JEDDAH: The Holding Group (THG) has been rebranded as MENA Communications Group, or MENACOM, reflecting the group’s commitment to supporting the communications requirements of companies operating across Saudi Arabia and the rest of the Middle East. As part of the rebranding process, the company also has unveiled its new logo and corporate identity, which similarly reflect MENACOM’s focus on integrated services, including advertising, public relations, direct marketing, media buying, digital and interactive outreach.
The rebranding is in line with the group’s strategy to provide integrated communications and marketing solutions to public and private-sector firms and organizations in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, Joseph Ghossoub, chairman and CEO of MENACOM Group told Arab News in an interview over the weekend.
Asked about the challenges faced by the communications industry due to the global financial crisis, Ghossoub said: “Those who have accepted (the economic slowdown) and reacted, have saved themselves. For the last 10 months, things have not been easy. We have done what we could do. We took decisions very early.”
In the region and worldwide, he added, the communications industry faces unique challenges as a consequence of the global financial crisis. Every challenge contains the seeds of opportunity, however, and we are convinced that our strategic relaunch comes at precisely the right time for us to drive our business forward across the region. “We are getting ready for the future — optimistically, as there are already signs of improvement in the global (economic) slowdown.”
Following its majority acquisition by WPP in 2008, the group has continued to expand its range of services while fully integrating its regional offering with the communications solutions offered by London-headquartered WPP and its global member companies. With over 1,200 employees in its network of 57 offices in 17 countries, MENACOM includes advertising agencies Young & Rubicam, Intermarkets and Partnership; public relations firms ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller and Polaris; direct marketing specialists Wunderman; media specialist firm Mediaedge:cia; and interactive firm Tattoo.
The range of world-class brands operating under the umbrella of MENACOM is “unmatched” in the MENA region, one of the few markets that continues to post positive growth in the face of global recessionary trends, he said, adding that the opportunities for MENACOM to continue to consolidate its leadership position are clear. “WE look forward to working alongside our colleagues in the MENA region during this period of strategic growth.”