DUBAI: Advertising network Publicis Groupe Middle East has partnered with the Dubai Business Women Council to support female-founded micro, small and medium-sized businesses.
Founded in 2022 by Dr. Raja Easa Al-Gurg, chairperson and managing director of the Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group, the Dubai Business Women Council serves as a platform for the personal and professional development of businesswomen in Dubai.
This partnership will see Publicis Groupe host a series of workshops aimed at providing female business owners with a comprehensive knowledge of brand marketing and communications.
The first workshop, titled “The Power of Founder-Led Brands,” took place on Nov. 14 and was led by Andira Raslan, business director, and Sophia Boudjemaa, business director of strategy and insights, MSL Group Middle East.
During the session, Raslan and Boudjemaa emphasized the importance of personal branding and talked about strategies for building trust, increasing customer engagement, and instilling authenticity and personality in a brand.
“The first workshop set the tone for what this initiative aims to achieve, providing practical and relevant insights to empower female entrepreneurs in shaping their brand identity and driving growth,” Nadine Halabi, head of business development and operations at the Dubai Business Women Council, told Arab News.
“The response has been highly encouraging, with participants appreciating the opportunity to engage in discussions that directly address their challenges,” she added.
The workshops are scheduled every quarter with the next one set to take place in February 2025.
Public relations, brand communication, digital marketing, social media strategies, innovation and growth are some of the topics that will be covered during future sessions.
“Effective marketing and communication can transform businesses, yet access to this knowledge and resources isn’t always within reach for small business owners,” said Bassel Kakish, CEO of Publicis Groupe Middle East and Turkiye.
The workshops aim to “democratize these insights and break down barriers for women entrepreneurs so they can elevate their brands,” he added.
Supported by the network’s in-house training and upskilling department Publicis Academy, the workshops are structured based on a survey conducted by the network to identify the challenges faced by micro, small and medium-sized businesses.
Publicis Groupe spoke to “several female entrepreneurs to understand their pain points in marketing and communications” and a “recurring theme was the challenge of gaining visibility for their businesses and themselves, especially with little to no budget,” said Angela Bak, director of Corporate Communications, Publicis Groupe Middle East.
She told Arab News that many respondents shared their uncertainties about content creation and those working with agencies expressed difficulty in “evaluating the quality of results due to a lack of clear parameters.”
A survey, developed in collaboration with Publicis Academy, was sent out to members of the Dubai Business Women Council to identify relevant topics.
Bak explained: “We also asked respondents to rate their level of knowledge, and unsurprisingly, most identified as beginners.
“All this knowledge allowed us to tailor the workshop content to address these real-world challenges effectively.”
Halabi said: “Empowering female entrepreneurs with the tools to elevate their brands is crucial for fostering innovation and growth within Dubai’s business landscape.
“Working with the experts at Publicis Groupe Middle East provides our members with access to strategic marketing and communication insights typically reserved for larger corporations.”
