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Here's a new idea for the Dubai ad market
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How does an idea transform into an ad campaign? According to Anthony Dalton, Managing Director, and John McCabe, Executive Creative Director, of BWM – the new agency on the block – it is all about creating an emotional connection with the target audience.
Belgiovane Williams Mackay, or BWM as it prefers to call itself, is an Australian agency with several creative campaigns to its credit. The outfit has recently set up shop in Dubai.
It was started Down Under by three veterans of Australia's advertising industry – James Mackay, Rob Belgiovane and Paul Williams – all with years of experience in the global advertising arena. While Williams is the Group CEO, Mackay is Group Strategy Director and Belgiovane the Group Creative Director.
Speaking to Emirates Business, Dalton and McCabe spoke about the advertising arena in the region. They also outlined the agency's strategies in Dubai and its creative raison détre. McCabe said: "What is probably lacking in Dubai seems to be advertising solutions to clients' problems, rather than ideas. People go in with conventional ideas because it is a comfort zone. Outside that zone seems scary as it's prone to criticism.
"There are some really good people in this market and many agencies and clients are quite happy to remain with the old practice. With the rapid growth of the emirate, companies are already achieving high turnovers. Therefore, last year's advertising would seem as effective this year. Yet as the market matures, the need for differentiation will demand new ideas."
According to Dalton: "From what we can see here, from a communications perspective, there are not much of integrated communications ideas. The industry is characterised by a fragmented approach without much heed to strategic integration. An agency would present a great TV or print advertisement. But on the strategic level not much is developed.
"When it comes to advertising it is just big logos and big, broad headlines. But the target audience doesn't really care. It is very passive."
Speaking of clients, Dalton said: "I do think a lot of clients look at agencies as suppliers. Agencies receive a brief and come up with an advertisement. In this sort of structure, agencies can never really add value."
McCabe said: "It is ideas that really change the world. Paradoxically, in Dubai, ideas take place right at the top. The country is a work in progress, where the type of genius ideas being generated start from how to change the 50km coastline to a 700km. But then if you look at advertising, it is way behind. The whole communications industry is way behind.
"To be honest what we found is that senior management are absolutely thirsty for ideas. They work in some of the most ambitious companies on the planet and are looking to do amazing things. Agencies, on the other hand, have become used to answering briefs rather than challenging why that brief is supposed to be taken. We challenge the way things are done, and that is not only in the UAE."
Commenting on increasing media prices, Dalton said: "Few can tell if media prices are overrated. The only way to know is by measuring the return on investment when looking back at the campaign. Based on the current mechanisms, it is hard to track ROI."
However, he said the rise in traditional media prices would be a good opportunity for ideas-driven agencies. "Price hikes create an environment where a business has to demand a great effective idea that does not require the greatest spend."
Rocketing media prices and growing competition in companies' respective industries will help them realise they have to embrace testing new media, Dalton said.
"Two years ago, for a brand to get noticed, it would do a four-page wrap in one of the main newspapers. Now everybody does wraps or buys bridge banners on Sheikh Zayed Road. Quite often, the alternative medium we talk about is free, so it does not impose a big risk," said Dalton.
"Conventional media in this market are absolutely jammed full. Most people tend to head for newspapers, outdoor or radio. Such media seem to be cluttered with similar advertising and creative tactics," he said.
Who uses unconventional media? There are no rules, said Dalton. "When communication proves to be the answer for a business problem, all types of media must be tested. Unfortunately, the market hasn't yet adopted testing." Testing new media, according to Dalton, allows major brands to know exactly which media on which day and in which market is the most effective and with which product. They would have the complete picture of what is actually happening.
Digital media, for example, is easy to test. "This is why we encourage clients to adopt digital communication that can be tracked hourly, allowing for change in the creative design based on the results of that day or that hour," said Dalton.
"Nevertheless, this has to be preceded by investment in customer relations management systems or in developing tracking resources. Otherwise, capturing the results is irrelevant."
The ideas factory
Advertising agency Belgiovane Williams Mackay, which was officially launched in Dubai last month has already won accounts in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, including Etisalat's Weyak campaign, Mubadala and the Palm Marine part of Dubai World.
BWM, an Australian-based "ideas factory", believes the world is moving away from the old advertising model towards creating ideas rather than creating advertisements, said Anthony Dalton.
"Most of the major companies in the world realised they are not in charge of their own brand. It is the consumers who are in charge, so there is no point in telling them what they should think. Some of the most effective campaigns in the world are great ideas that did not require any media dollars, but rather depended on establishing an emotional link with the consumer. A print ad is no longer able to establish that emotional link."
Founding partners Rob Belgiovane, Paul Williams and Jamie Mackay have grown the agency from start-up in 1996 to one employing more than 130 staff in Australia, with revenues exceeding $20m. BWM works with some of Australia's biggest brands, including Telstra BigPond, GIO, Guinness, Virgin and Ferrari.
Belgiovane Williams Mackay, or BWM as it prefers to call itself, is an Australian agency with several creative campaigns to its credit. The outfit has recently set up shop in Dubai.
It was started Down Under by three veterans of Australia's advertising industry – James Mackay, Rob Belgiovane and Paul Williams – all with years of experience in the global advertising arena. While Williams is the Group CEO, Mackay is Group Strategy Director and Belgiovane the Group Creative Director.
Speaking to Emirates Business, Dalton and McCabe spoke about the advertising arena in the region. They also outlined the agency's strategies in Dubai and its creative raison détre. McCabe said: "What is probably lacking in Dubai seems to be advertising solutions to clients' problems, rather than ideas. People go in with conventional ideas because it is a comfort zone. Outside that zone seems scary as it's prone to criticism.
"There are some really good people in this market and many agencies and clients are quite happy to remain with the old practice. With the rapid growth of the emirate, companies are already achieving high turnovers. Therefore, last year's advertising would seem as effective this year. Yet as the market matures, the need for differentiation will demand new ideas."
According to Dalton: "From what we can see here, from a communications perspective, there are not much of integrated communications ideas. The industry is characterised by a fragmented approach without much heed to strategic integration. An agency would present a great TV or print advertisement. But on the strategic level not much is developed.
"When it comes to advertising it is just big logos and big, broad headlines. But the target audience doesn't really care. It is very passive."
Speaking of clients, Dalton said: "I do think a lot of clients look at agencies as suppliers. Agencies receive a brief and come up with an advertisement. In this sort of structure, agencies can never really add value."
McCabe said: "It is ideas that really change the world. Paradoxically, in Dubai, ideas take place right at the top. The country is a work in progress, where the type of genius ideas being generated start from how to change the 50km coastline to a 700km. But then if you look at advertising, it is way behind. The whole communications industry is way behind.
"To be honest what we found is that senior management are absolutely thirsty for ideas. They work in some of the most ambitious companies on the planet and are looking to do amazing things. Agencies, on the other hand, have become used to answering briefs rather than challenging why that brief is supposed to be taken. We challenge the way things are done, and that is not only in the UAE."
Commenting on increasing media prices, Dalton said: "Few can tell if media prices are overrated. The only way to know is by measuring the return on investment when looking back at the campaign. Based on the current mechanisms, it is hard to track ROI."
However, he said the rise in traditional media prices would be a good opportunity for ideas-driven agencies. "Price hikes create an environment where a business has to demand a great effective idea that does not require the greatest spend."
Rocketing media prices and growing competition in companies' respective industries will help them realise they have to embrace testing new media, Dalton said.
"Two years ago, for a brand to get noticed, it would do a four-page wrap in one of the main newspapers. Now everybody does wraps or buys bridge banners on Sheikh Zayed Road. Quite often, the alternative medium we talk about is free, so it does not impose a big risk," said Dalton.
"Conventional media in this market are absolutely jammed full. Most people tend to head for newspapers, outdoor or radio. Such media seem to be cluttered with similar advertising and creative tactics," he said.
Who uses unconventional media? There are no rules, said Dalton. "When communication proves to be the answer for a business problem, all types of media must be tested. Unfortunately, the market hasn't yet adopted testing." Testing new media, according to Dalton, allows major brands to know exactly which media on which day and in which market is the most effective and with which product. They would have the complete picture of what is actually happening.
Digital media, for example, is easy to test. "This is why we encourage clients to adopt digital communication that can be tracked hourly, allowing for change in the creative design based on the results of that day or that hour," said Dalton.
"Nevertheless, this has to be preceded by investment in customer relations management systems or in developing tracking resources. Otherwise, capturing the results is irrelevant."
The ideas factory
Advertising agency Belgiovane Williams Mackay, which was officially launched in Dubai last month has already won accounts in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, including Etisalat's Weyak campaign, Mubadala and the Palm Marine part of Dubai World.
BWM, an Australian-based "ideas factory", believes the world is moving away from the old advertising model towards creating ideas rather than creating advertisements, said Anthony Dalton.
"Most of the major companies in the world realised they are not in charge of their own brand. It is the consumers who are in charge, so there is no point in telling them what they should think. Some of the most effective campaigns in the world are great ideas that did not require any media dollars, but rather depended on establishing an emotional link with the consumer. A print ad is no longer able to establish that emotional link."
Founding partners Rob Belgiovane, Paul Williams and Jamie Mackay have grown the agency from start-up in 1996 to one employing more than 130 staff in Australia, with revenues exceeding $20m. BWM works with some of Australia's biggest brands, including Telstra BigPond, GIO, Guinness, Virgin and Ferrari.