Either way, you do sense that it’s hard
for some people here to swallow the idea
that a tiny agency like FP7 Doha (Doha!)
could so thoroughly outperform the big
boys of Dubai and Beirut—because, let’s
face it, if the creatives at FP7 Doha aren’t
enjoying an unfair advantage, then they
must be—hack!—better.
Not at all, says Yaish, who believes
that couching the subject in us-against-
them terms is to miss the point entirely.
“I would feel happy for any Middle East
agency that won at Cannes,” he says.
“It’s not about which agency won which
medal. No matter who does great work
and pushes the boundaries, this reflects
well on the industry here. It raises the
industry. It’s something to celebrate.”
RISINGTIDE arguments aside, there’s
no getting away from the fact that the
Middle East ad industry—deprived of any
significant award tally for so many years—
is unusually competitive in this regard.
Certainly, Yaish’s winning streak has been
partly the result of a systematic effort from
the Promoseven network to up the ante
on all of its creative work, a drive that was
set into motion a couple of years ago by
president & CEO Fadi Salameh.
To stress this point too strongly, though,
would unfairly diminish the remarkable
feat achieved by Yaish’s 10-person team of
creatives. “We are driven by passion and
determination,” he says. “We work 24/7
to make this happen.” Then, reminded
that pretty much every creative director
in the region would say this exact same
thing, he adds, “Yes, everybody talks
about passion and determination, but
look around you—how many people are
actually doing it?”
Such observations are unlikely to win
AWARD WINNERS: (Clockwise from top left) “Thick” for Heinz Ketchup, “Back Home” for EA Games’ “Medal of
Yaish many friends among his peers, but
Honor”, “Big Bubble” for Big Babol XXL bubble gum and “Delivery Man” for UPS
he doesn’t seem to be driven by a need to
be liked. A recurrent theme for Yaish, for a few brochures then worked as a and headstrong—and not only with SOME PEOPLE, at least, are happy with
instance, is what he sees as a penchant freelancer and people liked my work and his colleagues. “There are times when what Yaish has achieved.
among regional creatives for passing the it kicked off from there,” he says without you come up with a great idea, one While his parents were once firmly
buck. “People here say, ‘Oh, agencies in drawing a breath. you fall in love with, and the client against his pursuing a career in
Europe and the States are ahead of us,’” will turn it down,” he says. “But you advertising, he says they are “very proud
he says. “But the truth is, you’re not doing keep going. Even if the client turns now, very happy. They see this is what I
it, you’re not trying hard enough, you’re
The second I get
down 20 ideas, you keep trying to do love to do, what I always wanted to do.”
giving up too early—no one can be ahead where I want to be what’s right, you keep approaching, In fact, he adds, he’ll often run ideas
of you unless you let them.”
is the second I start
finding a way through to make it right, past his mother and father, to get their
When he hits his stride, Yaish has a
thinking, ‘What next?’
you have to keep on trying, and if it opinion. “I love it when my mother loves
rapid-fire conversational style which doesn’t happen this time, it’ll happen an ad,” he says. “It’s when random people
reflects his enthusiasm—and, perhaps,
We’ll be at Cannes,
the next. There are times when we fall in love with an idea that you know.
an over abundance of energy—but which everyone jumping literally come up with 30 ideas for the Ask people outside the loop and see how
can also sound strident. His high words-
around, then they’ll
same brief.” they react.”
per-second rate does not, meanwhile,
allow for much internal editing. “A lot of
look at my face and
One happy by-product of winning all Yaish says he is aware, despite all
these awards, Yaish adds, is that it makes the talk about his agency, that the
people doing this are lazy, or they don’t
say, ‘What’s wrong
it much easier to get your ideas past the work he produces is meant to appeal
really want to be doing it, and so they
with you?’
marketing guys. “We have clients looking to ordinary people—not to colleagues,
create any excuse for a lack of ideas,” he at what we’ve done saying, ‘Why did rivals or jury members. But he stone-
says. “It’s the client, it’s the market, we that company win and not us? We want cold refuses to accept the idea that
don’t have a budget for a photographer— Since then, Yaish has worked in some to win.’” there is any disconnect between
all these excuses.” of the most challenging markets in the Being hard to please, however, does award-winning creativity and effective
region. For a while, he worked at FP7 in have its drawbacks. “I love what I do, marketing. “We are not determined
YAISH, 34, is entering his 15th year in Saudi Arabia, before going on to join and I don’t want it to come easy,” Yaish to win awards, we are determined to
the industry. A native of Jordan, he got Saatchi & Saatchi in Dubai, helping them says. “But one thing I don’t enjoy: I work make great ads—the awards follow,”
his start designing brochures in Amman. win Agency of the Year at the inaugural so hard and then the second I get where he says. “A great creative idea is going
He groans when asked to outline the path Dubai Lynx Awards. He returned to FP7, at I want to be is the same second I start to be an effective idea.”
that led him to Doha—“It’s so clichéd”— its Doha office, in August 2007. Less than thinking, ‘What next?’ This could be When asked if he can spot an award
before revealing that he has always been a year later, the agency had 30 pieces of buying a great pair of jeans or winning an winner as it is in the process of being
drawn to the arts, an interest that was work shortlisted at Cannes—the highest award. I never enjoy the moment. We’ll created, Yaish says he can, absolutely.
stifled for a time by his parents’ wishes number of any participant. be at Cannes, everyone jumping around, And then, asked whether he’s working
that he go into engineering. “I worked When it comes to creative standards, then they’ll look at my face and say, on any award winners right now, he says,
in computer engineering then designed Yaish is known for being demanding ‘What’s wrong with you?’” “Yes, one million per cent”.
www.mediaweekme.com
08 FEBRUARY 2009 / 11
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36