An era of evident change

Beirut Digital District and Endeavor Lebanon, in collaboration with the Beirut Creative Cluster, hosted IGNITE’s first Creative Chapter in Lebanon, bringing together creative experts from various disciplines. The creative industry in Lebanon has been exponentially growing in recent years, and the latest IGNITE event sought to strengthen bonds in the entrepreneurial ecosystem and connect entrepreneurs to industry experts to fuel further growth.

The IGNITE event kicked off with one-on-one meetings between entrepreneurs and experts in various realms, followed by a keynote address tackling the shifts in the creative industry. International creative force Jochen Rädeker, Co-founder and Managing Partner of the design agency Strichpunkt, headlined the talks, sharing his expertise in the creative world. Strichpunkt, operating at the interface between design and technology, has ranked amongst the top 10 creative companies for many years. His presentation aimed at exposing Lebanese talent to international best practices. (Read tips from Rädeker on how design agencies can capture growth here).
A panel discussion then ensued, bringing together industry experts who discussed various topics and transformations in the creative industry. The panelists included: Ramsey Naja, Chief Creative Officer at J. Walter Thompson Middle East & Africa; Joe Abou-Khaled, Regional Creative Director at Impact BBDO MENA; Nathalie Fallaha, Founder and Design Principal at vit-e branding + digital; Fadi Sabbagha, Founder & CEO at Born Interactive, and Boudy Nasrala, Partner at Wondereight.

The experts highlighted that an evident change stems from what clients are demanding. Changing client requirements were highlighted by the expert panelists, with focus on growing expectations. They chimed in on how to deliver on these expectations, and how brands are being redefined.

Naja: “Clients are always demanding an immediate return on investment and very quick results, which gives very little time to know the brand in depth. The focus is shifting very rapidly to user experience, as if it is what defines the brand completely.” He advises that companies should focus on both on building the brand and on user friendliness.

Fallaha: “Firstly, there is a huge difference between a sustainable brand and the sustainability of a brand. A sustainable brand is one that has a long lasting and durable competitive advantage. The sustainability of a brand leverages on green, human capital and social impact.” Fallaha outlined the characteristics of a sustainable brand which include: being timeless, having its own conscience and revolving around the 6 C’s: credible, committed, consumer oriented, conversational, cooperative and consistent.

Another notable change is how brands are shifting to storytelling, with one-way communication becoming a thing of the past. The trend adopted by brands and their respective creative agencies has been to enter an era of storytelling. How companies can best tell stories through online and offline platforms was outlined by Abou-Khaled.

article originally published here.