The past 12 months have been groundbreaking for Saudi Arabia. The Kingdom reported back on the progress it has made regarding its Saudi Vision 2030 strategy, with significant progress being made toward the 2030 targets, and some even surpassing their targets
The Kingdom won the bid to host the 2030 World Expo in Riyadh, and we are on track to be announced as the hosts for the FIFA 2034 World Cup. One important indicator for me is home ownership, which has increased among Saudi nationals to 63.74 percent and which is progressing toward the Vision 2030 goal of 70 per cent.
These results have been achieved through effort and commitment. And the pace of change in the Kingdom could be best described as breathtaking. Take for example the Public Investment Fund, which created 93 new businesses in 2023 and is managing more than SAR2.81tn worth of assets. The country is transforming itself.
Alongside this economic transformation is a change in how Saudi Arabia is being seen throughout the world. The Kingdom is becoming a destination that is being talked about globally, and it is increasingly finding itself on the bucket list of travelers.
Much of this change is thanks to the approach Saudi Arabia is taking to its own branding and communications. The country is taking an increasingly positive approach to storytelling on a global stage. We are shining a light on our history and culture, our achievements and our aspirations.
Take for example the campaigns we have pushed out as a country on football. We are looking to define what we are doing to promote the sport while also talking about our passion for and belief in the changes we are undergoing as a society. The aptly named “Go Beyond What You Think” campaign, which featured football superstar Lionel Messi, reached 747 million people across 92 countries in over twenty languages.
This is but one example of storytelling which is cutting through and making a difference to the Kingdom’s brand on a global stage. We have become confident in telling our stories and we are empowered by our leadership to take our message to the world. The difference is in the people behind the ideas; we are increasingly seeing nationals being part of the ideation and creation process.
This drive to build and develop a local marketing and communications industry that is led by nationals was evident at the recently held Athar festival in Riyadh. The number of Saudi attendees and speakers, the strength of their ideas and their bold ideas shows that we are headed in the right direction when it comes to building brands both in Saudi Arabia and for Saudi Arabia.
What we need to do as an industry is to showcase the importance of brand building to young Saudis, show to them the career opportunities that are in front of them, and the impact that they can make for themselves, their communities and their country.
When I look at Saudi brands and companies today, I believe that we are on the cusp of a transformation that will reshape the country, its economy and people as a key driver of global events. And our marketers and communicators will be at the heart of this change.
I personally am proud to say that when I look at my own team, I increasingly see young Saudis and expatriates – today we are a function of 14 nationalities – who are not afraid to challenge the status quo with both ideas and executions that capture people’s attention (this was very much on display during our own rebranding in November of this year).
We are attracting more young people into marketing and communications, and they are bringing with them a mixture of learning, ambition and curiosity that makes me confident that we can elevate Saudi-based brands even further over the coming 12 months. Expect more success and awards for Saudi campaigns over the coming twelve months!
By Ghada Alrumayan, Group Chief Marketing Officer, ROSHN
