By Samer Asfour, chief executive officer, Nested VFX
Nested VFX is a Dubai-born and based a post-production and visual effects studio. Its CEO, Samer Asfour, shares his projections for the marketing and advertising sector in 2023.
Back to basics and traditional advertising
Post-pandemic, the trend of producing high-end quality commercials and shows started to take shape in the region again. We can expect this trend to take complete form in 2023. This year hopefully shows the exit to cutting corners and low production budgets. Brands currently understand that they are dealing with a more informed audience. In order to get their focus and ultimately their loyalty, brands need to give their audience a compelling story. This trend can see its full potential only if a seasoned production partner and creative team work together with the brand.
AI-generated content, copyright ambiguities and stock
AI-generated content is currently taking steam as there are many copyright ambiguities surrounding them. Any media creator or advertiser should be wary of using AI-generated content if they are serious about monetising content or promoting their brands. In 2023, it is projected that brands and creators will increasingly opt for soundtracks and footage production to make videos stand out as opposed to using stock footage and library music – a trend that took charge during the early days of the pandemic.
Customise, customise, customise
One trend that Nested VFX roots for in 2023 is for brands to choose customisation. Recently, we worked on a global telecommunication brand campaign where we delivered a different video for each social media platform carefully divided into awareness, consideration, sales conversion and call-to-action. This is a route popular within the western markets but is yet to take shape in the MENA region. In 2022, we witnessed that it is ineffective for brands to take a master video, cut it down to shorter bits and roughly fit the video shot for horizontal displays into new formats. Each platform and medium demands a different narrative and needs videos curated for its intended format. It might have a higher upfront cost but if it is carefully customised, the rewards will be far greater.
Away from social media
Consider what is happening with Twitter and Meta’s latest earning reviews. It is anticipated that international brands and their regional branches as well as studios and content creators will eventually steer away from social media in 2023. They will start investing in free-to-air TV and platform ads through Shahid, YouTube and the ad-supported tier of Netflix, to name a few. The region can also expect a lot more product placement and sponsored content videos being brewed this year.
Expecting a colorful high for 2023 with HDR
We are optimistic that broadcasters and brands will use the full video mastering tools and take a step towards creating their media in a high dynamic range (HDR) rather than the status-quo standard definition. As the world heads into a recession that will affect all industries including the media and advertising, the Gulf region proved resilient and is growing fast. Agencies and production houses in the region are confident about 2023 and the opportunities it brings.
