Furthering the objective of promoting excellence in the Experiential Marketing industry in the Middle East, WOW Awards ME curated a POW WOW featuring an expert discussion on the opportunities for the industry in the year ahead. Titled, Experiential Marketing Outlook 2019, this POW WOW, like the name suggests, was an interactive discussion amongst like-minded professionals, where ideas and insights were shared with an exclusive audience, at an iconic venue called Burj 112, atop the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, UAE.

 

Topics and Speakers at the inaugural WOW Awards ME POW WOW, included:

 

Topic: New Growth Opportunities for the Experiential Marketing Industry in the Middle East

 

Speakers:

Niousha Ehsan, Chief Energy Officer, LINKVIVA

Girish Bhatt, Managing Director, Done Events

Vip Patel, Director - Sales, Platinumlist

 

 

Topic: Opportunities in Creating Socially Responsible Experiences in 2019

 

Speakers:

Rola Daher, Brand Marketing Manager, General Motors

Ajay Bhojwani, Managing Director, MCI Middle East

 

 

Topic: The Role of Technology and Social Media in Creating Disruptive Experiences

 

Speakers:

Usama Nouri, Director - Creative Technology, DXB LIVE (Dubai World Trade Centre)

Alexis Dijksterhius, Vice President Strategic Planning and New Business, Flash Entertainment

 

 

Top insights that emerged from discussions, included:

- The opportunities in managing a well-motivated team, for better organisational health and to ultimately deliver more successful projects.

- The potential of co-created Intellectual Properties, where agencies are not being reactive, but are pro-actively seeking creative collaborations to enhance business.

- Opportunities for a brand to ride on a social cause, as long as the ethics and objectives of both programmes match, and not just including CSR for ’the sake of it’.

- The Potential of Events / Experiences leaving a legacy and affecting change, and the Opportunity for the Industry to take ownership of this.

- Treating technology as a solutions-provider, and testing the need to integrate tech into an experience. Challenging what clients may think they want!

- Evaluating the use of digital and social tech in the realm of what the consumers reality looks like, and presenting an elevated experience of this at large-scale events.

 

 

This inaugural POW WOW featured participation from a total of 50 delegates (including speakers and moderators), which allowed for heightened engagement through cross-questioning, and insights-exchange. Participants at the event represented organisations and stakeholder of the Experiential Marketing industry in the UAE, including organisations like, Dubai Tourism, Action Impact, Jack Morton, Red Events, Mosaic Events, Emaar Hospitality, Beside Group, Thani Murshid Trading, Nestle, Al Tayer Motors, Bombardier, RedFilo Events, and many others.

 

 

Partners to the Experiential Marketing Outlook 2019, included Elements catering, who kept the networking sessions abuzz with their delectable, bite-sized breakfast menu and refreshing beverages. Showtech who provided Audio-visual solutions. ILEA Middle East associate partners to the WOW Awards Middle East, and Dubai Tourism, Destination Partners to WOW Awards Middle East.