Starcom MediaVest Group showcase their new approach to plotting consumer journey at 2010 IAA Educational Seminar
In the third of a series of IAA seminars, Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG) led the conference with a succession of ‘Pathways to Purchase’ think pieces, aimed at enhancing the relationships between agency and client operations.
“It has never been a more difficult time to be a marketer, particularly when faced with plotting the consumer journey and tracking their pathway to purchase,” explains Mark Hamilton, Planning Director, Starcom MediaVest Group (MENA). “We are operating in a fast-evolving media landscape, where new rules drive purchase, and we need to keep up with our consumers. It is important to understand what drives their decisions and influences their choices.”
SMG’s ‘Pathways to Purchase’ sessions helped simplify this complex world of media and marketing for the 40 journalists and agency executives who attended the sell-out event at the IAA Seminar Centre in Dubai Media City. Delegates came from JWT, Impact BBDO, TouchStone, Publicis Graphics, Pirana Advertising, Fortune Promoseven, Gmasco, ALMOE AV Productions, MIS (Media International Services- Gulf), Leo Burnett, Pan Arab Research Company, Wunderman and Grey Business Solutions.
Attendees received a thorough review of the role of media in building brand value: investigating the basic human truths that drive the region’s customers, and exploring how marketers can create simple and meaningful connections with people, in real-time.
The speaker line-up comprises experienced media experts including Hamilton; Rami Saad, Director of Emerging Technologies, Publicis Groupe Media (MENA); Rishi Saxena – Associate Research Director, Compass (MENA); Sara Metwally, Associate Media Director, Starcom Dubai (MENA); Robert Salomone, Business Director, Starcom IP (MENA).
“I am delighted that SMG accepted and conducted this workshop,” Kamal Dimanchkie, the IAA’s Head of Talent told us after the success of the seminar, “This is a key area of competence for the industry and SMG is the kind of organization that can bring the right insight and skills to attendees. The IAA series aims to complement existing sources of training and to develop a wider set of skills in younger members of the
media and marketing communications, and SMG has helped us to deliver on this objective by sharing its expertise and views in this highly dynamic area.”
Tarek Daouk, Executive Vice President of Starcom MediaVest Group SMG (MENA) supported this view. “”At SMG we are committed to growing talent and thinkers who will ultimately shape the future of our communication industry here in the Middle East. It’s been a privilege for SMG to partner with the IAA and to support its Worldwide initiative, to ‘inspire excellence in communications’.”
