The economic, social and political changes across the Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan (Menap) and its marketing challenges will be the focus of an upcoming conference in Dubai.

The Esomar’s Best of Menap 2014 conference, under the theme ‘Creating Value – From Insight to Foresight’ will bring more than 150 delegates from across the region to the Address Dubai Marina on March 11 and 12.

Finn Raben, director general of Esomar, an organization which encourages, advances and elevates market research worldwide, said the conference will discuss the role of market research in driving business, delivering insights, and capturing trends within the region.

Stan Sthanunathan, senior vice president - Consumer and Market Insights, Unilever, UK will address the mainstream trends that could shape the insights industry in the next decade.

“While we don't have a crystal ball to predict the future, we can somewhat define our path by following the consumer, digital and research trends that are shaping our business each day,” said Sthanunathan.

“We have identified seven key trends that look to effect the coming decade and will provide useful information for determining the impact of insights for research and beyond,” he said.  
 
Sthanunathan will also explore trends including ‘Go Mobile or lose out’, ‘Big is not always beautiful’, ‘Go Social or Lose Relevance’, ‘Integrate or you will disintegrate’, ‘Telling impactful stories is mission critical’, ‘Asking questions and getting answers will be history’, and ‘Biometrics: The new mainstream’.

“These trends will not only define what the future holds, but also how your business will need to be structured to ensure you maintain a competitive edge,” added Sthanunathan.
 
The conference will also feature other regional and international market research, advertising and marketing experts who will share regional business and market research issues, as well as learning and networking opportunities. - TradeArabia News Service