HOW HAVE SAUDI CONSUMERS CHANGED IN RECENT YEARS?
Increased awareness is one of the most prominent indicators of change among Saudi consumers in recent years. This awareness challenges companies to prove their positioning, status, and credible narrative.
It is no longer enough to provide a cost-effective, high-quality product or service. Instead, you need to communicate a persuasive narrative supported by a human, societal, cultural, or environmental value.
WHAT NEW THINGS ARE CLIENTS ASKING FOR?
Understanding local culture has emerged as a crucial factor for success, giving local agencies a competitive edge over their international counterparts.
The ability to think in Arabic and develop Arabic content has become a cornerstone of effective communication efforts, particularly in the Saudi market.
Even global companies are recognising the importance of this mentality in creating influential narratives and content for their stakeholders.
HOW HAS THE SAUDI AGENCY MODEL/OFFERINGS CHANGED?
Many agencies are now adopting a partner model. This approach is not just about ensuring the highest level of productivity and agility but also about maintaining continuity.
While the nature of solutions and services remains largely unchanged, the focus has shifted to the modeling, methodologies, and forms of providing these solutions and services.
WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHANGE YOU HAVE SEEN WITHIN SAUDI SOCIETY?
The competition of Saudi companies to leading established global brands, Saudi success stories have become global role models in many sectors, pioneering projects the Kingdom seeks to accomplish and transforming Saudi cities into attractive destinations for investors, entrepreneurs, innovators, and whoever looks for empowerment, success, and innovation opportunities.
There is a new dreamland in progress on the Kingdom’s map for the world after other countries have monopolised it.
Recently, the world has become more curious about exploring the Kingdom and learning about its history, heritage, and culture, which gives communicators a golden opportunity to convey a valid image about the Kingdom to the world.
WHERE DO YOU SEE THE BIGGEST POTENTIAL FOR GROWTH IN SAUDI?
Transforming Riyadh into one of the 10 most important economic cities in the world, within the goals of Saudi Vision 2030, opens promising horizons and tremendous growth opportunities, especially for the corporate communication sector, which will be at the heart of building impactful and positive relations between companies, investors, society, and people.
WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES YOU FACE IN THE KINGDOM?
A major challenge is the pace of rapid transformations to make the Kingdom a global destination for investments in non-oil sectors, such as tourism, artificial intelligence, creative economy, and e-commerce.
The Saudi market is now a playfield for tense competition, not just for market share, but for talent and human capabilities.
By Mohamed Yousef, Managing Director, Jummar
