Universal Media’s regional management meet in Cairo to discuss ‘Next Thing Now’

Universal Media (UM) held their annual Regional Management Meeting at the Four Seasons Nile Plaza Hotel in Cairo recently.

Managing Directors and General Managers from 21 offices across 18 markets gathered to discuss UM’s platform of ‘Next Thing Now’ (NTN).

UM, which handles an impressive list of local and international clients in the region is currently developing NTN as a communications solution to help deliver winning strategies to their clients across the region.

Jaikumar Menon, Regional Managing Director of Universal Media, said, ‘We are very excited about using this platform in our work. The idea of NTN is to recognize a dynamic market landscape where the present and the future are morphed, and where the relationship between brands, people and information is constantly being updated.’

‘A global model of communications planning based on the concept of ‘Curiosity’ enables UM planners to ask questions, expand horizons and deliver true NTN solutions by generating genuine insights about the brand, the market, and the media. The model is also accompanied by a suite of proprietary tools to ensure it is effective,’ he added.

The forum was also used to celebrate UM’s impressive number of client wins in the past year, ‘We have been on a wonderful winning streak regionally,’ said Menon.

‘This meeting gives us a chance to congratulate those who have once again overachieved and thank the teams for their continuous hard work and innovative ideas.’

Universal Media is part of the larger MCN group which is the largest and most diversified communications network in the MENA region.

Globally, UM are aligned with Universal McCann - an Interpublic Group company.

Tags: Interpublic Group, Jaikumar Menon, MCN group, Universal McCann, Universal Media

Universal Media wins at GEMAS for Acer’s innovation

Universal Media (UM) added yet another prestigious accolade to its portfolio on Thursday, February 7, as it received the ‘Highly Commended’ award for ‘Best Use of Print Media’ at the GMR Effectiveness in Marketing Awards (GEMAS) ceremony.

UM was recognized for its innovative media campaign designed for the launch of Acer’s Aspire Gemstone concept.

In promoting Acer’s exclusive gemstone finish laptop, UM developed an endorsement concept which delivered to the public thousands of light-weighted and almost equally-sized natural stones via a daily newspaper. The challenge was in completing the overall mission of transporting, packaging and fixing over 60,000 gems to the front page of a leading newspaper. All in less than one day.

The GEMAS award came to highlight the overwhelming outcome which caused an impressive number of hits to Acer’s local websites to check on the new product and an increased footfall in shops and stands where Acer is present.

Aman Khan, Acer’s Regional Marketing and Communications Manager, commended the creativity and dedication of the team which contributed to the most successful one-day campaign to ever hit the print media in the region.

‘We are very proud of the GEMAS win for our creative campaign. The award is also a tribute to the creative insights and innovative efforts of the UM team which will definitely motivate them to plan even more progressive media solutions’.

Speaking on behalf of the team, Tala Amhaz, who leads the account at UM, said ‘It is a great honor for us to compete with the industry’s leading talents for such a prestigious award. We continually strive to raise the bar in terms of creative ideas and to maintain that rise to service our clients and sustain the trust in the work that we do’.

Hundreds of marketing, media and advertising executives attended the exclusive GEMAS awards ceremony which was held at the Al Joharah Ballroom in Madinat Jumeirah to honor the creatively hot, fresh and trendy talents in the regional media and communications industry.

Tags: Aman Khan, GEMAS, GMR Effectiveness in Marketing Awards, Tala Amhaz, UM, Universal Media