The new firm aims to provide data-driven business solutions for clients and agencies through transparent and collaborative partnerships RIYADH: MBC launched its in-house commercial division MBC Media Solutions (MMS) in partnership with Saudi-based media and investment group Engineer Holding Group (EHG) in September 2020 with plans to start client operations by 2021. Arab News spoke to MMS’ newly appointed CEO Ahmed Al-Sahhaf and COO Nadim Samara to learn more about the groundwork MMS has laid for the approaching year. The new firm aims to provide data-driven business solutions for clients and agencies through transparent and collaborative partnerships with a mission of connecting brands and people with premium Arabic content in MENA to drive growth through data, tech and talent. “ Through this collaboration, our partners will get the local know-how and leverage to benefit their local brands. We are aiming for more synergy between the entities, creating one voice, and operating with the singular purpose of bringing more value to all stakeholders,” said Al-Sahhaf. The partnership with EHG is bringing together the three facets of the industry: EHG’s on-ground media and commercial management experience, MBC’s expertise in premium content and MMS’ talent across marketing disciplines. “The common ground is a solution-oriented mindset through data, tech and talent which will drive growth for both the client and the agency and ultimately for MBC and MMS,” said Samara. MMS has structured its talent to cater to both agencies and clients with two teams servicing agencies and three teams servicing clients divided by sectors. Instead of the usual industry sectors, MMS has categorized the client teams based on how consumers make buying decisions resulting in three distinct categories: telecom and technology, which includes everything from Apple and Samsung to Zain and STC; fast-moving consumer decisions, which includes supermarkets, e-commerce, delivery apps, etc.; and high-involvement, which includes high-end retail, luxury travel and tourism. “Moreover, we will have teams in Riyadh that will cater to the new Saudi government’s ambitions, which will further amplify how we can go to market,” added Al-Sahhaf. “The Saudi market will take the lion’s share of the focus because we see a gap, and an increasing demand from clients and opportunity for growth across all sectors including government and SMEs, which are growing rapidly in the recent years. A lot of local brands are eager to access MBC platforms where they didn’t have the chance before.” MMS is also building a core team in Egypt due to growing potential and the popularity of MBC Masr, the Egyptian TV channel. Although viewership and appetite for content across screens has gone up during the pandemic, ad spend has gone down. “We need to give brands the opportunity to use their voice again to reach their existing and potential audience through cross-channel solutions,” said Al-Sahhaf. “Marketers need to prove effectiveness when it comes to their investments and our measurement solutions will allow us to accurately quantify return to make all ad dollars spent even more accountable.” In order to provide accurate measurement and ensure transparency, MMS is launching a standardized measurement framework and reporting system as well as new solutions that will be rolled out throughout the next year Currently, it is gathering data through its set of TV boxes in Saudi, called panel+, that have been audited by a third-party called 3M3A – the same auditor that’s assigned for the TV meters, which will be launched in a year’s time. The data is reported minute-by-minute in terms of content and second-by-second in terms of ad breaks, allowing advertisers to know precisely what’s working and what’s not. “This data, which was never something TV measurement enjoyed, will be provided free of charge to the agencies. This allows brands to understand how their ad copy is performing; and these KPIs bring brands closer to what digital measurement looks like – such as completion rate,” said Samara. “We then have the ability to overlay the TV data with Shahid data, which gives clients a better representation of each individual consumer in a much more realistic and uninterrupted manner.” This data was available before but only for use within the MBC Group for content optimization and such; however, MMS and MBC have decided to share this data for free with clients and agencies in the interest of democratizing information publicly. “As we believe TV boxes or TV meters are inevitable in the near future, our efforts are kind of paving the way through the same software, same hardware and same mechanism in terms of data structure that should prelude the way TV meters look like in a year,” said Samara. Much of MMS’ efforts are centered on getting the right talent to maximize its data and tech capabilities, thereby providing advertisers with transparent and holistic reporting so they can make well-informed, strategic decisions. In short, said Al-Sahhaf: “MMS is leveling up the market and driving growth not only for media agencies and clients but ultimately for MBC. We’re coming with a ‘partnering for growth’ mindset.”