Carat – The Media Network

Carat appoints new CEO

November 11, 2018/in Featured, Movers & Shakers /by Suad Ashimi

Global media agency, Carat, part of Dentsu Aegis Network has appointed Ramzy Abouchacra to the role of CEO, Middle East and North Africa. With almost 20 years of regional experience, Ramzy previously held leadership roles at Starcom MediaVest and most recently at Initiative MENA. In his new role, Ramzy will support clients and be responsible for driving the development of the agency’s operations across all markets.

“I am excited to join Dentsu Aegis Network and lead the next wave of transformation in the region with Carat,” says Ramzy. “My decision to join Carat was driven by their passion, talent and clarity of purpose, which is supported by an integrated operating model that combines data and technology to build innovative media solution. The positivity, entrepreneurial spirit and determination of the agency are clear and immediately attracted me to the role. I am thrilled to be joining the team and hope to build on the agency’s success to date in delivering outstanding work for clients.

Tarek Daouk, CEO, Dentsu Aegis Network MENA, continues: “I am delighted that Ramzy is joining Dentsu Aegis Network to lead Carat. He has proven to be a transformative leader who has vast regional experience in building media and digital services. I look forward to working with Ramzy to propel Carat MENA into the next stage of its evolution as we support our clients in using the power of media to transform their businesses’.”

Carat to handle account for International bank

January 5, 2017/in Account win, Featured /by Suad Ashimi

Global media agency, Carat, part of Dentsu Aegis Network has won an account from its Singapore office to handle all business and media operations for Standard Chartered Banks across the Middle East and North African region. With a presence in 67 countries, Standard Chartered Bank has operated in markets across Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Carat will act as the global media strategy, planning and buying business partner for Standard Chartered Banks to lead it out of Singapore across the Middle East and North African markets.

“We are very pleased to start the year with the win of this prestigious account out of our Singapore hub for the global Carat network,” says Sean O’Brien, CEO, Carat APAC. “We’re looking forward to working with the team at Standard Chartered Bank and their agency partners.”

Dentsu Aegis retains Kellogg’s

June 16, 2016/in Account win, Featured /by Michelle J Kuehn

Dentsu Aegis Network agencies Carat and iProspect have jointly retained the account for Kellog’s media, following a statutory review of Kellogg’s Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) media planning and buying business over the past six months. The review was handled in-house by Kellogg’s media and procurement teams and includes all cereal and snack brands, including Pringles, across 31 markets in the EMEA region, including the Middle East and North Africa. Kellogg’s has worked with Carat since 2008, with iProspect later appointed to drive digital performance across the company’s brands.

“Kellogg’s is such an iconic brand and we’re incredibly proud of our partnership over the past eight years,” says Tracy De Groose, CEO, Dentsu Aegis Network, UK and Northern Ireland. “Being selected, once again, is testament to the diverse capabilities within our network and our ability to evolve our approach to reflect Kellogg’s needs and growth ambitions.”

Chris Nolan, Media and Digital Director, Kellogg’s EMEA, adds “We are very excited to continue working with Carat and iProspect. During the very detailed and thorough pitch process they reinforced the strong foundation of buying and planning already in place across the region. Importantly for us they also showed a commitment to drive media forward with a vision and a plan for how we will develop across the next three years.”

Dentsu Aegis Kuwait partners with Views

August 25, 2015/0 Comments/in Regional News /by Emily Churchill-Owen

Dentsu Aegis Network in Kuwait has partnered with Views Communications. With offices based in Kuwait City, Views Communications will be responsible for the media planning and buying requirements of Carat and other Dentsu Aegis Network clients in the country. Views Communications is a full service agency that spans media planning and buying, creative, PR and activation, and was founded in 2010. The new partnership will see the team, lead by Karim Bitar, CEO of Views Communications, working on existing clients, Carat regional clients including GM, Total, BA and Pringles, as well as new prospects.

“This partnership is another important step in continuing our expansion in the Middle East and with Karim’s extensive experience and understanding of the media landscape in the market, we’re confident that we’ll see significant growth in Kuwait,” says Michael Nederlof, CEO Dentsu Aegis Network MENA.

Karim adds “This really is an exciting time for our team and it is a sign that a global player in the media space sees Kuwait as a market worthy of a significant presence and this kind of investment. We are looking forward to working with clients across the Middle East and beyond.”

Dentsu Aegis acquires John Brown Media

May 27, 2015/0 Comments/in Regional News /by Emily Churchill-Owen

Dentsu Aegis Network has acquired John Brown Media. The agency’s experience in creating and publishing content is hoped to enhance the network’s existing content capabilities, to create a differentiated and innovative integrated content offering for clients worldwide.

Established in 1987, John Brown Media is headquartered in London and has offices in South Africa, Hong Kong, Boston and Dubai. The company provides clients with services including print and digital publishing, content management, website strategy and film production. Following the acquisition, it will retain its brand identity and operate as an external entity from Dentsu Aegis Network MENA. John Brown Media will now also work with iProspect, the network’s digital performance agency, as well as Carat’s content partnerships team in order to integrate publishing capabilities into Dentsu Aegis’ offering in the region.

“By adding a specialist content agency to the network, we are proving just how much the lines have become blurred between agency disciplines,” says Michael Nederlof, CEO, Dentsu Aegis Network, MENA. “Quality content is increasingly rewarded within the media eco-systen, particularly within search, and we are very excited to work with John Brown to create differentiated and specialised content solutions for our clients.”

Carat predicts 5% global ad growth

September 11, 2014/0 Comments/in International News /by Team TMN

Carat, a leading independent media planning and buying specialist, has published forecasts for global advertising expenditure, predicting a boost of 5% for this year, as well as in 2015. Based on data received from 59 markets across North and South America, Asia Pacific and EMEA, the Dentsu Aegis network’s latest forecast shows an increase of ad spending from the 4.8% prediction made in March 2014.

Regionally, the Carat Advertising Expenditure forecast has predicted further positive growth from North America and Western Europe. Significantly, the US continues to show strong market growth, with levels of advertising expenditure in North America expected to exceed the pre-recession peak of 2007 for the first time by the end of this year. Western Europe is forecasted to return to positive growth of 2.7% after two consecutive years of declining advertising spend – driven by a strong UK advertising market prediction of 7.5% growth for 2014.

Although forecasts show a slight decline in growth when compared with March 2014 predictions, Asia Pacific and Latin America are still both forecast to outperform global predictions with growth rates of 5.4% and 12.1% respectively.

Digital ad spend growth is predicted to exceed previous predictions for 2014, with a year-on-year growth forecast of 16.1%. The digital sector will also increase its total share of spend, set to reach 20.5% in 2014 and 22.6% the following year, where it will outpace the combined Magazine and Newspaper global share for the first time.

The Print sector, while in steady decline, is expected to continue, and all other mediums are set to achieve year-on-year growths of approximately 3-5% in 2014 and 2015.

“Carat’s latest advertising forecast gives us increased optimism for the outlook of global and regional advertising spend,” says Jerry Buhlmann, CEO, Dentsu Aegis Network. “With the global recession further behind us and a healthy trend of 5% year-on-year global ad growth, there is positive momentum building across the industry. Whilst Digital continues to headline market trend discussions, the components within this dominant media now provide the interesting chapters, with the opportunities in mobile leading the debate. With changes and trends in consumer behaviour driving business opportunities, brands need to deliver innovative and integrated solutions to reap rewards ahead.”

For access to the full Carat Advertising Expenditure forecast, visit http://goo.gl/kCEnzw

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