MMA SMARTIES honoured the most innovative and effective modern marketing campaigns that ran across the Middle East and North Africa region during 2020 at the Virtual Ceremony held after the inspiring MMA MENA Creativity Unplugged Event. The event featured “Best Cases of MENA” session held by Abdullah Ghandour, Digital Communications Manager of Etisalat, Banali Malhotra, Marketing Director of RAKBANK and SamerChebab, Regional Head of Social Media, Mindshare MENA, who raised the SMARTIES Trophy in 2019 with their winning campaigns and guided the attendees through their winning campaigns and results right before the MMA MENA SMARTIES Virtual Awards Ceremony.

MMA MENA Creativity Unplugged 2021 Brought Together Marketing Thought Leaders, TechExperts and Researchers

The half-day event hosted MENA thought leaders from leading brands of the marketing ecosystem. Marc De SwaanArons, Founder at the Institute for Real Growth, made a striking introduction about the new profile of ‘’The da Vinci Growth CMO’’ for the event opening.‘’The Art of Storytelling in the Mobile Age’’ session held by Ali Conker, Migros and Faheem Saiyad from Storyly, enlightened the attendees about the ways of turning storytelling into mobile experiences.

When it comes to creativity, TikTok has become the first social media platform that comes to mind in this Digital Era. At the TikTok panel, Sami Moutran,Senior Director Business Marketing and Communications, METAP, TikTok expressed their achieved goal of unleashing the creativity in today’s user. The session is followed by ‘’The Ramadan Creative Playbook’’ panel whereAhmedYounis A.K.A fizo, Creative Shop Lead, Facebook, MENA sharedvaluabletipstohelpbrandscreateRamadanmagicandunlocknewgrowthopportunitiesbefore, duringandafterRamadan. One of there markable sessions of the event was the ‘’IDFA ios 14 MenaLandscape’’ Panel ledbysubjectmatterexperts: Cihan Ozturk, Product SalesLead, App,Criteo, AlexRitchie, Product Manager, Privactand Data, AdColony, UtkarshSinha, Head of Product Marketing, InMobi as they discussed one of today’s hottest topics on data driven advertising.

Record Number of Case Submissionsin 2020 Compared to Previous Years!

The aspect that sets this year’s SMARTIES Awards apart from the previous years is the newly added themes considering the events affecting the world such as Covid-19 and Social Responsibility under the main category called ‘’BusinessUnusual 2020’’Despiteuncertaintimes, in 2020, there were twice as more campaigns submitted to take the coveted SMARTIES trophy home compared to last year. The esteemed jury consisted of marketing thought leaders from MENA, voted to chose MMA MENA SMARTIES 2020’s winning campaigns after a long and dedicated process of evaluation among more than hundred submissions.

While Gold, Silver and Bronze SMARTIES were presented to their owners at the Virtual AwardCeremony, Themostsuccessful Media Agency, TechnologyEnabler, Ad Network, Advertiser and Best in-show Case of SMARTIES MENA 2020 have been honored by receiving The Industry Awards.

Here aretheMMA MENA SMARTIES 2020 WinnersBased on Categories:

MARKETING OBJECTIVE

BrandAwareness:

• Memotraits – AI Brings Memories to Life FOR RAKBANK, Pixelplus Media– GOLD

• Dubai Properties La Vie // MENA // AdColony FOR Dubai Properties, Dubai Holding Group, AdColony, Magna, AdColony – GOLD

• Vodafone Qatar 5G Launch Campaign – Red Velvet and Stop the Clock FOR Vodafone Qatar, InMobi, Wavemaker Qatar – SILVER

• KitKat Core FOR KitKat, Nestle, AdColony, Zenith MENA –SILVER

• PlayStation / Marvel Iron Man VR // MENA // AdColony FOR PlayStation, Sony Interactive Entertainment, AdColony, MediaCom –BRONZE

• Whiskas // MENA // AdColony FOR Whiskas, Mars Group, AdColony, Mediacom –BRONZE

LeadGeneration / Direct Response / Conversions:

• FCA FOR Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Apex Exchange, Publicis Group, Yazle –GOLD

• Prediction Meets Tradition- Striking Gold with Machine Learning FOR RAKBANK, UM, Airpush –SILVER

• Euphoria Moments FOR RAKBANK, Silverpush –SILVER

• Lux – Device ID FOR Lux / Unilever, Magna, Lifesight –BRONZE

• stc pay Stay at Home Campaign FOR stc pay, STC, InMobi, UM Saudi Arabia – BRONZE

Product /Services Launch:

• PlayStation / Marvel Iron Man VR // MENA // AdColony FOR PlayStation, Sony Interactive Entertainment, AdColony, MediaCom– GOLD

• CONVERTSATIONS- Kickstarting new SMEs amidst the Pandemic FOR RAKBANK, UM, Project Agora – GOLD

• McDonald’s Taskeeta // MENA // AdColony FOR McDonald’s KSA, McDonald’s Corporation, AdColony, Abdel Kader Khereiji&Parters // Targets –SILVER
• Vodafone Qatar 5G Launch Campaign – Red Velvet and Stop the Clock FOR Vodafone Qatar, InMobi, Wavemaker Qatar –SILVER

• Dettol Shower Gel // MENA // AdColony FOR Dettol, Reckitt Benckiser, AdColony, Universal McCann– BRONZE

• M&M’s Minis Are Back FOR M&M’s, Mars, AdColony, MediaCom– BRONZE

GenderEquality in Advertising:

• She Can Play FOR RAKBANK, Kiyany Media– GOLD

MEDIA

Mobile Gaming, Gamification& E-Sports:

• Euphoria Moments FOR RAKBANK, Silverpush-GOLD

• GSK Centrum GNE FOR Centrum, GSK, AdColony, Publicis Media-SILVER

• McDonalds – Quarantine Offers FOR McDonalds, Bruce Clay MENA, Yazle, Activision Blizzard Media-BRONZE
• Galaxy Dates Ramadan FOR Galaxy, Mars Group, AdColony, MediaCom-BRONZE

Mobile Social:

• She Can Play FOR RAKBANK, Kiyany Media-GOLD

• Storyly FOR App Samurai-SILVER

Mobile App:

• Etisalat Moonwalk // MENA // AdColony FOR Etisalat, Emirates Telecommunication Group Company, AdColony, Initiative, AdColony –SILVER

• stc pay Stay at Home Campaign FOR stc pay, STC, InMobi, UM Saudi Arabia –BRONZE

TECHNOLOGY

Mobile Video:

• KitKat Core FOR KitKat, Nestle, AdColony, Zenith MENA-GOLD

• M&M’s Minis Are Back FOR M&M’s, Mars, AdColony, MediaCom –GOLD

• Memotraits – AI Brings Memories to Life FOR RAKBANK, Pixelplus Media – GOLD

• Kotex FOR Kotex, Kimberly-Clark, Mindshare, Yazle-SILVER

• GSK Oral Sensodyne FOR Sensodyne, GSK, AdColony, Publicis Media-BRONZE

LocationBased Services orTargeting:

• Hajj Pack FOR Hajj Pack / LifeBuoy / Unilever, Magna, InMobi, Blis, DMS –GOLD

• Lux – Device ID FOR Lux / Unilever, Magna, Lifesight –SILVER

• Real-Time Location Based Mobile Engagement FOR National Bank of Kuwait, Mall IQ –SILVER

• Lifebuoy Purpose (Blis) FOR Lifebuoy, Unilever, Magna, Blis–BRONZE

• McDonald’s Taskeeta // MENA // AdColony FOR McDonald’s KSA, McDonald’s Corporation, AdColony, Abdel Kader Khereiji&Parters // Targets –BRONZE

M-Commerce:

• stc pay Stay at Home Campaign FOR stc pay, STC, InMobi, UM Saudi Arabia–BRONZE

Innovation:

• Axe Chill FOR Axe / Unilever, Magna, INMOBI, ANGHAMI– GOLD

• Snickers Hunger Support Campaign FOR Snickers, Mars, InMobi, Mediacom UAE &Xaxis UAE-GOLD

• McDonald’s Taskeeta // MENA // AdColony FOR McDonald’s KSA, McDonald’s Corporation, AdColony, Abdel Kader Khereiji&Parters // Targets– SILVER

• TikTok Hive FOR TikTok, ByteDance FZ LLC, Netizency, Premiere Global Services– SILVER

• Lipton Stay At Home FOR Lipton, Unilever, Magna Global –SILVER

• M&M’s Minis Are Back FOR M&M’s, Mars, AdColony, MediaCom –BRONZE

• PlayStation / Marvel Iron Man VR // MENA // AdColony FOR PlayStation, Sony Interactive Entertainment, AdColony, MediaCom –BRONZE

Mobile Audio / Voice:

• McDonald’s Regional Brand Trust // Hygiene FOR McDonald’s, AdColony, Studio M Publicis Media –BRONZE

• Etisalat Sonic // MENA // AdColony FOR Etisalat, Emirates Telecommunication Group Company, AdColony, Initiative, AdColony –BRONZE

Data/Insights:

• Hajj Pack FOR Hajj Pack / LifeBuoy / Unilever, Magna, InMobi, Blis, DMS –SILVER

• AxeChill FOR Axe / Unilever, Magna, INMOBI, ANGHAMI –BRONZE

• Whiskas // MENA // AdColony FOR Whiskas, Mars Group, AdColony, Mediacom –BRONZE

Machine Learning/AI:

• Dove Amazon FOR DOVE / Unilever, Magna, Amazon– GOLD

• Snickers Hunger Support Campaign FOR Snickers, Mars, InMobi, Mediacom UAE &Xaxis UAE –GOLD

• Euphoria Moments FOR RAKBANK, Silverpush –SILVER

• Memotraits – AI Brings Memories to Life FOR RAKBANK, Pixelplus Media– BRONZE

• Prediction Meets Tradition- Striking Gold with Machine Learning FOR RAKBANK, UM, Airpush –BRONZE

BUSINESS UNUSUAL 2020

SocialResponsibility:

• Covid19 Resilience Grant FOR App Samurai– GOLD

• Hope Is Born FOR P&G – Pampers, Procter & Gamble, Leo Burnett Beirut –GOLD

• Rexon Move More Stay Home FOR Rexona, Unilever, Magna –SILVER

• Lifebuoy Purpose FOR Lifebuoy, Unilever, Magna, Blis –BRONZE

TechnologyInnovation:

• GSK Centrum GNE FOR Centrum, GSK, AdColony, Publicis Media– GOLD

• Etisalat Sonic // MENA // AdColony FOR Etisalat, Emirates Telecommunication Group Company, AdColony, Initiative –GOLD

• Arm & Hammer – Alternate Uses for Baking Soda FOR Arm & Hammer, Church & Dwight, Saturday, Yazle –SILVER

COVID-19 App:

• stc pay Stay at Home Campaign FOR stc pay, STC, InMobi, UM Saudi Arabia –SILVER

CustomerExperience:

• Etisalat Sonic // MENA // AdColony FOR Etisalat, Emirates Telecommunication Group Company, AdColony, Initiative-GOLD

• McDonald’s Regional Brand Trust // Hygiene FOR McDonald’s, AdColony, Studio M Publicis Media-SILVER
• TikTok Hive FOR TikTok, ByteDance FZ LLC, TikTok, Netizency, Premiere Global Services– SILVER

• Snickers Hunger Support Campaign FOR Snickers, Mars, InMobi, Mediacom UAE &Xaxis UAE-SILVER

• CONVERTSATIONS- Kickstarting new SMEs amidst the Pandemic FOR RAKBANK, UM, Project Agora –BRONZE

INDUSTRY AWARDS

MEDIA AGENCY OF THE YEAR IS: MAGNA

TECHNOLOGY ENABLER OF THE YEAR IS: INMOBI

AD NETWORK OF THE YEAR IS: ADCOLONY

ADVERTISER OF THE YEAR IS: RAKBANK

BEST IN SHOW: SNICKERS HUNGER SUPPORT CAMPAIGN – SNICKERS | MARS | InMobi | MediaCom UAE &Xaxis UAE