Campaign Middle East recently covered industry movers and shakers from the advertising, marketing and creative space for our MENA Power List 2023 issue and there was a strong sense of optimism about the region’s landscape for marketers to flourish.
Mounir Harfouche has been the CEO at MullenLowe MENA for 13 years. His favourite hobby is creative battles.
Technology has completely reshaped the landscape of the creative and advertising industry. The role of talent is undergoing a profound and, in some ways, dehumanising transformation.
This shift has clear implications for talent. From advanced algorithms that predict consumer behaviour to augmented reality campaigns that captivate audiences to AI production, design and copywriting abilities, the opportunities technology has introduced are truly transformative.
But are we sacrificing the human touch in our pursuit of technological advancement while reconsidering our authentic understanding of human capabilities and value?
Technology is not the enemy. It’s a tool; like any tool, its value is determined by how we utilise it. At MullenLowe, we’ve seen first-hand the tremendous benefits technology offers. But, somewhere along the line, there’s a risk; we might find ourselves entrapped in a world of digital algorithms and super fancy machines unintentionally overshadowing the power of unique human insights and the genius of creative minds.
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The above is not an error. It’s part of this essay in binary code. I dehumanised it on purpose.
Remember, advertising, at its core, is about storytelling. It’s about triggering emotions and aspirations. While data can guide us toward understanding what people want, and AI can help us produce with efficacy and speed, nothing can replace the nuanced understanding and empathy of human creators.
Nothing can replace the unpredictable power of emotions, the interplay of consciousness and unconsciousness, experience and innocence, imagination and history, sentiments and opinions all going through a storm in the brain while creating magic in a moment of inspiration.
This isn’t to downplay the importance of technology. It’s to champion a balanced approach. A combination where technology supports human creativity, not where it replaces it.
Agencies must prioritise investing in people, their most valuable resource, while harnessing cultures celebrating human diversity and interaction.
At MullenLowe, we’re taking a stand. While we continue to invest in the latest tech, we’re also doubling down on nurturing the human spirit.
We believe fame comes from a harmonious blend of tech insights and human talent.
In conclusion, as leaders, we have a responsibility. It’s about more than keeping pace with technology and ensuring that we stay within our humanity in the race towards the future.
So, let’s change the narrative. A narrative that elevates the value of human beings rather than diminishing it.
Let’s stop talking about the jobs that will vanish and start talking about the many more that will exist. Let’s stop putting pressure on a brilliant new generation that is already losing hope every day. Let’s stop drawing a picture of a dark, mechanic world ahead of us and start highlighting the endless possibilities of progress for a better life.
A future not controlled by materialistic transactions but by human connections, value exchange and creative currencies.
Love will never be automated. Human experiences, instincts and intuitions will never be programmed. Emotional intelligence will never be artificial. The spark of a brilliant concept will never be manufactured. A robot will never cry, and software will never laugh. Technology should be here to help human beings develop their own natural and untapped potential.
