MENA, short for Middle East & North Africa, is a term used when referring to the region spanning from Morocco to Iran. The MENA region has a population of around 380 million, roughly around six per cent of the total world population. Moreover, this region is practically unparalleled worldwide in terms of the changes society is currently undergoing. All the more interesting then to see how the creative masterminds at JWT Cairo rose to the challenge of presenting an analytical study, with fascinating results: the JWT MENA 8 Trends for 2013 trend report.
The report is the result of a qualitative and quantitative study, informed by original research, carried out by the in-house Brand Intelligence department headed by Mennah Ibrahim, JWT MENA Head of Brand Intelligence. GoSee wanted to find out more. Before we get to the interview though, we would like to show you their impressive Gold winning campaign for MICRO RECHARGE CARDS by VODAFONE and the Egyptian market.
This was their starting point : "In Egypt the small shop is king. This is where Egyptians do the majority of their grocery shopping. Here, it is common practice for the shop owner to substitute small change with low-value items - the kind of items you find next to his cash register, like gum or candy. "Fakka" means 'small change' in Arabic. Small change is a particular problem for consumers and retailers alike in Egypt. In fact, this practice is so widespread nearly anything can act as change, even if you end up feeling, well, short-changed. So when Vodafone introduced micro-recharge cards for their prepaid users, we spotted an opportunity."
To see what happened, check out the film. We can tell you what happened in Cannes: Gold in Outdoor for JWT Cairo and Grand Prix in Promo & Activation at Dubai Lynx 2013. Now for the interview, followed by each individual trend:
This is the first MENA trend report – was it your idea?
JWT’s global trend report has been published for a number of years, but in the region we identified the need for a regional trend report that was specific to our markets. Sometimes the MENA region has its own trends – Authentically Arab - for example which is a very local independent trend; at other times a global trend may become rooted over time in our behavior due to our region’s infrastructure or behavioral progression say – for example Hyper-personalization which was a global phenomenon for last year before catching on significantly here in 2013.
Which of the trends is the strongest?
We predict that all the trends identified will become established within 2013 and stay with us well into 2014 and for some, even longer than that. Some have hit the ground running, such as “Interrupting Chaos”, “Maximizing Mobile Moments” and “Retail on Demand” – as consumers were ready to adopt these changes having seen similar developments in other parts of the world, in addition to the region’s infrastructural developments, which facilitated speedy adoption. So now we see that within 6 months of producing the report, manifestations of those trends are significant and numerous. For others, “Detoxifying Life” for example, there are many examples of this happening across the region but right this minute, the movement is picking up and I believe that by the end of 2013 it will be a big part of what is happening.
We love the ‘terminus’ Power Woman but is that wishful thinking at the moment?
That’s a very interesting question and I can see that from the polarized version of the Arab world portrayed in the media it is an obvious question from someone outside the region. However women have been major players in all forms of life for centuries in the MENA region, just not in the obvious way in which other women in other parts of the world might express their power. Women are just as educated here as other parts of the world, more so than men in fact, with Arab females comprising 60% of all college graduates. What is happening now is they are choosing to express that ‘power’ in a more visible way – female entrepreneurs taking center stage for example and more and more women shaping both business and social change. In Saudi Arabia for instance, women now comprise 20% of the parliament. And a 2011 report estimates that women controlled US$385 million in assets. So no, I would not call it wishful thinking, but rather a rising form of expression and therefore a more evident exhibit of existence and rights.
“Authentically Arab” – sounds like there is newly awakened self confidence in the area?
Yes, there is most definitely a newly awaked sense of pride in being Arab and in the things we make for the regional market place. Many of these products posses a global appeal for their originality and quality and this outpouring of beautiful, originally Arab products, is reaching ex-pat Arabs as well as other nationalities. Who can deny the allure of hand crafted soap, produced with olive oil and milled three times over for a silky smoothness that is not chemical but genuine? Its charm and benefit is not derived from being a soap produced in the ‘Arab’ world – its attractiveness stems from the authenticity of the ingredients, the process and therefore the final product - which just so happens to have been made in the ‘Arab’ world through time honored traditional methods. A fantastic product with a fantastic story to tell.
If so – is this part of globalized marketing in the sense of making people feel better in luxury brands? Consume (as a positive) philosophy for once?
Luxury brands have fared well in the global recession because they are consistently produced with supreme quality in design, materials, manufacturing processes and of course marketing. “Authentically Arab” is not about luxury, it is about being true to an inherent Arab need. Products made by Arabs for a specific Arab-centric need. If you have pride in your heritage and can take pride in the consumer based products your heritage is creating, it is a natural extension of your behavior to promote, in your own small (or big) way, such ‘quality’.
Here in Europe we blame the internet for everything, the good and the bad. What is your opinion for your region as you mention mobiles, apps, etc in your trends?
The Internet and all it has to offer has become an established feature of peoples’ every day lives in many MENA markets. We are not yet at the stage of truly experiencing a downside to this wave of interactive information – perhaps it will come in time, but at the moment, consumers are relishing the new experiences provided by the internet, how it is making their lives easier and more fun.
Which countries do these trends affect as you analyzed only five? Same trends for example for Tunisia or Algeria?
The trends are playing out – to one extent or another - across the entire region. We scientifically analyzed five key markets – Tunisia may be slower at taking up “Maximizing Mobile Moments” than say the UAE for example, but its ‘outdoor’ based lifestyle puts it ahead of other markets in terms of “Super Sensory Exhilaration” for example. You also mention Algeria – yet another unique market in the region, which is experiencing more of a surge in adopting “New Age Muslim” attitudes than perhaps Lebanon say, where the idea of living ones life true to ones religious values yet encompassing a lifestyle that is not in conflict with many modern behaviors has been around for a while.
You have experts in your jury. Did you pick them? Was it easy to get big names such as fabulous designer Elie Saab?
JWT has such a heritage of thought leadership across the world that we had no trouble in interviewing big names for the Trends Report.
So what is the main difference working in the MENA region?
This is not an easy question to answer, as there is no definitive black & white response. Naturally the dominant values in the region – irrespective of religion - mean certain behaviors, considered normal in the West say, are just not prevalent here. But as people, we love, cry, laugh, hope, work, play, hurt, dream, marry and have families etc. We relish our collective culture and its many country specific variants, we adore our surroundings and timeless heritage – as does any regional or national individual. Compared with Germany though, I guess you could say – an awful lot of sun!
Here is a brief summary of each trend:
1 RISE OF A NEW DEMOGRAPHIC DUO Two new demographic cohorts are emerging; a liberated Power Woman and New-Age Muslim. As these groups thrive, rising from self-denial to self-esteem, they will increasingly seek out products and services that layer-in their progressive value sets
2 INTERRUPTING CHAOS As our individual worlds become more complex – and the types of content, experiences and people we become exposed to become more erratic – greater emphasis will be placed on reintroducing structure, reassuring simplicity and certainty to regulate the chaos.
3 MAXIMIZING MOBILE MOMENTS Increasingly hectic urban routines, sees lifestyle multitasking move over to lifestyle hyper-tasking as consumers seek to control, operate and connect to almost everything around them. This imparts a slew of implications for brands, as people look to their devices to maximize absolutely every moment with personally relevant and seamless transactions.
4 AUTHENTICALLY ARAB Reveling in all that is authentically Arab, consumers are embracing the region’s own brands – homegrown concepts that are conceived with modern-day Arab relevance, yet remain internationally appealing - as people pay heed to the differential value of great brands from the Middle East.
5 UNIQUENESS AS A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE Stepping up from conformity to individuality, Arabs are embracing anything that enables unique prominence, to outshine their peers.
6 LIFE-DETOX Cleansing one’s mind, body and environment from all that is negative and harmful is going mainstream, as consumers’ awareness of and anxiety about life’s concealed poisons and their damaging effect heightens.
7 RETAIL ON-DEMAND In our ‘on-demand’ economy, shopping is shifting from traditional offline or online stores to a value exchange that can take place in many new ways. With consumer’s increasing demands for immediate gratification and ultraconvenience, brands must find creative ways to how and where they sell their products
8 SUPER SENSORY EXHILARATION As our interactions and experiences become more virtual in an increasingly digitized world, we will come to place a premium on ‘sensory stimulation’ – an appreciation for anything that engages or intensifies our senses. Brands will need to find ways to spark off the multidimensional sensory highs that bring experiences to life.
Studious readers will be pleased to discover that you can download the full TREND REPORT 2013 on GoSee.