Private View by Rory McEntee, Chief Marketing Officer, GymNation.Campaign Middle East features a Private View section with a range of insights and viewpoints from industry experts, revealing the intricate world of marketing and advertising campaigns.
This review of our ‘Works’ from May is by Rory McEntee, Chief Marketing Officer, GymNation.
talabat x Kitopi: See, Eat, Repeat!
This campaign turned heads and taste buds with a classic combo: low friction, high visibility and irresistible pricing. AED 10 meals? That’s not a promo, that’s culinary clickbait.
By blanketing Dubai with out of home (OOH), hijacking hunger with influencers and removing every barrier to trial, they didn’t just sell meals, they hacked customer acquisition.
Lesson: feed them cheap, feed them often and feed them everywhere.
MG Egypt: Well Known, Even If Not Owned
This did more than flaunt cars; it sparked love for a brand you might never own. By turning curiosity into admiration, they built brand equity through eye-catching ubiquity.
The insight? People fall for aspirational visuals, even if their wallet isn’t ready for the drive.
This went full sitcom on the Ya Hala Festival, turning discount fever into comedy gold. The irreverent, locally-flavoured jokes broke through ad fatigue proving that humour + cultural resonance = mega shareability.
Message learned: don’t just promote sales to consumers. Make them laugh, make them feel seen and watch those metrics party like it’s raffle night at The Avenues.
RAM: RHO Airlines – The Shortest Flight
This campaign brilliantly turned a product demo into a theatrical stunt, using humour and misdirection. By parodying the airline experience – right down to boarding passes – it elevated utility into entertainment.
The real marketing insight? Consumers don’t remember specs; they remember how you made them feel. RAM didn’t just talk performance – it made audiences feel it, proving that emotional storytelling can drive product credibility without a single feature list.
From a marketing standpoint, it was a masterclass in brand confidence, nostalgia and behavioural insight. By challenging choice overload with simplicity, McDonald’s sparked viral engagement and reaffirmed its iconic status – not by adding, but by taking away. I’m lovin’ it.
By Rory McEntee, Chief Marketing Officer, GymNation.
