In this industry snapshot, BigTime Creative Shop’s Mohammed Sehly shares how bold ideas, cultural insight, and creative trust are propelling Saudi Arabia onto the global stage.
What does it take to be a multiple award-winning agency that also helps clients meet their brand and business objectives?
It started with building an exceptional team – talent from diverse creative disciplines and cultural backgrounds, all united by one mindset: How do we push boundaries and go bigger? Insight and research have been core to our process from the beginning, especially when speaking to global audiences. We focus on creating culturally resonant work – storytelling that fans instantly connect with, share, and remember.
But above all, it requires trust. We’re fortunate to work with clients who empower us to think boldly and execute without compromise. That trust has allowed us to explore a wide range of creative expressions – from turning a golf cart into a mobile DJ experience with LIV Golf to designing a bespoke luxury watch with Riyadh Season and Jacob & Co. which was auctioned at Sotheby’s for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
It’s also taken us from a psychological thriller boxing promo voiced by Kylie Minogue that got us our first Emmy nomination to an all-star production tennis film featuring six of the sport’s biggest names.
Each project represents a different kind of creative risk – but all share the same DNA: bold ideas, cultural relevance and the trust to bring them to life globally.
These initiatives didn’t just win awards – they delivered impact. They broke out across social, earned global media coverage, and elevated brand visibility. More importantly, they positioned us as a creative force -attracting world-class directors who now seek to collaborate because they believe in the BigTime vision.
None of this would be possible without the belief and support of His Excellency Turki AlAlshikh, Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority and Riyadh Season – a driving force in enabling us to take Saudi creativity global. His support continues to inspire us as we build culturally relevant work that delivers results on local, regional, and global levels.
How is BigTime helping Saudi Arabia reshape the way the world views the Kingdom in line with Vision 2030?
Our work is shifting global perceptions of Saudi Arabia – not just as a market, but as a creative powerhouse. Through global sports and cinematic storytelling for Riyadh Season, the reaction has been overwhelmingly positive.
Thanks to Riyadh Season, we’ve produced promos that set new standards – locally and globally. One tennis promo was described as ‘bigger than a Marvel movie’. This momentum earned BigTime a place among the Top 12 Independent Agencies globally – a first for Saudi – and the Independent Agency of the Year recognition at Dubai Lynx, Adfest and Cresta.
It is important not to group Saudi Arabia within “Middle East marketing strategies”, but instead to focus on marketing specifically for Saudi Arabia because …
Saudi Arabia is a distinct nation with five major regions, each with its own subcultures, dialects and humour. With 70 per cent of our population under 30, we’re young, hyper-connected, and culturally fluid.
Marketers must move beyond assumptions. They need to understand us with precision and nuance – like the TikTok algorithm does. Only then can brands truly speak our language.
Brands, marketers and agency leaders in Saudi Arabia must prioritise …
Pop culture. If a brand isn’t participating, it risks irrelevance. We don’t respond to hard-sell tactics or recycled real-time bidding (RTB). We want smart, emotional, and culturally in-tune storytelling. When a message feels native, it sticks. Get it right, and it becomes part of the culture.
The biggest marketing disruption in Saudi Arabia in the next two years will be …
The intersection of high-quality content, technology, and gaming. Gen Z sees gaming creators as bigger than athletes. The real opportunity is building content with this audience – content that blends smart storytelling with the platforms and formats they care about.
The biggest proportion of marketing budget allocation for brands in Saudi Arabia should be towards …
Ideas that work. Not fixed deliverables. When briefs are outcome-driven, not media-led, bold and effective campaigns are born – the kind that truly moves the needle.
Local Saudi Arabia icons, celebrities, influencers, and gamers will have an effect on Saudi marketing because …
We’re seeing Saudi creators gain real global appeal – from singers and artists to gaming icons. This gives brands a powerful opportunity to collaborate with talent that’s locally relevant and globally resonant.
The most important challenge that needs to be addressed within Saudi Arabia’s creative, marketing, and advertising industry is …
Consistency in creative standards. We’ve proven we can break through. Now, we need to sustain it – through investment in originality, nurturing talent, and committing to ideas that are media-neutral, insight-driven and globally competitive.
My opinion on the brand versus performance debate is that …
This debate is outdated. Today, the right creative can deliver both brand impact and performance in one shot. When work lands culturally, everything else follows.
By Mohammed Sehly, Chief Executive Officer, BigTime Creative Shop
