Marketing guru Kotler is star booking for The Middle East Marketing Forum

The Middle East Marketing Forum has announced a programme of three events focusing on brand over the next nine months, to be held in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar.

In a coup, Philip Kotler will make his second personal appearance in the Middle East – both of which have been for The Middle East Marketing Forum. This welcome move comes as a sequel to the event’s webcast Breakfast with Kotler three years ago.

According to the conference organisers Gray Business Communications, Kotler’s presence is validation that The Middle East Marketing Forum, now into its fourth year, is firmly established as the authority on marketing communications in the Middle East. 

Judith Gray, conference director, said: “We have seen The Middle East Marketing Forum establish a solid reputation in just four years. The presence of Kotler goes some way to proving what we have always believed to be true: that the correct route for Middle East companies to grow their business is through strategic marketing.

“This year’s commitment to a branding theme was deemed essential to promote the recognition and development of home-grown names. At a time when the eyes of the world are on the Middle East, we have a chance to showcase the potential of the region.

“For too long, many in the market have dismissed local brand names as being inconsequential: however, we believe that in many cases, local knowledge means these brands are well placed to conquer the market.”

Kicking off the series of events is a third annual Saudi Marketing Conference, to be held in Jeddah on October 5 – 6, focusing delegates and speakers on the theme Developing Successful Brand Strategies in Saudi Arabia.

Key-note speakers include branding expert Martin Lindstrom, speaking on the future of cross-channel branding, and Professor Leslie de Chernatony, who will cover the progression from brand vision to brand evaluation.

Barry Gray, managing director of The Middle East Marketing Forum, explained: “Developing brand is essential, not just in terms of cohesiveness of message. A clear brand promise should lead to increased market share and , therefore, to improved profit performance.

“International experts and local practitioners at the event will share market-specific strategies or Saudi Arabia that will ultimately benefit bottom line.”

The second event is the Gulf Brands of the Decade Awards, held in conjunction with Gulf Marketing Review to celebrate the magazine’s 10th anniversary. The awards ceremony will take place at Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai on November 30.

Gray said: “Home-grown brands in the GCC will get their chance in the spotlight at the ceremony, as the name suggests. Instead of being overshadowed by the globally developed multi-nationals, these awards will give regional brands the recognition they now deserve.”

The final part of the programme is a two-day event in Doha, to be held January 12 – 14, with international marketing guru Kotler as the principal speaker.

Gray said: “Kotler is one of a kind: an award-winning educator, influential corporate adviser to blue-chip brands such as IBM, General Electric, Shell Oil and AT&T, and a global marketing guru. But, more than all these, he is a first-class speaker, and we are thrilled that he has agreed to work with us again in the Middle East.”

The two-day conference is titled Marketing in a Changing World, a theme the organisers believe is appropriate, bearing in mind the growing need to constantly adapt to the changing dynamics in the region – and further afield.

Gray continued: “Flexibility and swiftness in actions are key. There has never been a more critical time to ensure that an organisation’s marketing is quick to identify trends: as we have seen in the last 12 months, the world can change significantly and as marketeers, we need to anticipate - and stay ahead of - these trends.”

As testimony to the pioneering conferences held by The Middle East Marketing Forum, this season’s events have already attracted top-level sponsors, such as Saudia, Al Jazeera, QTel and CNBC – worthy recognition of the pioneering promise of the programme.