Company: Informa Connect, Dubai, UAE
Company Description: Informa is a leading international events, digital services and academic knowledge group. We're here to champion the specialist. Through hundreds of brands and a range of products and services, we connect businesses and professionals with the knowledge they need to learn more, know more and do more. Informa is listed on London Stock Exchange and a member of FTSE 100.
Nomination Category: Marketing Organization / Professional Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Marketing Team of the Year
 Nomination Title: Najah Education Series Team
- Which will you submit for your nomination in this category, a video of up to five (5) minutes in length about the achievements of the nominated team since 1 January 2021, OR written answers to the questions for this category? (Choose one):
- If you are submitting a video of up to five (5) minutes in length, provide the URL of the nominated video here, OR attach it to your entry via the "Add Attachments, Videos, or Links to This Entry" link above, through which you may also upload a copy of your video.
- If you are providing written answers for your submission, you must provide an answer to this first question: Briefly describe the nominated team: its history and past performance (up to 200 words):
Total 195 words used.
We nominate the Najah Higher Education Events Marketing Team of Informa Connect for Marketing Team of the Year. The team consists of Sarita Lakhiani, Mylene Carmona and Asif Nazir and is based in the United Arab Emirates.
Najah events are the UAE’s leading higher education recruitment fairs. Najah Abu Dhabi has been running for 16 years with the current team working on the event for 3 years in total, shortlisted for Informa Awards 2020 in 3 categories. Judges called Najah ‘a true innovation that Informa must celebrate’ involving a ‘unique and never-done-before digital strategy’ and the team showing ‘audacity at most risky times’. Sarita Lakhiani was praised ‘a trailblazer’ with ‘exceptional understanding of B2C social media/influencer marketing’.
Najah Dubai was launched in 2021, but visitors and exhibitors at both events had poor experiences due to restrictions imposed due to Covid-19. Low revenues were achieved and disappointing NPS scores were obtained for both groups, with negative scores from exhibitors as follows:
Najah Abu Dhabi: -19
Najah Dubai: -48
In 2022, we needed to concentrate intently on our different audiences of students, parents, teacher and postgraduate applicants and improve:
- previous year visitor numbers
- revenue, and
- NPS scores.
- If you are providing written answers for your submission, you must provide an answer to this second question: Outline the team's achievements since the beginning of 2021 that you wish to bring to the judges' attention (up to 250 words):
Total 256 words used.
With events held in October 2022, the Najah Higher Education Marketing Team worked collaboratively to:
- communicate with universities and obtain exhibitor revenue
- secure visitors via targeted marketing
- ensure events provided an excellent customer experience for visitors.
Astounding Satisfaction
The most successful element of the marketing campaign was surpassing all expectations with across-the-board increases in NPS scores to far above industry standards:
- Exhibitor NPS up an average 72 points to 63 (with Najah Abu Dhabi up a whopping 83!)
- Visitor NPS up an average 40 points to 38 (Najah Abu Dhabi up an enormous 61!)
92% of Abu Dhabi exhibitors rated the event important for business, with 90% of exhibitors satisfied with visitor numbers at their stand.
Record-breaking Results
Through integrated marketing, revenue increased an average of 32% with Najah Dubai revenue up an incredible 45.3%.
Another major achievement was the increase in school groups by an astounding 378% through out-of-the-box problem-solving.
Thought Leadership
Thought leader authority within Higher Education communities was achieved through innovative marketing consisting of:
- 13 top media partnerships
- USD 2.9 million worth of PR coverage
- 316+ original articles with 91.3M readership
- publication in Tier A titles including Gulf News and Khaleej Times
- 60 radio spots, including No.1 Dubai Eye.
Campaign Success
Crucially, the digital marketing campaign had an incredible conversion rate of 45%.
The team also achieved a remarkable 64.7% saving in marketing cost per attendee and grew the Informa database 189% to 46k+.
Achraf Eldarbi from American University of Sharjah praised:
‘This year, Najah exceeded expectations.’
- If you are providing written answers for your submission, you must provide an answer to this third question: Explain why the achievements you have highlighted are unique or significant. If possible compare the achievements to the performance of other players in your industry and/or to the team's past performance (up to 250 words):
Total 249 words used.
Achievements highlighted are significant due to:
Re-establishing Trust - With previous years a struggle due to Covid-19, the 2022 results were achieved despite lingering public reluctance to attend face-to-face events. We overcame this by working closely with government to plan, promote and deliver safe events.
With a 378% school group increase, we worked closely with venue security to consider all scenarios and implement a logistics plan for smooth visitor access and experience.
Growing competition – With recruitment events increasing in number the team differentiated Najah events through:
- local government support
- focusing intently on different audiences of students, parents, teachers, postgraduate applicants with separate campaigns targeted to each
- innovative marketing including a wide range of formats including posts, video, GIFs, reels and stories
- building strong relationships with school communities.
Innovative Approach – The team utilized digital and traditional marketing techniques including above-the-line marketing, PR, SEO, email campaigns, social media to engage in cost-effective ways.
Constant Refining - Digital content was tested in various formats for each audience and campaigns optimized for the best-performing, with messages constantly refined.
Record-breaking Performance - quantifiable results secured against past performance included:
- 193% rise in pre-registrations to 25k+ across both events
- 185% increase in attendance to 21k+, with Najah Dubai attendance up 197%
- 378% more school groups attending
- 180+ exhibitors from 20 countries
- 32% boom in Najah revenue with Najah Dubai revenue up 45.3%.
Far Above Industry Standard – an average exhibitor score of 63 was achieved compared to the industry standard of -7.
- You have the option to answer this final question: Reference any attachments of supporting materials throughout this nomination and how they provide evidence of the claims you have made in this nomination (up to 250 words):
Total 142 words used.
Please find enclosed a PDF supporting document that summarizes the application for Marketing Team of the Year.
In this document, you will find evidence backing up the application as follows:
Event Overview
- Team photo.
- Quotes from Informa Connect senior management.
- Statistics relating to pre-registrations, exhibitor numbers.
- Details of cost savings and financial returns.
- Graphs illustrating growth in NPS scores for exhibitors and visitors.
Outstanding Growth
- Graphs depicting the increase in attendance numbers.
Campaign Success
- Statistics and graphs illustrating database growth.
Establishing Authority
- Photos of the opening of the Najah Dubai with Government support.
- Details of PR coverage obtained including screenshots of press articles.
- Screenshots of social media posts illustrating the digital campaign.
Outstanding Feedback
- Statistical satisfaction results from exhibitors.
- Testimonials from exhibitors and visitors.
Throughout the document, you will also see photos taken of exhibitors, students, and school groups at the events.
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