The data trends that companies need to focus on to maximize their performance in the coming years will be the focus for an upcoming media summit in Dubai.

OMD, a global media network part of the Omnicom Media Group, will hold its fourth annual OMD Predicts conference on October 2.

The event is expected to attract in excess of 250 industry professionals.

Under the title of “Medianomics: business and media science combined”, the event will start with the Economist Group’s Philip McCrum’s analysis of macro-economic trends, allowing delegates to factor more accurate forecasts for the next few years into their strategic and business planning.

Also in the programme is a session focusing on behavioral economics, an alternative way to understand consumers and their decision-making process in order to influence their behavior more effectively.

Instead of the rational dimensions of choice, Alex Johnston of Jigsaw Research will describe the emotional thought-process and highlight communication strategies to capitalize on it.

This will be followed by a look at consumer engagement and ways to measure it, including biometrics.

Sensory Logic’s Dan Hill will reveal alternative methods to assess and quantify consumers’ response to brand communications, from awareness and engagement to emotional reaction.

Also, Damian Blackden and Ian Woods of Annalect Group will illustrate how to extract business value from existing and new data sources.

“More than ever in uncertain times, we all need to base our strategies and decisions on facts and robust intelligence. This is the perfect time for OMD Predicts to highlight ways to substantiate our collective decision-making process further and inject more certainty in it,” Shadi Kandil, managing director of OMD UAE, said.

“The panel of speakers we’re bringing, many for the first time in the region, will share valuable international best practice and allow our delegates to explore new approaches to enhance the effectiveness of their planning and marketing,” he added. – TradeArabia News Service