Page 77 - JGROUP PR REPORT FEBRUARY 2025

Building upon exceptional infrastructure, a business-friendly environment and its ability to attract
global talent, Dubai has firmly established itself as the media capital of the MENA region. The city’s
strategic position as a bridge between East and West, along with its robust regulatory framework,
has created fertile ground for innovation in media, advertising and technology. While Dubai has
cemented its unparalleled position, Riyadh is making remarkable strides driven by Saudi Arabia’s
Vision 2030, with substantial investments in media, entertainment and advertising sectors.
However, this transformation does not pose a threat to Dubai’s standing, as the region is evolving
into a complementary multi-hub landscape. Dubai continues to serve as the preferred gateway for
international brands, leveraging its reputation and expertise in facilitating global business.
Meanwhile, Riyadh is emerging as a powerful domestic market with immense growth potential,
particularly given Saudi Arabia’s ambitious goals.

Digital Out Of Home (DOOH) is having a moment intersecting with AI, where do you feel this is
going and what is its immediate and long-term impact?
In the present landscape, Digital Out Of Home (DOOH) is experiencing remarkable growth,
particularly through its intersection with artificial intelligence (AI). With vast capabilities, AI is
revolutionising key aspects such as audience targeting and measurement, enabling campaigns to
become increasingly dynamic and data driven. These advancements allow brands to deliver hyper-
personalised messages based on real-time data, including demographics, traffic patterns and
weather conditions. Looking ahead, DOOH is anticipated to become even more interactive and
immersive, especially due to augmented reality (AR), AI and machine learning capabilities.
Similarly, in the coming years, we anticipate screens will evolve into responsive mediums capable
of anticipating consumer behaviour, seamlessly integrating with mobile devices and enabling real-
time engagement. These transformations indicate that the future of DOOH will be characterised by
seamless integration into the urban landscape, positioning it as an integral component of the smart
cities being developed across the region.

Arabic content is gaining ground but also the presence of many foreign and mostly non-Arabic
speaking creatives can lead to a “lost in translation” moments. Do you feel authenticity in
storytelling is gaining ground in advertising?

In the evolving MENA market, consumers are increasingly seeking content that resonates with their
culture, language and experience. This signals that authenticity in storytelling is no longer an added
quality, rather it is an essential requirement. Being a hub of global talents, in Dubai, we can leverage
diverse and innovative perspectives from international creatives, however, it poses a challenge of
ensuring the messaging remains culturally relevant and emotionally engaging for local audiences.
Currently, we are seeing a shift from conventional practices, as brands and agencies are investing
more in Arabic-first content and storytelling grounded in local insights. This shift extends beyond
mere language considerations to encompass concepts and approaches, where campaigns are
adapted with deep cultural understanding. We believe that a good advertising campaign does not
just speak the language or convey message, it connects with the audience.

Everyone is predicting too many things for advertising in the region, anything in your own
crystal ball about advertising in the MENA area?

https://communicateonline.me/category/industry-insights/post-details/imad-jomaa-on-dubai-
arabic-content-and-dooh