Page 50 - Gulf Marketing Review

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“Marketers need to be careful It goes without saying that the best brands because we’re selling a uniquely expensive
that they don’t become slaves to are always brands that remain creative and product and not a box of biscuits.
data, and that they should use have some kind of compelling vision. Market-
data to inform what they do ers therefore just need to be careful that they What is the most evident difference have
and not dictate what they do.” don’t become slaves to data, and that they you seen between a marketer in this region
should use data to inform what they do and and the one in other parts of the world
not dictate what they do. in terms of roles as well as the execution
You know, it’s not just about communication strategy?
of a message, it’s about a generation of com- And how is customer experience evolving I see more opportunities for brands to distin-
mercial value for an organization. for supercar manufactures like McLaren? guish themselves in this region. Additionally,
I think customer experience is evolving in prob- I see this region as being a particularly fertile
And what are the challenges do you foresee ably every sector in the world, and supercars marketplace for brands to innovate through
for CMOs or the broader marketing profes- are no different. We don’t just deliver a car creativity and technology.
sionals in the Middle East region in 2018? to our customers. Rather, we have ongoing The Middle East is a region that has huge
I think one of the biggest challenges for some relationships with them, both technical and ambitions and a unique vision for a future that
marketers, not all, is the increase in the role digital, where we know what their car is doing is sustainable, prosperity based and relevant
that data and the ROI are playing in their and how they’re using this car. to technology. So it’s also a region where luxury
lives. While digital indeed provides us with Also, we build a community around those products resonate with services. I think we’re
incredible opportunity but it is also, to some supercar buyers that want to be part of a brand going to see an exciting number of next gen-
extent, is potentially a challenge to creativity that understands and that helps them expe- eration start-up brands come from the Middle
because marketing campaigns will increas- rience the car with other like-minded people, East, and especially the UAE.
ingly be directed according to what the data but not at the expense of human interaction.
is telling you. We still want to interact with our customers, Could you tell us a bit about your most recent

50 I GULF MARKETING REVIEW I DECEMBER 2017/FEBRUARY 2018