Build the Bond: How Marketing Teams Double Down on AI Tools and Data-Driven Experimentation

News

1. AI Adoption Climbs 233% Globally with the Middle East Showing Similar Momentum, Report finds

2. du Launches UAE’s First Sovereign Hypercloud for Government and AI Innovation

3. Ooredoo Launches Sovereign AI Cloud in Qatar Powered by Nvidia GPUs

4. Dubai Future Foundation and WEF Release Top 10 Emerging Technologies of 2025

5. Deloitte and AWS Forge $1 Billion Alliance to Accelerate Digital Transformation in the Middle East

6. Over 40% of Agentic AI Projects Expected to Fail by 2027, Report Finds

Marketing is not just a support function but a strategic growth driver for most companies. It shapes an organization’s public narrative, connects directly with target audiences, builds trust and credibility that converts to sales, and tracks public sentiment to uncover market gaps and drive innovation.

Despite their importance, the rapidly changing nature of the industry serves as a challenge. “Marketing is evolving daily,” says Ankitha Rajendaran, Director of Marketing and CSR at RMAL Hospitality.  “Five years ago, posting nice food shots might have been enough. Now, that’s just background noise. People expect more. They want experiences that make them stop, connect, and remember.” 

Marketing’s role in helping companies stand out in this attention-scarce age is undeniable, but so is the level of complexity in the sector, and teams often struggle to keep up, much less stay ahead. “Social media platforms are constantly evolving, with new trends, tools, and features being introduced regularly,” says Tarek Abou Hichme, Marketing Manager, Lavoya Restaurant Group. “Without up-to-date knowledge, marketing teams risk falling behind in reaching their target audience effectively.” 

How AI is Shifting the Landscape

Aaron Illathu, Managing Director of Jack Taylor Middle East, points to one of the most notable changes: the increased use of AI and automation, which significantly impacts how advertisements are created, distributed, and targeted. “AI-driven tools, like content optimization platforms and sentiment analysis engines, help companies better understand audience needs and tailor the learning experience for their teams,” he says, noting organizations are investing in personalized upskilling programs in a bid to future-proof their marketing functions and make the most of these tools. 

This is critical given the significant skills gap within the industry. According to the Marketing Week Career & Salary Survey 2024, 48.8% of marketers say their employers are not offering upskilling opportunities, 14.7% are unsure whether such support exists, and only 36.5% confirmed they are receiving support. 

Still, some teams are making meaningful progress. At Weber Shandwick MENAT, Ghaleb Zeidan, Regional Managing Director for the UAE, Culture, L&D, and Partnership, highlights a structured internal push to fill the knowledge gap within their teams, setting up an internal AI committee to evaluate platforms, refine prompt engineering, and strengthen the human element in AI outputs, in addition to their Innovation Lab, a competition designed to improve operational processes using new technologies. Complementing these efforts, the company has logged nearly 3,000 training hours across the UAE, combining internal workshops, external courses, and on-the-job learning.

Lavoya Restaurant Group is also taking a multi-pronged approach, says Hichme. The organization is delivering in-house sessions to share best practices, providing structured online courses on emerging tools, and attending external workshops to stay connected to industry trends. It also leverages AI-powered content measurement tools to track real-time effectiveness and quickly refine strategies.

At RMAL Hospitality, Rajendaran notes that training is embedded directly into daily workflows. They focus on the hands-on use of platforms like ChatGPT, Canva AI, and predictive analytics tools to personalize campaigns and improve ad targeting. While certifications such as Meta Blueprint and Google Digital Garage support technical fluency, she emphasizes that deeper value comes from applying insights on the ground. “Industry events and expos offer practical, implementable ideas across our F&B brands.”

Illathu champions the value of hybrid learning models, highlighting how internal workshops reinforce culture and teamwork while external sources offer specialized expertise and fresh perspectives. AI-driven learning tools like chatbots and adaptive education platforms further support this model by providing on-demand access to the latest strategies and upskilling opportunities.

Mastering the Algorithms

While AI transforms how marketers work behind the scenes, success also hinges on how well teams can respond to real-time platform shifts. From LinkedIn and Instagram’s algorithm moving from likes to content based on engagement and relevance to rapidly changing trends in TikTok, popular platforms frequently revise how content is prioritized and distributed.  “Brands must stay agile and ready to adopt new formats,” says Illathu. “The real challenge is knowing how to pivot without losing momentum.”

Staying ahead of these changes requires a blend of proactive and reactive strategies. For Hichme this means monitoring updates from each platform and using social listening tools to help track competitors’ and influencers’ actions to anticipate shifts before they happen.  

This further underpins the critical role that data plays in refining strategies to cushion the impact of algorithm updates. “By closely monitoring engagement metrics, we ensure our content reaches the right audience,” Hichme says. Zeidan shares that they opt to collect their own data and develop insights that enable them to connect the dots and be adaptable around the execution of core messaging. 

For Rajendaran, weekly performance tracking and content flexibility are key to staying ahead of the curve.  “If a content format starts performing better, we test it differently before fully committing,” she says, noting that relying on a single format or platform is risky when trends shift overnight, opting instead for adaptable content that works across formats, whether short-form video, carousel posts, or long-form storytelling. 

Cultivating a Culture of Learning and Experimentation

Without a doubt, a learning and experimentation culture sets high-performing marketing teams apart, as it is touted as the best way to accommodate new tools and campaign executions. This is because the best training is the real-time adoption and applications, says Rajendaran. “With social media evolving so rapidly, a one-size-fits-all approach just doesn’t work,” she says.“Upskilling has to be part of daily routines.”

This is why leading organizations today are building “digital-first” environments where AB testing and iteration are embedded into daily workflows. As social media platforms rarely offer transparency in algorithm changes, Illathu says that experimenting and monitoring trends across channels is more essential than ever. 

This experimentation, however, must be tempered by governance and guidelines concerning new technology. “New tools and platforms are released almost every day, and to ensure that experimentation builds a competitive advantage and not a reputational disadvantage, there must be confidence in knowing when and how to use them,” says Zeidan. “It’s about understanding what data can be used for input, contextualizing wild card factors, interpreting output, and having foresight about what’s next.”

Why Mindset Matters

To truly unlock long-term success, organizations from the top down must embrace adaptability and an open mindset. Effective leadership today goes beyond data points; it requires understanding the human dynamics behind the numbers. Zeidan argues empathy is no longer a soft skill—it’s a strategic one. “People don’t operate like machines, and there’s usually a shutdown on the horizon if we’re being treated in a robotic, one-dimensional manner,” he says. “My role involves fostering a collaborative environment where analytical rigor and emotional intelligence are valued. It’s about ensuring our decisions are effective, ethically sound, and authentically explainable.”

Within teams, a mindset that welcomes change and tolerates it is also a powerful advantage. At Weber Shandwick, Zeidan shares that this is fostered through structured learning, dedicated committees, and a broader encouragement of curiosity beyond day-to-day tasks. “The ability to navigate new technologies, generate insight, and deliver meaningful output will only become more critical for future marketers,” he says. While tools will evolve, the core of great marketing remains the same: storytelling. “It’s as old as time—but just as powerful.”

Rajendaran agrees, noting that winning brands build deep, lasting audience connections. “No update can change what people truly care about. The real challenge is knowing what’s worth your attention and what’s just noise.” Ultimately, she adds, “The true algorithm is your people. Serve them well, and the rest takes care of itself.”

While the pace of technological change is unstoppable, it’s no longer about simply keeping up or knowing the latest tools; it’s about evolving with them. That requires reimagining organizational processes, nurturing emotionally intelligent leadership, and fostering cultures where data sparks curiosity. In a noisy, fast-moving landscape, this is how marketing teams not only stay relevant but also lead the way.