The growth of the image industry: JWT speaks to FW

“We offer full advertising services by internationally trained, locally ingrained staff who are now 25 strong,” says Krayem. “Our staff is entirely Syrian, and through mere chance, the company is a diverse blend from all over Syria. It really gives us a deeper insight into the Syrian psyche.”

Mirroring their internal diversity, their list of clients is a mix of both international and local players, with Ajial Chewing Gum and Hamol joining ranks with Nestle and Unilever. All clients receive the same internationally recognized treatment that is leading a lot of the industry’s changes both locally and regionally. “We try to be a force for change, acting as the first, and in some cases only, people to apply certain principles,” says Khwaiss.

One such innovation was bringing in specialized branding agency Key Brand to work with JWT on the international campaign of Damascus Arab Capital of Culture 2008. By working on the strength and recognizability of the brand, they were able to improve the tone of the entire campaign. It was also unique that any Syrian agency would deliberately outsource work away from their own office, but as Khwaiss says, “you can’t go at any campaign alone if you’re going to do a sincerely good job. You’re always going to create a team to provide the best intellectual product.”

This innovation in attitude and performance is paying off. The campaign that won the Bronze award at Dubai Lynx was Nestle’s Milo ad campaign, which taps into the desire for championship by offering a specially designed coaster that turns your cup of hot chocolate into a trophy. An example of their deep connection with Syrian culture is the Byblos Bank ad, which has a watermelon floating in a tub in the center of a fashionable sitting room, with the Arabic caption, “It’s my house, and I’m free in it.” The strange and subtle image harks back to the Syrian tradition of putting a watermelon in the central fountain in old Damascene homes, something more modern homes have lost, but is recaptured in this ad.

With such cutting edge and some might say risky techniques in their arsenal, it is understandable that some local clients are a little daunted by advertising at this scale. “Local clients make decisions based on their feelings and emotions, unlike international clients, who generally rely on their own marketing and branding departments, as well as PR and media consultants,” says Krayem. “The locals don’t understand the role of the agency, and the lack of trust and limited disclosure really hurts the agency’s ability to maneuver.”

Another challenge facing advertising agencies in Syria is the complete lack of data and statistics. Although there are some private groups conducting demographic studies, convincing local manufacturers of the necessity of this data has been an uphill battle. “Most manufacturers tend to gather the information they need by talking within their own circles,” says Krayem. “This severely limits the decisions they make, as these opinions are not those of the masses, which means their advertising may not reach the right market.”

Oftentimes advertising is treated as an afterthought, approached as the product is about to hit the market, by which time it might be too late. “Many manufacturers don’t even include advertising in their initial feasibility studies,” says Krayem. “They’re therefore completely unprepared for the cost when it comes down to it.”

As clients become more familiar with advertising practices, the creative atmosphere in Syria seems to be improving. Two other advertising agencies operating in Syria were active in the festival, and although they weren’t nominated for awards, their presence is adding to JWT’s drive to do better. “Having the award is a culture, if you don’t have the culture, will and passion, you will never get the award,” says Kwhaiss. “It really feels great to bring the first advertising award to Syria. We have opened the door for us and others, and we’ll work to always be in the lead.”