Dubai-based PR agency Asda’a Burson-Marsteller has won the regional communications account for global credit card company Visa.
Asda’a pitched against the incumbent BPG Cohn & Wolfe and reportedly Brunswick, MSLGroup, Four Communications, APCO and Impact Porter Novelli.
BPG won the account covering the Middle East and North Africa from DABO & Co in 2012.
Sunil John, founder and CEO
of Asda’a, said: “This is an important account win for us, demonstrating the depth and breadth of our reach throughout MENA, and the excellent reputation of our finance practice.”
Asda’a has also won a Grand Stevie at the International Business Awards, run by the US-based Stevie Awards.
The agency won four golds, seven silvers and 12 bronze awards, which it will collect at a ceremony in Italy in October.
Asda’a’s Arab Youth Survey 2016 won three gold medals: as PR campaign of the year and in the categories of reputation/brand management, and public service and global issues.
The Grand Stevie ranked the agency third in the awards programme, which is open to businesses across categories and nations. More than 3,800 entries from companies in 60 nations were received. The third place put Asda’a equal with US tech giant Cisco, the two companies being beaten only by Llorente & Cuenca, a communications agency serving Latin America, Spain and Portugal, which was ranked number one, and US tech company Callidus Cloud.
Asda’a was PR agency of the year in the Middle East and Africa, with TRACCS coming in second, and Djembe Communications third. Its 23 trophies are its biggest haul to date, and this is the sixth time it has won PR Agency of the Year MEA.
John said: “This is a tremendous result for us, and it is wonderful to see our ground-breaking work on behalf of our clients recognised on the international stage.”
