The Middle Eastern adtech ecosystem is currently experiencing a period of significant international validation. Shortly after being recognized at the inaugural Drum Commerce Media Awards in Miami, a regional collaboration has once again taken the global stage, this time securing Gold for “Best International pDOOH Campaign” at the Programmatic DOOH Awards in London, presented by JCDecaux UK.
The win for the Sensodyne x Carrefour UAE campaign—a partnership involving Haleon, Publicis Groupe Middle East, Advertima, The Neuron, deployed on Majid Al Futtaim’s Precision Media network highlights more than just a successful execution. It marks a period where Middle Eastern innovation is consistently meeting the rigorous standards of global juries in the world’s most mature media markets.
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The Evolution of In-Store Engagement
The London recognition centres on the integration of AI-driven, real-time programmatic targeting within the physical retail environment. Historically, the challenge for in-store media has been achieving the same level of dynamic relevance that defines digital channels. This activation represents a successful step toward bridging that gap.
By utilizing Advertima’s Audience AI to activate content when specific shopper segments were present, the campaign demonstrated how the “performance” logic of the digital world is being successfully applied to the physical grocery aisle. For the industry, this signals a shift toward more sophisticated, data-led environments where the shopper experience is enhanced by more relevant, timely content.
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A Maturing Regional Ecosystem
From an editorial perspective, the “double win” in Miami and London is a testament to the maturing collaboration between regional brands, agencies, and technology providers. When a project involves a global brand like Haleon, a major agency group like Publicis, and a regional retail giant like Majid Al Futtaim, it reflects a synchronized ecosystem capable of delivering high-fidelity, scalable solutions.
This collective success serves as a proof point for the region’s technical infrastructure. It suggests that the Middle East is now a key contributor to the global conversation regarding the future of Commerce Media and Programmatic DOOH (pDOOH).
Strategic Perspectives
Mazen Mroueh, Head of Retail Media & Partnerships at Publicis Media, shared his perspective on what this second international win means for the region. As the Middle East continues to export these high-standard innovations to the global stage, the focus naturally shifts toward the long-term potential of these technologies to become standard practice across the wider retail landscape.
“I’ll be honest, when we set out to bring real-time AI-driven targeting into the physical grocery aisle here in the Middle East, we believed in the idea long before the industry did. Winning Gold in London is the validation that our partners Haleon, MAF Precision Media, Advertima and the Neuron deserved from day one. Two international wins, two continents, one incredibly talented regional team. This region has something special, and the world is finally seeing it”
Looking Ahead
As the global industry continues to define the boundaries of retail and commerce media, the Middle East is increasingly becoming a territory to watch. This latest Gold in London reinforces the idea that the region is not just following global trends, but is actively participating in setting the benchmarks for how physical retail can be integrated into a wider, more accountable programmatic framework.
