Ali Mokdad
Creator of things
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
+97150 5071265
be.net/amokdad
My approach to advertising is simple. Create conversations with stories. For me, it's about using consumer insights that get people thinking and creativity that them talking. I believe creativity can solve any problem in the world. Don't believe me? Look at the Trojan Horse the Greeks used to enter Tory.
Work Experience
Creative Animals
Founder/Executive Creative Director
After years of dreaming of opening my own agency and working to attain and service my own clients, I finally brought that dream to life in January with the help of some key people in my life.
Creative Animals is the brainchild of Ali Mokdad and his partners. They currently have 2 active clients that keep them busy, but they are always on the hunt to find more awesome clients to do more awesome work.
Creative Animals is the brainchild of Ali Mokdad and his partners. They currently have 2 active clients that keep them busy, but they are always on the hunt to find more awesome clients to do more awesome work.
January 2016
-
United Arab Emirates
FP7/McCann
Creative Director - Copy Head
- Brand Guardian for Harvey Nichols, Nestle Middle East, Coca-Cola, Meydan Sobha Real Estate, McDonald's Arabia and L'Oreal Middle East.
- Instrumental in leading and winning the Harvey Nichols business, beating 7 other agencies in the region with ground breaking creative work.
- Instrumental in winning new business from Meydan Sobha Sobha Real Estate, beating out 3 other agencies with clear path-to-purchase creative response plan.
- Instrumental in winning new business from Arla Food, beating out 4 other agencies with a clear shopper marketing creative strategy.
- Built close relationships with my clients and have gained their trust over time.
- Part of the FP7/McCann Creative Council, which handles creative standards and regional pitches across 18 offices in the MENA region.
- In the last 3 years, I have helped grow the agency's portfolio from 10 key brands to over 30 retainer based clients.
- Was named "Head of Shopper Marketing" for the Creative Department in 2015 and responsible for all shopper-related activities and communication campaigns.
- 85% success rate on pitch-to-win ratio in new business acquisitions.
- Helped the agency win "Agency Of The Year" and "Network Of The Year" for the Effies Effectiveness Index in 2013, 2014 and 2015; This is the first time an agency in the Middle East as ever achieved such stature for 3 consecutive years in a row.
- Won 3 Bronze Trophies at the New York Advertising Festival in 2014 for Harvey Nichols work in categories: Best Use Of Direct Marketing, Best Use Of Ambient Marketing and Best Use Of Design.
- Won a Finalist at The One Show for Harvey Nichols' Gianvitto Rossi Direct Mailer for Best Use Of Promotional Material in 2014.
- Currently work with a team of Art Directors, Writers and Designers to create ground breaking work that solves our client's challenges as well as creates a clear path to purchase.
- Report directly to the Executive Creative Director.
- Instrumental in leading and winning the Harvey Nichols business, beating 7 other agencies in the region with ground breaking creative work.
- Instrumental in winning new business from Meydan Sobha Sobha Real Estate, beating out 3 other agencies with clear path-to-purchase creative response plan.
- Instrumental in winning new business from Arla Food, beating out 4 other agencies with a clear shopper marketing creative strategy.
- Built close relationships with my clients and have gained their trust over time.
- Part of the FP7/McCann Creative Council, which handles creative standards and regional pitches across 18 offices in the MENA region.
- In the last 3 years, I have helped grow the agency's portfolio from 10 key brands to over 30 retainer based clients.
- Was named "Head of Shopper Marketing" for the Creative Department in 2015 and responsible for all shopper-related activities and communication campaigns.
- 85% success rate on pitch-to-win ratio in new business acquisitions.
- Helped the agency win "Agency Of The Year" and "Network Of The Year" for the Effies Effectiveness Index in 2013, 2014 and 2015; This is the first time an agency in the Middle East as ever achieved such stature for 3 consecutive years in a row.
- Won 3 Bronze Trophies at the New York Advertising Festival in 2014 for Harvey Nichols work in categories: Best Use Of Direct Marketing, Best Use Of Ambient Marketing and Best Use Of Design.
- Won a Finalist at The One Show for Harvey Nichols' Gianvitto Rossi Direct Mailer for Best Use Of Promotional Material in 2014.
- Currently work with a team of Art Directors, Writers and Designers to create ground breaking work that solves our client's challenges as well as creates a clear path to purchase.
- Report directly to the Executive Creative Director.
January 2013
- December 2015
United Arab Emirates
Memac/Ogilvy
Senior Copywriter/Group Head
-Voted Agency of the Year in 2010, Ogilvy Action allowed me to work more in the Promo & Activation side of the business as well as Shopper Marketing.
-I worked on brands such as Heineken Beer, Tiger Beer, Sunsilk Shampoo, Dove, British American Tobacco and Coca-Cola.
-I've won numerous awards with Ogilvy Action and created ground breaking work with them during my tenure.
-Helped transform the agency's international status with the network and also helped them achieve their highest ranking ever since the Dubai office's inception with multiple wins in International award shows with my creative work.
-Ogilvy made it on the Ogilvy Cadre (Ogilvy's top 15 creative agencies across the world) for the first time ever.
-Won at Cannes, Clios, One Show and D&AD, making it a first for OgilvyAction.
-Helped OgilvyAction acquire the regional accounts for Viva Telcommunications and Grohe bathroom fittings in a pitch.
-After my first year, i was promoted to group head of Unilever, Dunia Financial and Coca-Cola. I had a jr. team reporting to me and 2 designers. My partner and I managed the entire workflow of our team and ensured deadlines, creative standard and budgets were met.
-I worked on brands such as Heineken Beer, Tiger Beer, Sunsilk Shampoo, Dove, British American Tobacco and Coca-Cola.
-I've won numerous awards with Ogilvy Action and created ground breaking work with them during my tenure.
-Helped transform the agency's international status with the network and also helped them achieve their highest ranking ever since the Dubai office's inception with multiple wins in International award shows with my creative work.
-Ogilvy made it on the Ogilvy Cadre (Ogilvy's top 15 creative agencies across the world) for the first time ever.
-Won at Cannes, Clios, One Show and D&AD, making it a first for OgilvyAction.
-Helped OgilvyAction acquire the regional accounts for Viva Telcommunications and Grohe bathroom fittings in a pitch.
-After my first year, i was promoted to group head of Unilever, Dunia Financial and Coca-Cola. I had a jr. team reporting to me and 2 designers. My partner and I managed the entire workflow of our team and ensured deadlines, creative standard and budgets were met.
June 2010
- December 2012
United Arab Emirates
Impact/BBDO
Copywriter
- The one of the largest agencies in the UAE, Impact BBDO has allowed me to become more actively involved in the pitches, client presentations and team management.
- I worked very closely with the Creative Director and we actively aligned on all decisions with the creative process.
- Was part of the lead team that helped acquire Dubai Silicon Oasis to our agency of record with our creative strategy.
- Was instrumental in the entire Wafi re-branding initiative, which defined it's positioning in the retail market.
- In July 2009, My partners and I won a Cannes Silver Lion for “Best Use of Media”.
Clients included: Emirates Airline, Pepsi, Dubai Healthcare City, Dubai Silicon Oasis, Wafi Mall, M&Ms, Bounty, Gillette.
- I worked very closely with the Creative Director and we actively aligned on all decisions with the creative process.
- Was part of the lead team that helped acquire Dubai Silicon Oasis to our agency of record with our creative strategy.
- Was instrumental in the entire Wafi re-branding initiative, which defined it's positioning in the retail market.
- In July 2009, My partners and I won a Cannes Silver Lion for “Best Use of Media”.
Clients included: Emirates Airline, Pepsi, Dubai Healthcare City, Dubai Silicon Oasis, Wafi Mall, M&Ms, Bounty, Gillette.
January 2008
- June 2010
United Arab Emirates
Henderson Bas
Copywriter
Henderson Bas is a well-renowned digital and interactive shop in Toronto. It has won countless awards and accolades in digital and interactive communications. I further expanded my advertising and communication knowledge with this agency and was exposed to various media, both traditional and unconventional during my time here.
Clients that i worked on include: Primus, ING Direct, Capital One, Molson Canadian, Nintendo Canada, eBay.ca, Levi’s Canada, Coca-Cola™
Clients that i worked on include: Primus, ING Direct, Capital One, Molson Canadian, Nintendo Canada, eBay.ca, Levi’s Canada, Coca-Cola™
February 2007
- December 2008
Toronto, Canada
The Back Room Agency
Jr. Copywriter
Ali began his advertising career at this boutique agency in the heart of the city and he was exposed to the day-to-day dealings of the advertising business.. Ali focused primarily on assisting the creative team with copy options for the St. Lucia board of Tourism as well as other clients.
September 2006
- February 2007
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Bytheowner.com
Jr. Copywriter
Ali pursued his advertising career whilst finishing up his degree at this online real-estate firm. He was responsible for writing persuasive copy and implementing sales-style literature for the site's clientele. His responsibilities also entailed adopting a cold-call sales strategy to develop the business, compiling competitor reports of real-estate trends and statistics as well as tracked the growth of online sales vs. market through measurable page hit counters.
2005
- 2006
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Education
York University
Specialized Honours B.A. in Communication Studies
September 2001
- April 2006
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Seneca College Of Applied Arts And Technology
Creative Advertising Diploma
September 2004
- April 2006
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Languages
English (Native),
Arabic (Fluent),
French (Conversational),
Awards
Dubai Lynx International Advertising Festival
Bronze - Best use of Media (Small Scale Ambient)
201103
Dubai Lynx International Advertising Festival
Bronze - Best use of Media (Live Stunt)
201103
Cannes Lions
Silver - Best use of Media
2009
New York Festival
Finalist - Best use of Media
200907
Epica
Bronze - Media Innovation
2009
Skills
Conceptual,
Activation,
Ambient,
Art Direction,
ATL,
Big Ideas,
BTL,
Copywriting,
Editing,
Scriptwriting,
Shopper Marketing,
Television,