Krikor Khatchikian, Grey Doha, General Manager, highlights the achievements his agency has accomplished in 2017 and shares the priorities set for 2018.
How was 2017 for the agency? What were your biggest milestones?
2017 was a greyt year for Grey Doha despite all the challenges the market has encountered, including the recent geopolitical issues that arose within the GCC region. The promising results we have achieved fuel our energies for the upcoming year and retain our confidence in our historic 14-year presence in the Qatari market. Needless to say that closing the year with two PR awards from the Middle East Public Relations Association (MEPRA) – Best PR Agency in Qatar for 2017 and a Silver Award in Crisis Communication – have bolstered our credentials and boosted our team’s commitment to delivering famously effective work to our existing clients.
Was it a good year for Grey Doha in terms of new business wins?
We are proud to see Grey Doha succeeding across various sectors from banking to education, finance, retail and oil and gas, to name a few. In addition to our long term relationships in the market as with Barwa Bank Group and Al Meera Consumer Goods Company, our latest wins cover Woqod, the leading marketing company for petroleum products and related services in the region; Qatar Development Bank whose mission is to develop and empower Qatari entrepreneurs and innovators to contribute to the diversification of the Qatari economy and Education Above All, the global foundation protecting the right of children and youth to quality education.
How are you viewing 2018 in terms of a being a good, bad or ugly year?
At Grey Doha, we have always strived to turn challenges into opportunities with our consistently optimistic view. We firmly believe that our strong capabilities for innovative and creative thinking will be our beacons into 2018 and beyond.
What are some of the industry trends that you see in 2018?
In 2018, agencies will be confronted by digital realities that they can no longer ignore. We expect to see mobile marketing taking the limelight in the upcoming year with brands shifting towards making data available at hand. Augmented Reality (AR) is finally ready for the spotlight. After years of fits and starts, it is now ready to go mainstream. E-commerce, a revenue source that is quickly gaining traction with publishers, will also grow in popularity among companies which practice innovation in marketing their products to their target audiences without compromising their credibility.
