MMA Forum Dubai, having the theme of "100% Mobile – the path to transformation, innovation and disruption for today’s marketers.” took place in Dubai on November 14.
Hosting more than 20 keynote speakers and panelists from marketers, agencies, mobile platforms and publishers, MMA Forum focused on the transformation of marketing with 13 sessions including insights, case studies, testimonials, and reports around mobile covering trends, new opportunities, and current user behaviours both in MENA and beyond.
The sessions realized by a diverse and dynamic group of speakers making significant contribution to industry with their expertise including Aras Şenyüz (Netmarble EMEA), Asma Shabab (Marketing & Communications Leader, Watson Internet of Things - IBM Middle East, Africa & Turkey), Brendan Walsh (Head of Strategy - DMS), Chris Babayode (Managing Director - MMA EMEA), Christos Solomi (Executive Director, MENA - OmnicomMediaGroup Programmatic), Ender Özcan (Head of Sales, MENA & Turkey - Adjust), John Tsioris ( CEO - Instashop), Junaid Ali Qureshi (CTO - Elabelz.com), Kerstin Trikalitis ( CEO - Out There Media), Melis Ertem ( Regional Director, Turkey & MENA - MMA), Minas Megalokonomos (Manager - Brand Management & Mobile Apps - MBC), Mohamad Itani (Managing Director - Platform5), Naif Alqazlan (Digital Marketing Director - STC), Pedro Gonçalves (Regional Head of Programmatic for MENA - Cadreon), Rakesh Ramesh (Digital Marketing Director - Careem), Rami Zeidan (Head of Marketing - Anghami), Samantha Billingham ( Regional Sales Director - Adcolony Middle East), Tarik Qahawish (Chief Marketing Officer - LamsaWorld), Tom Otton ( Managing Director - Create Media Group), Victoria Loesch ( Head of Strategy - Mindshare MENA / UAE), Vincent Ghossoub (CEO - Falafel Games) and Youmna Borghol (Head of Data - Choueiri Group) where they discussed the impact of mobile on e-commerce, gaming, marketing, shopping, consumption and lifestyle together with distinctive consumer experience driven by new technologies.
MMA, also shared the first MENA Media Market Sizing Survey results prepared with the data provided by leading agencies and publishers of the region Choueiri Group & DMS, Dentsu Aegis Network (Carat, Dentsu, Isobar), Middle East Communications Network (Platform5, Magna, UM) and Publicis Network (Zenith, SMVG, Publicis). Depending on the survey in 2017 Digital Media spending is expected to grow by %17 whereas Mobile Media spending is expected to grow by %22 which is already covering 24% of the total media spending.
On the same day, winners of the first Smarties MENA Awards were announced with a ceremony after the Forum Dubai 2017. The MMA Smarties Awards is the world's only global mobile marketing awards program honoring innovation, creativity, and success.
The winner brands and agencies who leveraged mobile to develop outstanding campaigns and honored by MMA Smarties Awards were Adidas, Aujan Coca Cola, Cadbury, Huawei Iraq, Knorr, Lipton, Lux, McDonalds, AdColony Middle East, Anghami, Blis, DMS, Face to Face, InMobi, Magna , Mindshare MENA, Out There Media, PHD, Spark Foundry and Zain Iraq.