{"id":13175,"date":"2019-02-25T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-02-25T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cms.alj3.clients.lemonhq.io\/perspectives\/creative-communication-design-data-new-creative-agency-set-reshape-regions-media-sector-ai\/"},"modified":"2026-03-20T06:38:17","modified_gmt":"2026-03-20T06:38:17","slug":"creative-communication-design-data-new-creative-agency-set-reshape-regions-media-sector-ai","status":"publish","type":"perspectives","link":"https:\/\/cms.alj3.clients.lemonhq.io\/en\/perspectives\/creative-communication-design-data-new-creative-agency-set-reshape-regions-media-sector-ai\/","title":{"rendered":"Creative. Communication Design. Data. A new creative agency set to reshape region\u2019s media sector through AI"},"content":{"rendered":"

After more than 20 years of success in the Middle East\u2019s advertising and media industries with its DriveDentsu agency, Abdul Latif Jameel<\/a> has revealed ambitious plans to develop a new, technology-driven creative agency for the region, focused on intensive channel planning, content creation and data-led distribution and analysis.<\/p>\n

Delphys Middle East (Delphy<\/a>sME<\/a>) is the result of a pioneering partnership between Abdul Latif Jameel<\/a> and international Japanese creative agency Delphys<\/a>. Delphys is part of the Toyota Group, although it operates totally independently.<\/p>\n

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With headquarters in Dubai and offices in Jeddah and Riyadh, the new venture offers services in everything from branding and design to digital strategy and analytics.<\/p>\n

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Noriyuki Higashi, CEO DelphysME<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

Delphys ME is led by CEO Noriyuki Higashi, together with Ramzi Abou Dargham<\/a> (COO), Michel Zouein (Executive Creative Director) and Habib Saba (Managing Director \u2013 Business Development).<\/p>\n

The team is responsible for driving forward a business that will adopt a data-based approach across all activities, including its own artificial intelligence engine called \u2018Hiro\u2019, which will help to provide clients with advanced insights and strategic guidance.<\/p>\n

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Learning from experience<\/strong><\/p>\n

DelphysME replaces DriveDentsu, which was formed in 2005 after Drive Communications \u2013 Abdul Latif Jameel\u2019s original media and advertising business established in 1997 \u2013 joined the global network of Japanese creative agency, Dentsu.<\/p>\n

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Ramzi Abou Dargham<\/a>, COO DelphysME<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

Ramzi Abou Dargham<\/a> was managing director at DriveDentsu for nine years until its closure in early 2018. \u00a0Now COO of DelphysME, he is ideally positioned to draw on his previous experience to help lead a thriving new agency to serve the entire MENA region.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDrive adopted\u00a0a traditional agency model, after originally being established as an in-house agency,\u201d he says. \u00a0\u201cBut over the past 10 years, the advance of technology and digital media has had an increasing impact on the way marketers see their businesses.\u00a0\u00a0By 2015, it had become clear that the Drive\u2019s business model was no longer sustainable. \u00a0At the same time, Dentsu\u2019s global strategy was also changing.\u00a0 We decided a whole new approach was needed that recognized technology\u2019s pivotal role in achieving clients\u2019 advertising and marketing objectives.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

The move away from DriveDentsu happened gradually over the course of 2016, and 2017.\u00a0 By early this year, Ramzi and the team of around 100 people were ready to formally join forces with Delphys\u2019 nascent Middle East operations.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe saw an opportunity to merge the two companies into a new entity and this is where DelphysME \u2013 and its new direction \u2013 was born,\u201d<\/em> he explains.<\/p>\n

\u201cDespite the current surface uncertainty in the economic climate, the Middle East\u00a0region still has lot of future potential due to its large, young and tech savvy population, also the governments are putting lot of efforts in transformational programs that gives a very interesting potential, making it an excellent place for Delphys to invest future growth\u201d says Higashi-san, and \u201cand with Abdul Latif Jameel being one of the world\u2019s the leading distributors of Toyota globally as a trusted partner of TMC for over 60 years, and Delphys a subsidiary of Toyota, the synergies in culture and business approach makes a lot of sense in this partnership.”<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cOur global knowledge and skill in integration, content, digital and personalized, one-to-one marketing puts DelphysME in a very unique position to add value to brands and brings a much-needed answer the ever-changing industry landscape of the region\u201d.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Digital natives<\/strong><\/p>\n

Over the last few years, Delphys has completed its own transformation, switching towards tech, digital and experiential marketing and away from the traditional mass marketing mix of TV, radio and out-of-home advertising. It is a move that has already paid dividends, with current clients including Panasonic, Canon, Japan Airlines, and a number of major Japanese banks.<\/p>\n

Now Ramzi hopes to replicate that success for DelphysME.<\/p>\n

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He says:<\/p>\n

\u201cDelphys ME brings together experiential, digital and technology in a way that makes us unique to other creative agencies. \u00a0We\u2019re focused on three areas: communication design, where we work with clients to find a solution for their business or marketing problems; content creation, where we identify a problem and create content for it; and distribution and data, which helps us to serve our content based on audience behaviors, preferences, historical activity, wants and desires.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>\u201cThe previous business model was basically using broadcast, scattergun media \u2013 such as TV or radio \u2013 where everybody gets the same message at the same time.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>What we do now is identify the customer, their unique personal behavior and \u2013 importantly -motivations, and what they want. \u00a0Then we create content specifically designed for them and follow that content across different channels, testing in detail and really engaging with customers to improve the relationship between them and the advertiser.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n