MIDDLE EAST
20
ADYEAR
21 December 2008
Dial M For Merger
WINNERS AND LOSERS
IT WAS a good year for the indies in Dubai. The
Tribe won what must have been one of the most
sought-after accounts of the year: Sony Playsta-
International networks taking controlling shares in agencies dominated the
tion. It may not be the most lucrative win, but—
UAE’s ad industry news this year
if the ads from the rest of the world are anything
to go by—it should at least guarantee creative
licence from the client.
WE’D LOVE to tell you that this was the
Another Dubai agency, Tonic Communica-
year of the thrusting young indie buck,
tions, emerged victorious from a frankly ridicu-
trampling roughshod over the advertis-
lous 12-month, 60-agency pitch for Dubai de-
ing establishment and raising regional
veloper Sama. At the time it started (December
creativity to unparalleled heights.
2007) it might—
But it wasn’t.
just—have jus-
Instead, like several of the preced-
tified the time
ing 20 years or so, 2008 was the year of
and effort. Now?
Joseph Ghossoub. The spring, in par-
Less gruelling,
ticular, was a triumphant time for The
but equally
Holding Group’s CEO. In March, WPP
gratifying, was
increased the minority stake it had held
its Burger King
in THG since 1999 into a 60 per cent
win in May, al-
majority stake—presumably providing
though it was
Ghossoub with a healthy little nest egg
bad news for
along the way—and a month later he
Publicis Graph-
picked up the Advertising Person of the
ics, which had
Year award at the Dubai Lynx.
represented the
The WPP deal—together with Inter-
fast-food ‘res-
public’s August deal to take a control-
taurant’ for al-
ling share in Middle East Communi-
most 12 years.
cations Network (MCN), the parent
Face to Face, meanwhilemeanwhile, consconsolidatted the ed the
company of Fortune Promoseven and
Aujan account by adding the Vimto and Hani
Lowe MENA, shows that the likes of
brands (previously represented by JWT) to its
Sir Martin Sorrell—and the rest of ad
existing portfolio of Rani and Barbican. The
world’s Big Four—see the Middle East
agency also won a big chunk of business from
as one of the few regions in the world,
Emirates, becoming one of the airline’s ‘re-
along with Brazil, China, India and
tained’ agencies. Adding property developer
Joseph Ghossoub receives his Dubai Lynx Advertising Person
Russia, in which agencies can still hope
Amlak to its roster in January won’t have done
of the Year award from Festival chairman Terry Savage
to rake in the cash. Although the sec-
its finances any harm either.
ond half of the year may have caused
As for the big boys, Lowe’s Apple win will—
them to downscale their expectations
some world-class speakers. David for FP7 Doha’s Gold-winning ads for
like the Sony Playstation account—have left
a little. Add in Omnicom’s increased
Droga’s presentation, in particular, left EA Sports’ Medal of Honor, the fact
other agencies’ looking on in envy at the thought
presence—thanks to the long drawn-
many regional creatives feeling both remains that the campaign was wor-
of the creative possibilities. And Impact BBDO
out merger of TD&A DDB and Promo-
awestruck and immensely jealous. thy of the critical acclaim it received,
Abu Dhabi won
action DDB, in which DDB Worldwide
Despite the (completely justified) regardless of whether the client’s
thethe pitch for
is to take a controlling share—and it’s
lack of Grands Prix in the Radio, In- North American office signed off on
thethe biggest
clear that the Middle East is now firmly
teractive and Integrated categories, it or not.
priint launch
on the ad world’s radar.
the Print, Outdoor and TV/Cinema
of of the year, The
International admen have been
shortlists contained some hugely im- IN THE BLEAK MID-WINTER
NaNational. Leo
making noises about the region’s sig-
pressive work. While the UAE domi- The last quarter of the year was, un-
BuBurnett won
nificance for a few years now, but these
nated the Print and Outdoor awards, surprisingly, dominated by the credit
thethe creative for
were the strongest indications so far
Cairo was home to most of the best crunch. Many small agencies will be
ananother big me-
that they’re now willing to put their
more perspective
TV work. rightly concerned for their future, par- more context
diadia launch, Fox
money where their mouth is, rather
JWT Dubai picked up Agency of ticularly if they rely mainly on one or
Entertainment.
than harping on about the Middle
the Year, but the biggest success story two real estate companies for most of
TeTeam Y&R
East’s ‘potential’.
of the awards was runner-up Fortune their work. Aside from hiring freezes
wawas among the
It may also, as Media Week reported
Promoseven Doha, with a total of 17 and the cancellation of developments,
agagencies that
in October, mean that agencies’ fi-
mimissed out.
nances are much more closely moni-
International admen have been making noises
more to think about Grey fell foul
out now www.thenational.ae
tored than in the past. Ghossoub told
of of Visa’s global
us that the only new faces he’d seen
about the region’s significance for a few
acaccount shift,
at THG since the acquisition were “16
years now, but this year we saw the strongest
losing the credit card provider’s CEMEA busi-
new accountants and two new heads of
indications so far that they’re now willing to put
ness. TBWA Raad was the grateful picker-up of
finance”. If—and that’s a big if—agen-
that particular dropped ball.
cies are made to justify their expendi-
their money where their mouth is.
ture, then it may be that they start to
demand more rigid payment structures
awards, including one Grand Prix property companies have slashed The economic slowdown is unlikely to de-
from their clients too. Which could
and four Golds. Not bad for an agency their ad budgets, and the flood of ‘art- ter further international mergers and acqui-
mean less pitches and the building of
that—as they were looking over the ists’ impression’ ads that have filled sitions in the region next year, however. The
closer relationships between clients
shortlists—had people scratching the pages of our national dailies for region’s ad industry is starting to attract cre-
and agencies. That, in turn, could—
their heads and repeating “Doha?” the past two years has—to the relief of atives at the peak of their powers, rather than
maybe—mean less campaigns getting
With FP7 Dubai coming in third in the all but the ‘creative’ agencies behind those who are considered past it. And with the
nixed by the client. Fingers crossed
agency rankings, the Lynx served as them—slowed to a trickle. international award success it enjoyed this
vindication for FP7’s creative hiring Rumours (and some confirma- year, coupled with the cutbacks elsewhere in
I’VE COME FOR MY AWARD
spree in 2006. tions) of ad agency job losses began the world, 2009 will likely see more top talent
2008 also saw the expansion of the And it seems, 18 months on from circulating in November, and those heading our way, making agencies even more
Dubai Lynx Awards into the first Dubai its launch, that the Lynx is having the not cutting staff are, we hear, al- attractive to outside investors. All of which is
International Advertising Festival. And, desired effect on regional creativity. ready focusing on ‘proactive’ cam- bad news for those admen who’ve coasted
for the most part, it was a great success, Cannes brought further success for paigns for the 2009 award season— through the past five years or so knowing that
barring the usual murmurings about FP7’s Dubai and Doha offices (along a couple of months earlier than clients would throw money at pretty much
‘ghost’ ads. Beforehand, many were with a Bronze for JWT Dubai) as the normal. One Dubai-based agency anything with their logo on it, so long as it
sceptical about the chances of attract- region celebrated a record haul at has even taken the unusual step of wasn’t in any way interesting. And good news
ing enough visitors to justify a three- advertising’s Oscars. Whatever the promising clients their money back for anyone hoping that the regional industry
day event. But the exhibition halls were outcome of the ongoing investiga- if their ads don’t offer the expected can build on the considerable success it en-
buzzing throughout, and there were tion into incorrect entry procedures return on investment. joyed this year.
www.mediaweekme.com
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