Augustus October Newsletter (1)

October’s tribute captures all things media, thought leadership, content and business development. Keep track of Augustus Media brands; Lovin Dubai, Lovin Saudi, Smashi and ODEUM. Let’s take a deep dive into content & campaign highlights, along with our current commercial updates.

Message From The CEO

Innovating Media: Expanding Reach, Personalizing Content, and Building Loyal Communities

As a modern media company, embracing digital innovation is essential for growth and engagement. We’re focusing on expanding our newsletter subscribers for direct connection, leveraging native publishing for seamless audience interaction, and integrating AI tools to enhance content creation and personalization. Initiatives like WhatsApp channels offer real-time, personalized updates, while building out membership benefits across social networks deepens loyalty and community. Our commitment is to lead with innovation, creating impactful storytelling that resonates in today’s fast-paced digital world.

Richard Fitzgerald
CEO & Founder

📱 All Things Content

October was a thrilling month for our teams in Saudi, Egypt, and the UAE, packed with major wins and memorable moments! In Saudi, we teamed up with big names like PMI, Starbucks, Pepsi, and more, delivering standout campaigns and growing our digital reach with 20M+ views for Lovin Riyadh and 22M+ for Lovin Saudi.

Lovin Cairo joined the million-views club, going live from the Gouna Film Festival and Somabay's Aquaman Open Water Challenge. A viral tweet on X hit 1.3M views, a Gouna Festival video reached 1.6M, and Facebook views shot up to 2.2M!

In the UAE, our Instagram smashed records with 123M views, and our WhatsApp community now has over 1,60,000 people connected. The Lovin Life series gave behind-the-scenes exclusives in celeb homes like Caroline Stanbury, and The Lovin Dubai Show welcomed big guests like Wissam Breidy and Kayla Itsines. Thanks to our clients, team, and amazing followers for making October stronger than ever!

Saima Iqbal
Senior Content Director

👀 Into Business Performance

Q4 in the media industry is historically the busiest period as advertising budgets peak to close the year strongly. In the MENA region, this surge is even more significant, driven by the favorable weather. With outdoor activities back in full swing after the summer, brands are investing heavily in promotions, and events across the region are booming. 

Augustus Media, traditionally generating 34-38% of its annual revenue in Q4, which makes it a quarter with very ambitious goals and high pressure.

October delivered exceptionally, setting a new high for monthly revenue this year.

October Highlights:

• October marked our highest revenue month for 2024, thanks to increased demand and strategic campaign rollouts.

• Our newer cities shined this month, with Lovin Abu Dhabi, Lovin Doha, and Lovin Kuwait achieving their highest monthly revenue to date.

• We created and went live with 67 branded videos across our channels, capturing the pulse of client and audience interests.

Campaign Achievements:

• We Successfully executed major regional campaigns with renowned brands, including Audi, DCT, Dubai Tourism, Tanishq, and Lululemon.

• There was a successful execution of New partnerships in the luxury space with BMW, Breitling, Mercedes, and Charlotte Tilbury, enhancing our brand positioning.

• Media Partnerships: Rolled out over 10 media partnerships this month, strengthening our brand’s reach and reputation across the region.

• Subscription growth: Streaming partnerships drove Smashi subscribers up, with a 200% surge in new paid subscribers since the previous month.

With our brands in high demand and a creative team ready to capitalize on the vertical video trend in branded content, we’re well-positioned to maintain momentum through the season. This October has set a strong pace, and we’re focused on delivering results to end the year on a high.

Mayowa Tola-Voss
Senior Commercial Director