TITLE: CEO, Publicis Media Middle East
YEARS IN THE ROLE: 16 months
YEARS IN THE INDUSTRY: 21 years
YEARS IN THE MIDDLE EAST REGION: 21 years
OTHER ROLES: IAA board member
POWER ESSAY: True transformation – long-term strategies, first-party data and harnessing AI, by Publicis Media Middle East’s CEO Tony Wazen
Many disruptive forces have created incredible uncertainties around the industry, including the future of media, consumer mind-sets, values, data privacy, audience behaviour, content sets, and distribution channels just to name a few.
All this is translated into pressure on competing brands within the media space to innovate and evolve. Our industry requires constant evolvement be it on talents, operation, process, methodology, strategy, data ingestion, ethical practices, etc. Our clients are demanding more, their customers are demanding more, and the overall media industry continues shifting as lines have become blurry between different media types.
As an industry, we must look at our entire ecosystem and ensure that we are equipped with the right formula for success since our solutions do not work in silos anymore as media, creative, data, technology and overall strategy need to work together in harmony to ensure the success of brands and to help our clients win in the moments that truly count.
To stay ahead in a competitive landscape, brands need to shift focus from basic segmentation to transactions and engagement and the only effective possibility for that is through first-party data.
Real identity and consent should be the focus for marketers as these are the key drivers for effective marketing strategies. This direct relationship with consumers creates a personalised environment which allows for consistent messaging across all channels.
Ultimately third-party cookies will become less relevant over time, it’s a curve that will continue to accelerate as first-party data strategies mature and as we see greater adoption of the technologies to put this data to use across paid, owned and earned media channels.
“The winners will be those who evolve, adapt, and have the agility to learn and unlearn in order to enable marketers to stay ahead of the curve.”
The future belongs to those who can enrich first-party data, leading to superior targeting and engagement. By helping build consistent identifiers and unified profiles, brands gain a clear, cohesive view of customer behaviour through one single customer truth across all touchpoints.
This personalisation will evolve into hyper-personalised experiences powered by predictive engagement, where brands anticipate customer needs before they even arise, this will advance data analytics to ensure a truly individualised marketing experience. Prioritising first-party data is key as it’s more privacy-friendly, fosters consumer trust, enables effective personalisation, and creates a seamless experience across all touchpoints.
This industry’s shift from disruptive formats to personalisation at scale and from prioritising immediate gains to building long-term brand value and customer relationships will be driven by a key enabler, artificial intelligence.
AI will continue to play a major role in reshaping how content is produced, delivered, and consumed which offers serious opportunities for growth and evolvement. AI ensures a seamless omnichannel integration while maintaining consistent messaging across digital, social, mobile, and offline channels.
The significant implications for our industry are big as it changes the fundamental process on which we operate and enhance personalisation, predictive analytics, and automated content creation. AI-powered data-driven insights are transformative in optimising campaigns, boosting revenue, and cutting down on waste.
Some of the most significant changes that are enabled by AI as well are the automation of our workflows, with the maturity of the automation process we will be more enabled, efficient, and agile in both content creation and the overall enhancement in engagement while maintaining a superior quality. This marketing evolution will ensure focusing on high-quality and valuable content that genuinely engages the audience.
It’s time to redefine our approach as an industry, by adopting sustainable long-term strategies across all layers of the organisation, by harnessing AI and sifting our first-party data strategies as this will truly help us unlock the full potential of the transformation. In this day and age, the winners will be those who evolve, adapt, and have the agility to learn and unlearn in order to enable marketers to stay ahead of the curve.
CAREER HIGHLIGHT
Driving change within Publicis Media was the biggest achievement for us this year. This lies in our ability to attract key talents in the market and bring together a team of experts to elevate, steer, and drive growth for the organisation. We managed to convert and retain strategic media business across the region.
RAPID FIRE
Focus for the next 12 months?
First-party data strategies.
Buzzword we need to kill?
New year, new me.
Marketing needs to prioritise?
Personalisation at scale.
Marketing needs to change?
Over-reliance on third-party cookies.
Top lesson learnt in 2024?
Actions speak louder than words.
What worries you the most?
Family safety.
Biggest blessing in your life?
My two sons.
Value/principle that matters the most?
Honesty.
Next travel destination?
Japan.
What is your pet peeve?
Chronic lateness.
Favourite restaurant in the Middle East?
Gaia.
What are you reading?
‘Death In the Long Grass’.
Favourite hobby?
Padel.
Top tip?
Have fun along the way.
