Dubai, UAE, April 24, 2026 – Omnicom Advertising and Google have launched the region’s first AI-powered creative intelligence system, combining Google’s ABCD framework with Omnicom’s proprietary creative AI to pressure-test advertising before it runs. The Middle East pilot, already live with telecommunications leader du, marks the first chapter of a planned rollout across Africa, the Middle East, and Turkey, with global expansion to follow.
The partnership marks the first customized deployment of Google’s ABCD AI detector tool in the Africa, Middle East, and Turkey (AMET) region. At its core sits the Google-provided code, which uses their proprietary ABCD framework for effective YouTube video creatives to evaluate four proven performance pillars: Attention (does it hook in the first seconds?), Branding (is the brand memorable?), Connection (does it create emotional resonance?), and Direction (does it drive action?).
But Omnicom didn’t stop there.
The system includes a second proprietary layer from Omnicom called Brave Bot, an AI agent designed to challenge creative work on distinctiveness, innovation, cultural relevance, and convention-breaking potential. When the two systems converge, they turn subjective creative debates (“it feels slow”) into specific, editable actions (“tighten the first 5 seconds, add early brand mention, strengthen the CTA in both audio and on-screen”).
Real results, real clients
Telecommunications provider du was the first brand to pilot the system across its campaign portfolio. The AI analyzed 10 video assets, surfacing specific gaps in brand presence, pacing, and emotional connection that human reviews had missed.
Effectiveness scores ranged from 44%, signaling major structural gaps, to 80%, indicating strong performance across all four pillars. Crucially, the system didn’t just score the work; it told creators exactly what to fix and why.
“This is about further honing our creative instinct with the power of AI”, said Noah Khan, Chief Innovation Officer, Omnicom Advertising CEE & AME. “It’s about giving our teams a creative partner that works alongside them to bring audience, culture, innovation, and platform insights in real time. When Google’s ABCD agent flags weak early attention, Brave Bot often flags the same moment as too safe or too familiar. The result is work that’s both effective and distinctive, optimized for performance and built to be remembered.”
The system also integrates a third layer: regional cultural intelligence. Because performance isn’t just about structure, it’s about relevance. The AI helps teams ask: What tone feels right for this market today? Which human behaviors and relationships feel true here now?
“At Google, we’ve always believed that AI is a catalyst for creative effectiveness, especially when combined with human ingenuity”, said Aishi Lahiri, Director, Advertising Solutions, Google MENA. “By taking our foundational ABCD AI detector and engineering their own proprietary cultural and creative layers on top of it, Omnicom is showing exactly how our regional partner ecosystem can innovate and drive impact using Google’s technology. This is a brilliant example of taking a core framework and customizing it to build campaigns that are culturally resonant and primed for performance on YouTube right from the source.”
For du, the pilot represents a shift in how creative gets evaluated and improved.
“In a competitive market like ours, creative work has to cut through fast”, said Ibrahim Al Mayahi Al Nuaimi, Vice President, Brand & Marketing Communication, du. “This system gives us clarity on what’s actually driving performance. It doesn’t just tell us what’s wrong, it shows us how to fix it. As a result, we’re seeing stronger creative and faster turnarounds, which means we can be more agile in how we show up for our customers.”
What’s next: From the Middle East to the World
Following the successful du pilot, Omnicom Advertising is rolling out the system across its broader Middle East client portfolio in 2026, before expanding the program to cover the full Africa, Middle East, and Turkey region. A global rollout is planned to follow, making this AMET launch the blueprint for how Omnicom Advertising will approach AI-powered creative intelligence worldwide.
The group is also exploring applications beyond YouTube, including social video, connected TV, and digital out-of-home, positioning the framework as a creative effectiveness tool that works across all platforms, for the long term.
“We’re not using AI to make the work more automated”, Noah Khan added. “We’re using it to make the work more intentional, and to make sure every great idea delivers a great result.”
