“Creativity is an ongoing debate the world over and our region is no exception,” Marwan Kai, Chairman of the IAA UAE Chapter Lynx Committee explained. “We have brought together some key industry figures who will give their own take on the dynamics that are helping to drive creativity and those that are holding it back,” said Kai.

Kai maintains that we have heard a diversity of opinions on what is happening, from a creative viewpoint, in the region, but that the unique structure of this year’s IAA Seminar will give a fresh approach and an opportunity to look at the conversation from a different perspective.

“The panelists we have secured are at the top of their professional game, both agency and client-side and are all navigating creative challenges every day. We expect some frank and thought provoking individual and collective views,” said Kai.

The session will be moderated by Mazen Hayek, Group Director of Marketing, PR & Commercial MBC Group. The four panelists are: Ashish Banerjee, Vice President, Brand, Brand & Communications du - Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company, Ahmed El-Azizi, Vice President Marketing PepsiCo MEA, Nirmal Diwadkar, Regional Creative Director, (MENA)TBWA\Raad and Malek Ghorayeb , Executive Regional Creative Director, Leo Burnett.

The panel will discuss a wide range of issues including whether the region is under-represented in international award shows and if so why? And the perennial questions of talent and leadership and whether we have the right decision makers to call the shots?

“The session will be fast paced, highly interactive and engaging, said Kai. “With lots of challenging observations and hopefully a few revelations, the conversation will no doubt continue long after the session closes,” concluded Kai.

The IAA UAE Chapter seminar, Creativity Blame it on the Client, Agency or the Consumer will run Monday, March 15, 10.30am -11.15am, Dubai Lynx Festival, The Palladium, Media City.

The new thinking fundamental is understanding that social media is a two-way conversation between brands and consumers. “Companies have to find an effective way to manage that,” explains Tuqan.

Meredith Carson, head of digital at Action PR, a Dubai-based public relations agency, says that it is equally important to respect social media for what it is. “It’s not for brands, it’s for people to interact,” she explains. “Brands need to be sociable online and respectful of the online community. While it’s fair to argue that ‘it’s just another marketing channel,’ it’s one with evolving and often fickle etiquette.”

Carson says brands are used to one-way communication via advertising, and that direct conversation with the public can present a challenge. “It requires organizations to take a fresh approach to public interaction, especially when it comes to defining spokespeople,” explains Carson.

Once brands have overcome the novelty of social media, the next challenge is opening up, says Tuqan. “The region is not very prone to open dialogue,” he explains. “Brands don’t like to laugh at themselves, and they don’t like to say ‘I’m sorry.’ But in order to be successful, social media needs to be sincere. You can set up a Twitter account, but are you prepared to hear what consumers have to say, even if it’s not positive?”

Context, timing, and tonality are of prime importance, and are essential to communication online, says Carson. “Organizations that don’t appreciate this and talk at online communities with no prior insight get gobbled up for breakfast,” she warns. “Shouting key messages and promotions at people also tends to backfire badly.”

With social media channels easily accessible to anyone, Tuqan says no one is sure who is in charge of employing the medium for marketing purposes. “Advertising agencies will say, ‘We’re creative, we should do it,’ media buyers will say they know how to reach audiences, and PR agencies will stand up and say, ‘we’ve been managing your stakeholders through all kinds of channels, so we’re best suited to manage this,’” says Tuqan, who says PR agencies are often right.

Whoever is in charge of managing social media, though, had better be prepared to keep up their side of an intelligent conversation, or watch their consumers start talking to someone else.