When you ask Mimi Nicklin, the Managing Director of RAPP Middle East & Africa, about their recent win of Metlife Insurance she beams a smile that shows that this win means more than just business to her. “When Michelle (Lee), the Marketing Director for MetLife Gulf, asked us to work on the marketing strategy and delivery of their brand in 2019, I had an unexplainable feeling that we were being handed something extremely precious” said Nicklin.
As MetLife marches into 2019 with a new agenda for the region, focusing on their improved product offerings, competitive service models and leading data led innovation, there is arguably no better time to be “in” the insurance field. “The insinuation that insurance communication can be anything other than creatively excellent is, quite simply, disappointing. The products that MetLife offers to their clients are not only industry leading but, literally, life changing. When you mix these ingredients, both us and our client team, have no doubt that together we will simultaneously build the MetLife business, and their creative awards, with the work ahead. The more we learn about the products, the more we are totally convinced that every one of us should be covered by their policies”. You can tell she means it. Nicklin, the daughter of one of the original admen back in the 60’s and 70’s, believes entirely in the adage that your client’s product is to be lived by, and not just billed by. With this in mind the agency has immediately changed their insurance policy to ensure all staff are now MetLife clients.
The RAPP team have been established as an extension of the MetLife marketing team, with some key staff members being placed in house, and specialists in social and digital being dedicated to delivering KPI’s in the financial year ahead. RAPP will be partnering with the brand on all elements of their marketing strategy from insight development and research to the delivery of through the line assets across retail, social media, video, direct to customer and digital, as well as delivering their full above the line remit for the year ahead.
Michelle Lee, added “we chose RAPP for their unique offering in this market. They don’t just preach but they practice what they promise. They truly believe in client delivery and yet they stand up for their strategic opinions and creative recommendations bravely. They offer a mix of strategically sound and creatively excellent delivery with a real commitment to delivering as they say they will, which is what every client truly values from their agency partner. Plus, Mimi seems to lead a team with boundless energy, night and day. I have no idea where it comes from!”
Having worked in global horizontal teams for many years, Nicklin doesn’t believe in fragmented offerings across multiple agencies, but in truly neutral brand communication development that is fueled by data and designed with a balance of intelligence and intuition. She is hoping that the growing RAPP business will deliver just this. “Our focus for this year is simple, firstly we want to be the happiest agency in Dubai, for our people and for our clients, and secondly we want to deliver creative excellence that is data led, technology fueled and business building. I truly believe in client centricity and that if you get client service right and balance it with agile yet excellent creative delivery and surprise, we can all, agency and client side, love what we do.”
