Cihan Sel, Executive Director of Marketing and Communications, OMNIYAT.After more than two decades in marketing, my compass has always pointed toward one principle: create value before extracting it. That mindset has shaped a career crossing industries, countries, and audiences … from the intimacy of family business to the spectacle of global sports, from the precision of tech campaigns to the intricacies of niche markets.
This is not a story about one role or one market but how a marketer adapts without losing their identity, how you protect what makes you distinctive in a world obsessed with speed, and why the things that endure are often the ones you can’t measure on a dashboard.
The scent of legacy
My first lessons came from my family’s niche perfume and cosmetics business. Marketing here wasn’t about noise but nuance. Every product carried a story, told with precision and restraint. The subtlety of scent taught me that absence can be as powerful as presence. You don’t need to list every note for someone to feel the memory it triggers.
The pulse of energy
Sports marketing was my first leap into a much larger arena. Suddenly, I was speaking to millions… in stadiums, through broadcasts, and alongside global athletes. The challenge was distilling a message so it could resonate in São Paulo, Shanghai, and Stockholm, without losing authenticity in any one place. Constant travel taught me how culture shapes perception, and how shared emotion can transcend language.
Mastering the full circle to deliver value
In advertising, I saw the architecture of 360-degree campaigns.
Media, storytelling, design, timing and data all had to fit like engineered parts. Technology gave us speed, but instinct still mattered most.
Reports could tell you what was happening, but knowing why an idea would resonate came from experience.
Dubai brought a shift from mass-market to niche, high-value campaigns where the competition wasn’t another property but a rare work of art, a private island, or a generational investment.
Here, I’ve never believed I’m simply in sales. I’m in the business of meaning-making – helping people connect value to something they can own and live in.
Agility as an art form
Across industries, I’ve sought what others overlook – the rare idea, the uncommon story. That sometimes means saying no to high-profile opportunities if they don’t fit. Exclusivity is more than a price point; it’s a standard.
One campaign I’m especially proud of positioned luxury as space, not excess. While others showcased gold taps and marble slabs, we showed empty rooms and natural light. The silence was the message. It worked because it came from listening to what our most discerning audience truly valued.
Three years ago, we launched a flagship project without a single dollar of paid media. We built it entirely on earned coverage, owned channels, and live experiences that couldn’t be replicated online. The story travelled further and deeper than any media buy could have taken it.
What I’ve learned
AI and automation will change the mechanics of marketing, but taste, instinct, and cultural intelligence will matter more than ever. Trends pass. Platforms change. What stays is how people felt.
True marketers don’t confine themselves to one niche. They adapt, evolve, and surround themselves with the right people. Campaigns become legacy not on vision alone but through collaboration.
What frustrates me most today is the obsession with instant metrics. We’ve forgotten that deep connections are built over years. In luxury, that means trust – trust that takes decades to earn and seconds to lose.
Saying less, meaning more: Value of restraint
The most successful brands I’ve worked with understand the value of restraint. They know that mystery can communicate more than overexposure. It’s tempting to follow trends, but the brands with the most lasting impact choose their moments… and sometimes choose silence.
Agility, emotion, and rarity are not just tactics. They’re a philosophy that has carried me across industries. Great marketing isn’t about being everywhere. It’s about being unforgettable where it matters most.
By Cihan Sel, Executive Director of Marketing and Communications, OMNIYAT
