Fadi Mouannes: Intermarkets Kuwait was established in 1968, long before the invasion of Kuwait and was among the first agencies to resume activities after the liberaton. Since then, we have been steadily growing and we have been recognised as the first agency in terms of media spending, especially with newspapers who swallow up to 60 percent of the advertising budgets.

We are a full-fledged agency that offers all the services the market requires. Our 35-strong staff are equipped to offer all kinds of services the market needs and at the same time we enjoy the full support of the Intermarkets network. Eighty percent of the accounts we handle are local. On the creative level, we have recently won six awards at the Al-Anba’a Advertising Awards.

ArabAd: How do you deal with a market said to be “unsophisticated”?

Fadi Mouannes: What does unsophisticated mean? All Kuwaiti clients are looking for quality services. If they find them in simple concepts, so be it. They want to have the best creative service, the best media plan, the best promotional ideas, the best art work… Our challenge is to meet their quest for the best.

There are two types of clients. Those who know what they want. They understand the business and are professional enough to understand our business to know what we should give and to know what we are giving. There are also those who want the best but do not understand the business. They leave it to us to come up with ideas that would fulfill their objectives. So it is a challenge either way and it is very important that educated people — and there is a majority who are educated — take the leadership.

Originally published in ArabAd, December 1998

From left: Ramzi Raad - Executive vice president intermarkets group, Nigel Page - regional sales manager - Middle East, British Airways, Sandra Owen - sales executive, British Airways, Joseph Ghossoub - general manager, Intermarkets UAE & Oman, Chris Cum-mings - BP Middle East, Hassan Laham - AI Jallaf Modern Establishment, Edward Lim - Singapore Airlines, Elle Kai - Media International Services, Najib Haddad - ODECO

DUBAI – Intermarkets U.A.E. invited clients, media and friends to an open house to celebrate new year and the recent announcement that for the 12th consecutive year, it has achieved the highest annual turnover with both, Dubai and Abu Dhabi television stations.

Since its opening in Dubai, on February 1st, 1975, Intermarkets U.A.E. has maintained this number one position with the two television stations. During the party, messages of greetings were received from the Intermarkets offices in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, North Yemen, Egypt, Lebanon and England.

Intermarkets’ Kuwait and Jordan confirmed in their messages that they – too – have achieved the number one position with their local TV stations, in 1987.

The celebration also marked the move of Intermarkets U.A.E. to their new premises on the Dubai-Sharjah road.

Originally published in ArabAd, May 1988

Fady Mouannes

Leading American advertising industry journal “Advertising Age” has named Intermarkets as the leading agency in Kuwait for the second consecutive year.

The findings are published in the journal’s recent worldwide Agency Report which identifies Intermarkets’ 1996 growth rate of  20.5%.

Intermarkets Kuwait Managing Director Fady Mouannes commented, “We are extremely proud to lead the field in Kuwait once again, which is a great accolade to a professional team effort and a tribute to all our clients.

“We were the biggest spenders in advertising volume in most of the local print media for 3 consecutive years 94, 95, 96. We continue to grow the operation and look forward to an even more successful 1997.”

Originally published in ArabAd, June 1997