Synergy
As Memac Ogilvy’s Group President for MENA, Jon Marchant is at the forefront of a creative transformation, blending his rich experience from Manchester, England to the dynamic landscapes of the Middle East. His journey, marked by serendipitous beginnings and strategic mastery, paints a vivid picture of leadership driving transformative change, setting the stage for a new era of creativity and innovation in the region’s advertising world. In this candid conversation, Marchant shares insights into his visionary approach, the transformative power of asking the right questions, and his ambitious plans to help steer Memac Ogilvy towards a creative renaissance, underscored by a philosophy of borderless creativity and collaboration.
Congratulations on your new role as Group President MENA at Memac Ogilvy. Can you tell us how you have evolved in your professional journey and your current role?
Thank you! It’s great to be here. I fell into advertising by chance at 21 when I got a secretarial job at McCann Erickson Manchester, and after hitting it off with the team and being beguiled by the enigmatic Creative Directors, I never looked back!
Drawn from my early passion for team sports where I was always made team captain, I realized I had a knack for getting the most out of people, galvanizing teams and making things happen, so roles in account management and business leadership felt very natural to me. The other trait I learnt early on was the importance of questions. Asking clients the most thoughtful, deep questions can eventually lead to solving the most complex of problems, and being in business leadership roles allowed me the opportunity to lead from the front on this.
I spent almost two-thirds of my agency time within McCann Worldgroup and IPG, where I’ve had some great times and some excellent bosses & mentors. After six years of growing brands in the MENA region leading FP7McCann, the timing felt right to explore another agency network, and the lure of Ogilvy proved too enticing to turn down. Always a true creatively-led company at heart and consistently in the top 2 or 3 at Cannes for over a decade, I had admired Ogilvy over the years from the competition trenches. Over 75 years of heritage and culture, defined so much by David Ogilvy himself, yet always with the ability to reinvent themselves over the years as our industry evolved.
I was also inspired by Memac Ogilvy’s proud legacy of being an innovator in the MENA region, often the first to launch new capabilities and venture into new markets for the first time, led by their charismatic and entrepreneurial leader, the great, late Eddie Moutran. And so here I am as Memac Ogilvy’s new MENA Group President. Alongside CEO, Ghassan Maraqa, we oversee a regional network of over 450 talented individuals, creating and innovating at intersections to create value and solve our clients’ problems every single day.
You have operated in the UK for a large proportion of your career and now UAE market for the last 6 years, can you give us some insight on how both these markets have evolved over time and how are they different?
I would prefer not to compare the two markets, since we live in such a connected world today, where the lines between geographies are becoming more blurred. Creative talents are both mobile and agile, and time differences are no longer a barrier to collaborative work. This is Ogilvy’s underlying philosophy of how the best work is conceived – the conception of ideas at intersections, whether that be different capabilities, cultures, or geographies. We call this Borderless Creativity.
This narrowing of markets is backed up by how far the UAE and the wider MENA region have progressed in such a short space of time. Work from this part of the world is breaking stereotypes and redefining conventions in communications and marketing. This upward trajectory is underlined by the increase in international creative awards won by the MENA region, and having Cannes Jury Presidents and Lion Grand Prix heralding from this part of the world.
Driven by in-country visions, the region is busy transforming its economies and taking its social and cultural dynamics to new levels, and marketers in the region are ready to deliver this with vigor! From tech adopters to trendsetters and everything in between, there’s a crop of young, dynamic and smart marketers entering our industry in MENA all the time.
In a cookie-less world and an ever more fragmented media landscape, how do you help advise clients on how to approach their marketing strategy, so that their budget is invested in the right areas?
The digital age has revolutionized commerce at scale resulting in more products coming into the market. Brands must operate at blinding speed, competing with fast-rising disruptive rivals while establishing profoundly responsible, sustainable, and enduring ways of behaving and operating.
But this also means, that in an increasingly commoditized world, creativity becomes the force multiplier and the differentiator for how a brand stands out and is able to grow.
Ogilvy firmly believes in the ‘creative multiplier’ effect: we know that creatively awarded work is 11 times more effective than non-awarded work. Hence simply doing great work for our clients is a sound business strategy.
So, I advise clients that backing brave creative has never been more important because it will create an unreasonable impact versus their competitors’ efforts. This could be an impact that simply creates brand preference, like our Proudly Second Best campaign for IKEA. Or an impact that solves societal issues such as Ogilvy South Africa’s Bread of a Nation, where the bi-products from brewing Castle Lager were used to make bread and literally feed an entire nation!
With your extensive experience, how do you see the role of digital media evolving in the next 5 years, and what steps is Memac Ogilvy taking to prepare for these future trends?
Digital marketing now demands new skills for managing data and designing effective strategies, especially for digital natives who rely on instant information and have more spending power in the workplace.
The rise of digital media has led to a digital revolution, where digital capabilities are integrated into existing systems, resources and capabilities. Furthermore, advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are enhancing collaboration between employees and technology in terms of serving customers, paving the way for the Fifth Industrial Revolution.
With all this in mind, marketers and agencies need to work harder than ever just to keep up with innovations and new skill sets. David Ogilvy said, “Change is our lifeblood. Stagnation is our death knell”, and as a network, Ogilvy certainly subscribes to this mantra to learn fast or else.
Our adoption of AI is a great example of this – not just in helping us produce more compelling content and work more efficiently, but also in the conception of ideas previously not possible without AI as a tool. Specifically, using AI to generate ideas that will win a greater share of voice in the future. In fact, our Global CEO of Advertising, Antonis Kocheilas, recently defined AI as the ‘dawn of the inspiration economy’, one which promises to reward those whose creativity knows no bounds. This makes it an incredibly exciting time to be in our industry.
And can you tell us about some of the key digital trends that will shape the industry in 2024?
In addition to AI’s profound impact that I touched on above already, I am excited about how advanced Ogilvy and WPP are on the journey of recognizing its value in several areas.
Expect to see the greater application of machine learning into agency workflows, helping businesses identify better efficiencies and reduce costs. It will also be used to predict marketing and media outcomes more accurately. But then there are the opportunities to enhance creativity, which is the really exciting bit. We will shift from creating generative pieces of work to more complex outputs, such as 3D design.
The golden era of ad-free streaming will be over, and we will see a greater proliferation of advertising in online streaming services. Prime has already started that; expect more to follow as publishers look to maximize further revenue opportunities.
Another trend will be the uptake of “spatial experiences”. When Apple enters a category, disruption, innovation and growth usually follow. So, with the upcoming launch of Apple Vision, expect an increase in attention to spatial experiences in augmented and VR worlds.
Last but not least, more devices than ever before will be connected and networked. Most of those won’t be smartphones, but everyday appliances, gadgets and tools. And each of these will enable brands to be more personalized and open up unique engagement opportunities and enhanced customer experiences.
The UAE market is quite saturated and fiercely competitive when it comes to agencies, what would you say is Memac Ogilvy’s point of difference over your competitors?
As a regional network, we are fully committed to our global strategy of Borderless Creativity. We believe we can create better ideas and solutions for our clients through collaboration. Operating as one team, Memac Ogilvy has the ability to quickly bring together a diverse set of talents across capabilities and geographies to solve business problems for our clients, through the power of creativity.
This collaboration is ingrained in our people through our culture, which we refer to internally as ‘Connected for Creativity’. With strong leadership across disciplines and in-market, over 450 incredible, young and diverse talents, a desire to do the best work of our lives for our clients, whilst doing it together, and all backed up by 75 years of Ogilvy heritage, I’d say we have an incredibly compelling proposition.
Collaboration with our clients is also what sets us apart. We explore the market to identify where we can formulate the strongest and deepest partnerships, adopting a growth mindset for brands and businesses at all times, to continue to serve as the ‘trusted advisors’ of our valued client partners.
In Conversation with EssenceMediacom’s Soumak Banik: Media Insights Unveiled
Embark on an insightful voyage through the media landscape guided by Soumak Banik, the accomplished Managing Director at EssenceMediacom Indonesia. EssenceMediacom is GroupM’s newest and largest agency that is committed to delivering marketing breakthroughs for brands in the new communications economy.
With an impressive 22-year career spanning diverse sectors, from FMCG to luxury, Soumak is a dynamic communicator thriving in high-pressure roles. His cross-functional expertise and strategic acumen shape EssenceMediacom’s innovative approach, establishing him as a luminary in the media and advertising realm. In an exclusive interview, he shares insights from his extensive journey in the Indian and Indonesian markets, offering a unique perspective on the industry’s seismic shifts, Metaverse and booming gaming sector.
Having worked in both the Indian market and as the Managing Director of EssenceMediacom Indonesia, can you share your experiences and your professional trajectory in the media and advertising industry?
Undoubtedly, like many in our industry, I emphasize that we are witnessing major seismic tectonic changes. These times are unprecedentedly exciting – truly the best of times!
In an attempt to align the experiences and exposures of the past two decades with a common understanding, I would liken the trajectory to the fundamental principles of earthly motion—simultaneously involving rotation and revolution. The circular rotation signifies the brand’s axial movement around its centricity to consumers. Concurrently, there is a revolution fueled by the extraordinary evangelism of technology, driven by the digital transformation of consumerism.
In today’s landscape, consumers are markedly more aware, informed, and neutral. They rightfully expect brands to be realistic and merit a genuine choice or loyalty. What ensues is the gravitational pull on brands to adapt – to become more creative and to contextualize their offerings along a helical pathway that aligns with consumer aspirations. Creating brand love has become a more challenging yet thrilling endeavor in our interconnected universe of media.
As a professional working in the Indonesian media market for more than a decade, what are some of the challenges you faced while transitioning from the Indian market to your current role? What shifts have you experienced in the Indonesian advertising sector and its audiences?
Asia is renowned for its rich culture. Most Asiatic countries are more culturally interconnected than diverse, mirroring the unity of their people. Culture is deeply ingrained in the heritage, language, faith, religion, food habits, ethnicity, fashion, tastes, preferences, traditions and values of its communities, people, and races – be it in South Asia or Southeast Asia. In this context, India and Indonesia stand out as prime examples.
Both nations and their respective governments are making massive investments in infrastructure and connectivity, earning them top ranks among global technology giants such as Google, Meta, and other leading Martech companies. India serves as the epicentre for investments in South Asia, while Indonesia plays a similar role for private equity firms in Southeast Asia.
Interestingly, not only are both countries experiencing significant growth in population, demographics, and geographical diversity, but they also share similar traits in consumer habits towards brands. The inquisitiveness of consumers towards information and choices shows striking similarities and is on a growing trend.
In both India and Indonesia, media ad expenditures are growing at a double-digit rate, and rapid digitalization is fueling a profound digital transformation for brands. The Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) is notably higher by 110 points. Digital native brands are championing a departure from traditional marketing methods in sectors ranging from FMCG, e-commerce, and apps to banking and utility services.
Capital investments are reaching record highs in private and emerging sectors. Every day brings new opportunities to understand and learn more about culture, consumers, effective communication, and media utilization. It’s a transformative journey in itself.
You have worked in different sectors, from FMCG, to Automobile to Luxury and Sports. How different or similar were the marketing and strategic plans you employed across these sectors? Has this experience helped you in your current role in any way?
It’s a privilege, and in fact, I feel fortunate to work across various sectors. The experience is an extensive learning journey. Honestly, the world of media and advertising is often filled with jargon. However, every brand, spanning FMCG to luxury to sports, shares a singular objective – driving growth. While some prioritize volume, others emphasize value. What unites brands is the pursuit of Lifetime Consumer Value (LCV). This objective stands as the ultimate milestone, whether it’s in strategy, marketing, communication, media campaigns, or go-to-market strategies.
Once the consumer pathway is meticulously mapped and defined, the focus shifts to effectiveness and efficiency, driving return on investment (ROI). While media choices may vary, encompassing different platforms and utilizing AI for creativity and propelling social commerce, the overarching purpose remains constant – drive growth.
Today, brands are rushing to advertise their products and services in metaverse in order to attract and engage their audiences better. What is the future of this trend in your opinion?
The key to attracting consumers to a brand has always been the platform for creative contextuality. The Metaverse stands out as an extraordinary effort in this direction, offering a dedicated space for Lifestyle, Luxury, Beauty, and Experiential brands. Leading the race are global brands such as Nike, Coke, H&M, LV, Gucci, Burberry, Mars, Forever21, and more. What was once considered a trend or a prospect is now an undeniable reality. The imperative for brands is to act swiftly and immerse themselves in the world of Web3 Technology.
Social media is now accessible to everyone thanks to technological advancements and smartphones. In-stream ads are now used by brands to customize their adverts based on audience. Could you tell us how EssenceMediacom has done this?
Programmatic Media and Dynamic Creative & Content Optimization (DCCO) have reached their pinnacle when it comes to audience targeting and media optimization. Innovative ad formats leveraging technology, ranging from face recognition to AR/VR, are already gaining prominence, with brands actively advocating for their adoption.
One target market that is growing at a rapid pace is the gaming industry. What are your insights about how brands should leverage these audiences to reach their intended audience?
Gaming stands out as the singular sector in digital media experiencing unprecedented growth, surging at a rate of 50% or more year on year across global markets. The evolution of gaming has been nothing short of remarkable, transitioning from a single-window format to now embracing experiential formats. It has traversed the spectrum from niche engagement to reaching a wider audience, ultimately becoming an experiential powerhouse. Notably, content is now navigating its path through gaming, as seen with Netflix launching Money Heist in the gaming realm.
While audience targeting predominantly takes a programmatic approach, brands must now pivot towards enhancing in-game experiences, with creativity playing a pivotal role. The era of banner ads and promotional QR codes in gaming advertising has passed. Experiential marketing in gaming has become imperative for brands to stay ahead in the game.
Can you share some examples of a successful campaign you carried out and the strategic planning that went behind it?
My all-time favourite, and it will always be, is the Vodafone India launch of the Zoozoo campaign in 2009. The campaign featured 44 different creatives addressing 45 different products/services of Vodafone. Remarkably, these 44 creatives were launched in 45 days – unveiling one new creative every day, culminating with the simultaneous release of all 45 creatives on the last day! This extensive campaign spanned 36 newspapers, 104 TV stations, 38 radio stations, all digital platforms, 1000+ OOH placements, and even made its mark in sports during IPL 2. Merchandising extended across 3000 Vodafone stores and apparel retailers.
It’s been more than 14 years, and yet Vodafone continues to incorporate Zoozoo in some of its campaigns in India. Such is the enduring recall and stature created by the Zoozoo campaign.
If given a chance to visit either the past, present or future, which one would you choose and why?
As always, the Present. It’s the best time ever.
Havas Maher Saad El Din: Navigating Media’s Shifting Landscape
Explore Maher Saad El Din, Media Director at Havas Media Group, remarkable over 17 years journey in advertising and media. From local agencies to multinational giants, he shares stories of growth and innovation and insights on trends, challenges, and his dedication to local talent. In this exclusive interview, get a closer look at Maher’s views on industry changes, the Saudi Vision 2030, and exciting technologies, like scent marketing and the metaverse.
With 17 years of experience in the advertising and media industry, can you take us through your professional journey and your role as the Media Director at Havas Media?
As you mentioned, 17 years is a significant period, and much has transpired during those years, making it challenging to cover everything. I’ll try to be brief!
I initiated my career in the industry at a local digital agency called Admark. I cannot emphasize enough how crucial that start was for me and how much I appreciate the opportunity that Dr. Nasser Nabulsi gave me. Working with him, I learned a great deal. It was an interesting time, witnessing the inception of the big digital ad boom and the launch of staples such as Google AdWords and Facebook.
My next step marked my first interaction with a multinational agency when I joined Drive Dentsu offices in Riyadh. I consider it my first true venture into the industry. While I hold dear my beginnings at Admark, it was a small company with a very small team. Stepping into the “Big Leagues,” as they say, with Drive Dentsu was an exciting and intimidating move.
From there, I started to discern my preference in the digital equation, leading me to Starcom during its golden age. Although my time there was shorter, I would not be who I am in the industry without that experience.
Then came my initial encounter with a local agency, iCom, one of the largest media companies in Saudi at the time. They had clients such as Saudi Airlines, ALJ’s entire portfolio, HHA’s entire portfolio of motor companies, NCB, Riyad Bank, and SADAFCO, to name a few. Company founder and visionary Nabil Bakr recognized the growth in digital media and recruited me in 2013 to bring the company into the digital age. Despite facing challenges, especially after the 2016 market crash, it remains the best experience I’ve had in the industry and one that I still miss. Even with a smaller team than we started with, we secured significant clients like Jeddah Season, Riyadh Season, PIF’s FII, Tasheel financing, and a few more. Unfortunately, COVID hit us hard, and iCOM never recovered.
I navigated for a couple of years, landing at UM in 2020 and then Mediacom in 2021 before finally settling at Havas Saudi as Media Director. Here, I find my passion reignited and an atmosphere that encourages cooperation in the best possible way.
How has the advertising landscape in KSA changed over the course of your career? What upcoming trends do you see this region adopting in the future?
Having steered through the industry for over 16 years, it’s fascinating to witness its evolution from a newspaper/TV-centric landscape, where the private sector led the way, to a digital/outdoor-driven environment fueled by government and semi-government initiatives.
The most concerning trend currently is the looming cookieless future, with no tangible solutions in sight and regional companies evidently unprepared for the impending transition, barring a selected few.
In terms of exciting developments, the transformation of Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising in Saudi Arabia has been particularly intriguing to observe. Anticipating forthcoming changes and the promise of increased transparency and accurate measurement have me eagerly awaiting what comes next!
What are your insights on the Saudi Vision 2030? How will you align with it and how will the development plan affect the advertising and media landscape in KSA?
As someone born and raised in Saudi Arabia, I’m still awestruck by the remarkable strides the country is making! Since the launch of the Vision, it consistently surpasses expectations, leaving me to ponder each morning on the potential yet to unfold before reaching its 2030 goals—a thought that never fails to bring a smile.
My enduring goal, evident throughout my career, is to actively contribute to the development of local talent in every company I’ve been a part of. It remains my unwavering priority when forming teams. I eagerly anticipate the day when I can confidently pass the baton to a skilled and inspired team of Saudi talents, poised to navigate the next phase in the Kingdom’s industry evolution.
In the past decade, smartphones have revolutionized mobile marketing, particularly social media marketing. How will 5G further enhance mobile marketing?
Smartphones have facilitated the evolution of social media, transitioning from the static desktop era with limited access and the minimal interactions of platforms like Facebook and MySpace to a dynamic mobile platform that remains connected 24/7. This transformation is evident in the regular updates of images and GIFs on platforms such as Twitter and Instagram.
The advent of 5G connectivity has propelled us further, ushering in an era of almost omnipresent video platforms like Snapchat and TikTok. Our lives are now recorded and shared with the world. 5G holds more potential, particularly in the realm of the Internet of Things (IoT), where it becomes the primary means of interacting with our home devices. The next phase of automation is on the horizon, and we’re on the verge of experiencing seamless connectivity.
Imagine a world where even household appliances like the Washing Machine and Dryer interact seamlessly, efficiently folding and putting away laundry. Such innovations could free up valuable time, allowing us to savour life’s moments even more!
As we move into 2024, we will see a significant rise in the adoption of artificial intelligence and generative AI. What are your thoughts on the implementation of AI in marketing? How will it benefit advertisers and media agencies?
As exciting as the prospects of Generative AI are, we need to take a step back and not fall into the trend cycle that our industry often succumbs to. While I agree that it is advancing rapidly and will be immensely beneficial in the long run, it is crucial that we channel our excitement into making GenAI more of a tool to eliminate all the tedious tasks, rather than one to replace human creativity and hard work
Cutting-edge technologies are paving the way for future advertising. Brands are now trying to advertise in the metaverse to stay ahead of the times. How do you think this technology will perform in the years to come?
I don’t foresee a future in the Metaverse at all, to be honest. The barrier of entry is excessively high, requiring an intensive amount of work to create an underwhelming experience that, for consumers, has been more of a gimmick than anything else. However, I firmly believe there’s potential in integrations with well-established virtual environments like Fortnite, Minecraft, and especially Roblox. This approach seems more promising, given the declining engagement of younger generations, Gen Z and Gen Alpha, on traditional social platforms. It’s noteworthy that such integrations are proving to be significantly more popular with brands. The cost of entry on Roblox is notably lower than that of current Metaverse versions, and it comes with the additional advantage of an already established audience.
Scent marketing is one of the most interesting forms of marketing, but brands do not extensively use it. How can brands use this form of marketing to entice audiences?
The sense of smell stands out as one of the most powerful memory triggers the human mind possesses. However, its limitation to a specific area poses a challenge when trying to use it in a broad system outside of enclosed spaces, such as malls and shops. I genuinely believe that a clever execution of this concept can be achieved by non-traditional brands, including automotive, paint, colouring pens, and even event promotions.
What are your predictions in terms of the advertising and media landscape for the year 2024? What are some of the trends and industry analyses you see brands and agencies adopting this year?
The trend I hope to see continue its growth is the strategic omnichannel approach to communication. It goes beyond separating online and offline strategies, embracing a holistic perspective that seamlessly integrates both in a meaningful way. I’m also keenly intrigued to witness the evolution driven by machine learning algorithms, addressing the challenges posed by the loss of 3rd party cookies and traditional conversion tracking. In an era where clients increasingly focus on the bottom line and the lower funnel, the industry faces the task of navigating out of the cookie-shaped challenge created by the overpromises of the past. Let’s hope valuable lessons have been learned this time.
Merkle Sokrati’s Kunal Kapoor: Charting Unseen Horizons in Digital Marketing
Kunal Kapoor, Vice President of Client Engagement and Delivery at Merkle Sokrati, a seasoned professional with 16+ years in Marketing, Sales, Business Development and Client Strategy, shares valuable insights in this exclusive interview.
He highlights the strategic alignment of campaign goals with business objectives and addresses ethical considerations in AI for digital marketing. His perspectives offer a comprehensive view of navigating the dynamic advertising landscape.
How has your extensive 15-year experience in the advertising industry shaped your illustrious professional journey? Could you share your background and noteworthy milestones that you encountered?
I earned my Masters in Business Management from BIT Mesra, Ranchi, in 2007, marking the commencement of my 16+ years of professional journey. In the first half of my career, I worked with prominent media houses and telecommunications giants such as HT Media, Jagran Group, and Tata Docomo. During this period, I learnt about B2C marketing, delving into the practical applications of the 4 Ps of marketing – Product, Price, Promotion, and Place. My expertise centered around new media, mobile marketing, and convergence marketing.
At the age of 28, I ventured into entrepreneurship, serving as the Chief Marketing Officer for a startup for nearly 5 years, specializing in mobile marketing. Following the downturn in the telecom industry in the mid-2010s, I successfully transitioned to core digital marketing. Over the past 3 years, I’ve been a vital part of Merkle Sokrati (dentsu India), leading the client engagement cluster for the large clients’ portfolio in my role as Vice President – Client Engagement.
Despite the rise of AI Technology, the human touch remains indispensable in any brand’s digital cycle.
– Kunal Kapoor, Merkle Sokrati
You manage a wide range of clients from Consumer Durables to EdTech to Healthcare. How do you align your strategies to vary with regard to different sectors and at the same time fulfil client objectives and expectations?
Although the basic principles of media planning remain the same, the strategies for respective sectors differ based on various factors such as product pricing, target audience persona, purchase lifecycle, and business KPIs. Taking these factors into consideration, the media mix and strategy are formulated with a comprehensive funnel approach – employing different strategies for different stages of the funnel: top (awareness), middle (consideration), and bottom (conversion). It also necessitates a clear definition of short-term and long-term business goals by the brand custodians. Without such clarity, the goalposts may shift unpredictably, potentially disrupting campaign stability and impeding sustainable growth.
Everyone is rushing to adopt AI in their businesses. What according to you are some of the ethical implications of using AI in digital marketing? How do you think AI will help in customer engagements and the marketing industry overall?
The ethical implications of AI in digital marketing revolve around principles such as fairness, privacy, and accountability. To ensure adherence to these principles, brands and agencies must actively work towards implementing ethical frameworks and establishing monitoring mechanisms. It is crucial for them to take responsibility for the potential impact AI can have on society and customers.
Despite these concerns, AI brings forth numerous benefits. It aids digital marketers in enhancing campaign accuracy by providing data-driven insights that are challenging to extract manually. Additionally, it contributes to increased productivity by saving time spent on mundane tasks like trend analysis and campaign optimization. This time-saving aspect allows digital marketers to focus on innovation, experimentation, and ideation.
Moreover, AI plays a pivotal role in deepening customer engagement through activities such as personalization at scale, personalized re-marketing, cross-channel targeting, and data-driven decision-making based on behavioral trends and funnel-level analysis.
Adding on to the above question, with the rise of voice assistants like Alexa, Google Assistant etc., people are shifting towards voice search. Dentsu has been focusing on voice search assistant, or VSO strategies for geographical targeting. Can you tell us what are some of the strategies you use?
Voice search results differ from traditional search outcomes due to their conversational nature, focusing on answering specific questions rather than presenting a list of results. Consequently, Voice Search Optimization (VSO) requires a distinct approach compared to traditional SEO. At Dentsu, our VSO strategies concentrate on identifying relevant long-tail keywords for your business and seamlessly incorporating them into your website content. Key strategies include:
- Creating locally relevant content: Enhance your local voice search visibility by generating content tailored to local audiences.
- Claiming and optimizing business listings: Ensure your business information is accurate and up-to-date, maximizing visibility in local search results.
- Including natural language in content: Address common questions and concerns of local customers through the use of natural language in your content.
- Utilizing schema markup: Provide additional context about your website’s content to search engines, enhancing visibility in voice search results.
- Mobile optimization: Prioritize mobile optimization, considering that voice search is predominantly performed on mobile devices. This involves ensuring your website is mobile-friendly, optimizing website speed, and implementing responsive design.
Digital media is widespread in this time and age. How do you ensure maintaining the human touch while curating strategies? How important is it to have a human touch in the advertising realm?
Despite the rise of AI technology, the human touch remains indispensable in any brand’s digital cycle. The reason is machines excel at analyzing data and identifying patterns, but it’s the human touch that infuses creativity and emotions into digital campaigns and strategies. For instance, machines can adeptly track customer touchpoints based on call-to-action (CTA), but they can’t interpret how an audience is likely to react emotionally to an ad or a campaign.
Hence, the winning formula for any brand’s digital campaigns lies in emotion-driven content generation complemented by action based on data insights provided by AI technologies. We contribute flexibility and creativity to the digital world while interpreting changes in consumer behavior. In crafting campaigns for clients, we weave unique and original narratives designed to resonate with their target audience. By marrying data patterns with human input derived from consumer behavior, we ensure effective outreach to the right audience personas.
Can you share some examples of successful campaigns that you carried out at Dentsu? How did you implement key learnings in your future campaigns?
When a digital marketer engages in crafting a digital campaign, there are numerous factors and elements to monitor. These include, but are not limited to, audience targeting, marketing mix, creative assets, landing page design, user journey, and call to action. As campaigns unfold, they accumulate insights through data and platform algorithms. Our ongoing effort is to pinpoint the sweet spots—different combinations of the mentioned factors that prove effective for the brand in terms of scale and Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC). This iterative process allows us to build on successful elements, fostering sustainable growth for clients over months or years.
At Sokrati, we collaborate with leading brands across diverse sectors such as E-Commerce, Retail, BFSI, Automobile, and Fashion. Notably, for a prominent EV brand, our SEO best practices and innovative strategies led to the ranking of 100+ branded keywords in the 1st position on Google SERP within three months of launch. For a BFSI client, a major bank, we achieved a remarkable 314% growth in new account opens month on month, coupled with a 76% reduction in CAC. This success was attributed to full-funnel optimization, audience expansion, leveraging high-intent users, and continuous product enhancement.
Another noteworthy campaign involved a leading matrimonial brand, where the primary goal was to boost brand awareness and consideration through Programmatic Media and Display Campaigns. Through rich media formats, we achieved a 4.5x increase in engagement while simultaneously reducing CPCs by 65%.
The man who comes back through the door in the wall will never be quite the same as the man who went out.
– Kunal Kapoor, Merkle Sokrati
Google’s upcoming third-party cookies deprecation is set to drastically change the advertising landscape. What changes, good or bad, do you think it will bring to the programmatic and media landscape?
The absence of third-party cookies will make it challenging for advertisers to track and deliver targeted ads across the web. This could lead to less effective advertising and a potential decrease in the overall size of the digital advertising industry. Publishers will also face difficulties monetizing their websites as the ability to sell targeted advertising through cookies diminishes. In response, publishers will need to evolve and launch their own ad solutions.
Several cookie alternatives, such as Device Fingerprinting or Universal IDs, are on the horizon to help the industry adapt to this major change. Businesses relying on cookies for digital advertising will need to transition towards zero-party data to stay relevant in a post-cookie era. Zero-party data is information voluntarily shared by users with businesses, including preferences, interests, and contact information. It is more accurate, reliable, and privacy-friendly. With rich databases of first-party data, media companies and publishers will be well-positioned to succeed in a cookie-free world.
How do you determine the campaign’s effectiveness? What are the certain characteristics or key objectives that you look for?
Following the thumb rule, campaign goals align with the client’s business objectives. Campaign effectiveness is gauged by how well the strategy and results contribute to achieving the brand’s business goals. To measure campaign success, tracking interactions and conversions across digital channels is essential, attributing these conversions to the campaign.
Before diving into measurement, it’s crucial to define business objectives, establish campaign goals and targets, identify the target audience, and set Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Common KPIs include Conversion Rate, Unique Visitors, Bounce Rate, and Page Views. The campaign’s outcomes are then tracked and measured using robust analytics tools like GA, AMC, HubSpot, etc.