Managing Partner
Playbook of Innovation:
Can you answer this in one word? Innovation, for you, is…
Azhar Siddiqui:
I have two words for it. The first is power because innovation empowers and allows you to build, create, and think differently. The other is pleasure because of the joy I feel when thinking creatively. I find it to be an enjoyable experience. I think of innovation as the fuel for motivation, making life more interesting and meaningful, especially at work. It creates challenges that stop your work from becoming repetitive and boring.
Playbook of Innovation:
Why is innovation important for you, your teams, your agency, clients, consumers, and the industry?
Azhar Siddiqui:
Innovation is necessary for the team because it keeps them engaged. It allows them to learn new things and evolve; otherwise, they get bored and stagnate. Innovation makes daily work an opportunity to be a part of something bigger. The team can see that we’re doing, creating, and building something. So, innovation is vital for the team.
For the agency, innovation is our competitive edge. In the House of Communication Serviceplan Group, it’s one of the four I’s. It’s a part of our DNA that we offer clients in terms of where the market is going and where the future is. Then, we create cutting-edge solutions that differentiate us from other agencies.
So, innovation is important for the whole business and industry. That’s one of the reasons I’m in the business. It allows, challenges, and requires you to be constantly creative and innovative.
Playbook of Innovation:
How do you create an environment where innovation can flourish?
Azhar Siddiqui:
To create that environment, you must embed innovation within the agency’s culture. You need a culture where curiosity and open-mindedness are valued, and you must give employees the freedom to challenge ideas or processes without fear of judgment or repercussions.
This must happen across departments and colleagues of all levels. Whether you’re a junior or in management, you should be allowed this culture of open-mindedness and communication amongst everyone.
Playbook of Innovation:
I like that you mentioned questioning processes because we’re proud of how things work and having tools for everything. But, it’s the harder way to question whether the tools we use are the right ones and if they’ll get us where we want to go.
Azhar Siddiqui:
The caveman thought rubbing two stones together was a great tool, and if he didn’t question, “Is there a better way of doing this?” we wouldn’t have evolved. All tools are great and do the job they’re supposed to. That’s the value of innovation. I think it’s human nature to constantly look and ask, “Can I do this better? How can I improve this? I need to innovate for that.
Playbook of Innovation:
What inspires you?
Azhar Siddiqui:
For me, innovation comes from thinking about the limitless potential of humans. If you look at mankind over time, evolution has almost invariably happened on the back of innovation.
And we continue to evolve through these principles. The pace of evolution and innovation has exponentially been increasing, too. Today, we dream of conquering space and colonizing Mars.
In the next century, we’ll start talking about moving between galaxies, and who knows what else? So, what is the potential of the human mind? It’s endless. That’s an inspiring thought.
Playbook of Innovation:
Is there a tool, service, or product inside your agency that you consider a great example of innovation?
Azhar Siddiqui:
A relatively recent one, although I know we’ve been working on this for a long time, is Mediaplus Realtime. It’s not a tool; it’s a comprehensive product that makes media planning and optimization more effective. It leverages real time data from various sources, pulls it together, and infuses AI to extract high-level analytics and consumer insights. This, then, can be leveraged to create targeted and effective campaigns. For me, it’s a great example of something we’ve built within Mediaplus.
Playbook of Innovation:
In your opinion, what’s the most innovative thing about Mediaplus?
Azhar Siddiqui:
The most innovative thing is our other ‘I’. Our integrated process allows us to merge new technologies across media and creative teams. We recently got to glimpse the generative AI in our innovation lab, developed by our colleagues in the U.S. When combined with Mediaplus Realtime, we see how innovations work together seamlessly. It’s a great example of our holistic approach to innovation: we enhance the entire communication process rather than working in isolated silos.
Playbook of Innovation:
Did your view of innovation change in the last years? If yes, why?
Azhar Siddiqui:
My views on innovation started to change, but not yet. I considered innovation more in terms of technological or engineering innovation. However, I’ve begun to consider innovation as something that should work for humanity. But I don’t see much happening in that area to create groundbreaking technology or ideas that’ll improve things for society, our earth, or even sustainability. From a human perspective, there are a lot of questions: how do we eliminate poverty? How do we eliminate mass famine? How do we eliminate disease? How do we improve underprivileged areas of the world? 80% of the world still lives in impoverished conditions. How do we cater to that? I think that’s where innovation should be focused.
Playbook of Innovation:
Thank you for sharing such a profound and meaningful perspective, Azhar. To switch gears and add some light-hearted fun, let's put the age-old debate to the test. Cats or dogs?
Azhar Siddiqui:
I have both a cat and a dog. Which one’s my favorite? I don’t know. Some days I like the cat, other days I like the dog.
Playbook of Innovation:
Pineapple on pizza or not?
Azhar Siddiqui:
Definitely no pineapple on pizza.
Playbook of Innovation:
Farm or city?
Azhar Siddiqui:
For me, it’s a farm, although I live in a city. Maybe that’s why I chose the fa
Playbook of Innovation:
Books or movies?
Azhar Siddiqui:
Movies. I don’t have the patience for books.
Playbook of Innovation:
Fantastic choices. Before we let you go, we wanted to ask you one more question:
what should innovation be able to do?
Azhar Siddiqui:
Innovation should make life better, simplify complex problems, and serve humanity. I think the aspect of innovation being pushed in Mediaplus is AI, and that’s amazing. Everyone must learn to embrace, use, leverage, and benefit from it, especially in media. We work with so much data, tools, and digital competencies that AI can help us excel even further.
Playbook of Innovation:
Thank you, Azhar, for your valuable insights on innovation and the role of AI. Your perspective on making life better through technology is both inspiring and practical. We look forward to seeing how Mediaplus Middle East will drive growth and innovation in the future.
