TikTok hosted its first ever #ForYouSummit in Doha last month at Barahat Msheireb in Doha. The event, considered one of the most anticipated industry events in the region, brought together leading minds from across different sectors and markets to discuss some of the shifting trends within the industry, and how those are impacting businesses in the country.
The event, held under the theme of "Tomorrow happens today in Qatar", was kicked off by Shadi Kandil, General Manager, Global Business Solutions, Middle East, Africa, Turkey and Pakistan - TikTok, and featured a number of keynote sessions all focused on the future, what creates it, who creates it and how it is created.
The first session featured a deep dive into #Qatar2022, and the global attention it garnered on the platform with over 27 billion views. Elias Walid Bassil, Head of Business Marketing & Creative Strategy for Consumer, Retail & ECOM, MENA - TikTok, highlighted that the biggest news stories during this mega football season were not focused on the sport itself, but on much larger conversations centered around innovation, culture, and hospitality. Put together, these three conversations outweighed the sports conversation on TikTok throughout the tournament, with innovation, culture, and hospitality growing by 210%, 180% and 400% respectively, when compared to pre–World Cup content volume.
Joanne Chehab, Head of Business Partnerships for Managed Services, Global Business Solutions, MENA - TikTok said: "There is a real opportunity for all sectors in Qatar to leverage the themes that the World Cup jump started and take them from peripheral conversations, to sustainable pillars that define the future. It is only by capitalizing on the communities that cluster around those themes that organizations in Qatar can maximize the tangible impact that TikTok offers: Global reach and multiplier effect."
"The role of digital media is evolving from enabling communication, to enabling businesses to drive new industry realities that are brought to life through conversations that last longer, go global, and propel businesses in the nation to new heights," she added.
In a separate session, Annie Arsane, Head of Business Marketing, Middle East, Turkey, Africa and Pakistan – TikTok, highlighted the shifts in consumer behavior and how marketeers need to adapt. Outside of sleeping and working, the average consumer is spending half their day on digital entertainment, and that slice of the day grows at the expense of other activities. It is time that consumers cherish and protect, which is evident by the growing numbers of ad-blocker users and premium-service subscribers. The real shift in consumer behavior is not that they have less time, but that they have more choice. Brands that understand this reality are shifting their marketing efforts from the shrinking parts of the day, to the growing time spent on entertainment, and they're reaping rewards. TikTok is proving to be an entry point for brands to go from persuading to entertaining, and entertainment on TikTok is translating into sold-out items and real-world results.
"Brands and businesses of all sizes in Qatar are partnering with TikTok to shape the future in their respective industries, a future that revolves around three pillars that found their genesis in the midst of the World Cup craze. And to define the future, they're embracing the new generation of marketing: Brand-owned, community-driven entertainment that connects, drives brand love, and most importantly, entertainment that converts," added Chehab.