CEO Monthly Issue 10 2018

22 CEO MONTHLY / ISSUE 10 2018 , AndrewBurgess has a rare talent for digital marketing. With UGC Factory, he has spearheaded amarketing revolutionwithin theMiddle East, offering a new perspective in a region defined by innovation. Earlier this year, Andrewwas recognised by CEOMonthlyMagazine as the 2018 Digital Marketing CEO of the Year. Eager to find out more, we took a closer look at UGC Factory to see how they have redefined best practice in this crucial cornerstone of modern business. The Recognised Expert in Digital Marketing Consumer demands and expectations have changed dramatically over the last decade. On the back of an increasing commitment to digitisation, the very fabric of business – and by extension, marketing – has undergone a paradigm shift as it looks to capitalise on client-centricity and communication. Social media, in many ways, has been the harbinger of this change, forging a direct link between business and client, regardless of market or niche. For the first time, companies all over the world could reach new audiences seamlessly and easily. From the very beginning, Andrew sought to get ahead of the curve, realising early opportunities to distinguish himself from a notoriously competitive market. When Andrew arrived in Dubai in 2007, he recognised that social media adoption was remarkably low among businesses in the region. On the back of this, he specialised in conversation and viral marketing, utilising the ability to make direct connections and spread information quickly to make the largest impact among targeted demographics. In 2014, Andrew pivoted to TINT, a User-Generated Content (UGC) Software as a Service (SaaS) platform that collects, moderates and curates social content from across the world. From there he moved on to other SaaS platforms, including Stackla, the world’s most powerful visual content engine. With an almost chameleonic ability to adapt to change, Andrew has shown a honed talent for recognising what his peers do not – the fastest, most robust route to enduring success. Through his experience with software, he allows organisations to harness one of the most prolific, and powerful, tools in marketing, UGC. Understanding that content is the fundamental driver behind good marketing, Andrew launched his company, UGC Factory, reinvigorating a sector that had, for too long, embraced dated ideas. To put it simply, social media has created advocates of consumers, as they advertise their favourite products and services online to a group of friends or a crowd of followers. As such, expensive campaigns with witty sales messages have mostly become a thing of the past, their effectiveness diminished in light of better alternatives. In the modern world of marketing, consumers have become the most influential of brand ambassadors. “For years, marketers have been told that content is king, in truth context is king and with context comes great content. Consumers no longer believe brand messaging and rely on peers for recommendations or more authentic content”. GCE18039 Consumers crave authenticity – direct advertising has become defined by insincerity and innate bias. A well-placed recommendation from a consumer can do more for positive brand awareness than any mass advertising campaign. UGC Factory recognise this, and work hard to best use this knowledge to benefit their clients. “UGC promotes authenticity. It’s easy for marketers and brands to get hung up on creating high- quality content, but in today’s world of influencers a shaky Instagram video or picture can