Beirut, Lebanon 31st March, 2014 - Part of its mission to continuously offer clients the most advanced solutions, Memac Ogilvy Beirut conducted a series of workshops defining social media as an expertise that delivers clients business value. Part of a regional roadshow, the workshop, led by Ema Linaker, Regional Director of Social@Ogilvy, underlined the right steps to understanding social media's value in order to adopt a more strategic use of this new discipline.  As one of the leading social and digital firms, Social@Ogilvy represents a broad range of clients, including technology, B2B, FMCG, luxury, finance and automotive brands across the MENA region.

Social media has become increasingly mainstream. The number of social media users and channels has exploded in Lebanon and the wider Middle East region in general. However, there appears to be a disconnection between the savviness of the digital consumer and the businesses operating here. "Social should be at the core of any strategy that involves marketing communications. Now is the time to help our clients understand how to use social media more strategically and understand how it can support business growth in terms of awareness, advocacy and when applied properly, sales," said Ema Linaker. "Marketers spend millions defining and communicating the brand via communications channels. We need to take a fresh look at how the brand can behave in social media".

"Our clients are starting to realize social media is an essential component of an effective communications and marketing strategy," said Naji Boulos, Managing Director of Memac Ogilvy Beirut. "Our clients have different levels of knowledge in this new space and their organizations are at different points along the digital adoption wave. They need a trusted partner for try-and-learn programs, training and expert counsel. We need to help both types of clients and the myriad in-between. Our local experience with effective strategies and our understanding of the current landscape allows us to design and execute creative social campaigns, all while speaking a language that senior executives understand."

Social@Ogilvy has a range of services available to clients to help them activate social campaigns. These include real-time customer insights, engagement strategies, influencer programs, real time content studios, paid media all underlined with a rigorous approach to measurement.

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About Memac Ogilvy
Memac Ogilvy was started by Edmond (Eddie) Moutran its operation in Bahrain in 1984. The company offers advertising, public relations, direct marketing, activation, planning and creative services to a large portfolio of clients through 15 offices across the Middle East and North Africa. This wide geographical coverage, along with its group of some 500 professionals, gives the company a unique insight into different segments of the Arab markets.

About SOCIAL@OGILVY MENA
Social@Ogilvy's practice is the dedicated Social Media Marketing function within Memac Ogilvy. Across the region the practice is comprised of 15 experts in social media strategy, interactive design and programming, and social media measurement.

We're a truly global team focused on a strategic approach to Word of Mouth marketing - operationalized through social media. Our clients range from major consumer brands to government agencies and movements for social action.

Memac Social@Ogilvy boasts a cadre of world-class social gurus, each an accomplished expert with a proven track record of success and delivery in senior positions in their fields.  This pool of functional, industry and management expertise - drawn from companies such as Google, AVG, Nestle - represents an unparalleled team dedicated to the company's success.

Social@Ogilvy is the largest social media marketing communications network in the world and was named 2013 Global Digital/Social Consultancy of the Year by The Holmes Report and won Best Social Campaign of the Year at the Middle East PR Awards 2013.

The practice leverages social media expertise across all Ogilvy & Mather disciplines, offering an extensive list of services within our core business solutions: Listening Post, Social Business Solutions, Social Media Marketing and Communications, Social Shopping, Social Selling, Social Care, and Conversation Impact. 

For further information please contact:
Layale Abou Antoun/ Carmen El Hajj
+961-1-486065
layale.abouantoun@ogilvy.com/ Carmen.el-hajj@ogilvy.com

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