Latest news with #NationalBankofOman
Campaign ME
17 minutes ago
- Business
- Campaign ME
The realness guide: How to keep campaigns authentic with AI?
AI is changing the design – fast. From branding visuals to full-blown ad campaigns, it's helping businesses move quicker and spend less. However, research found around 50 per cent of consumers may feel uneasy about AI-generated ads, viewing them as inauthentic and undermining brand credibility. The growing AI design market The global AI in design market is projected to reach $7.5 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of over 23 per cent. In the MENA region, countries like the UAE and Saudi Arabia are investing in creative AI startups and AI-driven advertising. For instance, some MENA organisations like National Bank of Oman or Qatar Tourism are already using fully AI-generated marketing campaigns. More teams are jumping in. Around 66 per cent of marketers now use AI tools, especially for content creation. Startups and small brands are using them for everything from logo concepts to social media posts. Canva even reports that 75 per cent of marketing teams have boosted their AI budgets this year. And it works – when done right. AI-generated visuals have outperformed traditional content in some campaigns, with up to 26x higher engagement, as recent studies show. Some MENA organisations like National Bank of Oman or Qatar Tourism are already using fully AI-generated marketing campaigns. But there's a catch: people can tell when a brand loses its human side. In fact, nearly half of consumers say AI-made ads feel off – too polished, too generic. So it's safe to say that AI is a powerful tool, but it's just that – a tool. The real magic happens when brands combine AI's speed with human intuition and storytelling. Here are a few ways to do just that – and keep your creative work feeling real: 1) Realism and accuracy In some cases, AI-generated visuals can indeed be more eye-catching and aesthetically appealing. But eye-catching doesn't always mean trustworthy. If an AI-generated image oversells a product like flowers, food, or home decor, and the real item doesn't match, brand trust takes a hit. That's why, in commercial use, the attractiveness of AI visuals must be balanced with realism and accuracy. A great example of a realistic campaign comes from Desigual, which launched its first full AI-generated campaign with real garments. Created in partnership with Neural Fashion AI, the visuals were crafted entirely with artificial intelligence. 'Behind every generated image, there are human decisions: carefully crafted prompts, art direction, studio management, retouching,' said Sergio González Calmaestra, Desigual's AI Lead. This shows it's not the tool, but the vision that matters. For marketers, the challenge is finding the balance between AI creativity and real-world accuracy. 2) Human interaction and personalisation are essential The secret to branding with AI? Use personalisation. To make sure your content stays you, AI needs to be trained on the things that define your brand – guidelines, colour palette, typography, logo, and tone of voice. How to make it work: Use successful generation examples to train a base model. For particular tasks (ads, social media, product launches), create unique sub-models. Create mood boards using brand worlds, visual cues, and 3D assets. It's simple to maintain your visual identity and consistency at scale with tools like Adobe Firefly or Runway ML. Train your AI with real brand values and people-first storytelling. Add emotion, humour, and empathy – that's what makes content connect. To humanise your output: Use narrative in campaigns Build feedback into your AI prompts Always run visuals by a real creative team Think of AI as the sketch. The human just finishes the piece. No high-quality AI visual should remain untouched – refine the output by adjusting details, enhancing emotion, or replacing awkward elements. This editing must be done manually, with a clear understanding of the creative objective. 3) Educate Your AI and Your Design Team AI visuals should never go straight from prompt to post. At Flowwow, we've built a collaborative review process to make sure each image feels real, looks right, and matches the brand. Here's some tips from our team: Variety first, then curation. Create several versions, but let the people decide what's best. We choose photos according to brand fit, composition, and realism. Reviews of Internal Designs Encourage teams to conduct frequent creative reviews. At Flowwow, we have internal reviews and assign a specific AI designer to look over all produced images prior to usage. Create Quality Checklists Establish standards for examining structure, lighting, texture, facial expressions, and anatomy. These checklists help preserve the team's visual intuition and foster a refined design taste, rather than replacing it with the AI's default aesthetic. Train Teams to Spot 'Lifeless' Elements At Flowwow, we host sessions on visual literacy – from how light behaves to what gives an image depth or emotion. We also cover common AI glitches, like plastic hands or lifeless eyes. 'A prompt is not just a picture description – it's a structured set of parameters, style directions, references, and technical modifiers that guide the AI to generate what you actually need. To make this process efficient, we've created a prompt engineering toolkit with a curated library of tokens and Midjourney profiles,' said Arina Timusheva, AI-design mentor at Flowwow. 4) 3D Visuals Instead of Costly Photoshoots AI is becoming a powerful tool for content production – especially when budgets or timelines are tight. What once took months of planning, props, and post-production can now be done in weeks, with fewer people involved. According to Canva, AI-powered tools and 85 per cent of marketers save a full workday every two weeks. On top of that, brands get consistent visuals across all channels. Instead of setting up expensive shoots, AI can now create realistic 3D renders of your product – faster and cheaper. In April 2025, UAE retailer Brands for Less launched its first fully AI-generated summer campaign. The visuals – from models to backdrops – were created entirely with AI. The campaign ran across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Southeast Asia. 'AI influencers helped us connect with a younger, social-first audience,' said Samar Ragheb, Influencer Marketing Manager. 5) Unlock Creativity with AI Indeed, when it comes to hyperrealistic or surreal imagery, AI visuals are often bolder and more striking than traditional photography. These visuals stand out in feeds and are perfect for campaigns that need something unexpected. Try these tools: Krea AI – turns PNGs or text prompts into 3D-style mockups turns PNGs or text prompts into 3D-style mockups Kaedim or Sloyd – generate custom 3D objects for e-commerce The final result always depends on how well your model is trained and customised. For more unexpected visual ideas during the concept phase, try adjusting Midjourney's 'Chaos Mode' for Out-of-the-Box Creativity in brand campaigns. Some quick tips: –chaos 0 = uniform results –chaos 40+ = wild and varied creativity Ideal range: 20–40 for semi-structured exploration As an example of creative AI campaign with an art installation, BMW transformed its electric car into a moving work of art at Art Basel. They used artificial intelligence (AI) (StyleGAN) to project generative images from 900 years of art history straight onto the car's exterior. An eye-catching installation that reaffirmed BMW's reputation as a company that can successfully combine art and technology. Here, AI didn't replace the artist – it expanded the possibilities. As a designer, I don't see AI as competition – for me it's a co-creator. The idea still starts with us. The feeling still comes from us. But the final touch is always human. For startups and SMEs, AI offers a way to level the playing field with larger brands, enabling faster and more scalable creativity. But the real magic happens when human intuition and machine learning work together. The brands that will truly shine in this new era are those that experiment boldly, customise their tools, and always keep the human perspective at the core. By Darya Buchakova, Design Director at Flowwow.
Mid East Info
a day ago
- Business
- Mid East Info
NBO Empowers Businesses in Oman with Seamless Merchant Payment Solutions - Middle East Business News and Information
28 July 2025, Muscat: The National Bank of Oman (NBO) continues to support business owners through an integrated suite of merchant payment services designed to simplify payment acceptance, processing, and enhance customer convenience. The Bank offers a full spectrum of merchant payment solutions, including Point of Sale (POS) terminals, an E-Commerce Payment Gateway and Merchant QR Codes. These services cater to a wide range of businesses, applicable to all registered and licensed entities such as home and microbusinesses, retail stores, corporate entities, small and medium-sized entities (SMEs) and government entities Commenting on this, Dr Ali Al Shekaili, Assistant General Manager – Head of Digital and E-Channels at NBO, said, 'As Oman's economy becomes increasingly digital, we believe it is essential to equip every business with the means to thrive. Our merchant payment solutions reflect this belief by helping businesses accept payments securely while staying competitive, connected and ready for what comes next.' The POS terminals support local and international card schemes including Visa, MasterCard, American Express, UnionPay, Discover and Diners Club. The features include POS system integration with electronic cash registers, kiosks, and vending machines. In addition, it supports converting transactions to Easy Payment Plans, paying in local currency with Dynamic Currency Conversion, paying using rewards points and real-time data synchronisation as sales data from the POS is automatically reflected in the enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, ensuring accurate inventory levels, financial records and reporting. The E-Commerce Payment Gateway supports 3D secure online payments and offers a secure and seamless checkout experience. The solution offers link payments, recurring payments, and batch payments options, as well as smart routing of transactions through a single application programming interface. E–commerce payment gateways are compatible with ERP systems, websites and mobile apps. The Merchant QR code allows customers to scan, pay and complete transactions instantly. This solution is particularly well-suited for home and microbusinesses. No terminal is required, and merchants can simply use the Merchant Static QR provided by the bank to complete transactions, providing a contactless, easy-to-use alternative to traditional payment methods.
Zawya
a day ago
- Business
- Zawya
NBO empowers businesses in Oman with seamless merchant payment solutions
Muscat: The National Bank of Oman (NBO) continues to support business owners through an integrated suite of merchant payment services designed to simplify payment acceptance, processing, and enhance customer convenience. The Bank offers a full spectrum of merchant payment solutions, including Point of Sale (POS) terminals, an E-Commerce Payment Gateway and Merchant QR Codes. These services cater to a wide range of businesses, applicable to all registered and licensed entities such as home and microbusinesses, retail stores, corporate entities, small and medium-sized entities (SMEs) and government entities. Commenting on this, Dr Ali Al Shekaili, Assistant General Manager – Head of Digital and E-Channels at NBO, said, 'As Oman's economy becomes increasingly digital, we believe it is essential to equip every business with the means to thrive. Our merchant payment solutions reflect this belief by helping businesses accept payments securely while staying competitive, connected and ready for what comes next.' The POS terminals support local and international card schemes including Visa, MasterCard, American Express, UnionPay, Discover and Diners Club. The features include POS system integration with electronic cash registers, kiosks, and vending machines. In addition, it supports converting transactions to Easy Payment Plans, paying in local currency with Dynamic Currency Conversion, paying using rewards points and real-time data synchronisation as sales data from the POS is automatically reflected in the enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, ensuring accurate inventory levels, financial records and reporting. The E-Commerce Payment Gateway supports 3D secure online payments and offers a secure and seamless checkout experience. The solution offers link payments, recurring payments, and batch payments options, as well as smart routing of transactions through a single application programming interface. E–commerce payment gateways are compatible with ERP systems, websites and mobile apps. The Merchant QR code allows customers to scan, pay and complete transactions instantly. This solution is particularly well-suited for home and microbusinesses. No terminal is required, and merchants can simply use the Merchant Static QR provided by the bank to complete transactions, providing a contactless, easy-to-use alternative to traditional payment methods. NBO's merchant payment solutions are designed to enhance accessibility and efficiency for businesses at every level. For more information, contact MerchantHelpDesk@ access the Merchant Application Form and Merchant E-Commerce Form via or contact the Call Centre on 24770000
Mid East Info
22-07-2025
- Business
- Mid East Info
NBO Offers Exclusive Benefits for Its Infinite Credit Cardholders - Middle East Business News and Information
MUSCAT, 21 July 2025 The National Bank of Oman (NBO) offers a range of exciting features for its Infinite Credit Cardholders, tailored for individuals seeking a unique combination of convenience, exclusivity, and meaningful rewards. Such cards provide exclusive discounts, milestone rewards, and exceptional privileges designed to complement a modern lifestyle. Commenting on the launch, Maha Al Raisi, Assistant General Manager and Head of Products at NBO, said: 'We are dedicated to deliver exceptional value to our customers by catering to their needs, and offering rewards and lifestyle benefits that elevate their everyday experiences. Our infinite credit card features include a 50% discount on Talabat that equals a saving of OMR 3 twice a month, exclusive complimentary parking at the Mall of Oman, additional chauffeur-driven airport rides, and milestone rewards featuring Shell V-Power vouchers. The Infinite Credit Card also offers an outstanding range of premium benefits, including 1% cashback on spends, unlimited airport lounge access with one guest, and multi-trip travel insurance for added peace of mind. Cardholders can also enjoy 50% off VOX Cinema tickets, with up to six tickets per month, including two Gold Class tickets, as well as 2-for-1 offers on Xperience with Entertainer. These exciting offers further enhance the card's privileges, reinforcing our commitment to being a trusted financial partner.'
Mid East Info
17-07-2025
- Business
- Mid East Info
NBO Enhances Financial Awareness Among Youth Across North Al Batinah - Middle East Business News and Information - mid-east.info
16 July 2025, Muscat: The National Bank of Oman (NBO) organised a series of workshops in collaboration with the North Al Batinah Governor's Office at the University of Technology and Applied Sciences in Sohar, the University of Technology and Applied Sciences in Shinas and the Vocational College of Al Khabourah. Titled 'My Financial Future', the workshops catered to young individuals aged 9-17 and complemented the Governor's Office's 'Summer of Leadership and Creativity' Programme by empowering participants with practical financial planning skills needed for the future. Several topics were covered throughout the workshops including smart saving, budgeting, investment fundamentals, alongside hands-on activities that encouraged students to apply what they learned in realistic scenarios. This marks NBO's second participation in the programme, underscoring its commitment to support the development of younger generations through initiatives that embed financial literacy in real, relatable contexts. Through its 'My Financial Future' workshops, NBO continues to align its community outreach with national priorities by promoting responsible financial behaviours and equipping younger generations with practical skills and knowledge to navigate real-world challenges.
