The m25 Global Creative Series Episode 15: BigTime Creative Shop’s Saymon Medeiros on Saudi culture, creativity and the region’s ambitions

This latest episode of m25‘s Global Creative Series travels to Saudi Arabia to meet Saymon Medeiros, Creative Director at BigTime Creative Shop – one of the region’s fastest‑rising agencies and 2025’s Independent Entertainment Agency of the Year at Cannes Lions.

Medeiros’ story begins far from Riyadh, in a small town in southern Brazil called Tubarão, or “Shark City” – a place with neither sea nor sharks, but plenty of grit. From odd jobs as an office boy and shopkeeper to finding his calling in advertising, Medeiros’ path has been defined by adaptability and curiosity. His journey has taken him across continents – from Argentina’s bohemian streets to Berlin’s chaos, Dubai’s scale, and now Saudi Arabia’s bold vision.

Can you tell us about your advertising journey and what inspired you to pursue this career and what challenges you faced while carving your niche.
It all started in the south of Brazil (Tubarão/SC), a small town that translates to “Shark City,” even though it has neither sea nor sharks. Over there, I was a bit of everything: office boy, shopkeeper, stocker, leaflet distributor, and even an accounting assistant. Luckily, advertising opened its doors to me.

So if advertising is always ever-changing, so am I. Adaptability is one of my strongest points. Moving fast forward through the countries I’ve lived and worked in, you’ll find a beautiful merge between the “bohemian” Argentine lifestyle, the samba of Brazil, the chaos of Berlin, the scale of Dubai, and the vision of Saudi Arabia. And I love how those countries and cultures are completely different from each other, as if in the morning you’re working for a local tea brand and in the afternoon, a global boxing brand.

What campaign stands out as the most memorable for its impact on your market or region?
By far, the campaign that merges all of it and brought the biggest impact to our region is “Obsession” by Riyadh Season: a campaign that promoted the biggest boxing rematch of the century, turning the rivalry between Usyk and Fury into a surreal psychological spiral where both fighters are haunted by each other’s words.

A boxing trailer that twisted Kylie Minogue’s Can’t Get You Out of My Head to blur the lines between hype and hallucination. Happily, it ended up bringing us many awards, including the first-ever Emmy from the MENA region.

How has the Saudi Arabia advertising market transformed over the past decade, and what factors have driven this change?
It’s not easy to catch how Saudi Arabia’s industry is moving, and it’s beyond advertising. Since the country opened its doors in 2019, we’ve seen everything. From Cristiano Ronaldo and mega projects, to the upcoming 2034 World Cup and more. Saudi Arabia is living its vision at its best, and every corner of the city reflects it.

With advertising, it is no different. More and more clients want to own pop culture, street conversations, and everything in between. An insight that works in Dubai (just a few hours away) might not work here, and that’s what makes it exciting. Saudi culture is unique and brings a kind of novelty to what we do that’s unmatchable.

When it comes to the best examples, everything Riyadh Season is doing proves it. Campaigns go beyond borders and showcase the country and its eclectic entertainment, using global influencers like MrBeast, iShowSpeed, and KSI, creating experiences that push the boundaries of what is thought to be possible.

In what ways is Saudi Arabia positioning itself on the global advertising stage, and what unique strengths does it offer that resonate with international brands and agencies?
How do you win a ‘new’ market with 35.3 million people? That’s the question every brand and agency is trying to crack right now. Saudi Arabia is culturally rich and, now more than ever, open to new ideas, insights, and points of view. And on top of that, it all moves at the speed of light. In the end, we’re still humans (sorry, AI) who connect through emotion. Understanding the culture and its roots is key to connecting with Saudis. They’re fresh, funny, incredibly passionate about football (as much as, if not more than, Brazilians), emotional, and proud. Everything feels new, yet somehow familiar.

A great example is what BigTime is achieving. In just two years, we have become MENA Agency of the Year and Independent Entertainment Agency of the Year at Cannes, all thanks to incredible clients bringing the best of Saudi Arabia to the world through humor, technology, and storytelling.

How do local cultural values and consumer behaviors influence advertising strategies in Saudi Arabia?
A Saudi person can spot in one second when a campaign wasn’t made by a Saudi or by someone who truly understands their culture. Saudi culture is beautiful and rich. The slang, humor, and tone of voice are unique. So if your brand plans a Ramadan campaign that talks about dates and sharing a meal, sorry to say, but you’ve already started wrong. The challenge is explaining to clients who aren’t here that it’s okay to come late because of traffic, go on weekend trips, or have a 2 a.m. coffee.

As an example, I’d highlight the campaign I worked on for Rexona Arabia in partnership with SAFF (the Saudi Arabian Football Federation) to launch their first-ever women’s football campaign in Saudi Arabia, created for the national team that was founded as recently as 2019. It was more than just an ad. It was a cultural statement celebrating new beginnings, empowering athletes, and showing the unstoppable love Saudis have for football.

Another great example was a Valentine’s Day campaign I worked on in the region. Navigating the quest for love in the Middle East presents unique challenges, given the cultural norms and social dynamics. We dove into the real struggles singles face in both the UAE and KSA, using local, relatable narratives sprinkled with humor. In the UAE, we focused on the gender ratio imbalance due to the high number of male expatriate workers. In KSA, we built around the concept of الشوفه الشرعية (“the Islamic pre-marriage viewing”) and its challenges for singles. In both markets, the message was clear: Closeup toothpaste helps individuals feel confident and make a memorable impression when they finally meet someone in person.

With the rapid adoption of digital tools and AI, how is technology reshaping advertising processes and outcomes in Saudi Arabia’s advertising industry?
Well, AI is everything, everywhere, all at once. It’s curious, though, to see how overwhelmed we are with all the new tools and weekly updates coming out. The industry and agencies are also trying to catch up while dealing with legal questions, but one thing is for sure, we need to manage and stay on top of it. AI isn’t here to replace creativity or bring easy or cheap solutions. It helps, it’s changing the game every second, but nothing can beat human emotion, and I hope it stays that way.

As an example, at BigTime we created the first-ever AI-powered boxing judge, based on the insight that boxing has always had a scoring problem with three human judges and endless controversy. We trained an AI model on 100+ years of fight data and used real-time computer vision to bring objectivity to a sport ruled by subjectivity. Could we have imagined this idea a few years ago? No way.

What role does social media play in the distribution and impact of Saudi Arabia brand content, and how are these strategies evolving to meet global trends?
Social media is where Saudi brands truly live. It’s where conversations happen, culture moves, and trends are born. Platforms like X, TikTok, and Snapchat are part of people’s daily lives.

What’s interesting now is how agencies are blending data with creativity in a way that feels natural. Data gives direction, but creativity gives meaning. The goal isn’t to choose one over the other, but to make both work together so every post, film, or trend feels authentic, relevant, and human.

For “Obsession,” we leveraged the campaign through memes, madness, real quotes, and viral moments shared online to build a complete narrative around the biggest rivalry in boxing.

For “Try Not to Enjoy It” by Riyadh Season, we tapped into one of the biggest trends online, the famous content format “Try Not to React”, to tell an incredible adventure between MrBeast, KSI, and iShowSpeed, three of the biggest influencers on the internet.

What advice would you give to young talent aspiring to enter the advertising industry in Saudi Arabia?
Start by being curious, not just ambitious. Saudi Arabia is moving fast, and creativity here comes from understanding its people, not just its brands. Learn the culture, the humor, the rhythm of daily life. That’s where the best ideas are born.

In terms of skills, adaptability is everything. One day you’ll be working with global stars, the next with local heroes, and both matter equally. Stay curious about technology, storytelling, and what makes people react. And most importantly, don’t try to fit in. Bring your voice, your story, and your chaos. That’s what keeps this industry alive.

Does the advertising landscape in Saudi Arabia encourage innovation compared to more traditional markets?
Saudi Arabia’s advertising scene is full of energy, but innovation still needs to be pushed. The industry is evolving fast, yet it’s not fully part of the creative DNA. At least not yet. There’s a huge appetite for bold ideas, and that’s exactly where creatives have the chance to make a difference.

For emerging talent, the opportunity is to use local insights as the spark. Start from something real: a Saudi joke, a tradition, a street behavior, and turn it into something that feels global. That’s how you move from adapting trends to actually creating them.

Can you describe an early moment in your career where a pivotal experience or mentor changed your perspective on advertising?
I hope I don’t forget anyone here. I’ve always asked creative friends for advice, feedback, and career perspectives, and that’s what keeps me going, even during the toughest times. I carry with me every conversation in Argentina with Nino Goldberg about family and faith, with Dany and Patan about not giving up, Pablo Maldonado on how to get things done, Bruno Regalo on how to grow without losing ourselves, Ricardo Wolff and Gabriel Mattar on how to laugh a bit more at what we do, and Diogo Borges for always sharing a good dose of adventure, to name a few. I love these guys, and they have no idea how much they’ve helped me.

And of course, it’s not easy to pay it forward to all these great people, but I try my best to support the next generation, whether in Saudi Arabia or back home, by giving feedback, or simply sharing a good chat about life or football.

What are the key challenges that agencies face when expanding their services within the Saudi Arabia market, and how have they overcome them?
The biggest challenge for agencies in Saudi Arabia is understanding that what works elsewhere doesn’t always work here. It’s not about translating a campaign, it’s about translating a mindset. The culture is layered, proud, and fast-evolving, and audiences can instantly spot when something feels imported.

Agencies that succeed are the ones that listen first, build local teams, collaborate with Saudi creatives, and respect the nuances of language, humor, and lifestyle. Once you get that right, everything else flows naturally.

For international brands, the lesson is simple: don’t come here to teach, come to learn. The Saudi market rewards authenticity, not adaptation.

Looking to the future, what trends do you predict will shape the Saudi Arabia advertising industry in the next 5 to 10 years?
Sport and entertainment will lead the next wave of Saudi advertising. They’re not just categories, they’re the culture. From football, to mega fights, to Riyadh Season, every moment is a stage for brands to tell bigger stories.

Agencies that connect emotion, pride, and fandom will win. The future belongs to those who move fast, stay authentic, and create work that feels as alive as the events themselves.

Read previous episodes of the m25 Global Creative Series

Episode 14: Nayaab Rais, Executive Creative Director at FP7McCann UAE
Episode 13: Rachel Kennedy, Freelance Group Creative Director
Episode 12: Kim Pick, Group Executive Creative Director at VML NZ
Episode 11: Maan Bautista, Executive Creative Director at VML Manila
Episode 10: Pradeep D’Souza, Founder/Creative Partner at Nine:TwentyEight, Singapore
Episode 9: Jonathan Cruz, Creative Director at FP7McCann Dubai
Episode 8: Asheen Naidu, Group Executive Creative Director at Leo Singapore
Episode 7: Yubin Bang, Creative Director at Cheil Seoul
Episode 6: Jerry C. Hizon, Chief Creative Officer at Dentsu Creative Philippines and Dentsu Creative Manila
Episode 5: Jasmine Huang, MD & Head of Content Production at Prodigious China
Episode 4: Federico Fanti, Regional Chief Creative Officer at FP7McCann MENAT
Episode 3: Ratna ‘Sasa’ Puspitasari, CEO at Fortuna Indonesia
Episode 2: Livio Grossi, Group ECD at Dentsu Redder Vietnam
Episode 1: Merlee Jayme, Creative Chairmom and Founder of The Misfits Camp and Jayme Headquarters

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