MEMAC Ogilvy

UAE, Saudi Arabia

There have been times in the not too distant past when Ogilvy PR—which operates as Memac Ogilvy in the Middle East—struggled to escape the shadow of its iconic parent company and forge its own identity as a dynamic public relations firm, rather than as a business unit of an advertising agency. But Ogilvy picked up a host of creative awards last year, and this year the resurgence extended into several key markets across the EMEA region, as the firm turned in double-digit growth, with the influence practice turning in particularly strong performance. The MENA region was a leader, with growth of better than 25% fuelled by new business from Experience Abu Dhabi, with twin hubs in Dubai/Abu Dhabi and London, servicing 27 global markets including EMEA; Kenvue, with a hub in Dubai that services Africa, Middle East and Turkey; and Majid al Futtam, led from Dubai, joining existing clients such as Chinese automotive brand Omoda, Qatar Foundation and StarzPlay.

Last year saw the introduction of the firms new “Immersive Communications” approach, exemplified by the Cannes Gold Lion-winning “Michael CeraVe” campaign and also by some of the firm’s stellar work for Coca-Cola as part of the WPP Open X team. Immersive campaigns are earned-first, evolve over several weeks or even months, and provide multiple touchpoints and moments of consumer interaction, giving consumers opportunities to participate, interact with, shape, and amplify the story. On the influence front, the firm expanded its specialist Business Influence, iCommerce, and AI Influence capabilities, launched a specialized Health Influence offer, and introduced Influence Shield, a proprietary tool for managing the reputation risk that occasionally accompanies influencer work.

The firm’s influencer and social teams have also come together in its Creator Studio, which produces content at scale: Ogilvy works with 30,000 creators global for client L’Oreal, for example. For the new Experience Abu Dhabi client, the firm launched the “One Summer Isn’t Enough” campaign, inviting 20 people named Summer to come to the city and share their experiences on social media, while for Abu Dhabi's Saadiyat Cultural District it sought to gain recognition for the incredible concentration of cultural institutions, including the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the Abraham Family House, Zayed National Museum, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, and more.

The EMEA region leadership team includes president Matt Buchanan; executive strategy and creative director Charlie Coney; head of growth Nick Bedford; and head of influence John Harding-Easson, with Ashraf Shakah serving as president, Ogilvy PR MENA. To support the new “immersive” approach—and the increased demand for Ogilvy PR to be at the Celine of clients’ creative wok, the firm’s creative strategy grew by 150%. Meanwhile, the once distinct earned, social, and influence teams are working more closely together than ever. The firm has also been living its values: Do the Right Thing; Do the Best Work of Our Lives; Do It Together, all while celebrating an inclusive culture with initiatives celebrating Emirati Women and a new Saudi graduates programme.—PH