Culture change

As travel has opened up over the last year, we have been fortunate to explore and experience a variety of markets first hand in our global work, from the USA to India, the Caribbean to Mediterranean Europe.

The one nation that has stood out as delivering the greatest pace of change and progress, is Saudi Arabia. From cultural to consumer, development to brand, all facets of the country are demonstrating the impact of cultural, economic, and commercial transformation.

There are a number of key characteristics that are helping to power the pace of change:

A clear vision
Vision 2030 is the strategic framework that has been set out by government to reduce Saudi Arabia’s dependence on oil, diversify its economy, and develop public service sectors across health, education, infrastructure, recreation, and tourism. This is to create a vibrant society, thriving economy and ambitious nation.

This direction from leadership has provided a set of common goals for government institutions, corporates, and citizens, setting a clear and ambitious vision to direct capital allocation, innovation, and participation. This clarity in vision and aligned understanding is helping to deliver faster progress towards shared goals.

Empowerment & Diversity
A crucial component in driving the pace of progress has been the efforts to empower the population and encourage diversity. Initiatives ranging from the Saudi Nationalisation Scheme to encourage employment participation, to the relaxing of cultural constraints creating more freedom and choice for women, have increased innovation.

In the recent World Bank Report on Women in Business, Saudi Arabia scored eighty out of 100, compared to a regional average of 53 in the region.  Female unemployment has decreased from 32% in 2019 to 22% in 2022, and the number of female-led small-to-medium enterprises has doubled in number since 2016.

These cultural changes and the rise of female participation in the workplace are creating new opportunities to socialise and spend, unlocking the potential of younger generations, fostering new ideas, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit.  Organisations and brands that empower their people achieve better results.

Challenging convention
The ambition and aspiration of the leadership is challenging convention to break barriers, re-think traditional models, and expand horizons, demonstrated by the wide variety of emerging new and planned projects. The Line, part of the wider NEOM project, aims to redefine the concept of urban development, through a 170km long vertical smart city. The Red Sea Project (seen above) is looking to set new heights in sustainable development and luxury tourism. Riyadh Seasons, launched in 2019, provided an unprecedented programme of leisure events and shows, creating a strong appetite for entertainment and contemporary culture.

The outcome is a strong sense of optimism, ambition, and confidence amongst the local population, which is encouraging the developers, operators, and brands to create new products and experiences that deliver tomorrow’s ideas today.

Brand Building
Recognising the powerful and immediate impact of social media and a globally connected community, significant efforts have been made to change perceptions and increase awareness through enhanced brand identity and presentation.

At a national scale, the Visit Saudi Arabia website, with the ‘Welcome to Arabia’ strapline demonstrates the quick transition from a nation that was once challenging to access, to one that is inviting a warm welcome to a global audience. From a regional perspective, the AlUla heritage development conveys the powerful combination of historic heritage, contemporary culture, and events programming.

Beyond a strapline and logo, the most effective brand building is about delivering a consistent experience underpinned by authentic values and translating this to every touch point of the customer journey.

Experiencing these exciting new destinations first hand will provide the true test of deliverability, and potentially be the new benchmark for others to follow.

If you'd like to find out more about our work in the Middle East, simply reply to this email.

Alex Avery
CEO