I’m very excited in this 2nd part of this episode on Interview Fridays. I have great respects for this next individual.
He’s the chief of one of the leading digital agencies in the Middle East. He has been a strong figure in the online industry in the region. It was a privilege to have interviewed Mr. Yousef Tuqan of FlipMedia.
It’s an honor to have one of the most important names in region’s online media industry. Please tell us about your success story and your journey with Flip Media?
Thanks for the compliment. Flip’s had a trajectory of success over the past six years – particularly early on – enabling us to become the most successful digital agency in the Middle East. From a team of two, it’s now very well established, with an enviable portfolio of clients and a team comprising over 150 people in 8 countries, throughout Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia.
I’m pleased to have been a part of this process, having joined Flip as an Account Director back in September 2005, progressing to CEO in July last year. Perhaps what I’ve enjoyed the most is guiding the overall business strategy, in terms of the work we do, the clients we take on and our resulting market position.
I credit the success I’ve enjoyed to a couple of factors: I’m naturally passionate about digital (OK, OK I’m a natural born geek; there, I’ve said it), with communications and marketing as founding skills. My dad worked for IBM, so maybe it’s genetic but I’ll never forget the time when he said he could show me how to build a website in 20 minutes, back in 1996. So we opened up Netscape Composer and the rest is history, really.
How does it feel to be the Chief of the region’s leading interactive agency? What are the challenges?
It’s a tremendous honor for me. Even before I joined Flip, I had always admired what the agency stood for, and the energy Flip brought to the industry. To be entrusted with its continued growth and success is an enormous responsibility, and one that I don’t take lightly.
Luckily for me, Flip has attracted the best people in the industry, and my job is a lot easier when surrounded by people who are truly dedicated to digital marketing, and to Flip’s vision.
The economic climate of 2009 has presented its own challenges, but our main challenge has been managing growth. Flip has grown from 2 people in Dubai Media City in 2004 to 150 today across eight offices worldwide.
Apart from the processes and logistics, it’s been important to keep the “Flip spirit” alive across the network so that our staff and clients buy into a shared vision and a desire to be part of something amazing, not just a name on the door.
We’ve seen the economic recession crashed major industries in the UAE, how did the online industry performed during these times, particularly in the Middle East?
The complete collapse of the real estate sector left many of us without some of our largest clients (and their unpaid invoices), and we’ve all had to work harder than ever to win new business, drive growth from our existing clients and seriously rethink how we do business. It’s been a very hard year for everyone, and no one in our sector has been untouched. We’ve seen some of the best agencies in our sector either fold or significantly downsize.
Thankfully, we have been able to retain over 90% of our staff this year, and have grown our client portfolio to include some of the most exciting new brands in the region. As a digital agency in the Middle East, we’ve always had to work with small budgets and do “more with less,” so I’d like to think that we were better prepared for this than some of the more traditional regional agencies.
What do you think is the greatest strength of Flip Media that sets itself apart from the rest?
Focus. Digital marketing might make up 1% of overall regional media spend, but it’s 100% of our business. We’ve worked with the biggest brands in every industry sector, from tourism to finance to real estate, and that brings a level of regional experience that cannot be replicated.
Effective digital communication in the Middle East requires a realistic understanding of what can be achieved, and significant experience in what does and doesn’t work, and I think that Flip offers an unparalleled level of insight & expertise.
I’ve witnessed you made a strong stand against poor (if not an absence of) online marketing strategies by businesses in the article The Web is a Joke, stating, “Most companies still don’t give the web the respect it deserves”. How did you arrive at this conclusion?
On its most basic level, this comes down to the negligible levels of investment in digital marketing in the region. Until brands start to put real money (and commitment) behind their overall marketing strategies to attract and retain customers, our industry will continue to be represented by whimsical microsites, one-off promotions & sponsorships and little indulgences that do nothing to further their brands or drive any long-term engagement with customers.
How important is it for organizations to add priority on digital marketing, SEO/SEM and social media at this time in order to save money on other marketing channels?
There’s a massive “communications gap” opening up between the increasing amount of time being spent online by Middle Eastern consumers, and the limited growth in the money spent marketing. While I’m under no illusions that digital marketing will kill Pan-Arab TV just yet, there is a massive hole that is begging to be filled in a space where all your customers are, and your competitors are not.
What’s your take on social media as a strong partner in online marketing strategies?
At this point, I see it as a complement to the bigger picture. Setting up a Twitter page or monitoring the blogosphere is not the “silver bullet” to make your brand a winner, but it deserves respect and attention, as this will become more important as usage grows.
The Middle East throws up its own challenges in terms of moderation, expression and public debate, so brands need to tread carefully here.
Would you treat them separately or as a necessary combination?
As an integral part of the mix.
You’ve been actively speaking at events and preaching the importance of effective online campaigns. What are the important points you repeatedly instill in your audience?
The main point I repeatedly communicate is that the Internet is not Star Wars, it’s just marketing, and that marketers should not fear it. It’s also important that digital strategy is driven the business requirements, and not by IT.
Also, I stress the importance of engaging the right partners. If you are unsure or unclear about how to approach digital marketing, work with experts like us who are dedicated to this industry. We’ve had our successes and failures, and we can all learn from them.
What are your predictions for the future of the region’s digital marketing industry?
It can only grow from its current position, and I’m hopeful that as our industry offers regional marketers better and better alternatives to traditional media, those initiatives will result in more of the pie for digital media, which will lead to more innovation and growth.
To know more of Yousef’s engagements, you find him on these sites:
Interview Fridays – Yousef Tuqan Tuqan, CEO of FlipMedia is a post from: Small Business SEO Tips – SaktoSEO