Are there really any new ways to engage a target audience in the Middle East – GCI Dubai seem to think so!

We are in the midst of an economic boom in the region with Public Relations coming into its own. Clients have a much better understanding of what PR, public affairs and investor relations can do for their business and see the value of results driven communications. Now the time is right to embrace PR, CRM, and Event Management – but can they all work hand in hand in the Middle East? – Well, we think it’s a really good combination as all disciplines cross each other’s paths regularly. Executed correctly the mix builds a deeply personal relationship between a brand and a consumer, and treats that consumer as an individual.

One of the major ways companies in not only Dubai but in the Middle East can differentiate themselves from their competitors is to provide a unique experience. Not as easy as it sounds in the region, as there is a lot to take into consideration when planning a marketing campaign. This unique experience is the aggregation of all those moments of truth the customer goes through interacting with the brand and the image it portrays to the world, we call it embracing the Hand in Hand approach – a communication tool developed by GCI, which enables the clients to produce a cohesive message whenever their customers engage with the brand. To make this experience really work you need to be innovative and the implementation needs to be doable. Campaigns the western world takes for granted need a lot of thought, foresight and planning to produce truly measurable results here in the region. Sometimes even the best ad campaigns can’t cut through the noise of the competition, unlike Hand in Hand, which is not only capable of specifically targeting an audience, but also engaging consumers.

For their part, clients must be willing to learn more from agencies and they must reorganise themselves around what they learn. A great PR agency isn’t hired just for campaigns. It can help clients develop deep customer insights, as the Middle Eastern consumer is becoming more and more sophisticated. The clients who have used the tool we have developed have ‘stolen a march’ on the competition and their customers have remained loyal to their brands, products and services.

At GCI we have recognised a trend and have invested heavily, ensuring we offer only the most advanced PR, CRM, and Event Management solutions. In short, this drive for market and branding strategies – in a new economy with new metrics – is creating a shift in expectations. The slick ad is less important than customer insight and brand experience and we think that successful ad agencies will continue to build their relationships by constantly proving they provide customer insight.

At no time in the past have customers been so smart, gotten information from so many new sources, and been so cynical about the media. This means that a PR agency, and certainly ones at the level of GCI with consultative, technical and integration skills, will rise on their ability to help clients understand their customers and help them reach their business and communications objectives.