Industry Snapshot: Memac Ogilvy’s Ghassan Maraqa

Industry Snapshot: Memac Ogilvy’s Ghassan Maraqa

WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST SHIFTS YOUR INDUSTRY WITNESSED LAST YEAR?

Influencer marketing saw significant growth – up by 29 per cent in 2023. Our recent whitepaper, Influencing Business: The Global Rise of B2B Influencer Marketing, revealed that 100 per cent of Saudi businesses utilise a form of B2B influencers, with the UAE close behind at 96 per cent.

The paper underscored the immense opportunity for B2B influencers in the two nations — which have both recently been using the power of influencer engagements to capture the attention and trust of audiences. AI a continuing shift.

The use of generative AI is rapidly changing industries, and we are at the leading edge of this new inspiration economy.

WHAT WILL BE THE MOST NOTABLE CHANGES IN 2024?

The changes of 2023 will continue, with influencer marketing growing in strength, and long-term influencer-brand relationships developing. Adtech will continue to play a transformative role, with AI for data analysis enabling hyper-targeted, personalised content.

It’s forecast that there will be over 200bn devices connected and networked. Most won’t be smartphones, but everyday appliances. Each will enable brands to be more personalised and create unique engagement opportunities. We expect greater proliferation of advertising in online streaming services, as publishers look to maximise