In our globalised world, it's quite easy to assume that general consumer trends are universal. However, global market strategies incorporate insights from multiple distinct markets, meaning they must acknowledge diverse consumer behaviours and their diverse cultural contexts which actively shapes how audiences engage with brands.
With more than two decades of experience in the marketing industry, Murat Gebeceli, Marketing Director for Sony Middle East and Africa, shares his thoughts on how data and media intelligence inform consumer behaviour, and the trends shaping the future of marketing.
Since Sony operates across diverse markets with different consumer behaviours and media landscapes — how do you approach data insights and media intelligence, especially in regards to helping your team understand audiences, track brand perception and shape marketing decisions across the region?
Data and media intelligence are important tools for us at Sony, but they're most valuable when combined with local context and human insight.
Across the Middle East and Africa, consumer behaviours, media consumption habits and cultural influences differ significantly from market to market, so understanding that nuance is essential to everything we do. We use a combination of consumer insights, retail intelligence, digital analytics, and close collaboration with our regional teams and local partners to build a clear picture of how audiences engage with technology, entertainment, and content across different markets.
Our local partners are particularly valuable here. They bring ground-level proximity that you simply can't replicate regionally and we treat those relationships as genuine intelligence partnerships, not just commercial ones.
When it comes to tracking brand perception and shaping marketing decisions, two streams are critical. The first is media consumption data: understanding which platforms are growing, where attention is shifting, and what formats are resonating allows us to move beyond assumptions and allocate investment with real conviction.
It also helps us monitor how Sony shows up in conversation across the region and where we may need to course-correct our messaging.
The second is retail intelligence. What happens at, or near, the point of purchase is incredibly telling: sell-through rates, category share movement, how our product positioning lands in different retail environments. This feeds directly into how we shape campaign briefs, prioritise markets and focus our trade marketing efforts.
Ultimately, the goal is to build a feedback loop where insights from partners, media and retail continuously sharpen our decisions rather than simply report on what's already happened. In a region as diverse as ours, that agility is what keeps us relevant.
You've mentioned the importance of close collaboration with business partners throughout your career. How has the relationship between marketing teams and commercial partners evolved in recent years?
The relationship has become far more collaborative and interconnected than it was in the past. Today, marketing, retail, sales, media and distribution teams all contribute to shaping the overall consumer experience, which means alignment across partners has become increasingly important.
Consumer journeys are no longer linear. People engage with brands across multiple platforms, touchpoints and communities. So, successful partnerships now require a much deeper level of collaboration, shared insight and strategic alignment.
Across the Middle East and Africa particularly, strong local partnerships are essential because market dynamics and consumer expectations can differ significantly from one country to another. Working closely with partners helps us ensure that Sony's global brand positioning translates in ways that feel locally relevant and culturally connected.
You've spent much of your career translating market insights into commercial growth. From this experience, what would you say separates brands that understand their consumers from brands that simply follow general trends?
Brands that truly understand their consumers focus on long-term behaviours, motivations and cultural relevance rather than reacting only to short-term trends. Trends can provide useful signals, but they do not always reflect what consumers genuinely value over time.
The strongest brands spend time listening carefully, understanding context and recognising how consumer expectations evolve across different markets and communities. This requires more than data alone — it requires curiosity, proximity to consumers and a willingness to adapt.
At Sony, we believe innovation should enhance experiences that people genuinely care about.
Brands that consistently build strong consumer relationships are usually those that combine innovation with authenticity and emotional connection rather than simply following what is popular in the moment.
Having worked across markets including Turkey, the Middle East, Africa and Central Asia, what have you learnt about balancing global brand consistency with local consumer expectations?
One of the biggest lessons I have learned is that global consistency and local relevance must work together. Consumers expect global brands like Sony to deliver consistent quality, innovation and brand values, but they also expect brands to understand local culture, behaviours and expectations.
Achieving this balance requires strong collaboration with local teams and partners who understand their markets deeply. It is important to maintain a clear global brand identity while also allowing flexibility in how stories, experiences and campaigns are adapted for local audiences.
Across all the regions I have worked in, authenticity has remained very important. Consumers respond best when brands feel globally credible while still reflecting local culture and everyday experiences in a meaningful way.
Consumer behaviour has changed quite a bit in the last 20 years, specifically regarding a growing creator culture, AI-driven content and short-form media. Which innovations or changes do you think marketers in the electronics space should be paying attention to?
One of the most significant shifts has been the rise of creator culture and user-driven storytelling. Consumers today increasingly engage with brands through creators, communities and shared experiences rather than through traditional advertising alone.
Short-form content has also transformed how people consume entertainment and information. This has increased the importance of immediacy, authenticity and emotionally engaging storytelling, particularly among younger audiences. At the same time, AI is creating new opportunities across personalisation, content optimisation and consumer insight.
However, while technology continues to evolve rapidly, I believe the human aspect of marketing remains essential. Creativity, cultural understanding and emotional connection are still what differentiate strong brands.
For the electronics industry specifically, consumers are increasingly looking for products and experiences that support creativity, mobility, immersive entertainment and seamless connectivity across different parts of their lives.
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*Image courtesy of contributor and Canva