Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG) has won the performance and search business for UAE-based telecommunications service provider du. The assignment expands on SMG’s media mandate for du, which was awarded to the agency in December 2014 that culminated in the agency’s appointment to the media buying and planning, as well as data and analytics responsibilities for the brand’s online and offline business.

“We are proud to see that the depth and breadth of our talents, expertise and solutions have been driving both our partnerships with our existing clients and our new business. It is an immensely challenging and competitive environment to operate in and, this extension of our scope of responsibilities for du is proof of our ability to evolve with agility alongside our clients and their needs,” says Alex Saber, chairman at SMG, in a press statement.

“We look forward to driving partnership with SMG MENA team into new avenues that will positively challenge both our businesses,” says Hala Badri, executive vice president, brand and communications at du.

“Globally, we’ve poured hefty investments and resources into tech partnerships, proprietary tools and knowledge exchange platforms that enabled us to constantly transform ourselves, our capabilities and our clients’ businesses. With this win, our MENA talents showcased not only their ability to leverage these robust global resources and technologies across our existing clients’ businesses but, also, their superior technical expertise against specialized players in the performance field,” says Ali Nehme, managing director of digital at SMG MENA.