Presence Archives - Campaign Middle East

The day luxury remembered who it was and the room where it happened

Shantelle Nagarajan — Mon, 25 May 2026 10:23:52 +0000

Luxury has always understood the power of presence. The right room, the right guest, the right cultural context, the right moment of tension before something is revealed. For years, the industry invested heavily in digital acceleration, social reach, creator amplification, always-on content. But as audiences become harder to capture and screens grow increasingly saturated, luxury […]

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The marketing pivot: What uncertain times have taught us about trust and attention

Shantelle Nagarajan — Wed, 06 May 2026 14:26:04 +0000

In moments of uncertainty, brands often do what people do when they are afraid. They get cautious and defensive. They even convince themselves that stepping back is wisdom, when in reality that can end up making the situation even worse. We have never believed that the safest choice is always the smartest one. Some of […]

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The most tone deaf thing brands can do right now is nothing

Anup Oommen — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 05:00:43 +0000

When the region is navigating something as significant as what we are living through right now, the conversation around content production tends to collapse into a single question: should brands keep going or should we stop? It’s the wrong question. The right question is: what are we actually making, and does it belong in this […]

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Leaders advise ‘showing up’ over silence; ‘presence with intent’ over performance

Anup Oommen — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 05:00:36 +0000

When the going gets tough, do the tough really get going or do they go silent? What happens when the response from leaders to an uncertain future is silence in the present? The Middle East region has been weathering a geopolitical and economic storm, which has seen many companies lower their profile, trim their public […]

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Standing out from the sea of sameness

Anup Oommen — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 05:00:03 +0000

We are entering what many have started calling the era of artificial intelligence (AI) slop and a sea of sameness. A world where AI allows brands to produce marketing faster, cheaper and in far greater volumes than ever before. Campaign visuals appear in seconds. Copy can be generated endlessly. Entire content calendars can be built […]

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Are we following strategy anymore? Or are we following each other?

Anup Oommen — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 09:21:41 +0000

I did not arrive at this through a report. I have arrived at a very humbling and a very awakening truth by meticulous observation. Reading what’s being said across platforms. The think pieces. The advice. The frameworks. The constant reminders to stay active, stay visible, manage tone. And then I look up. I see what’s […]

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Seen is not the same as remembered

Anup Oommen — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 04:30:10 +0000

For decades, the outdoor advertising (OOH) industry has been anchored to a single metric: traffic volume. Highways became the gold standard. More cars meant more eyes, more eyes meant more value, and more value justified premium rates. The logic was clean, scalable, and easy to sell. But in 2026, that logic is showing its age. […]

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What Covid taught businesses about marketing, and why it matters now

Anup Oommen — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 04:00:05 +0000

Not long ago, businesses were scrambling to figure out how to market through a crisis none of us had seen coming. Shops were shut, travel stopped overnight, and consumer confidence fell through the floor. The Covid-19 pandemic forced every marketer in the world to either adapt or disappear. Most of the ones who adapted are […]

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In times of uncertainty, reconsider plans to halt comms; instead, think DOOH

Shantelle Nagarajan — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 08:00:59 +0000

Brands are distinct characters that build customer loyalty through consistent actions and communication. Halting communication with the market in general, and with loyal customers in particular, during challenging times is a significant crisis; however, continuing normal promotions also risks a negative backlash. For established, responsive brands, sudden silence will likely hurt future sales. The immediate […]

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The strength of staying present when others disappear

Anup Oommen — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 08:20:39 +0000

A conversation is happening inside almost every marketing department in this region right now. It goes something like this: budgets are under pressure, the environment is uncertain, and the safest move is to pull back until clarity returns. It is a reasonable instinct. In most cases, it is also the wrong decision, with decades of […]

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