Nikki Samson

A few snippets from my discussion with LinkedIn on the importance of audience centricity at #canneslions

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My thoughts on how BIG DATA inspires creativity in advertising. In this article, I dive into how data-driven insights ignite innovation, paving the way for more engaging and impactful advertising experiences.

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We had an incredible time launching 🚀 the Weber Shandwick first-ever InfluAnswer Arabia report! Influencers, content creators, client partners, brand marketers, communications managers, media members, and other colleagues joined for the reveal of the insights and data 📊. The report provides a deeper understanding of the region’s dynamic influencer marketing landscape. #WorkAtWeber #PeopleFirst #WeberShandwickMENAT #InfluAnswerArabia #PR #Communications #InfluencerMarketing #ContentCreation

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The new InfluAnswer Arabia 2024 report by Weber Shandwick MENAT shows that content creators in the region value stronger, longer, closer relationships with brands, and are posting more about causes they personally care about. This report aims to elevate the perspectives of content creators across the MENA region, and shares insights for brands to build stronger and more powerful partnerships.

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Emirates #Airlines expands its interline agreement with flynas to provide #flights between #SaudiArabia and the world Last Tuesday, #Emirates Airlines concluded a #memorandum of understanding with #Flynas, on the sidelines of the Arabian Travel Market 2024, to expand the #interlineagreement between the two companies with plans to open new connecting flights and provide more #travel options for Flynas customers via #Dubai. The current interline agreement between Emirates Airlines and Flynas provides customers with #enhanced #connectivity services through the four Emirates gateways in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including #Riyadh, #Jeddah, #Medina and #Dammam, to more than 15 domestic destinations in the #KSA. It also allows customers to book flights with one ticket, ensuring that their travel bags reach their final destination directly. According to the Emirates Airlines website. With the expansion of the agreement, Flynas customers can now book connecting flights through any of Emirates’ gateways in the Kingdom to a selected list of destinations on the company’s network in the #FarEast, #WestAsia, the #IndianOcean and #Europe, via Dubai. The signing of the agreement took place in the presence of Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Supreme Chairman and #CEO of Emirates Airline and Group, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Flynas, Ayed Al Jaeed, and a number of senior officials from Emirates and Flynas. The memorandum of understanding was signed by Adnan Kazim, Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer of Commercial Operations at Flynas. Emirates Airlines, with Bander Almohanna , CEO and Managing Director of Flynas. Emirates Airlines is working with its partners in Saudi Arabia to support the Kingdom’s Saudi Vision 2030 plans, which include attracting #tourists and promoting tourist destinations. In 2022, Emirates Airlines signed a memorandum of understanding with the Saudi Tourism Authority | الهيئة السعودية للسياحة to #enhance inbound tourism to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and attract new segments of travelers through the carrier’s extensive global network. Emirates Airlines has been contributing to #facilitating tourism and trade in the KSA since 1989, and its four gateways currently serve Riyadh, Jeddah, Medina and Dammam with 73 weekly flights, which include an Airbus #A380 aircraft to Riyadh and Jeddah. GACA - General Authority of Civil Aviation - Saudi Arabia UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) #airports #investment #transport #aviation #saudiarabia #ports #marinas #marinas #airlines #tourism #saudiarabia #development #abudhabi #media #tourism #culture #saudiarabia #airlines #tourism #aviation #umrah #covid #covid19

Weber Shandwick MENAT is delighted to share InfluAnswer Arabia 2024, a new report that elevates perspectives from content creators across the region and shares insights for brands to build stronger and more powerful partnerships. The report hopes to contribute to a deeper knowledge of the evolving influencer ecosystem in the Middle East and North Africa. You can read and download the full report here: https://bit.ly/3Rmkx2i   #InfluAnswerArabia #InfluAnswer #InfluencerMarketing 

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🌟 Seeking New Opportunities! 🌟 Hello LinkedIn family, After a thrilling journey of leading and transforming marketing teams across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and America, I am eager to embark on the next chapter of my career. With over a decade of experience in VP and leadership roles, I have had the privilege of steering companies through rapid growth phases, primarily focusing on Demand Generation Marketing, Communication, and Brand Management. As someone deeply passionate about people and team building, I have consistently nurtured environments where creativity and performance thrive. I am now looking for new challenges, whether they be interim assignments or a full-time role as a VP of Marketing, Head of Marketing, or CMO. My approach to marketing is data-driven and results-oriented, with a strong record of meeting ambitious growth targets. I excel in developing strategies that enhance brand awareness, drive demand, and ultimately accelerate business success. Whether optimizing lead lifecycle management or mentoring global marketing teams, I bring a blend of strategic vision and practical expertise. Feel free to share this post or introduce me to any business colleagues you might find suitable, and please let me know if you hear of any new and exciting opportunities. Let's connect, explore potential synergies, and see how we can create some marketing magic! Thank you for supporting my journey. I'm excited about the possibilities ahead and look forward to making magic happen with new teams! ❤️❤️❤️ #OpenToWork #MarketingLeadership #BrandBuilding #TeamDevelopment #DemandGen

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Rethinking Brand Personality Post-Middle East Crisis In the aftermath of the Middle East crisis, the theory of brand personality seems to be undergoing a critical reevaluation, highlighting the need for brands to adapt their identities in response to changing global dynamics and consumer expectations. It seems as if the notion of where a brand originates has lost its former prominence. While country of origin was once a defining factor, today's consumers prioritize ethical practices and social impact. Brands are now judged not by their roots, but by their contributions to humanity. This shift challenges traditional branding strategies and begs the question: Will marketing textbooks revise their theories to reflect this new era where ethics and social responsibility shape brand personality?

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OSN, which broadcasts to 17 countries across the Middle East and North Africa and is the exclusive home of HBO in the region, has appointed audience measurement company Kantar Media to deliver a new audience measurement service, ingesting viewing data captured through tens of thousands of OSN set-top boxes installed in the MENA region using return path data technology. Find out more about it here. #AudienceMeasurement #Analytics #Measurement #FirstPartyData #SubscriberData

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Let me know if you're interesting in attending our #SaudiRenaissance sessions in Riyadh and Dubai #Trends #HumanUnderstanding #BrandGrowthStrategy

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We’re often told (and tell our clients) about the importance of moving at the speed of culture. But what if moving at the speed of culture doesn’t necessarily have to mean moving at the fastest speed? True cultural understanding isn’t about rushing to keep up; it’s about thoughtfully engaging with the shifts around us. Let’s slow down, reflect, and ensure we’re not just reacting, but connecting meaningfully. Thanks Anup Oommen and Campaign Middle East for the forum to share my views on this #Culture #Strategy #Insights #Marketing #Leadership

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Navigating the Future: Leadership Lessons from Dubai’s Digital Transformation 🌐💡 Dubai's journey into becoming a digital utopia offers an unparalleled masterclass in adaptive leadership and visionary strategy. As we explore this metamorphosis, three fundamental lessons emerge for leaders aiming to pioneer their own digital transformations. 1. Vision Beyond Borders - Dubai’s ambitious leap towards digital governance illustrates the power of forward-thinking leadership. By embracing cutting-edge technology, they’ve not only streamlined processes but set a global benchmark for what’s possible. 2. Resilience in Adaptation - The path wasn’t always smooth; however, the willingness to embrace change and overcome setbacks underpins Dubai's success story. This resilience is something every leader should weave into their strategic fabric. 3. Collaborative Innovation - Breakthroughs weren't achieved in isolation. Partnerships between public and private sectors catalysed growth, highlighting the collective effort required to effect substantial progress. As we stand on the brink of widespread digital transformation, Dubai’s example underscores the need for visionary leadership, resilience against adversity, and unwavering collaboration. Are you ready to lead your organisation into the future with these principles? #Leadership #DigitalTransformation #Innovation

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"56% of influencers in MENA are either neutral or uncertain about using AI in their content. The rest are twice as likely to be positive than negative." The new InfluAnswer Arabia 2024 report by Weber Shandwick MENAT shows that content creators in the region value stronger, longer, closer relationships with brands, and are posting more about causes they personally care about. This report aims to elevate the perspectives of content creators across the MENA region, and shares insights for brands to build stronger and more powerful partnerships. Above all, the report hopes to contribute to a deeper knowledge of the evolving influencer ecosystem in the Middle East and North Africa. #InfluAnswerArabia #WeberShandwickMENAT Download 👇 https://lnkd.in/dvqb3Vu6

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Our Platform’s data reveals a significant rise in travel demand across the Middle East region, prompting travel marketers to rethink how they engage potential travelers. With third-party cookies phasing out, MEA travel marketers need strategies that balance consumers’ needs for privacy and personalization, all while ensuring return on their multi-billion-dollar investments. Curation, in particular, uniquely delivers personalized experiences, with travelers’ privacy in mind. Stewart Smith, managing director MEA at Sojern, shares insights with Campaign Middle East into how curation offers Middle East travel marketers a pathway through the cookieless digital landscape to maximize their advertising campaigns. #ThirdPartyCookies #Curation #TravelMarketing

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What happens when brand managers act penny-wise and pound-foolish? They mess up big time and become a target for trolls. Let the doctors handle the healing, and the RIGHT agency handle the thinking when it comes to communication. #advertising #strategy #Creativity #antaratoday

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Underdog brands have a unique challenge but also a unique opportunity. In my latest blog, I explore how Kcal, Mumzworld, and Deliveroo UAE navigated their market positions to achieve success. Get actionable insights to apply to your own brand journey. https://lnkd.in/d9pfMUXv #BrandBuilding #MarketStrategy #UAEBrands #UnderdogSuccess

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Have you had dilemma like this recently? A few months ago, we were given a brief by a UAE based fast growing brand for creating a PR campaign. They wanted something out-of-the-box, something creative considering the product was generic. We were excited and prepared. While creativity is something Kaizzen thrives on, as it turns out, our in-depth research and mined data did not end up aligning with the client suggested initial campaign thoughts. Especially keeping in mind that we needed to maximize results on lower costs. And so, the challenge presented itself- how can an agency find a balance between creativity and data driven decisions 🤔 The root cause of this welcome conflict of ideas comes from marketers wanting to go all out with creativity but the top management wanting to stick with the “tried and tested” data driven solution. Welcome the conflictive adage: “Data is king, but creativity in emperor.” My train of thought led me to the core of the challenge- what is the need for this campaign? Why does the brand want to do a PR campaign for the TG? It led me to do research on the specific matter of the campaign brief. Slowly, an idea formed. I then asked the team about the viability and level of creativity this campaign could ideally reach given the data, and I wanted to know what a data driven campaign would look like, as compared to a creatively driven one. There turned out to be, as expected, quite a difference! So, I asked the creative team to go crazy with their ideas and the research team to go crazy with their ideas too. What I got were two very different campaigns but behold… Our think-tank could spot tiny similarities in these well formed ideas. 💡 I think it is important for every business leader to look for these tiny similarities post forming of the different schools of thoughts for cognitive absorption of subject matter. Then utilize it to merge data and creativity. No side is wrong but it is important to know just how much better the outcome can get by merging. That’s why a client pays for the experience, so we must deliver that value. As we made our campaign by weaving the two different ideas together, what we ended up with was a harmonious marriage of data and creativity which the client loved and was finally executed. Kaizzen Kaizzen MENA #kaizzen #pr #pitch #marketing

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Thank you Arabian Business for featuring our survey results and shedding light on this important topic. A few of the key takeaways from Beyond Careers Return-to-Work Survey 2024 Findings, below: 🛑 56.2% Felt pressured/harassed made to leave a job, or not been offered a role due to a pregnancy (pre/post-natal). 🛑 64.7% Delayed family planning due to a lack of support in their professional environment. 🛑 78.6% Experienced a lack of confidence returning to the workplace after taking a career break. While significant strides have been made towards gender inclusion, businesses are encouraged to play their role in accelerating progress by embracing employee-centric policies and bridging gaps in the employee experience of mothers in the workplace. At Beyond Careers, our mission is to support conscious companies and candidates through market education, workshops and connection. Click on the link to the full article. 🔗 #DEI #ReturntoWork #AccelerateProgress British Chamber of Commerce Dubai (BCCD)

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Interesting observations made by Ziad Abou Rjeily - how any nation's (progressive or regressive) spirit influences consumer behaviour! Brings into perspective an observation shared by David Meerman Scott: "The Saudi market's potential lies in its youthful demographic, which is increasingly looking for innovation, quality, and meaningful brand interactions." #SaudiArabia #Marketing #ConsumerBehaviour #People #AI #DigitalMedia #Platforms #Brands

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