Hug Digital, which now has four offices in the MENA region, has launched a research department to compliment its existing creative, client servicing, media, social and content departments. This addition aims to meet the immediate and increasing research needs of clients such as Emaar Misr and Americana Group.

The new department will focus on what the agency calls “actionable digital insights” including web listening reports, social performance analytics and crowdsourcing insights via its Ask4Insight platform and network.

“Data is empowering, and deeper information is needed to take actions in the digital space. Spotting an insight is a creative process in itself,” says Youssef Shalaby, head of research at Hug Digital, in a press statement.

“The days of expensive and cumbersome research techniques, such as focus groups, are over,” says Tim Baker, CEO and co-founder, of the agency. “We all now have access to accurate and transparent data. We need to invest time and energy into turning that into useful and actionable recommendations for our clients, quickly and at an efficient price point, ” he adds.

This new department will be rolling out both products and services for their partner brands, throughout 2016 in the Middle East.