 [{"title":"Rafic Saadeh inducted into IAA&#8217;s Advertising Hall of Fame","excerpt":"Rafic Saadeh, Founder and Executive Chairman of Horizon Holdings (Horizon FCB Group), was recently inducted into the prestigious Advertising Hall of Fame by the IAA Lebanon Chapter. Saadeh, who now has more than 55 years of experience in the advertising industry, was already a trailblazer at a time when the industry was still establishing its [&hellip;]","author":"Anup Oommen"},{"title":"Visa&#8217;s Tarek Abdalla on social commerce and changing consumer expectations","excerpt":"From manual point-of-sale machines to the seamless flow of social commerce today, the world of payments and consumer purchase expectations has undergone a dramatic transformation. With global social commerce revenues projected to grow to more than $1 trillion by 2028, the demand for fast, secure and integrated payment solutions is more critical than ever. The [&hellip;]","author":"Anup Oommen"},{"title":"The Marketing Society expands GCC leadership to drive regional growth","excerpt":"The Marketing Society has revealed key leadership appointments as part of its strategic expansion across the GCC region, marking a significant milestone in the society\u2019s mission to champion marketing excellence and strengthen its influence across the region. Mohammed Ismaeel Hameedaldin, Partner at TOUGHLOVE Advisors and current Dubai Chair, has been appointed Chair, GCC, for The [&hellip;]","author":"Anup Oommen"},{"title":"AI and data-driven creativity in the Middle East","excerpt":"Brands in the Middle East face a unique digital marketing challenge: capturing the attention of a diverse, tech-savvy audience with ever-shifting preferences.\u00a0 With social media at the heart of consumer engagement, marketing success hinges on one critical factor: relevance. Today, AI-driven data analytics and hyper-personalisation redefine how brands craft compelling, culturally attuned campaigns that stop [&hellip;]","author":"Shantelle Nagarajan"},{"title":"Starzplay and BytePlus to bring AI-powered features to streaming","excerpt":"Subscription video on demand (SVOD) platform, Starzplay has partnered with BytePlus to introduce AI-powered features like short dramas, recommendations, and in-app shopping and deliver a smoother, more intuitive streaming experience. BytePlus\u2019 proprietary technologies will facilitate intuitive navigation across Starzplay&#8217;s app, making browsing seamless. The platform will also be introducing new content genres, including short-form dramas, [&hellip;]","author":"Shantelle Nagarajan"},{"title":"Have we successfully transitioned from data versus creativity to data-inspired creativity?","excerpt":"As data becomes more central to the marketing and creativity process, the role of the creative director is evolving. Traditionally, creative directors were focused on conceptualising and executing visually compelling campaigns. Today, they are just as involved in analysing campaign performance. Creative directors are increasingly working alongside data analysts and marketers to interpret data insights [&hellip;]","author":"Hiba Faisal"},{"title":"TAG Heuer leans into mascots to highlight the &#8216;gift of time&#8217; during Ramadan","excerpt":"TAG Heuer has introduced the latest edition of its annual Ramadan campaign titled Chapter III: Time is a Gift, aiming to blend its message of high-performance watchmaking with the spirit of the Holy Month through TAG Heuer mascots. The campaign, which runs from the start of Ramadan through to Eid, has been launched in the [&hellip;]","author":"Anup Oommen"},{"title":"Ford champions strength and adventure in latest F-150 campaign","excerpt":"Ford Middle East partnered with creative agency VML and global production house Crater to bring the newest variation of its F-150 campaign to life. Building Make Way for the Beast\u2019 platform, first launched in 2021, the\u00a0 \u2018Here Comes the Beast\u2019 campaign focuses on the brand&#8217;s ongoing narrative of strength and resilience. To bring this vision [&hellip;]","author":"Ishwari Khatu"},{"title":"How TikTok tailors user experiences while ensuring safe\u00ad\u00ad\u00adty","excerpt":"Variety is key in an age where entertainment options are unlimited, and so are the ever-evolving public interests. Gone are the days when consumers were limited to the big screen with limited choices. As the appetite for diverse content continues to grow, and we embrace ultra-digitisation, consumer expectations are reaching new heights, opening the door [&hellip;]","author":"Campaign Editorial"},{"title":"DXTA Technology&#8217;s Roy Matta on the Ramadan digital gold rush","excerpt":"There\u2019s something magical about the Holy Month of Ramadan. A month of reflection, generosity and togetherness. But for brands, it\u2019s also the most competitive time of the year, a digital battleground where attention is the ultimate currency. Imagine this: It\u2019s iftar time. Families are gathered, phones in hand, scrolling through content, engaging in conversations and [&hellip;]","author":"Anup Oommen"}]