James Bicknell, Group CEO, Multiply Media Group, tells Campaign Middle East how the company is creating benchmarks for out-of-home through visionary leadership, powerful creativity and a culture that puts people at the forefront.
Billboards continue to dominate cityscapes, yet many argue the environment is becoming increasingly cluttered. How can OOH differentiate itself and drive brand resonance in this context?
Nobody does out-of-home (OOH) better than we do. People see our billboards and they want to advertise on them. They look. They remember. That’s what great OOH is all about. You don’t want noise; you want presence. You want something that fits perfectly into the city, something beautiful, something powerful. We do that better than anyone.
We often hear about bold leadership in media. What does that mean for OOH in the region today?
Bold leadership means thinking bigger. Not just the region, but the world. We’re not here to compete; we’re here to set the standard. You need vision, strong execution, and bravery. At MMG, we build smart, we build fast, and we build world-class. We’ve done it in the UAE, and now we’re taking it global.
“We’re not here to compete; we’re here to set the standard. You need vision, strong execution and bravery.”
The industry often focuses on ROI when discussing success. Should we be redefining what success looks like in OOH?
ROI is important. I love ROI. But real success is when people trust you, when your business keeps growing, and when brands keep coming back because you deliver results every single time. We’re doing that. We’re making OOH great again – profitable, creative, and respected.
Beyond assets and placements, what role do people and culture play in driving the industry forward?
People are everything. You can have the biggest screens, the best tech, but if you don’t have great people, forget it. My teams are incredible: smart, loyal, hardworking. They care about excellence. They want to win. And they do win. That’s the culture we’ve built: success, innovation, accountability.
Technology is transforming OOH, but is the industry striking the right balance between creativity and innovation?
We love technology. We use the best. But it’s nothing without creativity. You’ve got to have both. You bring together great ideas and great tech, and you get magic. That’s what we do. That’s why our campaigns stand out. Everyone talks about innovation; we actually deliver it.
By James Bicknell, Group CEO, Multiply Media Group
