We sat down with Sherry Mansour, MD, Middle East, North Africa & Turkey, Seedtag, to talk about the evolution of the UAE media market, the rise of contextual and CTV, talent pressures and the enduring power of agency partnerships.
Can you start by giving some background on your career and Seedtag’s presence in the region, and how you have seen Dubai evolve?
I have been in Dubai for 19 years and working in media for 14 of those, so I have witnessed the city’s transformation firsthand. I have seen the real estate boom, the global recession and the subsequent rapid rebuilding of confidence, infrastructure and ambition.
Over the years, Dubai has become a highly dynamic, tech-driven market, which makes it incredibly exciting for anyone in media and advertising.
I began my career in offline media, selling magazine inventory. That experience gave me a solid understanding of client servicing, brand relationships and revenue fundamentals. From there I moved into digital media, working with multiple brands and agencies, and observing the rapid evolution of the ecosystem.
Four years ago we opened Seedtag’s office in MENA, and since then we have experienced substantial growth in contextual advertising. This approach is increasingly valued by advertisers because it effectively balances privacy considerations with strong, measurable performance.
How would you describe the maturity of the MENA market compared with Europe and the US, and how has that changed?
In the past there was a clear knowledge gap. When a new product, format or technology launched in the US or Europe, it often took time before it could be implemented in MENA. Sometimes this was due to ecosystem readiness, other times it was because technical expertise was limited locally.
That gap has reduced significantly.
The UAE is highly digitalised, from consumer behaviour to government initiatives, which accelerates adoption. Advertisers are more tech-savvy, agencies are more consultative, and there is a genuine appetite for innovation.
While we still look to the US and Europe for trends, the delay between launch and local implementation is now much shorter. The market is increasingly agile, and international companies are recognising the Middle East as a strategic region to expand their footprint.
Which media channels are currently seeing the strongest growth, and why?
Digital Out of Home is booming.
Outdoor media has traditionally been strong in the UAE, but digitalising the inventory has added measurement, targeting and contextual sophistication. Advertisers can now reach audiences in ways that were not possible before, making DOOH a high-value channel.
Connected TV is another area of rapid growth. Everyone is exploring CTV, advertisers, agencies and technology providers alike, but there are still challenges around scalability, inventory and integration with publishers.
At Seedtag, CTV is a key pillar of our MENA roadmap. Our ambition goes beyond standard CTV to neuro-contextual CTV, where campaigns are aligned not only with the content environment but also with the viewer’s mindset and realtime motivations. This deeper layer of intelligence enables more meaningful audience connections while delivering richer, more actionable insights for clients.
What challenges do advertisers face with CTV, and how are you addressing them?
Advertisers are highly interested in CTV, but several challenges remain. Many still seek clarity on available premium inventory, platform access, and how technologies integrate across the ecosystem. There are also key questions around buying models programmatic versus direct and whether campaigns can deliver consistent, measurable outcomes at scale.
At Seedtag, we focus on simplifying this landscape. By combining neuro-contextual targeting with CTV, we help advertisers align messaging with the viewer’s mindset in the moment. This approach equips brands with deeper intelligence and performance visibility, giving them greater confidence as the CTV ecosystem continues to mature across MENA.
How are consumer behaviours evolving, and what does that mean for brands?
From a consumer perspective, attention spans are extremely short,often less than six seconds which means brands have only a brief window to capture interest and deliver impact..
People want highly personalised, relevant content that resonates immediately. Interests also change quickly, influenced by constant exposure to new information and content.
This makes relevance and contextual alignment crucial. Whether through CTV, digital out of home, or any other platform, campaigns must connect with audiences at the right moment, reflecting their current interests.
This is where neuro-contextual advertising becomes especially powerful. By analysing not just the content environment but also the underlying emotions, interests, and intent signals present in the moment, brands can align messaging more precisely with audience mindset. This deeper level of understanding enables campaigns to resonate more meaningfully, driving stronger engagement, improved attention, and more effective outcomes.
What are the challenges and opportunities around talent in MENA?
Talent is one of the region’s most sensitive topics.
While there is strong quality talent available, finding individuals who combine technical expertise, client servicing skills, and an understanding of the holistic marketing funnel is challenging. The newer generation often has less accountability and experience compared with previous ones, which makes recruitment more complex.
However, there are opportunities to work closely with academia and nurture local talent. Companies that invest in training and knowledge transfer can build competitive advantage while helping grow the overall ecosystem.
How do agencies fit into this evolving ecosystem?
Agencies remain central in MENA. They are strategic partners, guiding advertisers through complex campaigns and providing consultancy that ensures effectiveness.
Over the years, agencies in the region have evolved to become more consultative and client centric. Today, they focus not just on media buying, but on aligning technology, data, and solutions with the advertiser’s broader business objectives. This shift has strengthened their position as trusted advisors rather than just intermediaries.
The major HolCos have been long-term players in this market, and their influence is critical. They act as the bridge between technology providers like Seedtag and the advertiser, ensuring that innovations are implemented effectively and campaigns achieve their KPIs.
What’s next for Seedtag in MENA?
2026 is shaping up to be an exciting year for Seedtag in MENA. We will continue to expand our neuro-contextual capabilities, while advancing our CTV roadmap across the region. Our focus is on delivering solutions that remove key pain points for advertisers and agency partners; particularly around insight, scalability, and performance.
Client-centricity remains at the core of everything we do. Our priority is to deeply understand advertiser needs, deliver clear and measurable outcomes, and provide strategic guidance that helps brands navigate an increasingly complex and fast evolving media landscape.
