The First Verge Digital Summit in Dubai deals with consumers' high adoption curve of digital technology

With new digital mediums of communication encompassing wide ranges of audiences, marketers were urged to catch up with consumers and their new areas of interest.

James Duthie, CEO of OgivlyOne Middle East encouraged the audience to look at digital technology not just as a medium or marketing tool, but as a way of improving the total customer experience. "With the Verge summit, Ogilvy One is representing the 'verge' of change in our consumers' lives. Today, consumers are immersed in websites, chat forums, their mobiles, ipods and their Blackberrys. They look to these mediums to communicate at a fast and dynamic pace, looking for easy access to information, products and people. Today, there are unfilled gaps in these mediums, where we can add value."

"We need to look at ways to further enhance the total customer experience. Given the pervasiveness of digital media, the consumer can be reached directly, immediately and seamlessly. Whether it is through Bluetooth messaging, an e-commerce website or eye-catching 3D advertising at a mall, we should bring innovation to our consumer message. This may require some experimental work, but we need to be brave in our approach and deal with the new Didital Age head-on."

Omar Hijazi, CEO of Tejari, added to this conclusion, "The Middle East and Africa has a lot to do in order to compete with the rest of the world in terms of digital media. While private and public sectors are engaged in B2B e-commerce, we need the MEA region to look into transparency, e-readiness, internationalization, adoption and innovation in order to fully allow for the incorporation of the digital age."

Brian Fetherstonhaugh, Chairman and CEO of OgilvyOne Worldwide, says, "Consumers are ahead of us in the digital world, as marketers, we need to embrace technology and make it work to our advantage. Many avenues such as search marketing, email marketing, e-collaboration need to be explored. We need to use the new age media to help our brands travel the last mile towards the consumer."