PROXIMITY MATTERS

ADVOCATING LOCATION FOR

BRAND SUCCESS
WELCOME BACK
TO UM LABS...
UM LABS REPORT
Foreword
L
inked to the digital
revolution, consumer’s
anticipations are evolving
speedier than ever. Today,
those expectations alongside
decision-making habits,
comprehend a broad range of
real-time information with media
experiences firmly rooted into
every media consumer interface.
Today in an eclectic cluttered messaging market, proximity
will help your brand shine when it’s truly about survival of
the fittest.
Since we fancy distinguished technology and data
collaborations, our second playbook combines a trio
approach to proximity marketing, combining strategy,
data and experience.
UM Labs and Planet Retail have identified the fundamental
proximity based insights and trends, which brands should
PROXIMITY MATTERS
buckle for today by zooming into consumer, connected
experiences to understand how location matters.
To put the dots on the ‘I’s, we shouted out to regional
experts from Google MENA to share exclusive data and
instructive opinions on the status quo of proximity and
mobile in the region.
Upon reading this report, you’ll inherit the endless potential
applications of proximity marketing, from ‘contextually
mobile fed’ billboards, to location embedded social
streams. Explore new technologies, and the keenness of
control that these technologies are cultivating, and how
it means that putting a personal impression on a product
or experience will still stimulate and delight your brand
advocates or shifters.
Flutter your ‘thirsty for innovation’ mind with our second
playbook, and as always, Happy Innovating!
Rasha Rteil
Head of Innovation @ UM MENA | UM Labs
 HOW MUCH
CAN YOU
INNOVATIVE WITH 4-5

PROXIMITY?
Contents

08
CREATING
14
UNDERSTANDING
20
WORKING
26
MASTERING
CONNECTED THE IMPORTANCE TOGETHER TO CONTEXTUAL
EXPERIENCES OF LOCATION STAND APART COMMERCE
6-7
 C R E AT I N G
CONNECTED
EXPERIENCES

WHY CONSUMERS ARE MORE OPEN TO CONNECTED

EXPERIENCES
 CREATING CONNECTED EXPERIENCES

T
here is no doubt that the connected consumer has OF SHOPPERS FEEL
embraced the power of mobile. We are all seeking
THAT TECHNOLOGY
more convenient and meaningful experiences in our
everyday lives. We use our mobiles increasingly to support our MAKES THEIR
individual needs – according to time of day and location, as SHOPPING EXPERIENCE BETTER.1
well as personal preference.

This desire for digitally enhanced and tailored experiences

offers an unprecedented opportunity to engage with, and
influence, these connected consumers. Digital interaction,
in place and time, is now a key link to more pervasive and
seamless brand experiences. It is the one device we always
have with us and often check more than 50 times a day.
We are seeking to connect the online and physical worlds,
8-9
using context, including location, to inform our intent, in the
moment.

Today’s generations of connected Middle Eastern consumers

have not grown up in the PC age, and are much more open to
engagement that is truly relevant to them. Brands must seize
this opportunity to enrich the customer experience, in ways
that can capitalize on each individual’s ‘moment of intent’. In
this age of connectedness, anticipating such moments will
require new levels of marketing dexterity. To achieve this, it is
not only necessary to understand the opportunity, especially
on a regional level; but also how to maximize its full potential
in making meaningful connections with customers in every
moment. It will be crucial to choose the right technologies and
partners to tailor approaches in the burgeoning Middle East
and North African markets particularly.

2
Planet Retail Shopology™, 90,000 polled, across 15 countries, 2014-2015

 OF CONNECTED CONSUMERS HAVE NOT USED
THEIR MOBILES WHILE WATCHING TV3.
WHY CONSIDER THIS?
Participation
The appetite for mobile interaction
in the Middle East is outstripping
many mature Western markets. Last
year alone 93% of internet users
across Lebanon, Qatar, United Arab
Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and
Egypt went online for the first time
via mobile phone2.
Context
Mobile communication adds the
dimension of context, with place
and time, to digital interactions.
Brands have the opportunity to
capture attentions to entice or
distract with engagement that is
more relevant, based on context.
2
Northwestern University in Qatar, Harris Interactive and the Pan Arab Research Center
3
GWI Device Report (Q1 2016)
Synchronization
Brands will need to synchronize
this engagement consistently
with appropriate content at every
touch point using a thorough
understanding of their target
audience.
WHAT’S IT IN FOR
YOUR BRAND?
Consistency
Traditional media is just part of
today’s story. Brands that embrace
mobile interactivity like Visa Middle
East, with extra content, offers and
campaigns can target their audiences
more accurately. Create hero calls to
action from one platform to another
to make digital advertising and
marketing investments go further.
Connections
Rewarding a loyal customer for
‘checking in’ at a location on social
media, or making exclusive content
‘shoppable’ like H&M or products
available locally delivers more
connected brand engagement
across platforms.
Region
Fine tune engagement to reap
regional dividends. Smartphone
penetration is highest in the Kingdom
of Saudi Arabia (KSA) at 79%, while
only 6% in Egypt. Any location-based
brand engagement should focus on
only the most receptive audiences.
 CREATING CONNECTED
EXPERIENCES

WHO’S PUSHING THE MOBILE BOUNDRIES?

Triggering the right brand

connection
Brands are no strangers to using the
music recognition app Shazam to link Engagement that spans
TV and other advertising to online the globe
media. But Coca-Cola, Shazam and According to Visa’s 2015 Global Travel
Bluetooth beacon provider Gimbal Intentions Study, 55% of millennials
enabled mobile users to experience and 81% of people surveyed in the
10-11
drinking a Coke Zero from an ad. MENA region were planning a trip
www.shazam.com abroad in 2015. It wanted to provide
everyone with an opportunity to
explore these places like a local. As
Samsung Smart TV owners buy part of a multi-phased campaign,
by remote consumers submitted their pictures,
The Super Bowl – the most watched videos and tips using the hashtag
televised event in the world – saw the #NotATourist. The #NotATourist
debut of real-time shoppable TV in website generated over 8,000 visits
2014, with an H&M commercial for a day and received four times more
David Beckham’s underwear range. views than the Visa Middle East
Samsung smart TV owners were able website. The campaign had a reach
to receive real-time calls to action of 83m, with 12.8m interactions,
on-screen, prompting them to offers 9.26m video views and over 5.6k
to buy products from the ad that they submissions.
liked with their remote. www.visamiddleeast.com
www.hm.com
 CREATING CONNECTED EXPERIENCES
12-13
Fusing online and art in the
real world
Outdoor network Al Arabia turned
its nationwide outdoor network into
one gigantic art gallery last year.
A selection of work uploaded to a
dedicated website found its way
to over 5,000 outdoor sites across
the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The
biggest art gallery in the world
became a conversational piece across
social media, and the story quickly
became news around the world with
free regional and global coverage
over 10 TV channels, 20 publications
and 45 websites, valued at close to 3
million riyals.
UM Labs & Rani spin Comic Con visitors were urged to connect
into action multi their mobile via www.SpinRani.com to a
screening activation grand screen at the Rani stand to Spin & Win
Rani Refreshments in by swiping their finger across their mobile
partnership with UM screen activating the Wheel of fortune in
Labs, the technology & real-time. This generated 2500 spins in
innovation division of UM 9 hours, attracted 200 repeated visitors
MENA launched a multi screening innovative and gave away 1400 prizes ranging from
execution at the Comic Con Dubai 2016 . Apple watches, gaming consoles and Virgin
This on ground media execution was crafted vouchers. Gazing at the magic, users where
by combining old stream media - projection amazed how their mobiles became their
screens and the most consumed channel – joysticks with the thrill of wining nonstop
mobile; proof of an agency smartly unlocking prizes along with the smart use of technology
multi-screening in the finest context, ignited created a furore of a crowd and emotions.
by canning technology. www.macys.com
Gamifying the powers
of persuasion
In Pakistan, branded hot drink Horlicks has
been popular with mothers who concerned
with their kids’ development. But it was
harder getting kids to pester them to buy
more. Engaging the moms via social media
with a cinematic trailer, dedicated website and page takeover, Horlicks launched a
free kid’s game. An obstacle-ridden, robot-infested journey through three worlds
offered game play and mechanics centered on brand and product elements. It also
linked back to sales: for special-edition-packs with codes for secret game content.
U N D E R S TA N D I N G
T H E I M P O R TA N C E
O F L O C AT I O N

W H Y I T I S S O I M P O R TA N T F O R B R A N D S
T O L O C AT E L O C A L O P P O R T U N I T I E S
 UNDERSTANDING THE IMPORTANCE OF LOCATION

C
onsumers have seized on the speed and
convenience of access to information and
interaction using their mobiles that are their
constant companion. By tapping into the time and place
where they engage with a brand, it becomes possible
to exceed expectations by offering interactions that are
relevant in the moment.

Take, for example, the fact that two-fifths (40%) of

consumers globally had used their mobile device to
compare prices when out shopping. This proportion rises
even higher, to 46% in emerging markets like the Middle
East. If they are checking prices, then they are also at
that time more open to offers, and other immediate,
14-15
value-added information, experiences and engagement.

For MENA brands to make the most of these moments,

mobile engagement has to evolve. The irrelevant banner
or pop-up ad is not going to catch the busy shopper’s
eye. Instead, carefully crafted ads or push messages
that are compatible with the browser or app used, and
maybe even based on location or the time of the day,
are more likely to capture attention and drive interaction.
Geo-location services, along with consumer analytics,
can also prove a secret brand weapon in understanding
consumer preferences and responding relevantly to them.
Brands will have to become masters at creating multiple
types of tailored ads and content in local languages that
use social, video and user generated content to convert a
browser to click through to their offer.
Brands are also combining the use of location and point
of purchase data to gain the final-mile visibility needed
for more laser-focused, relevant content and messages.

16% OF SHOPPERS RECEIVED LOYALTY SCHEME OFFERS VIA THEIR MOBILE

WHILE IN A STORE, AND REDEEMED THEM IMMEDIATELY4
4
On Device Research, September 2014
68% OF ONLINE CONSUMERS IN THE UAE AGREE THAT
THE RELEVANCE OF A COMPANY’S MESSAGE INFLUENCES THEIR
OPINION OF A BRAND5

WHY CONSIDER THIS?

Locating The Data Timeliness Relevancy

The growing number of MENA
smartphone means mobile and
wireless network operators and
search engines are in prime
position to enhance targeted brand
marketing with location-based traffic
and footfall data.
Give to get
Brands can become heroes using
rich online customer information
with location-based intelligence
gained from mobile interaction.
But the magic of GPS data can
only be unlocked when there is
enough reason to give permission
to access it. So compelling content
and timing is essential.
A whopping 90% of Saudi Arabian Tailoring content for regional markets
shoppers stopped postponed on should be a given. Examples, like
shifted buying to an alternate channel Pepsi’s, take this even further by
because of using their mobile while in a getting local audiences involved. This
store. This percentage dropped to 88% approach has the added advantage
in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and of ensuring your brand stays relevant,
74% in Egypt. So timing is everything. while elevating it above your
competitors.
WHAT’S IT IN FOR
YOUR BRAND? Region
Brands responding to context,
Affinity like location, time of day and
Social media can be your brand’s best device, should use these signals to
ally when localizing engagement. supplement their understanding
Targeting a readymade audience, of intent, which includes search
as Souq did when it partnered with queries, content viewed and
the Middle Eastern Buzzfeed, can previous interactions with your
increase interactions, viral reach and brand, for more targeted marketing
marketing conversion. campaigns.

5
Ipsos Moments that Matter Research, June 2015, UAE

WHO’S LOCATING THE OPPORTUNITIES?
Social campaign boosts retail
sales event
Souq last year collaborated with
Kasra, an Arabic website of viral
stories, to strengthen its relationship
with Arab consumers and awareness
of its ‘White Friday’ sales event. Brand
stories broadcast on Kasra’s Facebook
and Twitter channels invited readers
to interact on social media, which
included answering their questions
on where to find price information.
Ten brand stories achieved 670,000+
page views, with 60% from Egypt,
30% from KSA, and 10% from the rest
of the region.
Opportunity knocks for
location-based app
Notify Nearby enables customers
to follow brands including fashion
retailer Ted Baker through its
app, which sends them relevant
notifications based on their locations.
Location data and beacon technology
powers this customized feed to
ensure it only shares information of
interest.
UNDERSTANDING THE
IMPORTANCE OF LOCATION
16-17
Standing out from the crowd
KFC wanted to celebrate the launch
of its 700th store in the Middle
East using the iconic brand face
of KFC, The Colonel. It created a
marketing buzz around the brand
by having The Colonel visit various
existing restaurants, which were
announced on social media using
the #unleashthecolonel hashtag and
resulted in 20% greater levels of
engagement. With a constant live
update of events as they happened,
its audience was encouraged to visit
locations that included KFC stores to
meet and greet the Colonel.
 UNDERSTANDING THE IMPORTANCE OF LOCATION

Billboards go hyper-personal
Launching this year in the UAE,
OfferMoments makes billboards
change as shoppers walk by,
displaying their face as well as offers
according to their preferences.
Shoppers can use a micro-location
app to pick up and redeem offers at
nearby retailers and mall owners who
have installed iBeacons. Each screen learns about the passerby from their social
profiles and passes information to the next screen to refine engagement.
18-19

Linking physical fitness with

financial sense
Carrefour targets at the Emirates NBD made an opportunity
speed of light out of the fact that people’s fitness
Carrefour is testing Philips’ rates in the UAE, both physically and
lighting messaging technology financially, aren’t great. So it launched
in an outlet in Lille. Instead of the region’s first-ever fitness account,
relying on Bluetooth beacons, it combining gamification with the
uses an LED lighting system to incentive of keeping fit body in body
send codes via light waves. The and bank balance. In just one month,
camera of a smartphone can it encourages 53m steps and AED
detect these codes to highlight 16.07m saved.
offers and rewards to shoppers
based on their location in the
store.
 WORKING
TOGETHER TO
S TA N D A PA R T
W H Y C O L L A B O R AT I O N I S B E S T W AY T O G E T N E A R
TO THE CONSUMER
 WORKING TOGETHER TO STAND APART

C
onsumers are bombarded with more marketing
messages than ever. So retail brands and
merchants will have to work more closely
together to stand apart in this crowded digital world.
Moreover, making the right connections to capture the
mobile shopper is likely to prove essential in meeting
the need for scale and reach, along with relevancy.

The importance of mobile in shopping decision-making

processes is huge. In the US, 87% of consumers perform
a mobile search before entering the store. While 68%
in KSA and 61% in UAE are looking for early purchase
inspiration online, with 80% and 57% of these searches
respectively performed on mobile6.
Rayan Karaky, Head of DoubleClick MENA, Google,
20-21
characterizes these searches as “micro-moments”
or opportunities to deliver “hyper-personalized
experiences”. His insight into the intersection of
programmatic and location-based advertising bears out
the need for joining up more contextual information
about each individual customer shopping journey’s
intent.

“Buying advertising employs hyper-local targeting

methodology, while tracking is necessary for cross-
device visibility,” Karaky said. “You can’t look at
device interaction in isolation if you are going to
attribute value to the path purchase. You have to
know the point where they converted.” He adds that
the mall-based shopping culture in the Middle East
especially, presents both opportunities for brands
and practical challenges in terms of geo-location
technology effectiveness.
But innovations are always pushing the boundaries.
Understanding who and how to target in order
maximize returns on location-based marketing
investment will require new and existing partnerships
to monitor and track delivery.

6
Google MENA
WHY CONSIDER THIS?
Partners
It is crucial to identify suitable
location-based marketing
partners. For instance, a popular
app publisher or a retailer
whose locations and/or app
integration can target receptive
customers. Seize the opportunity
for personalization based on
customer data, whether in
proximity to or actually in the
store, at the concession, or shelf
edge.
Visibility
Bluetooth beacons, for example,
can be a proxy to tie offline
brand interactions back to online
content. Consider the frequency
that people will engage with
purpose-built apps, with the likes
of Shopkick and its gamified
rewards being exceptions to the
rule.
Personalization
Aggregated, anonymised data
used at scale boosts
1
Google MENA & UM Labs
segmentation, while retention-
focused analysis should drive
highly personalized initiatives.
Both could benefit from the
migration offline of dynamic
product offers, recommendations
and retargeted or programmatic-
based advertising.
WHAT’S IT IN FOR
YOUR BRAND?
Relevance
Providing brand consistent
engagement across all
digital touch points can
also incentivize your target
audience to convert a virtual
experience into a physical
one. Such contextualized
commerce is especially good
for brands that collaborate with
a complimentary retail brand,
merchant, property owner or
publisher that shares their target
consumer segments.
OF SHOPPERS SAID
THEY WANTED A
MORE PERSONALIZED
EXPERIENCE THAT
WAS TAILORED AND
RELEVANT TO THEIR
NEEDS1.
Scale
Giving your audience a reason
to trust your brand with personal
mobile information can add a vital
extra dimension to the reach, as
well as relevance of a campaign.
Region
Alex Brunori, Head of Creative
Agencies MENA, Google says
the region is ahead of the curve
in terms of smartphone adoption
and suggests, “Creatively
speaking, we are witnessing the
dawn of the possibilities of tech-
enabled proximity marketing”.
 WORKING TOGETHER TO STAND APART

WHO’S SETTING THE BAR ON COLLABORATION?

Developing Exploiting brand and product affinities

tailored Everyone loves a free offer. Free Coke was offered at
regional Norwegian cinema chain CAPA if the cinemagoer had
content Norwegian publisher VG’s app on their phone with notifications
L’Oréal last year on as they walked through their foyers. Beacons from proximity
trialled a mobile network Unacast were used to gather data, which was stored
technology anonymously so that those
that enabled redeeming the offer could be
it to turn any consumer touch point, from print and retargeted with a free cinema
TV advertising to eCommerce, retail stores and social ticket online a later date.
22-23
media, into an instant purchasing opportunity. This Nearly two-thirds (60%) clicked
gave the global beauty brand the opportunity to test on the retargeted ad they were
the popularity of particular products within particular served a week later.
locations, where it could target its most important
customers at times when they were most receptive to
L’Oréal’s offering. Customers could make purchases
OF SHOPPERS GLOBALLY
at any point of sale, allowing the brand to closely track AGREED THAT TECHNOLOGY
sales back to the precise location where they may have MAKES THEIR SHOPPING
interacted with its marketing campaign. EXPERIENCES BETTER2.

Sporting interaction pays off

Ooredoo, the Kuwaiti communications company, harnessed the shared
love of football with a TV, print, outdoor, online and social media campaign
that invited fans of French football team PSG to a mobile-friendly microsite
to watch their own message being read by a PSG player. The winning
messages were then displayed in the stadium during matches.

2
Planet Retail Shopology™, December 2015
 WORKING TOGETHER TO STAND APART
Souq.com creates dynamic
ad campaigns
24-25
Souq.com embraced the capabilities
of DoubleClick Dynamic Creative to
create dynamic ads with replaceable
content around its White Friday sales
event. The plan to advertise one
product on sale every hour relied on
programmatic technology to produce
relevant ads in captivating formats on
the Google Display Network. Four
versions of the video ad were served
to four different countries – the UAE,
KSA, Kuwait and Egypt. On YouTube,
a TrueView campaign drove over
2m views across desktop, tablet and
mobile, while the mastheads created
mass awareness and drove significant
sales.
Collaboration requires scale
and reach
Macy’s partners with Shopkick to
send shoppers rewards simply for
entering a store. The app offers
location-specific deals that can also
earn Shopkick rewards. Using iBeacons
enables targeting of specific brands, as
shoppers are approaching or walking
past a promoted product. Over half
of the Shopkick users have been to
Macy›s because they use the app.
Instagram fosters Arabic
language learning
These days kids spend most of their free
time online. However, 55% of online
content is in English compared to a mere
0.8% in Arabic, limiting their engagement
with the language. With some 8 out of
10 people in Kuwait active on Instagram,
Zain Kuwait interactive, story-telling
platform made exclusively for Instagram, where kids can enjoy these stories in
Arabic with their parents or other family members. The first three Instabook stories
generated a 35% engagement rate, inspiring the development of nine more
monthly Zain Instabooks for the year.
 MASTERING
CONTEXTUAL
COMMERCE
T R U LY I N T U I T I V E T E C H N O L O G I E S A R E S E T T O
TRANSFORM CUSTOMER INTERACTIONS FOREVER.
 MASTERING CONTEXTUAL COMMERCE

T
he evidence is overwhelming: brands should
harness growing mobile engagement in MENA
for its ability to boost participation levels and
performance visibility with the added contextual
dimension of proximity.

However, despite a large and fast growing population of

digitally savvy mobile users, MENA’s mobile advertising
spends remains the lowest among all regions in the
world7. In fact, in 2013, the region contributed just $50
million to a global mobile advertising spend of $15.8
billion. This represents 140% growth compared to 2012
levels; but lags the pace seen elsewhere in the world.
Yet The Dubai Mall for example, the largest in the world,
26-27
houses 1,200 stores and attracted a captive audience
of over 65 million shoppers in 2012 alone, more than
visited New York that year.

The disconnection between the relative opportunity, and

a brand’s regional ability to execute has arguably been
hampered by a lack of sophisticated mobile marketing
MOBILE
ADVERTISING GROWTH
infrastructure. It is not only necessary to get the content
and partnerships right, correctly determining context
from location, but marrying that data with personally
identifiable information is key. COMPARED TO 2012
Proximity-based SMS, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi marketing
can offer consumers the privacy of opting into location- best practice is seeing brands develop marketing
based engagement, as opposed to beacons, apps and messages that reflect the context in which they are
downloads, which usually require a user to share their delivered, with clear, content-rich calls to action that
personal information in advance. Regardless, emerging reflect local and cultural, as well as personal, nuance.

7
eMarketer, 2013-14
WHY CONSIDER THIS?
Enrichment
Refining individual shopping
experiences based on relevant
context is a substantial gateway
to further enriching relationships
with shoppers. Various marketing
efforts, like loyalty programs,
offers and coupons can enhance
shopper insights and geo-
fenced location data to boost
personalization efforts.
Interaction
Bringing social media to life in the
store, for example, can create a
more compelling experience in
the right context and at the right
time for the consumer. This also
provides shoppers with the peer
feedback they crave, and brand
interaction they may be looking
for.
Privacy
There is a fine line between
intimacy and intimidating for
any shopper. Shoppers value
context, but will not tolerate
marketers invading their privacy.
This is where context that reflects
time and location, and therefore
immediate relevancy and value –
along with clear calls to action – is
essential.
WHAT’S IT IN FOR
YOUR BRAND?
Conversion
Fully embracing the concept
of engaging with consumers
during their moments of intent
by responding to them in context
can improve the performance of
a marketing campaign. Google
MENA is focusing heavily on
programmatic mobile advertising
delivery, for example, which
location awareness can support
and boost.
Loyalty
Early proximity marketing
campaigns have focused
on blanket engagement.
Nevertheless, your brand should
also focus on your highest value
customers, to drive total customer
35% OF
SHOPPER USED THEIR
MOBILE DEVICE TO
ACCESS A STORE OR
MALL’S WI-FI NETWORK
TO ACCESS THE
INTERNET8
lifetime value (CLV) and maximize
ROI. After all, every marketer
knows the cost of acquiring new
customers is far higher than the
costs of retaining existing ones.
Region
Given the fact that mobile usage,
even of video, is so high in
MENA, but ad spend is relatively
low, brands should also learn
from partners and successful
developments in other regions
to help offer more tailored and
compelling content that delivers
returns, around CLV particularly.

WHO’S WINNING THE PROXMITY RACE?
Fast food brand makes
social pay
McDonald’s in Istanbul ran two
beacon-enabled marketing
campaigns at 15 of its McD Cafés
to build awareness for new lines of
beverages and burgers. Beacons sent
promotional coupons to customers in
the ordering line who already had the
Shopping Genie loyalty app. Offers
were also tailored according to diners’
pre-selected likes. With a conversion
rate of 20%, one third who received
the promotion liked it so much they
used it more than once.
MASTERING CONTEXTUAL COMMERCE
Luxury experiences
embrace loyalty
The Brown Thomas Loyalty App saves
users’ checkout time and personalizes
the shopping experience. Users
can check their Points Balance,
store digital receipts, book events
& personal shopping as well as get
priority notifications. The service relies
on beacon technology, which alerts
concession owners when one of their
high-value customers enters the store.
28-29
Targeting with
personalized offers
US retail giant Target included
personalized recommendations in
the ‘For You’ section of its popular
Cartwheel app and rapidly saw
a more-than 10% increase in the
number of offers downloaded per
user. First introduced in the spring
2013 and downloaded more than
18 million times, the latest version
of the app enables users to tap on a
map icon on the barcode screen to
see exactly where to find deals on
their shopping list in their local Target
store.
 MASTERING CONTEXTUAL COMMERCE

Smart tech eliminates

proximity barriers
Another regional proximity-marketing
alternative, iSIGN, delivers relevant,
timely messages on an opt-in basis at
no charge to consumers, transmitting
rich media to mobile devices via
Bluetooth and Wi-Fi as opposed
to requiring beacons, apps, and
downloads. Its Smart Antenna infrastructure safeguards privacy and eliminates the
need for consumers to surrender personal information.
30-31
AR helping customers find
their way
To overcome the tracking limitations
in closed environments like buildings,
Google ATAP is working on Project
Crowdsourcing users add context Tango, a technology that gives an
The Hunt fashion app allows users to Android mobile device, equipped
post a photo of an item they found in a with special cameras and sensors, the
magazine or that someone on the street ability to navigate the physical world
is wearing and the community will help to with accurate spatial perception.
find it. Users can also ask their followers So a grocery store that receives a
for advice regarding what they are wearing customer’s shopping list can create
or planning to wear. This example of an augmented reality (AR) map in real
‘crowdsourcing’ commerce can be a strong time to show the most efficient route
indicator of what kinds of audience are also around each store.
likely to be open to hyper-local branded
messages and offers.
UM LABS REPORT
The Golden Proximity Opportunity
B
rands have endless opportunities to discover
customers’ intent. Why not use this knowledge to
personalize every aspect of their brand experience –
from where they are, to automating customization of content
and channel?
With mobile, consumers are seeking out more immersive
experiences that include social, 3D, AR and 360 videos,
as well as location-aware relevancy. With that declared
us marketers should must make sure the content is as
enriched with context as its delivery is targeted and
efficient.
Absorbing the location-based opportunities, it is easy
to see how powerful mobile has become in the average
MENA shoppers’ decision-making process. However,
MENA marketers have some way to go to harness its
available opportunities.
Taking all of these considerations into account, the
opportunity lies in the creation of tailored content
messages and brand experiences that demonstrate true
local knowledge and nuance. The MENA region stands
out because of its very digitally engaged and savvy young
population.
Brands integrating proximity-marketing initiatives with the
latest data capabilities will move beyond awareness building
to tangible performance tracking too, and so, capitalize on
their customers’ moments of intent.
Now off you go to building proximity centric experiences for
your savvy consumers.
Rasha Rteil
Head of Innovation @ UM MENA | UM Labs
 PROXIMITY MATTERS

32-33
28-29

proximity
matters
Happy iNNoVatiNG
WitH proximity
Contact
Details
To get in touch with UM Labs,
contact Rasha Rteil – Head of
Innovation, UM Labs via
rrteil@ummena.com

For all press enquiries, contact

Komal Bajaj – Marketing &
Communications Director, UM
MENA via kbajaj@ummena.com

UM MENA
10th Floor, MCN Hive
Barsha Heights
Dubai, UAE
P.O.Box 509577

T +971 4 4454545
www.ummena.com

@UM_MENA

@UM_MENA16
About UM Labs
UM Labs is your next thing now…

Our lab is designed to breathe innovation into

our brands’ existence and accelerate ideas that
bring media-as-innovation to life.
UM Labs is UM MENA’s innovation and strategic
technology product, empowered with a research
and development engine. We do not pause on
catalyzing new ways of implementing innovation
driven solutions to our clients/brands.
Our conviction is leveraging bottom-
up, innovation culture and momentum to
generating assertions about larger ideas, trends
and movements. With our intelligence-fueling
arm we stimulate our clients and ourselves in a
landscape of cultural innovation.
Everyday, we are in pursuit of ‘APIness’. We
believe that the more intimate technology
becomes, the greater responsibility we have for
how we use it to our brand’s audience, bringing
global formats exclusively to UM MENA’s clients.
We breathe innovation into the real world for our
audiences to see, and our brand’s consumers to
aspire being part of.