MBC Media Solutions (MMS), the commercial arm of the MBC Group, hosted its inaugural ‘Luxury Edition’ event on Tuesday, 24 September in Dubai, bringing together industry leaders and experts to explore the latest insights shaping the luxury market in the MENA region.
In his opening address, Nadim Samara, Chief Commercial Officer at MMS, welcomed attendees and emphasised the importance of understanding emerging trends, strategies, and challenges in the luxury sector.
He stressed the significance of staying ahead in a rapidly evolving market, particularly in a region known for its dynamic luxury landscape.
The event then commenced with a keynote from Trevor McFarlane, Founder of Emerging Markets Intelligence & Research (EMIR).
McFarlane shared strategic insights on what leaders in the luxury space should prioritise as they plan for 2025 and beyond. He discussed the EMIR budget planning methodology, shared exclusive insights on ‘horizon scanning’ for impactful, future-facing, and risk-assessed trends driving the economy, geopolitics, technology, and ESG spheres.
McFarlane also discussed global scenarios in 2025, including upside, base case, and downside scenarios, setting the stage for an highly informative event.
Continuing the conversation on navigating the MENA luxury market, Pauline Coquet, Partner in Retail Practice (Luxury and Fashion), and Mariella Dib, Senior Manager, Retail Practice (Luxury and Fashion) at Bain & Company took to the stage to share the company’s latest research and their collective expertise on how global luxury brands can succeed in the region.
Sharing a global outlook, Pauline Coquet highlighted how 2023 was a record year for luxury markets, with consumption expanding beyond products to re-engage with experiences.
Consumer appetite for experiences spearheaded the rebalancing in discretionary spending, with experiences winning over tangibles in early 2024, as well, to drive an overall stable global luxury market. Pauline also went on to explain how ongoing brand strategies are impacting luxury consumption.
Sharing a more regional outlook, Mariella Dib discussed the key drivers and varying marketing dynamics in the GCC for luxury categories, explaining how fashion and jewelry have dominated the sector over the past 5 years, before delving into the resurgence of beauty trends.
Shortly before a brief coffee break, Sarah Nammour, Client Growth Manager at MMS, provided a deep dive into luxury consumer behaviour and the latest luxury trends in the MENA region. Showcasing how consumers continue to reshape the media industry,.
Hammour also emphasised how content and storytelling will continue to drive brand growth and consumer behaviour across luxury and fashion, both globally and regionally.
She also explained how brand integrations are further driving sustainable impact through enhanced brand recall, building emotional connections with key audiences, and having greater impact through AVOD and SVOD.
Jad Saab, the Head of Digital Growth at MMS, discussed the growing importance of digital solutions for luxury brands in an increasingly online world.
Saab provided an overview of how video consumption is constantly growing in the MENA market, touching upon the rise in digital video consumption, the OTT video market, and OTT viewers by income – which reflect a clear opportunity for players in the luxury landscape.
He also shared why the region is ready for massive Connected TV (CTV) growth, touching upon what the future of CTV looks like for advertisers in terms of shoppable content, interactivity, measurement, and personalisation.
The event also included insightful fireside chats and panel discussions.
A standout session on Localizing Global Luxury featured Anna Germanos, Group Director at Meta, in conversation with moderator Eleni Kitra, Executive Director of the Advertising Business Group.
The discussion focused on how global luxury brands are adapting their strategies to resonate with local markets while maintaining their global status.
Another key session, Mastering Luxury Strategy & Storytelling, featured insights from Nathaly Khoury of Bulgari, Bisher Hamwi of L’Oréal Luxury Division, and Rana Zeidan of GroupM MENA.
The panel delved into the art of crafting compelling luxury brand narratives and strategic positioning in today’s competitive market.
The first-of-its-kind event, which was attended by clients, agencies and tech partners provided a platform for knowledge-sharing and meaningful discussions on the future of luxury in the region, reaffirming MMS’s commitment to driving innovation and excellence in the luxury sector.
