Redefining Creative Excellence
Redefining Creative Excellence
Redefining Creative Excellence
Redefining Creative Excellence
Redefining Creative Excellence
Redefining Creative Excellence
Are you ready to think ahead and explore new possibilities for your business's digital future?
Partnering with us means working closely with a dedicated team committed to understanding your unique business goals and crafting a digital strategy that aligns with your vision.
Send us your contact email and we will contact you.
Redefining Creative Excellence
Redefining Creative Excellence
Redefining Creative Excellence
Redefining Creative Excellence
Redefining Creative Excellence
Redefining Creative Excellence
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
AI Won’t Replace Marketers, But Marketers in MENA Who Ignore It Will Be Left Behind
Across the Middle East, AI has quickly moved from a buzzword to a boardroom conversation. Yet, many marketing leaders still treat it as an experiment rather than a strategic pillar. The question is no longer “should we use AI?” it’s “are we using it in ways that truly matter for our growth?”
In a region where governments are investing heavily in AI strategies from the UAE’s National AI Program to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 brands don’t have the luxury of watching from the sidelines. AI adoption here isn’t a future trend; it’s happening today. The opportunity is real, but so is the risk of falling behind.
1. Is AI helping us compete—or just keeping us busy?
Too many organizations in the region are running small AI pilots that never scale. A retailer in Dubai might use AI for product recommendations, while a bank in Riyadh deploys chatbots. But unless these initiatives link back to clear KPIs, customer acquisition, market share, or brand trust, they’re just experiments. Boards need to ask: is AI making us faster, smarter, and more profitable or is it just a shiny distraction?
2. Are we shaping the customer journey—or reacting to it?
MENA consumers are among the most mobile-first in the world. From ordering groceries on an app in Abu Dhabi to booking luxury experiences in Jeddah, expectations for personalization are higher than ever. AI should be the engine behind this: smarter segmentation, multilingual content, and predictive journeys. The real risk is being left to react while global competitors set the standard for how our consumers engage.
3. Is marketing still a cost—or a growth driver?
Historically, marketing budgets in our region were seen as expenses. But AI flips the script. With predictive analytics and automated testing, every dirham or riyal spent can now be tied to measurable outcomes. The question boards should ask isn’t “how much did we spend?” but “how much growth did this AI-enabled marketing create?”
4. Are we balancing ambition with governance?
AI in marketing raises tough questions: who owns the data, how do we avoid bias, and are we aligned with local privacy laws like the UAE’s PDPL? In a market that thrives on trust whether you’re a bank, a telco, or an e-commerce platform, AI must be governed with as much care as it is deployed. A single misstep can cost more than a missed campaign; it can damage brand credibility overnight.
The MENA Boardroom Imperative
The Middle East is uniquely positioned to lead in AI adoption. Our governments are ambitious, our populations are young and tech-savvy, and our brands are expanding globally. But leadership requires more than deploying new tools it requires asking the right questions.
AI will not replace marketers. But marketers in MENA who ignore AI or fail to guide it with strategy, governance, and customer understanding will quickly find themselves left behind.
By Saad Muhammed Bhatti, Founder, NAAS Digital
NAAS Insights
We often help teams set up content taxonomies within their calendars—each post is labeled by type and goal. This helps stakeholders understand why some posts look “boring” and why that’s sometimes the point. It also ensures the right analytics are being tracked for the right reasons.