For Partner and CEO Group Partnership, the creative side of the business is as robust as ever. Nonetheless, the business sentiments continue to be a challenge. In the following interview, he details the nature of these challenges, while he goes on reveali

Most advertising in the region still misses a soul, stronger insights, and good craft.

might behind it. The ‘Dubai factor’ seems to attract the best talent on both sides of the table. This often leads to a situation where there is both a ‘seller’ and ‘buyer’ that see life from the same lens hence leading to the magic of some outstanding creativity.

Why do most of the award-winning campaigns in the region come out of Dubai? Like with any other sector, the communications industry also attracts the best talent from around the globe into Dubai hence you see a lot of good work come out of the country. Having said that both Egypt and Lebanon also produce work that competes really well at both regional and an international level.

How would you describe Dubai’s advertising scene and what is still missing?

Ambitious, daring and loud. However, most advertising in the region still misses a soul, stronger insights and good craft. Calculated creative tension and disruption is what will keep us in the game.

With Dubai being a widely diverse landscape of people and cultures, is there an effort to craft ad campaigns within a certain framework for the widest appeal?

Diversity has both advantages and disadvantages. A lot of brands that have mass appeal have that factor at play in their campaign. Some are created locally and others are adaptations of campaigns developed globally. That is not to say that advertising for mass brands cannot be creative.

What are the greatest challenges facing ad creatives today?

The supply of a ‘robust talents pool’ continues to be a challenge and brands ‘playing safe’ in this environment is another bump to innovation.

Are there any trends in Dubai’s advertising scene that you specifically dislike?

The communication market is largely a tactical driven market hence we tend to move from one project to another. It would be great to see brands tell engaging brand stories thereby raising the overall brand ‘pull’ factor as opposed to the ‘push’ factor.

Do you find it professionally rewarding and personally interesting to be located in Dubai?

I have been here since 1992. And it has been a rewarding 24 years both personally and professionally. Where else would you get the diversity and the ‘can do’ spirit that helps us all to keep moving? Like many others, I came here by chance and stayed. After 24 years, all I can say is I could have not had a better city to call home.