Today we announced that we are strengthening our presence in Dubai, through a strategic partnership with Madison Dubai, the independent advertising agency led by Tarek Ghannam.
You might think it seems an odd time to open in a market that’s still in shock from the effects of the 2009 slowdown. But that’s precisely where we see an opportunity and where we’re finding a lot of interest from our clients and partners in the region.
For us the Middle East market is entering a new phase: where there will be a much stronger emphasis and requirement from clients on strategic brand thinking and powerful brand expression.
When the gold rush was at full pace it was all a bit too easy for branding consultancies. All that was required from them was a catchy name and a nice logo and hey presto, the client was delighted and everyone could pat themselves on the back as yet another seemingly successful and competitive new brand was born.
That was then. This is now.
After the gold rush things are a little different. Many of those brands that had an easy ride are finding that it takes something more than a logo to create a brand that people will love. That’s music to our ears and we’re excited about the opportunities to help existing brands reinvent themselves to be more competitive and also help get new ideas off the ground.
The brands that will survive and thrive in this era will be the ones that take branding seriously and create genuine market differentiation and genuine customer preference. They’ll create brands that are as powerful on the inside as they are on the outside of the organisation. Brands that know what makes them special and know exactly what they stand for.
The Middle East will continue of course to take its place at the global economy ‘top table’ as the world recovers, and we expect that some of the iconic brands our children will talk about will have their roots there. We love the boldness and ambition of the region – nothing is impossible and dreams come in XXL size.
