In The Hot Seat – Zainab Imichi Alhassan

/in , /by

We chat with Zainab Imichi Alhassan, Managing Director at POP Communications, who talks about her current role and offers her thoughts on the PR industry in the Middle East…

Name: Zainab Imichi Alhassan

Age: 26

Nationality: Nigerian

Current job title: Managing Director, POP Communications

When did you first arrive in Dubai?

2013

Where did you work prior?

My first job in the UAE was at Grace and Garbo as an Account Executive, I later moved to Q Communications, where I also worked as an Account Executive and eventually as a Senior Account Executive. My most recent role was at TishTash, where I held the role of Senior Account Manager.

What were your first impressions of the PR industry in the Middle East?

My first impression was that there were lots of opportunities to grow. I also noticed that the PR industry in the Middle East is unlike anywhere else in the world. I was quite surprised to see how monotonous and archaic it was, everyone sticks to the same playbook and there is rarely any innovation. I moved here in 2013 and we were still receiving faxes!

Has your opinion changed much?

The industry has evolved over the last couple of years but it still has some catching up to do in terms of integration of digital media into day-to-day communication strategies.

Tell us about your current role…

My role at POP Communications is very diverse at the moment. As the Managing Director of a fast growing boutique PR Agency, I juggle a lot of responsibilities ranging from developing strategies, client servicing, media engagement to new business development and managing our team.

What challenges do you face?

Our biggest challenge at the moment is time management. It’s impossible to work 24/7 but it seems like that is the only way to get things done and keep the business running and our clients happy.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

Working with my business partners, Sarah Dudley and Roxanne Mukhi who are also co-founders of POP Communications. Running a business can be quite intense, but when you get to do it with your friends, it makes things bearable.

How has digital media changed the playing field?

For me, not much has changed as digital media has always been included as part of ongoing media relations. Despite the shrinking print media landscape, I think the relationship between PR and media has stayed exactly the same. We have always included digital media as part of our communications strategies.

What do you think of women dominating the PR industry in the UAE and the role that this has played in the media community?

I don’t have the stats for this, but the majority of PR practitioners I have interacted with in the UAE are women, so maybe women are dominating the PR Industry in the UAE. If this is true, it puts the UAE in a unique spot as one of the only countries where majority of the PR leadership roles are occupied by women, which is great news! Hopefully, what this would mean for the community is that these women who are already in positions of power can nurture and empower young female PR practitioners.

What role does social media play in building a brand’s reputation today?

I think these days an active social media presence is important for any brand whether B2B or B2C. Social media is a great way to showcase a brand’s services or product range – you can also directly engage with your target customers and be part of the online conversation going on in your industry. Another benefit is that it supports your SEO when people search for you or your products on Google through hashtag and geo targeting.

How would you describe yourself at work?

With me, what you see is what you get. When I’m at work, I just want to get things done and I have no patience for laziness and I expect the team to be on the same wavelength. This is why we only hire high performing individuals who are hardworking and have good work ethics. I can also be really funny and I think people find me entertaining.

Describe yourself in five words…

Hardworking, fun, deliberate, inquisitive and ambitious.

Who inspires you?

I am surrounded by a village of successful women who inspire me daily. I have also had the opportunity to work alongside some of the best PR professionals who have inspired me to work hard and never take no for an answer.

What’s your most overused saying?

‘Fab!’ and ‘Thank you!’

Five things you can’t live without?

My husband, phone, Deliveroo, Careem and Dr PAW PAW lip balm.

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

So many things! I wanted to be a Pharmacist, Writer, Poet and Fashion Stylist.

If you weren’t in your current role, what would you be doing?

I would be working as a Journalist or Fashion Stylist.

What’s your favourite form of media?

I would say digital media. I spend most of my time reading blogs and on social media. My favourite blog is Jezebel.com.

How do you see the PR industry changing in the Middle East in the coming years?

As the traditional media landscape continues to shrink, all roads now lead to digital and we can’t wait a couple of years, it has to be now. Clients are no longer just satisfied with seeing their faces in tabloid magazines or newspapers. They need to be guaranteed exposure on the platforms that their customers consume the most these days, which are social media platforms.

Tarek Daouk joins Dentsu Aegis Network

/in , /by

Dentsu Aegis Network has appointed Tarek Daouk to the role of CEO – MENA. Daouk previously worked with Spark Foundry as Regional Managing Director – MENA, where he provided content marketing strategies for brands such as P&G, Visa and Mars, and most recently worked with Starcom Middle East where he held the role of CEO. In his new role, he will work on accelerating Dentsu Aegis’ growth in the MENA region as the organisation delivers integrated solutions across creative, media, data and content. He will also play a critical role in mobilising the existing strategy of growth through mergers and acquisitions.

“I am delighted to be joining Dentsu Aegis Network at such an exciting time,” says Tarek. “I was drawn to Dentsu Aegis’ high performance culture and its commitment to help clients achieve their business goals. I am looking forward to building on the existing success in the region, as well as leading the business in achieving its ambitious agenda.”

The only thing that is certain is uncertainty

/in , /by

Kate Midttun, Founder and Managing Director, Acorn Strategy offers her thoughts on the volatility in the Middle East market and what a good marketing strategy does to prepare for it.

“The only thing that is certain is uncertainty. In 2018, it’s difficult to plan past six months and there’s rarely a company that can afford not to be agile. The days of a fixed 12-month marketing calendar are well behind us.”

This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t strategise, quite the opposite, in fact, a good strategy will help you pivot faster than your competitors, make quick decisions and react quickly. It will also help you to build the barriers to entry leaving your competitors eating dust as they try to catch up.

So why aren’t people doing it? They’re too busy, they think they have a strategy (it’s really just a tactical plan with some activities), they don’t need one, or they can’t afford it. There’s an argument against each one and really any leader that can’t articulate their marketing strategy and how it plays into their corporate decisions is letting their company down. Marketing should be contributing to corporate success, not just making things look pretty.

From understanding the context of the economy, the trends in the market, customer behaviour and the factors outside of your control, you’ll start to understand where your opportunity truly lies. It doesn’t lie in following your competitor or offering a slightly lower price or doing something just a little bit better – these are some decisions that should add up to a much bigger playbook that can be turned and tweaked as market factors change.

By taking time to consider the space you occupy in the market you get real and stronger. For some, it’s a tough step and an eye opener, but for others it helps to build the foundations for future success. This builds the base of the offering that you provide to your customers and the reason why they’ll continue to return to you.

After understanding the market, the space you occupy and how you answer the demands of the market, you’ll be able to decide on a strategic direction for your marketing that will support in achieving your wider business objectives. Should you be aggressive as a follower, an innovator or just raising awareness. What are the various scenarios around the decision and why did you choose the direction – this part is critical to helping you pivot when something goes wrong.

Once you understand all of this, you can then define the target market you’ll be going after, what channels you need to use to be most effective and what individual activities are required to get the message across.

Last, but not least, you’ll need to define what success looks like on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis as well as how to measure it. At Acorn Strategy we’ve worked on many strategies to help identify the best path for companies. We’ve helped companies adapt quickly to external changes such as the Russian ruble and its impact on the real estate and leisure industries, the health insurance changes on the healthcare market, as well as recalibrating marketing teams to the new reality after the oil crisis.

If done properly, marketing should be delivering the customer based objectives of your business plan. Marketing should have a seat at the boardroom table and should be considered in big company decisions. Importantly, regardless of whether you have a marketing team or not, a marketing specialist should be actively involved in defining the pathway of your company.