Scott Feasey, CEO M&C Saatchi, GCC
Scott Feasey, CEO M&C Saatchi, GCCWhat were you doing in October 2008?
Running my own agency, Expression, praying the first signs of a recession, were not the first signs of a recession.
What is the best bit of news you’ve read since 2008?
M&C Saatchi buys Expression.
What is the worst bit of news you’ve read since 2008?
I don’t linger on bad news and there is too much these days. Although the Haiti Earthquake, Deepwater Horizon, koalas on the endangered list and Trump being president all stand out as being pretty horrific.
What headline would you most like to read?
World peace achieved.
And which headline do you dread?
Oceans can no longer sustain life.
What’s the best piece of work or campaign you’ve been involved with?
Our Mobily ‘Everyone’s Kingdom’ was great, but it’s always the last campaign that’s my favourite – and our ad with Aldar and Kevin Hart is looking so good.
What’s the best piece of work from the region that was done by someone else?
So much good work out there, but as I said I don’t linger on bad news.
Do you have any messages for Campaign?
Who said print was dead – I wait for your next issue like a cross-legged puppy waits for its owner to return.
Akanksha Goel, Founder & CEO, Socialize
Akanksha Goel, Founder & CEO, SocializeWhat were you doing in October 2008?
Moving to Dubai.
What is the worst bit of news you’ve read since 2008?
Coronavirus: Half of humanity in lockdown as 90 countries called for confinement.
What headline would you most like to read?
Campaign sat down with the Socialize leadership team to find out how they doubled their revenue and had fun doing it.
And which headline do you dread?
Metaverse takes over, only 2 per cent of the world now meets IRL.
What’s the best piece of work or campaign you’ve been involved with?
Bugles’ ‘Crunch It’. Strong social thinking that helps brands connect culture to commerce.
What’s the best piece of work from the region that was done by someone else?
Old but gold, our first Grand Prix: ‘The Blank Edition’ for An-Nahar newspaper
Do you have any messages for Campaign?
Here’s to you Austyn, the backbone, the funny bone, the man keeping our industry real.
Luca Allam, CEO of PHD MENA
Luca Allam, CEO of PHD MENAWhat were you doing in October 2008?
I was back in London, working at my first media agency role at a once independent agency called Walker Media (now Blue 449). I was working on the Barclays account as a digital planner and buyer, some of the best times of my career.
What is the best bit of news you’ve read since 2008?
The immediate economic outlook for this region is very positive – it’s a good time to be in MENA.
What is the worst bit of news you’ve read since 2008?
It was actually during 2008. The global financial crisis hit us all hard.
What headline would you most like to read?
Agencies remain the #1 place to attract and develop best talent.
And which headline do you dread?
Efficiency beats creativity.
What’s the best piece of work you’ve been involved with?
The recent international campaign for Saudi Tourism Authority, where we live-streamed the MDLBEAST concert from Saudi, directly into Times Square, New York. The New Yorkers could connect and listen live to a live concert happening the other on the side of the world.
What’s the best piece of work from the region that was done by someone else?
There has been a lot of good work from the region. KFC’s ‘Cheat Code for Hunger’ stands out, with notable campaign wins at MENA Effies and Lynx – a super simple, creative, and effective campaign.
Do you have any message for Campaign?
Congratulations Campaign on your 300th. We’re glad to have been part of your journey so far. Cheers to the next 300. Best wishes, PHD MENA.
Yves-Michel Gabay, Regional managing director at Gamned! MEA
Yves-Michel Gabay, Regional managing director at Gamned! MEAWhat were you doing in October 2008?
I was working at MEC MENA, preparing a very enthusiastic business review for the first visit to Dubai of Charles Courtier (MEC’s global CEO) and Melanie Varley (MEC’s EMEA CEO). After two and half years in the region, I was supposed to prepare for my next move within the network. And they warned me about the global crisis that was hitting the US and Europe badly, and asked me to stay here to prepare MEC MENA as best as possible to resist this major crisis, which finally hit us in January 2009. We did, and resisted very well.
What is the best bit of news you’ve read since 2008?
When MEC MENA became Media Agency of the Year in Festival of Media 2016 – a great achievement for the work we produced during 10 years with a fantastic team.
What is the worst bit of news you’ve read since 2008?
When Sir Martin Sorrell decided to leave WPP; for me it was really the end of an era.
What headline would you most like to read?
At a regional level, a new strong GCC economy takes off.
At an industry level, regional TV is starting to implement connected TV and segmented TV, and we can finally propose programmatic buying on TV, and blockchain is implemented to guarantee full transparency in the media transaction.
At a very Gamned! MEA level, all advertisers realise they should appoint real independent programmatic experts to manage their campaigns and Gamned! MEA becomes the number one in programmatic advertising.
And which headline do you dread?
At a very broad level, the impact of global warming, and the bad use of social media networks, which are endangering the future.
At a global level, to live our life only within the metaverse. I do prefer real life and I’m not sure about letting my avatar operate instead of my real self.
At an industry level, the merger of all the internet big players into only one super-huge giant that will have a full monopoly on everything.
What’s the best piece of work you’ve been involved with?
When at MEC, the APAC/MENA pitch for GE in July 2013, which brought MEC’s finest forces from all over the world to Hong Kong to present a masterpiece of a strategic media approach, ending in a huge success.
What’s the best piece of work from the region that was done by someone else?
Definitely the different campaigns issued for Emirates Airlines: the A380 and the Jetmen (2015), the Top of the World (2021), the First Class with Jennifer Aniston, etc.
Do you have any messages for Campaign?
Please continue to deliver news and quality pieces of information about our industry in the most objective manner as you’ve been doing for 300 issues. I wish you to evolve and to stay on the edge of tech, to reach at least number 400 (after this number I don’t think I will still be in the industry).
Ziad Hasbani, CEO of Weber Shandwick MENAT
Ziad Hasbani, CEO of Weber Shandwick MENATWhat were you doing in October 2008?
I was managing the impact of the financial and subprime mortgage crisis on many of my clients’ businesses in the region.
What is the best bit of news you’ve read since 2008?
Exciting ways data is transforming marketing communications.
What is the worst bit of news you’ve read since 2008?
The news related to the spread and impact of the global Covid-19 pandemic.
What headline would you most like to read?
AI continues to drive marketing, but cannot replace marketers.
And which headline do you dread?
Another’ military conflict in the Middle East region.
What’s the best piece of work you’ve been involved with?
The merger between FGB and NBAD to become First Abu Dhabi Bank, for its significance and benefit to the UAE economy
What’s the best piece of work from the region that was done by someone else?
The Emirates Airlines campaign ‘Do You Remember?’
Do you have any messages for Campaign?
I wish the Campaign Middle East team many more successes as they grow, inform and inspire the industry. With the current content consumption trend, you will likely cover in the next 100 issues the volume that was covered your first 300 issues.
Ahmad Itani, founder and CEO of Cicero & Bernay Communication Consultancy
What were you doing in October 2008?
I was three years into launching C&B, a feat that took much more effort than just simply stating it as such.
What is the best bit of news you’ve read since 2008?
It’s difficult to pinpoint one story that took precedence. However, I believe the widespread influence and use of blockchain across all industries is of absolute relevance.
What is the worst bit of news you’ve read since 2008?
All of March 2020’s headlines; none of us expected to witness first-hand such a historic moment of dire consequences. Things took a while to get better, and I was consuming more news than at any other time in recent memory, even leading into April.
What headline would you most like to read?
World hunger is finally a thing of the past.
And which headline do you dread?
Parents petition schools to replace languages with emojis.
What’s the best piece of work you’ve been involved with?
There are quite a few, but the one that stands out is the ‘Capo Captures Sudanese Hearts and Minds’ campaign that we pulled off with Blue Nile Dairy Company, and that ended up winning a golden Stevie Award in 2008 for Best Campaign.
What’s the best piece of work from the region that was done by someone else?
The World’s Tallest Donation Box initiative that was launched by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives was an absolute tour de force of inspiration.
Do you have any messages for Campaign?
I have both a sentiment of congratulations and caution: 300 down, 300 and more to go.
Mazen Jawad, CEO of Horizon Holdings
Mazen Jawad, CEO of Horizon HoldingsWhat were you doing in October 2008?
I was heading the growth of Horizon FCB Dubai while the global recession was storming our gates.
What is the best bit of news you’ve read since 2008?
FCB named 2020-2021 Cannes Lions Global Network of the Year.
What is the worst bit of news you’ve read since 2008?
The death of Diego Maradona.
What headline would you most like to read?
Absolute peace in the Middle East.
And which headline do you dread?
Another pandemic.
What’s the best piece of work you’ve been involved with?
I still had my most personal and rewarding experience working with people I love on Tamanna’s ‘September Christmas’. A personal memory that goes beyond creativity.
What’s the best piece of work from the region that was done by someone else?
This region keeps surprising us with great work that we admire, though it is hard to choose just one.
Do you have any messages for Campaign?
Never Finished, you amaze us every day with ideas and content that keep us connected, entertained and exploring… with the region’s best editorial.
Manoj Khimji, Managing director, TMV Group
Manoj Khimji, Managing director, TMV GroupWhat were you doing in October 2008?
Selling ad space in The Times Middle East edition, which had just launched earlier
that year.
What is the best bit of news you’ve read since 2008?
The MediaVantage wins Wall Street Journal contract.
What is the worst bit of news you’ve read since 2008?
Honestly, I don’t think there has been any. Every change in the industry has resulted in a host of new opportunities.
What headline would you most like to read?
Google appoints The TechVantage as global ad sales rep.
And which headline do you dread?
Middle East loses its ambition to dominate the global agenda.
What’s the best piece of work you’ve been involved with?
Bringing Emaar into a custom-built lounge in Harrods to sell and market their top units and penthouses to Harrods customers. And then for HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan to come and visit the lounge in person and give it his thumbs up.
What’s the best piece of work from the region that was done by someone else?
Coca-Cola’s ‘Line Up Song’ by FP7 McCann Cairo. Remember, the one in the Egyptian table-tennis hall, running through the key stars of the national football against the tune of Old McDonald Had A Farm.
Do you have any messages for Campaign?
Congratulations on building a wonderful portfolio, sitting at the heart of the industry in the region and serving a purpose far beyond a trade magazine.
Raksha Khimji, Managing director, Team Red Dot
Raksha Khimji, Managing director, Team Red DotWhat were you doing in October 2008?
I was working at MTV (Viacom) in Singapore – looking after sponsorship deals and marketing of brand MTV across the Asia Pacific region.
What is the best bit of news you’ve read since 2008?
The coronavirus vaccine became the fastest vaccine ever to be developed – it shows that although we can’t control so much of what happens around us, modern medicine has scaled to record-breaking heights to prevent the severity of detrimental outcomes of such viruses.
What is the worst bit of news you’ve read since 2008?
The death of refugee children on various migration routes. What’s more upsetting is the recurrence of this news, year after year – and in even higher numbers. It breaks my heart.
What headline would you most like to read?
Team Red Dot wins agency of the year for outstanding contribution to metaverse marketing.
And which headline do you dread?
It’s February 2026, and Variant 369 of Covid-19 causes flights to shut down around the world – again.
What’s the best piece of work you’ve been involved with?
The best piece of work I’ve been in involved in was one that restored my faith in mankind and the advertising fraternity as a whole. When Team Red Dot devised a pro-bono awareness campaign for Dubai Centre for Special Needs, and managed to convince not only the production house to shoot for free, but also the publishers to run all ads associated for the campaign at zero cost. And it wasn’t done for any awards – it was done purely for what it was intended for – to raise awareness for the centre and its students.
What’s the best piece of work from the region that was done by someone else?
I loved Babyshop’s brave stand on rephrasing the word ‘parenthood’. Despite recent progress in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East around women’s rights and equality, there was no word for ‘parenthood’ that included or implied ‘mother’. In 2018, they took a stand, and a new Arabic word: ‘Al Umobuwah’ (meaning ‘motherhood and fatherhood’) was formed. It created a lot of controversy, but they stuck with it.
Do you have any messages for Campaign?
Campaign is the only magazine that I still ask my receptionist for when I don’t see it at my desk on time. That is a testament to the great work that you do. Congratulations on your 300th issue. I look forward to contributing to your milestone 400th issue as well.
Racha Makarem, CEO, Starcom MENA
Racha Makarem, CEO, Starcom MENAWhat were you doing in October 2008?
Settling into married life.
What is the best bit of news you’ve read since 2008?
The news when humanity is at its best.
What is the worst bit of news you’ve read since 2008?
Crisis, conflict and the state of our planet.
What headline would you most like to read?
Another record year for Publicis Groupe.
And which headline do you dread?
A new Covid-19 variant discovered.
What’s the best piece of work or campaign you’ve been involved with?
Many, but a more recent one is ‘Come to Yas’.
What’s the best piece of work from the region that was done by someone else?
‘The World’s Tallest Donation Box’ and ‘The Blank Edition’.
Do you have any messages for Campaign?
Thank you for being an amazing partner to us and helping to bring our industry together. Here’s to the next issue, mabrouk.
