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This Ramadan: Snap Inc. is giving businesses the chance to Snap like a Snapchatter

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Snapchat

This Ramadan, Snap is allowing brands to Snap like a Snapchatter, by tapping into the platform’s most beloved features, from the camera and chat to the creativity of its community of creators. In the GCC, Ramadan is a celebration of community, and Snapchat is deeply embedded in the heart of Ramadan celebrations, with Snapchatters planning, shopping, and connecting with loved ones. 

Engagement on Snapchat is massive during Ramadan. In KSA, GCC audiences open the app over 45 times a day. This importance of personal connections is why Snapchat has become the go-to platform for communal shopping during Ramadan. The GCC audience is highly active, constantly searching for their next Ramadan must-have across all categories. Shopping becomes a social event during Ramadan and brands have the opportunity to raise awareness, gain consideration and drive conversion on a platform where during Ramadan in markets like KSA, an average of 10 billion stories are viewed each day, and Snapchatters play with AR lenses over 220 million times daily.

This Ramadan, Snapchat is giving brands the chance to Snap like a Snapchatter, with the launch of Sponsored Snaps, a game changing new ad placement tool which has been designed to empower businesses to connect with the Snapchat community in more innovative ways. Strategically being scaled first globally in KSA and the UAE during Ramadan—a season defined by reflection, togetherness, and meaningful connections—the initiative reinforces Snapchat’s role as a digital extension of these cherished moments. Sponsored Snaps offer an opportunity to engage audiences in ways that are both authentic and impactful, by seamlessly integrating brands into the cultural and social fabric of Ramadan.

In a natural extension of the way Snapchatters already engage with businesses on the platform, Sponsored Snaps will allow brands to deliver full-screen vertical video messages directly into Snapchatters’ Chat inboxes, enabling deeper engagement with audiences. Maintaining the user-first design philosophy for which Snapchat has long been known, Sponsored Snaps are visually distinct messages from brands, ensuring a clear separation from personal messages. They are also opt-in, so Snapchatters can choose to view the Snap, respond directly to the advertiser, or use the embedded call-to-action to visit a predetermined link.

The holy month will also see the return of the Snap AR Ramadan Mall, following an impressive 16M shoppers visiting in 2024. The new edition has been reimagined to embody the essence of GCC old towns and modern day shopping districts making for the ultimate retail experience. 

Further empowering brands to connect authentically with audiences this Ramadan, a third experience will also be introduced onto the platform that seamlessly blends tradition with innovation – HAZAR FAZAR, an AR experience that spotlights stories deeply rooted into GCC culture, brought to life through a series of branded lenses that are opened by riddles and showcase unique characters.

Snapchatters in the GCC have a very strong and personal relationship with the Creators they follow and during moments like Ramadan audiences are tuned in to the Creators they follow. Brands will have the opportunity to leverage Creators’ credibility on Snapchat to reach new audiences by collaborating with their favorite Snap Stars and utilizing programs such as Creator Midrolls, the Creator Collab Studio or through sponsoring or promoting Creator content. 

Hala Zgeib, Head of Luxury MENA at Snap Inc. said; “Innovation, while staying true to the essence of the platform, has always been at the heart of Snapchat. We empower businesses to connect with our community’s inner circle, both online and offline, fostering authentic relationships and driving success across the region. This Ramadan marks an exciting chapter for Snap, as we enable brands to engage more meaningfully with their audience through Snaps, deepen resonance, and celebrate culture with initiatives like the Snap AR Ramadan Mall and HAZAR FAZAR, while also making it easier to collaborate with our creators.”

Snapchat is empowering brands to create authentic connections with audiences, driving deeper engagement and accelerating ROI across the full funnel this Ramadan, making the platform more interactive and communal than ever before.

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HISENSE EXPANDS PRESENCE IN THE UAE WITH NEW BRAND SHOWROOM AND CARE HUB OPENINGS

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Hisense, a leading brand in global consumer electronics and home appliances, continues to strengthen its footprint in the UAE market with the opening of two new strategic locations in Dubai: the new Hisense – Avatar Trading brand showroom in Bur Dubai and the new Hisense Care Hub and showroom near Dubai Airport. These openings mark a significant milestone in Hisense’s regional expansion strategy, reinforcing the brand’s commitment to delivering premium technology experiences and enhanced customer support across the UAE.

The newly launched Hisense and Avatar Trading brand showroom in Bur Dubai offers consumers a dedicated destination to experience the latest innovations from Hisense across home entertainment and home appliances. The showroom showcases Hisense’s newest premium technologies, including large-screen MiniLED TVs powered by advanced AI capabilities, flagship PureView and PureFlat refrigerators, premium washing machines, dishwashers, small kitchen appliances, and a wide range of smart and eco-friendly air conditioning solutions.

The showroom also highlights the Hisense smart ecosystem through the ConnectLife platform, enabling consumers to experience how connected living and AI-powered technologies can seamlessly integrate across multiple product categories.

Ashish Kapur, Managing Director of Avatar Trading, said: “We are proud to strengthen our partnership with Hisense through the opening of this new premium showroom in Bur Dubai. This space is designed to provide customers with a hands-on experience of Hisense’s latest innovations and technologies, while supporting the growing demand for premium consumer electronics and home appliances in the UAE market.”

In parallel, Hisense also announced the opening of its new Care Hub and showroom near Dubai Airport, further reinforcing the company’s investment in after-sales excellence and customer experience in the UAE. The dedicated facility is designed to enhance after-sales services and provide customers with a seamless support experience, while also offering a modern showroom environment where visitors can explore and experience the latest Hisense technologies and products firsthand.

During the launch, Jason Ou, President, Hisense Middle East, Africa, and India, emphasized the strategic importance of the UAE market to the company’s regional growth plans. “The UAE remains one of our key strategic markets in the region, and these openings reflect our continued commitment to strengthening our presence and accessibility across the country. Through our strong partnership with Avatar Trading and the launch of our new Care Hub and showroom, we aim to deliver a more premium, connected, and customer-focused experience for consumers in the UAE,” he said.

He added: “These investments reinforce our confidence in the long-term potential of the UAE market and support our vision of expanding both our product accessibility and after-sales capabilities, while continuing to elevate the consumer experience across the region.”

The openings also reflect Hisense’s broader vision of driving innovation and smart living experiences in the region, while continuing to strengthen its premium positioning and long-term investment in the UAE market.

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EXPERIENCE THE FUTURE OF CLOUD ANYWHERE AT CLOUDERA EVOLVE26 DUBAI

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Cloudera, the only company bringing AI to data anywhere, today announced it will host its annual global data and AI conference, EVOLVE26, in Dubai on 05   November 2026.

With a focus on attracting global talent, investing in innovation, and building a strong digital economy, the UAE has positioned itself at the forefront of artificial intelligence adoption through its National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2031. The country aims to become a global hub for AI by integrating advanced technologies across key sectors and strengthening government performance. According to PwC, AI is expected to contribute 13.6%  of the UAE’s GDP, compared to 12.4 % in Saudi Arabia and 8.2%  in the rest of the GCC.

Supporting this regional vision, Cloudera’s EVOLVE26 conference will bring together industry visionaries, customers, and partners to explore how enterprises can unlock the full value of AI by accessing data anywhere, and with a consistent cloud experience that enables organizations to run AI anywhere across public clouds, on-prem data centers, and the edge.

It will focus on reducing risk, strengthening security and governance, controlling costs, and unlocking data to drive measurable business outcomes for organizations, especially those in regulated industries operating in hybrid environments.

Through visionary keynotes, industry-focused sessions, interactive hands-on labs, and exclusive ‘Meet the Experts’ meetings, attendees will gain actionable insights into leveraging AI for transformative impact. The conference will also feature breakout sessions and technical talks centered on three core themes:

  • Operationalizing AI Across Hybrid and Multi-Cloud Environments: Discover proven strategies from pioneers successfully moving Agentic AI from pilot to production. Hear global thought leaders unpack the Era of Convergence and address real-world challenges, such as data gravity and sovereignty, equipping organizations with a clear roadmap for smarter decision-making across hybrid and multi-cloud environments.
  • Building Enterprise Expertise and Ecosystem Advantage: Engage with a global community of data architects, partners, and AI experts through curated networking opportunities and collaborative, hands-on experiences. Advance your career through expert-led training, certifications, and candid customer case studies highlighting what worked, what didn’t, and how technology was transformed into a competitive advantage.
  • Designing High-Performance Data Strategies for Measurable Impact: Meet one-on-one with executives and technical specialists to shape a tailored, high-performance data strategy. Leave with fresh perspectives, practical next steps, and lasting relationships that empower you to scale innovation and deliver measurable business results.

There will also be an expo zone showcasing some of the industry’s most ground-breaking solutions for scalable and secure data management, enabling business-critical AI applications and real-time analytics at scale.

Cloudera’s Data Impact Awards will also be announced at EVOLVE26. These prestigious awards recognize outstanding data-driven projects that have made a significant business impact within their organizations, across industries, and globally.

Learn more about  EVOLVE26 events. The schedule is as follows:

  • Dubai: November 05
  • Singapore: August 20
  • Sao Paulo: September 10
  • New York: October 14

“AI is only as powerful as the data strategy behind it,” said Charles Sansbury, CEO of Cloudera. “At this year’s EVOLVE26, we’re focused on helping enterprises move from experimentation to real results, unlocking the value of AI, no matter where the data lives, without compromise. By bringing together customers, partners, and industry leaders, we’re creating a space to share why a ‘data anywhere approach’ is vital for accelerating measurable business impact.”

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SYNOLOGY UNDERSCORES NEED FOR CYBER RESILIENCE AND AI-READY INFRASTRUCTURE IN MIDDLE EAST

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Synology, a global technology company that enables businesses to manage, secure, and protect their data, highlighted the accelerating shift from traditional backup methods to integrated, resilience‑driven strategies among Middle Eastern enterprises during a successful online media briefing it recently hosted.

The company emphasized the urgent need for businesses to modernize their data protection strategies as rising cyber risks, accelerating AI adoption, and evolving data sovereignty requirements continue to redefine the region’s digital landscape. Recent reports indicate that cyberattacks across the GCC have surged by nearly 40 percent year on year, with the UAE alone experiencing more than 200,000 attempted intrusions per day. This points to the critical need for more robust, adaptive, and forward-looking data protection strategies.

During the session, Synology underscored a significant shift among regional enterprises towards comprehensive approaches for continuous data protection, enhanced recovery readiness, and secure infrastructure designed to support AI-driven innovation. Mike Chen, Senior Sales Manager at Synology, emphasized that modern organizations require integrated solutions that not only safeguard critical data but also enable operational agility and scalable growth in an increasingly digital economy.

“Data security today is no longer just about backups—it is about building continuous resilience, ensuring rapid recovery, and maintaining full control over critical assets,” said Mike Chen, Senior Sales Manager at Synology. “As AI adoption accelerates, organizations need secure, scalable infrastructure that not only protects against evolving threats but also enables them to innovate with confidence.”

Synology highlighted two priority areas for enterprises in the UAE and wider region. The first is unlocking value from fragmented and unstructured data through integrated storage, hybrid cloud architectures, and AI-driven capabilities such as semantic search and intelligent workflows. The second is strengthening digital sovereignty by enabling organizations to retain full control over their data while meeting evolving regulatory and operational requirements.

The company also pointed to real-world applications of its solutions, citing the Museum of the Future as a case in point. The landmark institution has leveraged Synology’s technologies to support scalable storage, real-time collaboration, and reliable media backup in a high-demand, data-intensive environment.

With more than 14 million installations across over 120 markets, Synology continues to support organizations in building secure, resilient, and AI-ready data ecosystems as digital transformation accelerates across the Middle East.

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