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branding
Ahmad Humeid: Companies realizing branding is a specialty, to be dealt with separate from advertising
Tue, 2011-12-27 11:49 - By
Interview & Opinion, Advertising, Media, Ahmad Humeid, branding, Facebook, social media, Social platforms, Syntax, Twitter
mediaME spoke to Ahmad Humeid, CEO of Syntax, a leading branding and innovations company in the region. Ahmad shares his opinions regarding the evolution of branding, how clients view branding as part of their overall marketing strategy, the importance of online presence, the value of branding as a service and how it is digitally integrated and much more.
Q: As a branding specialist, tell us about the evolution in branding services offered in the Middle East and the sophistication of such services compared to other parts of the world.
Branding worldwide has developed rapidly in the past 20 to 25 years. However, our part of the world is lagging behind a little bit when it comes to branding. Branding is something that is usually, or supposedly, performed by advertising agencies, but I think advertisers and companies in general are realizing that branding is a specialty that they need to deal with on its own, and therefore they are hiring specialized consultants to build their brands to define their identities and launch their products and services.
Q: Do clients in the region understand the difference between branding and advertising? And to what degree is there an appreciation of the strategic value of such services
Clients have definitely realized the difference between advertising and branding in the past five years. Clients now know how important it is to establish a clear brand identity and clear brand values before starting to communicate with the audience, and therefore, our work as a branding company is actually the infrastructure for other marketing and advertising activities that follow, and we are seeing a lot of interest in the region, whether in the Levant or in the Gulf.
Q: Digital media has impacted every aspect of creative industries. Tell us how the requirements and challenges of digital branding differ.
The most important thing that companies have to consider when taking their brands online is to really think what it is they want to sell and to who. The problem with a lot of websites in the Arab World is that they have been dominated by information that is not really relevant to consumers and clients. What we always stress on is the importance realizing the value that is being delivered to the audience when creating a corporate website, mobile application, Facebook presence, or any other engaging platform. The most important aspect of customer service is the actual delivery, which has been quite a challenge over the past ten years, a challenge in getting companies to start thinking in a strategic way about their web presence and about digital branding.
Q: Regarding regional online publishers, are there excellent examples of digital creativity in branding that are a cause for optimism regarding this field in the Middle East?
We are definitely seeing a lot of interesting niche publishers emerging in this region, and after all those generalized web portals have been established, we are now witnessing a shift to e-commerce, one of the main drivers behind today’s innovation in the region, where the new generation of web entrepreneurs really understand web branding and what it involves, leading to better customer focus and more emphasis on usability and user friendliness.
Q: In your opinion, how has the explosive growth in social media affected the field of digital branding services?
I think companies, organizations and governmental bodies today realize they can’t just have a one way communication medium, and therefore do not control the conversation anymore. So I think this has completely changed the field of online, where Twitter and Facebook have become household names that every Arab family and every consumer knows and is familiar with, enabling consumers to express themselves in new ways. It is therefore very important to invest in a company’s online presence in a way that is both strategic and creative and to also pay attention to social media platforms as they play a key role in the way we do business today.
UAE names 52 Superbrands, Dubai Duty Free wins for second time
Sat, 2011-07-16 15:02 - By
Announcement, Media Business, Media, Brand Council. marketing, Brand of the Year, branding, Dubai Duty Free, Mike English, Oscars of Branding, Superbrands
Superbrands has announced that Dubai Duty Free has once again won the coveted 'Brand of the Year' award at the seventh annual Superbrands Tribute Event. Dubai Duty Free made history by winning this award for the second year in a row.
Fifty two other leading UAE brands were also awarded 'Superbrands' status at the 'Oscars of Branding' evening, which was attended by the country's most prominent senior business, marketing and branding executives.
Imagine to handle Royal Falcon Airlines account
Tue, 2010-06-22 10:34 - By
IMAGINE Operations in Iraq
Tue, 2010-06-22 10:29 - By
Account Win, Automotive, advertising, Automobile, branding, Business, design, Dubai, Erbil, Iraq, JORDAN, launch, News
Jordan-based Marketing & Communications IMAGINE has announced it has been appointed by CIHAN Group to develop and execute a comprehensive Branding program to create awareness and new image for the Group. The Group is considered the largest Business Group in Kurdistan-Iraq.
Brand Lounge to offer leading-indicator brand metrics in the Middle East
Mon, 2010-02-15 20:58 - By
Research, Consulting & Research, Brand Keys, Brand Lounge, Brand Loyalty, Brand Research, branding, Engagement, Hasan Fadlallah
In a move to strengthen its strategic offerings to existing and prospective clients, Brand Lounge – Branding & Marketing Strategists firm announced today a strategic partnership with Brand Keys inc. the global leader in predictive brand equity, loyalty and brand engagement metrics.
Promedia Advertising | It always comes down to being creative & innovative
Thu, 2009-10-22 18:31 - By
Advertising Agency: Promedia Advertising, Dubai
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Thu, 2009-10-22 18:29 - By
Advertising Agency: Promedia Advertising, Dubai
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Thu, 2009-10-22 18:26 - By
Advertising Agency: Promedia Advertising, Dubai
Breathe Branding creates a new identity for the International Cricket Council’s Global AIDS Initiative.
Sun, 2009-08-09 06:09 - By
Announcement, Public interest, branding, Campaign, Dubai, Global, GMAI, HIV, ICC, Naming, new identity, Strategy, UAE, UNAIDS, UNICEF
Earlier in the year, Breathe, the Dubai-based independent brand consultancy, were commissioned by the International Cricket Council (ICC), to develop a top-line strategy, naming and brand identity programme for THINK WISE – a global partnership initiative between the International Cricket Council (ICC), UNAIDS, UNICEF and the Global Media AIDS Initiati
GCC Tour Announced For "Buyology", Lindstorm's Revolutionary Advertising and Neurology Study
Fri, 2009-02-27 10:15 - By
Events, Advertising, advertising, branding, buyology, buyology symposium, global leaders, Marketing, martin lindstrom
Martin Lindstrom’s pioneering new work will revolutionise marketing, according to Philip Kotler; Gulf symposium tour starts in Dubai in April
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