Dubai-based hug digital has launched a new research unit in order to meet the increasing research needs of its clients.
The new department will complement the agency’s existing creative, client servicing, media, social and content departments. The addition aims to meet the immediate research needs of clients such as Emaar Misr and Americana Group.
“Data is empowering, and deeper information is needed to take actions in the digital space,” said Youssef Shalaby, head of research at hug digital. “Spotting an insight is a creative process in itself.”
The new department will focus on ‘actionable digital insights’, including web listening reports, social performance analytics and crowdsourcing insights via the agency’s Ask4Insight platform and network.
“The days of expensive and cumbersome research techniques, such as focus groups, are over,” said Tim Baker, hug digital’s chief executive and co-founder. “We all now have access to accurate and transparent data. We need to invest time and energy into turning that into useful and actionable recommendations for our clients, quickly and at an efficient price point. ”
The new department will be rolling out both products and services for its partner brands throughout 2016 in the Middle East region and beyond.
The agency was founded in 2010 and now has 95 staff across four offices.
