Media agency will accelerate the digital transformation of the market with its data-first approach

Omnicom-owned communications agency PHD today announced the opening of its latest office with a new operation in Cairo, Egypt. Located in the central district of Zamalek, the new agency is the network’s fifth location in the Middle East, joining Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh and, most recently, Beirut.  

The move is in direct response to clients’ needs for the agency’s strategic, digital and creative expertise, as well as its data-first approach, in this major consumer market. The new office will build on the business it already has with regional and international clients.

PHD’s Egyptian operation will be led by industry veteran Nour Eldin Saleh as general manager, reporting directly to Elda Choucair, CEO of PHD MENA. Saleh, who began his career as a planner and worked at Starcom and Mindshare, will now focus on his new team and client portfolio.

“PHD’s expansion into Egypt, our largest market in the Middle East to date, is a clear indication of how the region is transforming. While it has a rich heritage and thriving traditions, the country is rapidly progressing in terms of digital sophistication, both from a consumer and corporate standpoint,” explained Elda Choucair, CEO of PHD MENA. “The time is right for PHD to capitalize on this shift and introduce ground-breaking approaches in media and communications. I am certain that, with Nour Eldin Saleh at the helm, we will provide new levels of media and business excellence to our clients.”

“As the Egyptian market becomes more and more digital, there couldn’t have been a better time for PHD to launch its core data and analytics offering and act as a key driver of business transformation,” said Nour Eldin Saleh, general manager of PHD Egypt. “I’m absolutely thrilled to be part of the next phase of growth for the agency and its clients. PHD’s thought-leadership and innovation will be a significant differentiator in the industry and a huge draw.”

96 Percent of Marketers to Increase Video Ad Spend; Issue Call for Stronger Viewability Standards 

ViralGains, the industry's only digital video advertising journey platform, in conjunction with the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Council today released a study that investigated how digital video advertising is utilized throughout the customer journey. The CMO Council surveyed a total of 233 senior marketing leaders in the first quarter of 2018 for this study. Results revealed that marketing leaders are still very uncertain about the results they’re generating from digital video, and many don’t have the knowledge they need to succeed, even as a staggering 96 percent set out to increase their video budgets in 2018 (and beyond). 

The study indicated that while 78 percent of CMOs are increasingly held accountable for bottom-line metrics like sales, the vast majority are still measuring video ad success with traditional, awareness-based metrics like clicks and impressions, demonstrating a glaring disconnect that highlights an inability for marketers to derive the insights they need from video in order to drive meaningful business outcomes.

Moreover, only three percent of respondents believe that the current MRC standard for video viewability is reasonable, indicating dissatisfaction with today’s measurement standards and a desire for improved transparency and video engagement.

Other key findings from the report include: 

● Nearly half of all marketers surveyed expect to increase their 2018 digital video ad spend by up to 25%    

● 87% of marketing leaders  are willing to pay a premium for campaigns that guarantee completed views and deep customer insights

● 73% of marketers want total transparency into traffic, viewers and engagement 

● 40% want performance-based billing that is tied to real business outcomes versus just clicks and views 

“The research is clear - there’s a massive gap between how video advertising success is measured and the metrics that truly move the needle for brands,” said Tod Loofbourrow, CEO, ViralGains. “Today’s CMOs need to deliver insight and attributable impact as well as scale. They are rising up to find solutions that leave behind impression-based buying and help them drive and understand meaningful business outcomes. That’s what we’re doing at ViralGains, and the results of this research validate what we’re hearing from marketing leaders across industries.” 

Publicis Media Aligns EMEA & APAC Markets Under Unified Leadership

Move Advances Company’s Goal of Simplifying Its Business and Driving Deeper Connectivity in Service to Its Clients

Publicis Media today announced a unified leadership structure across Publicis Media EMEA and APAC, with Gerry Boyle appointed to the role of CEO, Publicis Media EMEA and APAC. This role expands on Boyle’s current remit as CEO of Publicis Media APAC to include oversight of EMEA operations as well. Boyle will continue to report to Steve King, CEO, Publicis Media.

Further, Nicole Pruesse is appointed Chief Operating Officer, Publicis Media APAC, in addition to her current EMEA COO responsibilities. Pruesse is charged with delivery of the business across these regions, reporting to Boyle.

In her most recent role, Pruesse built operational infrastructure and global distribution delivery that drove effectiveness, excellence, and efficiency across EMEA, including in the areas of PMX, Publicis Precision, Content and Data. She will now scale this operational expertise across both EMEA and APAC markets. 

The unified leadership structure furthers Publicis Media’s goal of simplifying its business and driving deeper connectivity in service to clients by aligning both EMEA and APAC under Boyle’s leadership and with Tim Jones continuing as CEO Publicis Media Americas.

King noted, “Gerry is a proven and well-known leader, strategist and client partner. In his most recent role as Publicis Media CEO, APAC, he delivered much success, including establishing the Publicis Media model in the region, developing a network of outstanding leaders, and driving client businesses forward. Nicole is also an extraordinary leader, well-equipped to build on our momentum across markets.”

In his EMEA remit, Boyle succeeds Iain Jacob, CEO, Publicis Media EMEA, who announced he would be leaving the company to pursue other opportunities. Jacob will be staying with the company through May to ensure a smooth transition.

Boyle in his expanded role will focus on bringing to life the Publicis Media model of a brand-led organization, powered by digital-first global practices, and working together with the other Publicis Groupe Solution Hubs for Power of One collaboration that drives client business forward across EMEA and APAC.

Boyle will also continue to Chair the Publicis Media Global Investment Council and lead Global Partnerships for Publicis Groupe.

Boyle, prior to his Publicis Media roles, served as Global Managing Partner and Chairman of ZenithOptimedia APAC.

Raw Orange is the UAE’s newest home-grown online fashion outlet created by women for women, offering high-quality fast fashion in a range of trendy, fresh, cool and quirky designs with just a click of your mouse or a tap of your thumb.

They say girls just want to have fun, but the gang of girls at Raw Orange want to be dressed in the sexiest, trendiest outfits while doing so, without emptying their pockets. From stylish accessories and stunning dresses, to swimsuits, graphic t-shirts, hoodies, little black dresses and so much more, Raw Orange has the look to make you stand out at any occasion.

“The online fashion scene has become increasingly popular in the UAE over the last few years, and it’s easy to see why,” says Sunit Bhatia, co-founder of the new store. “Raw Orange offers premium quality clothing for a fraction of the price of traditional outlets. Women don’t always want to have to go to the mall to try and find an outfit, instead they can now have Raw Orange deliver the perfect look directly to their door saving girls across the UAE time and money.

Shoppable content was meant to take off in 2017, with tech-enabled online content allowing consumers to buy featured products without being redirected to another site. However, its adoption by brands has been slow, as publishers still think of content first, with shopping as an afterthought.

This highlighted the fact that the back-end processes and technological expertise needed to integrate content with commerce shouldn’t be underestimated.  If publishers can form the right partnerships to fulfil all parts of the retail process then a whole host of new opportunities will arise, including live-stream retail, which allows consumers to shop in real-time directly from live content – shopping-as-entertainment reborn for the smartphone generation.

Shoppable content is one of those areas of commerce that has been tipped as the next big thing for the past couple of years. Previously restricted to static formats, shoppable content is now moving from visual images into online video. We are also seeing the growth of live stream retail, enabling consumers to shop in real-time directly from live content. These developments could give brands the greater level of engagement they need to start driving sales via this growing retail platform.

Put simply, shoppable content is tech-enabled and online, allowing consumers to buy featured products without being redirected to another site. Consumers can click on the featured brand on the content and be directed to a shopping site. This opportunity has brands and publishers working closely to produce content that can be monetised. The development of shoppable content is very much a natural progression for brands, as they have been harnessing new technologies and platforms to drive product discovery and personalise the shopping experience.

It is becoming easier to shop via video because of the platforms that are available, whether its YouTube’s shoppable ads, Instagram Stories’ shoppable video layer or Snapchat’s “swipe-up” as an e-commerce call to action. Start-ups are developing new functions that make video shopping more seamless and immersive, such as Cinematique’s touchable videos. Marketers need to test different formats and platforms and think carefully about how to integrate e-commerce call to actions into the video content they create.

There is also a new twist on shoppable content that will grow in importance in 2018: ‘live stream retail’ enables consumers to interact with brands and shop via live-streaming. This new method is gaining popularity in China, with its market value estimated to be worth US$4.4bn and the numbers of viewers reaching 456 million (source: Deloitte). Live-streaming and commerce go hand in hand in China compared with other Western countries where streaming and commerce are separate entities. Global businesses are taking the opportunity to sell to Chinese consumers via live streaming. Macy’s, which sells officially through Tmall Global in China, has used live-streaming to give about 100,000 Chinese consumers a look at its flagship store in Manhattan. In another layer of engagement, Macy’s offered viewers coupons of the items showcased in the livestream, which they could then use when purchasing them on Tmall. Retailers and brands in China are taking advantage of customer data and trending topics to develop content that attract consumers to participate in shop streaming.

Shoppable content and live streaming are exciting new forms of content built for commerce, which are set to radically change how consumers shop in coming years. Publishers will need to have the back-end process in place to ensure easy and effortless shopping and to meet growing demand. As full commerce functionality is built into content, brands will be able to leverage customer data to develop content that will drive consumers to discover and shop.

Written by Linda Tan at Zenith Media

Sabre Labs 2018 Emerging Technology Report examines the roles of automation, authenticity and blockchain in the evolving travel technology landscape 

Sabre Corporation, the leading technology provider to the global travel industry, has released the Sabre Labs 2018 Emerging Technology Report, its latest technology forecast focused on evolving technologies and trends that will impact travel over the next decade. The 2018 report evaluates automation, authenticity and blockchain as three major areas for consideration. 

“Increasingly, people are coming to understand that the travel business is really a technology business,” said Philip Likens, director of Sabre Labs. “Even the simplest journey generates huge amounts of data. Collecting, indexing and understanding that data – and how we apply that understanding to improve every traveler’s experience – is what will drive real innovation across the entire travel ecosystem. Whether it is A.I. and machine learning to automate and optimize tasks, the counter-intuitive ability to deliver authentic experiences digitally, or using new protocols (such as distributed ledgers) so a traveler can head to the airport and leave their wallet and ID at home – on purpose – tech is going to reshape the travel experience.” 

The report offers an extensive analysis of the three major areas Sabre Labs believes will have the most significant impact on the industry:

Automation

Automation is not a new idea. However, advancements in A.I. and machine learning offer the potential for step-changes in how we may be served in our digital environment. Awareness and cognitive capacity for machines suggest a huge range of opportunities for those serving the travel space to completely rethink when and what to sell, how to staff and operate their businesses, and how to anticipate and exceed their own customers’ needs.

Authenticity

In our current age, trust is in low supply – so authenticity and authentic experiences are more valuable than ever. At the same time, businesses increasingly need to rely on technology and digitization to interact with their customers at scale. But is technology in tension with authenticity? Is digital the enemy of the real? And how can we reconcile augmented and virtual realities with authenticity? We examine and unpack these complex issues.

Blockchain

Huge volatility in the price of cryptocurrencies has been dominating headlines but serve to overshadow the value in the underlying blockchain technology. Separating crypto hype from the actual potential of distributed ledger technology – which enable secure, “trustless” transactions to take place – can be hard to do. But there is significant promise for blockchain as it relates to travel, not the least of which is this: imagine heading off on a round-the-world trip without having to bring your passport or wallet. 

Concluded Likens, “Tomorrow’s travelers have a set of expectations fueled by ubiquitous access to information, smooth transactional experiences, and increasingly personalized offers. There is tremendous opportunity for companies to begin thinking about how their brand can be agile enough to meaningfully interact with tomorrow’s travelers. This report explores how technology can mediate and enhance these interactions – and ultimately make the journey better for everyone.”

Sabre Labs is the innovation team within Sabre devoted to exploring how new capabilities will impact travel over the next decade.

2018’s Trophy Winners will be announced at the New York Show on May 17th

New York Festivals International Advertising Awards® announced this year’s Finalists from entries submitted from 51 countries for the following competitions: Activation & Engagement, Audio, Avant-Garde/Innovative, Branded Entertainment, Creative Marketing Effectiveness, Design, Digital, Direct & Collateral, Film, Film Craft, Integrated, Media, Mobile, Outdoor, Package & Product Design, Print, Public & Media Relations, Public Service Announcements, Sports, and Student. 

“This year’s Finalists, selected by the Grand Jury, reflect the leading-edge campaigns created by agencies around the globe,” said Michael Demetriades, President, New York Festivals. “NYF’s Executive Jury, comprised of some of the world’s most award-winning creatives, will thoughtfully review all creative entries to determine which will earn trophies and deserve the title of World’s Best Advertising.”

For 2018 NYF added Sports to their powerhouse competition roster honoring all facets of advertising, marketing, sponsorships, and creative communications on all platforms in the sports industry sphere, to view the Sports Finalists and complete list of 2018 Finalists please visit: HERE.

The 2018 Grand Jury comprised of 400+ Creative Directors, Executive Creative Directors and worldwide Chief Creative Officers from 57 countries determined the Finalists through online judging sessions and a live collateral judging session.

All Finalist entries will progress to the live judging round with the 2018 Executive Jury. This elite group of global Chief Creative Officers and C-suite creative leaders will convene in New York City April 19th-23rd to judge all mediums through five rounds of judging and select the World’s Best Advertising® Third Prize, Second Prize, First Prize, Grand Prize Award and Best of Show award-winning entries. All Film Craft Finalists will be judged on Saturday and Sunday, April 21st-22nd by the second annual Film Craft Executive Jury, comprised of respected film industry experts dedicated to the quality and aesthetics of the film making process. All trophy winners will be announced live at the New York Show.

New York Festivals recognizes exceptional contributions by individuals and companies within the international advertising community. In addition to Best of Show, Global Brand of the Year, Global Agency Network of the Year, Regional Agency of the Year, and Best New Agency of the Year, special awards include: Lifetime Achievement Award, Boutique Agency of the Year, Independent Agency of the Year, and Best Commercial Film Director.

The 2018 New York Show℠  will take place on May 17th. The annual awards ceremony and gala will be held that evening at the world-class performance space, Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall, Broadway at 60th Street, New York City. The evening begins with a cocktail reception, followed by the awards ceremony. A celebratory after-party will be held to toast all the winners of the World’s Best Advertising.

Confirms Meraas’ commitment to supporting Dubai Tourism Vision 2020 launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai

Caesars Entertainment plans to bring innovative entertainment experiences and tourist attractions to Dubai

Caesars Entertainment is a global leader in leisure and entertainment with eight decades of industry experience

Caesars’ global appeal and Total Rewards loyalty network expected to strengthen Dubai's tourism proposition and help attract tourists from around the world, including North America

Meraas and Caesars Entertainment Corporation (Nasdaq: CZR), one of the world's most innovative hospitality and entertainment companies, plan to bring two luxury hotels, a conference centre and a beach club to Bluewaters. Bluewaters is the modern, family-oriented destination that is located on a manmade island off the coast of Jumeirah Beach Residence.

The plans emphasize Meraas’ relentless efforts to support Dubai Tourism Vision 2020, launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, by introducing the most exclusive destinations to the Emirate. For Caesars Entertainment, Bluewaters will be the first project in its plan to expand into new markets through licensing and management arrangements. Caesars Entertainment plans to offer new experiences in Dubai by applying its approach to operating integrated leisure and hospitality resorts, offering a unique mix of live entertainment, gourmet celebrity restaurants and the highest-level of service to Bluewaters guests.

Building the future

The planned collaboration between Meraas and Caesars Entertainment supports the objective of the Dubai Plan 2021 to diversify economic activities to enhance productivity and innovation, and drive sustainable development. Through such efforts, Meraas also aspires to enhance Dubai’s overall lifestyle offering to reinforce the emirate’s reputation as the preferred place to live, work and visit.

His Excellency Abdulla Al Habbai, Group Chairman of Meraas, said: “Meraas is dedicated to implementing the vision of our wise leadership and consolidating Dubai’s status as a global tourist destination in line with the Dubai Tourism Vision 2020. We are creating unique experiences and leveraging strategic partnerships to showcase the best of what Dubai can offer to its visitors. The landmark arrangement with Caesars Entertainment, which aims to establish Bluewaters as a world-class tourist attraction with exclusive international entertainment opportunities, is a significant achievement for the emirate’s thriving hospitality and entertainment sectors.”

The collaboration is intended to provide new experiences that will allow visitors to enjoy dining and entertainment at the same time, thus enriching the offering that Meraas destinations extend to families and individuals in Dubai – comprising shopping, leisure, entertainment, hospitality, dining and cultural activities.

Mark Frissora, President and Chief Executive Officer of Caesars Entertainment said: “Through our collaboration with Meraas, we anticipate Bluewaters Island will evolve into the region’s top hospitality, dining and entertainment destination. This project represents Caesars’ ability to focus on our strengths in hospitality as well as reinforce our commitment and capacity to establish brands in new global markets.” 

Sir Martin Sorrell has stepped down as Chief Executive Officer of WPP with immediate effect.

Roberto Quarta, Chairman of WPP, becomes Executive Chairman until the appointment of a new Chief Executive Officer. 

Mark Read, Chief Executive Officer of Wunderman and WPP Digital, and Andrew Scott, WPP Corporate Development Director and Chief Operating Officer, Europe, have been appointed as joint Chief Operating Officers of WPP. 

Sir Martin will be available to assist with the transition. 

The previously announced investigation into an allegation of misconduct against Sir Martin has concluded. The allegation did not involve amounts that are material. 

In accordance with his at-will employment agreement, Sir Martin will be treated as having retired on leaving WPP, as detailed in the Directors’ Compensation Policy. His share awards will be pro-rated in line with the plan rules and will vest over the next five years, to the extent Group performance targets are achieved. 

Roberto Quarta said: “Sir Martin has been the driving force behind the expansion of WPP to create the global leader in marketing services. During this time, the Company has been successful because it has valued and nurtured outstanding talent at every level – within and well beyond our leadership teams. On behalf of the Board I would like to recognise these achievements and thank Sir Martin for his commitment to the business over more than three decades.” 

Sir Martin Sorrell said: “Obviously I am sad to leave WPP after 33 years. It has been a passion, focus and source of energy for so long. However, I believe it is in the best interests of the business if I step down now. I leave the Company in very good hands, as the Board knows. Mark and Andrew and the management team at all levels have the knowledge and abilities to take WPP to even greater heights and capitalise on the geographic and functional opportunities. I will particularly miss the daily interactions with everyone across the world and want to thank them and their families for all they have done, and will do, for WPP.” 

Influencers and high-profile female execs are leading a new positive dialogue about what it means to have a career, and be a mom.

The conversation around working mothers has long been dominated by guilt, apologies, and excuses—positioning a career as the sort of optional luxury that women have cause to feel ambivalent about. But a study published in December 2016 by the Center for American Progress reported quite the opposite. It found that nearly two thirds of mothers in the United States were the primary, sole, or co-breadwinners for their families in 2015, inarguable evidence that women are pulling their financial weight as never before and that women’s contributions are far from superfluous. #SorryNotSorry for going to work.

With this change in family economics comes a shift in the way we talk about women who work—from the elusive quest for balance, to a focus on the benefits of momming-while-full-time-jobbing. A new guard of celebrities, CEOs, and influencers is smashing this ceiling, embracing ambition, rather than apologizing for it—declaring work as a source of power, not shame. The evolving dialogue pivots from the outrage directed against former Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer when she announced she would only take two weeks of maternity leave following the birth of her twins in 2015 (though we’re pleased to see that Yahoo’s official policy is considerably more generous to employees).

Sarah Lacy, CEO of tech news platform Pando, seeks to rebrand working motherhood with Chairman Mom, a newly launched subscription-based online community that connects working moms and helps them solve the toughest problems they face. “Our aim is to rebrand working motherhood as exactly what it is: Something badass and aspirational that you are doing not in spite of your family but for your family, and—more importantly—for you,” she writes in a Pando op-ed. With Chairman Mom, Lacy pushes back against the trope that motherhood leads to a career dead end. “What happened when I had kids was I became better at everything. I became more ambitious, I wrote more quickly, I was so much better as a manager. I was so much more productive. You really have this amazing ability to prioritize what’s important,” she tells TechCrunch.

The idea that a mother’s career can be of service, not disservice, of family life, is increasingly being celebrated. Santa Clarita Diet star Drew Barrymore recently took to Instagram to share how she hopes to teach her daughter to respect, not resent, mom’s career, with the help of a handy calendar designed to make managing mom’s work and travel schedule simpler.

“I always explain to her that I love my job. I don’t say ‘I have to go work’ with a grimace on my face, because I fear it will make her feel negative about something a lot of moms must do to provide,” Barrymore writes in an Instagram caption. “My friend once said, ‘Never make your child feel like work is the bad thing taking you away from them,’ and I realized a lot of us tend to do that to try to make our kids feel better and that work is the yucky thing taking us away… I want to empower my daughters to think work is good and necessary. And can even lead them to road of their dreams.”

On International Women’s Day, Instagram director of fashion partnerships Eva Chen took to the ‘gram to pay tribute to her own working mother (and her mother’s enviable ‘90s power wardrobe). As a child, Chen recalls impatiently awaiting her mother’s return from long work trips to Asia. These days, the fashion powerhouse admits to shedding tears while away from her own family on work, but writes that she hopes growing up with a working mom will be as “fundamentally formative” for her children as it was for her.

Arianna Schioldager, editor-in-chief of Create & Cultivate, an online platform and conference for career-minded women, echoes both Chen and Barrymore’s sentiments about inspiring a positive outlook toward work, and its advantages on her own daughter’s future.“It is less important to me that my daughter sees me working, than it is that she sees me involved, passionate, and interested in matters that don’t fall into any gendered category,” explains Schioldager. “I love to write. I love to read. She sees me doing both those things and as a bonus, knows they earn me money. We talk a lot about how anyone can do anything. I live that example for her. The day I stop living that, I’ve failed her.”

With her #EmbraceAmbition campaign and upcoming summit, fashion designer and mom of three Tory Burch is shattering the stigma around being an “ambitious woman,” ambitious being a term that has historically been used to compliment men and denigrate women.

Source:Jwtintelligence