FP7 Doha creates advertising history

Fortune Promoseven, Doha, (FP7 Doha) made advertising history by becoming the first agency from the Middle East to strike Gold twice at the 55th Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival in France.

This year, FP7 Doha won Gold and Silver in the Press category, and a second Gold in the Outdoor category, making it the first agency from Qatar to win at the Cannes festival and also the only advertising agency, ever, from the Middle East to win two Gold and a silverLions in a year. The agency also had the highest number of campaigns shortlisted among all global agencies participating at the festival, with over 30 pieces of work chosen by the judges.

The agency’s victory at Cannes is a step towards FP7’s plans to reinforce its position as both a creative and effective force in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), where the FP7 Network, headquartered in Dubai, serves many multinational brands as well as a large selection of the region’s best homegrown brands.

FP7 Dubai also won at Cannes, with Silver in the Print category, giving the FP7 Network the most wins at the Cannes Lions in 2008, among all agency networks in the MENA region.

The Cannes festival is the most prestigious international event of its kind and each year for a fortnight Cannes turns from the playground of the rich and famous to a playpen for the world’s most talented creative minds.

Fortune Promoseven’s network president and chief executive officer Fadi Salameh said, ‘The acknowledgement we’ve received for our efforts across the MENA region is great - especially what we have heard from our network offices and from our clients. It is a memorable moment on our journey forward and is definitely a sign of the years ahead for FP7.’

FP7 Doha managing director Charbel Mezher says ‘Everyone keeps asking if this will help our business. Yes. We are in the business of creativity and this win will help us a great deal. More importantly, however, we have to prove that we can maintain these standards and the Gold Lions will help us by attracting more prodigious talent. Everyone knows Qatar is booming. So, for us looking forward, it is also about getting ready for the next stage of the boom and playing a central role in the future growth of the FP7 Network.’

Fadi Yaish, FP7 Doha’s creative director, adds: ‘In different parts of the world there was always one agency and one network that pave the way and lead the region for a way forward and FP7 will be leading MENA region for more international recognition year after year which helps the region on all levels. And most importantly we will be leading the way to the future of advertising. I don’t think anyone from anywhere could have any excuse anymore. We have proved that anyone can do it and from anywhere. FP7 was writing history at Cannes and FP7 will be writing the future.’

Tags: Cannes, Charbel Mezher, Fadi Salameh, Fadi Yaish, Fortune Promoseven, FP7 Doha

Promoseven conducts regional strategic planning & brand building workshop

Fortune Promoseven’s strategic planners and key management staff from across the region recently met in Dubai for a two day workshop on Insight and Demand Creation.

The program was initiated by the group’s Growth team and was led by Damian O’Malley, Chief Strategic Officer for McCann WorldGroup, EMEA.

During the two day workshop, O’Malley shared several major win strategies that have helped McCann win major advertising business in Europe. He guided attendees through McCann’s revised and re-energized ‘Demand Chain’ proprietary module. Planners from KSA, Morocco and UAE (Abu Dhabi & Dubai) who attended the workshop are expected to implement this module in local markets across the region.

After attending the workshop, Fadi Salameh, Network President & CEO said, ‘Today, Advertising Communications is about insights and knowledge. Our ideas come from insights, from genuinely and passionately understanding the brand, the consumer and everything that happens in between.’

‘Promoseven’s recent mega award winning streak at Dubai Lynx has been recognized and attributed to clever insight strategies, in-depth understanding of the Middle Eastern consumer and brands but, above all the connections between them. This workshop is one of the several Strategic Planning driven think tank sessions that the agency has planned for the year,’ added Salameh.

During the workshop, the agency’s planning department focused on the mechanics, new methodologies and the importance of gathering, harvesting and learning from a wide range of market research. The group discussed the value of insights from products, demographics, habits, consumer and purchase behaviors and how they can be used for idea generation on a day-to- day basis.

‘This workshop is part of McCann WorldGroup’s global initiative to integrate with our local teams and introduce them to our international best practices. We have successfully used our proprietary tool - the ‘Demand Chain’ - in global markets and are confident that it will enhance the output of our planners in the Middle East,’ concluded Damian O’Malley, Chief Strategic Officer for McCann WorldGroup, EMEA.

Tags: Damian O'Malley, Fadi Salameh, Fortune Promoseven, McCann WorldGroup