Latest news with #CampaignMiddleEast
Campaign ME
2 days ago
- Business
- Campaign ME
Campaign MENA Mixer at Cannes
Campaign Middle East hosted more than 50 marketers and industry leaders at its first ever Cannes MENA Mixer at the 72nd Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity this June. Powered by Motivate Media Group and hosted in partnership with The Vantage and Hearst Global Solutions at the Campaign House at the Hilton Canopy, the casual get-together gave industry leaders a chance to come together and connect during the busy Cannes week. When: 18/06/2025 5:00 PM Where: The Lounge Retreat, Campaign House at Canopy by Hilton Cannes (location link) For sponsorship opportunities and for event tickets details, please email Tarun Gangwani at [email protected] or call 052 1466150
Campaign ME
3 days ago
- Business
- Campaign ME
Campaign Middle East hosts its first-ever Cannes MENA Mixer
This June, Campaign Middle East, in partnership with The Vantage and Hearst Global Solutions, hosted the first-ever Campaign Cannes MENA Mixer at the 72nd Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. The event hosted more than 50 top-level brand and agency marketers, along with influential personnel from the region's media and advertising industries. The event was inspired by growing participation from MENA industry players at the Festival, and offered an exclusive space for the region's industry to meet casually to catch up, celebrate and connect. 'The MENA region's involvement and participation at Cannes has grown year after year, and it was only appropriate that there was an opportunity for the jurors, clients, agencies and partners to all convene together at the advertising world's flagship week,' said Manoj Khimji, Managing Director, The Vantage, who was a title sponsor of the event. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Campaign Middle East (@campaignmiddleeast) 'We were delighted to bring this to life with the support of Hearst Global Solutions in 2025. A great time was had by all and we're already planning for the 2026 edition,' he added. Some of the key leaders who were in attendance at the invite-only event included Ian Fairservice, Managing Partner and Group Editor, Motivate Media Group, Gianluca Ena, Senior Vice President, Hearst Global Solutions, Jessica MacDermott, Global Portfolio Director, Haymarket Media Group, Kiran Haslam, Chief Marketing Officer at Diriyah, Passant ElGhannam, Marketing Director, Kraft Heinz, Siddarth Sivaprakash Head of Brand & Marketing – Home Centre, Landmark Group, Mitin Chakraborty, Head of Marketing, Babyshop – Landmark Group, Ahmed Chatila, Brand Director, HungerStation, Ghassan Kassabji, CEO, Impact BBDO Group, Dany Naaman, CEO, Havas Middle East and more. 1/10 View the full event gallery with the link below:
Campaign ME
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Campaign ME
Papa Johns launches Croissant Pizza in the UAE with OOH, influencer campaigns
Papa Johns has unveiled its first-ever Croissant Pizza, a new product offering that aims to bring 'something fresh and exciting to the QSR (quick service restaurant) category.' The product first launched globally in the UAE, with a 360 marketing campaign which includes out-of-home (OOH) roll-out, in-store, social media, PR, and CRM. The brand designed the product to jump on the global food trend of croissant mashups in food culture. Chris Lyn-Sue, SVP Managing Director of International at Papa Johns gives Campaign Middle East the exclusive on the marketing strategy behind the launch. 'Croissant Pizza reflects everything we believe in as a brand: bold innovation, a deep respect for craftsmanship, and bringing joy to our customers,' he says, claiming that the new product also aligns with the brand's platform 'Better Ingredients. Better Pizza'. He explains the reason the brand chose the UAE as the first market to launch its new product is because, 'Dubai, as a culture-first city, would generate global buzz – and it absolutely has.' To support the launch of Croissant Pizza, Papa Johns also commissioned fashion house KidSuper's Colm Dillane to design the Papa Johns x KidSuper Hot Bag, which will make its official debut later this month during Paris Fashion Week Men's Spring/Summer 2026 (SS26), as part of the KidSuper show. Select customers who order Croissant Pizza may receive their delivery in the exclusive Papa Johns x KidSuper Hot Bag – and if it arrives at their door, it's theirs to keep. 'The bag celebrates creativity and craftsmanship, echoing both the artisanal spirit of the Croissant Pizza and Papa Johns commitment to quality,' says Lyn-Sue. He further explains how the design elements of the bag have been inspired by the Croissant Pizza. 'The bag's woven strap mirrors the handcrafted, tightly braided crust of the pizza, the zipper delicately curves in a crescent shape, and the soft edges mimic the fluffy folds of the iconic pastry,' he says. Drawing in the relevance of the Paris Fashion Week runway launch to consumers in the region, Lyn-Sue says: 'For Middle East consumers – especially in trend-aware markets like the UAE – this reinforces Papa Johns as a modern, culturally relevant brand.' 'It elevates brand perception and drives consideration by creating meaningful, shareable experiences that resonate with our audience,' he adds. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Papa Johns UAE (@papajohnsuae) Lyn-Sue claims that the initial response to the new product from consumers in the region has been positive. 'In the markets where Croissant Pizza has launched – the UAE, Bahrain, and Qatar – consumer feedback has been overwhelmingly positive,' he says. 'Social media buzz began almost immediately, with customers sharing their first impressions, reviews, and reactions.' 'Early sales performance has also been very encouraging, with strong trial rates and clear signs of repeat interest. We're excited by the initial results and can't wait to bring Croissant Pizza to more markets around the world in the coming months,' he adds. Finally, Lyn-Sue claims that Papa Johns aims to continue to build on the strong momentum from the launch of its Croissant Pizza. The QSR brand plans to remain bold in its approach to ensure continued relevance.
Campaign ME
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Campaign ME
Marketing global events to audiences in the Middle East
Global live entertainment was no longer testing the waters in the Middle East. With major international live events coming to markets like the UAE and Saudi Arabia, regional audiences are showing up and selling out arenas and stadiums across the Middle East. This month, Proactive Entertainment has brought the internationally renowned musical Mamma Mia! to Abu Dhabi in the UAE. Taking over Etihad Arena on Yas Island from June 11 to 22, the event has hosted thousands of theatre fans. Jose Cuervo, Middle East Regional Director at Proactive Entertainment speaks to Campaign Middle East on how it shaped its marketing strategies to draw in audiences to the show. 'We run campaigns in parallel,' he explains, stating that strategies differ on the optimal target audience for each live event. 'For Mamma Mia!, our key target audiences are women in their late 20s to, high 40s. We have understood that for this demographic in particular, the best way to actually convert is digitally through Meta, Google and through out-of-home (OOH),' he says. 'We have a very strong outdoor strategy which goes not only through Abu Dhabi but also in Dubai,' he continues, 'from branding on taxis, billboards on streets, and screens in different places around the country.' 'That has allowed us to have a very omnipresent campaign throughout the show's run,' he adds. But demographics alone don't sell tickets. Consumer insight is the compass. 'We're constantly surveying audiences, not just in the UAE, but across the Middle East,' Cuervo says. Even though he admits that shows like Hamilton may take years to migrate from New York to Yas Island, 'when they do, the demand is rarely in question,' he says. He further explains that Proactiv also keeps a close watch on repeat viewership and bases its strategy on how soon a show can return to a market and still sell out. In terms of converting awareness into ROI in ticket sales, Cuervo says 'YouTube ads has been very big for us,' as they 'allow for the show to be present at all times, even when you're far from the season itself.' He also says that 'Instagram and search are always at the top,' of the event company's conversion rate. Finally, securing the right partners adds to the strength of marketing global events to audiences in the Middle East. 'Platinumlist has been in the region for years and they've grown a very strong database which allows us to speak directly not only to their entire database but segments that are more relevant to us when it comes to musicals,' Cuervo says. 'Our government partners, Miral and DCT Abu Dhabi have also been instrumental in driving this theatre strategy and turning Abu Dhabi into the theatre capital of the Middle East,' he adds. 'That's why we have been so successful – because it's the collective effort of several stakeholders,' he concludes.
Campaign ME
20-06-2025
- Business
- Campaign ME
Cannes Lions 2025: Skills, strategic thinking and take a second to slow down
The final two days at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity witnessed a strategic shift from conversations on stages to partnerships being formed and policies being shaped in closed-room discussions. Motivate Media Group, Athar Festival and Campaign Middle East hosted breakfast gatherings in partnership with the UK Advertising Association and TRACCS, as well as an in-depth round table discussion with key leaders in Saudi Arabia and the UK. Discussions at the round table revolved around the need for creative effectiveness; the need to tell the right stories well; the need for critical thinking; the need to develop a deeper understanding of local and regional contexts in the Middle East; and the need for leaders to take steps to develop a skilled workforce. Explaining how the Cannes Lions landscape has evolved over the years, Kiran Jay Haslam, Chief Marketing Officer, Diriyah Company told Campaign Middle East, 'There have been a lot of discussions around technology and the role that it will play within marketing moving forward, but very few answers because it's almost impossible to accurately predict what the future holds. The gut instinct that most people have is that these are tumultuous times and the credibility of the industry and creatives is being questioned.' 'That said, the quality of the work and the conversations that are going on about the projects in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are very exciting; there have been a lot of very interested attendees. We've seen people looking to come to the Middle East, especially Saudi Arabia, to explore, find out more, and see how they can be part of the journey that the Kingdom is on.' Fahd Hamidaddin, Board Member and Founding CEO, Saudi Tourism Authority also delivered a stellar keynote to a packed room at the Forum in The Rotonde, delving into the dynamic transformation taking place within the tourism landscape in the Kingdom. He called for marketers in the Middle East to build brand affinity by developing a deeper understanding of hyper-local consumers, connecting with communities, focusing on collective precision, finding their true voice, and realising the soul of the region's individuals rather than just seeing them as 'segments'. Hamidaddin also called for marketers to take a moment to 'pause and reflect' on current challenges such as inadequate attribution, complex optimisation, irrelevant data and daunting scale before diving into idealistic and futuristic conversations around the untapped potential of artificial intelligence (AI). In an exclusive conversation with Campaign Middle East, Hamidaddin said, 'We should pause to make sure we filter what's hype, what's noise, and stay true to the fundamentals. The fundamentals won't change. What is changing is consumer behaviour and that's what we need to stay very close to while leveraging AI and technology to really develop a deeper understanding of consumer behaviour.' He concluded, 'With the hype comes a global movement of speed and, conversely, an anti-movement of slow. So, I would say slow down, stay strategic, think big, stick to the fundamentals and pursue the 2080 ROI instead of the immediate results.' Meanwhile MENA agencies continue to make the region proud, adding a few more trophies to the cabinet on Day 4. Stay tuned for a separate round-up of all the winners following the announcement on Day 5. As of Day 4 at Cannes Lions, the MENA region has surpassed its tally of 22 trophies in 2024 to claim 25 trophies at Cannes Lions 2025. Of these, UAE agencies have won 13 trophies so far led by FP7 McCann Dubai (1 Gold, 1 Silver, 4 Bronze); VML Dubai (1 Silver, 3 Bronze), Impact BBDO (1 Gold, 1 Silver), LEO Dubai (1 Bronze). Meanwhile, Jordan picking up its first-ever trophy in Cannes Lions' 72-year history sharing the spoils with Impact BBDO on its Silver Lion. Representing Saudi Arabia at Cannes Lions, agencies from the Kingdom have won 12 trophies, led by BigTime Creative Shop (2 Golds, 1 Silver, 3 Bronze); SRMG Labs (1 Gold, 2 Silver), and VML Riyadh (1 Silver, 2 Bronze). The MENA wins in each of the following categories include: AUDIO AND RADIO 1 GOLD LION, 1 SILVER LION Campaign title: The Second Release Agency: SRMG Labs, Riyadh Client: Billboard Arabia, Riyadh BRAND EXPERIENCE & ACTIVATION 1 SILVER LION Campaign title: Recipe for Change Agency: FP7 McCann Dubai Client: Arla Foods 1 BRONZE LION Campaign title: The Social Feed Agency: VML Dubai Client: Hungerstation CREATIVE B2B 1 BRONZE LION Campaign title: Recipe for Change Agency: FP7 McCann Dubai Client: Arla Foods CREATIVE COMMERCE 1 SILVER LION Campaign title: The Social Feed Agency: VML Dubai Client: Hungerstation CREATIVE DATA 1 BRONZE LION Campaign title: The Social Feed Agency: VML Dubai Client: Hungerstation CREATIVE STRATEGY 1 GOLD LION Campaign title: The New President Agency: Impact BBDO, Dubai Client: Annahar Newspaper DESIGN 1 SILVER LION Campaign title: Sounds of the Land Agency: SRMG Labs, Riyadh Client: Billboard Arabia, Riyadh DIGITAL CRAFT 1 SILVER LION Campaign title: The Shaded Route Agency: VML Riyadh Client: Hungerstation Campaign title: Agency: Client: Hungerstation 1 BRONZE LION Campaign title: Read Better Agency: FP7 McCann, Dubai / McCANN, Bristol Client: Waterstones DIRECT 1 BRONZE LION Campaign title: Safe at 3AM Agency: VML Dubai Client: Dubai Tourism ENTERTAINMENT FOR SPORT 1 GOLD LION, 1 SILVER LION Campaign title: The 4th Judge Agency: BigTime Creative Shop, Riyadh Client: The Ring Campaign title: Agency: Client: The Ring 1 GOLD LION Campaign title: Obsession Agency: BigTime Creative Shop, Riyadh Client: Riyadh Season FILM CRAFT 1 BRONZE LION Campaign title: Obsession Agency: BigTime Creative Shop, Riyadh Client: Riyadh Season FILM CRAFT 1 BRONZE LION Campaign title: Everything or Nothing Agency: BigTime Creative Shop, Riyadh Client: Riyadh Season 1 BRONZE LION Campaign title: Obsession Agency: BigTime Creative Shop, Riyadh Client: Riyadh Season HEALTH AND WELLNESS 1 BRONZE LION Campaign title: The Shaded Route Agency: VML Riyadh Client: Hungerstation OUTDOOR 1 BRONZE LION Campaign title: The Shaded Route Agency: VML Riyadh Client: Hungerstation 1 BRONZE LION Campaign title: Not For First Dates Agency: FP7 McCann Dubai Client: McDonald's PUBLIC RELATIONS 1 BRONZE LION Campaign title: Sponsored Balls Agency: FP7 McCann Dubai Client: Testicular Cancer Society PRINT AND PUBLISHING 1 SILVER LION Campaign title: NOTES ON NOTES Agency: Impact BBDO, Dubai / AdPro& Jordan Client: Capital Bank 1 BRONZE LION Campaign title: THE GREAT INDIAN DUNK Agency: LEO Dubai Client: NBA India SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS 1 GOLD LION Campaign title: Recipe for Change Agency: FP7 McCann Dubai Client: Arla Foods Tune into Campaign Middle East's social media channels to stay updated on the latest of what's happening at The Palais, the Rotonde, The Carlton Hotel and stay tuned for exciting events at the Campaign House Hilton Canopy.
