How Arabian Automobiles Company is empowering tomorrow’s marketers today

As we look around  university lecture halls and job boards across  the UAE, a clear trend emerges: marketing, advertising, and public relations dominate the list of dream careers for fresh graduates.

These fields are viewed as exciting, creative, and packed with opportunity.

According to a recent Bayt.com survey, these industries remain among the most desired sectors for young professionals in the region.

It’s easy to understand the appeal. There’s a thrill in crafting compelling  stories, shaping brand identities, and launching campaigns that can capture the public’s imagination  overnight.

However, the pathway into these vibrant fields is  increasingly competitive. With  many graduates eyeing the same roles, standing out requires more than just passion and ambition.

Adding to the challenge, a growing disconnect between what students learn in classrooms and what the industry truly demands. The 2025 LinkedIn Workplace Learning Report highlights that nearly half (49 per cent) of talent and learning professionals perceive a widening gap between academic knowledge and real-world readiness.

Meanwhile, the US-based Society for Human Resource Management emphasises a significant  lack of essential  soft skills, such as  communication, teamwork, leadership, and project management, in entry-level candidates.

While students are eager to die into the workforce, many find themselves underprepared for the complexities and demands of  real world marketing campaigns. And this is exactly where forward-thinking initiatives step in to make a difference.

Learning by doing, not watching

Rather than asking students to imagine the world of marketing, Arabian Automobiles Company (AAC) gave them a front-row seat. The  Nissan KICKS Starters competition flipped the traditional models on their head by offering  students a live brief tied to an actual brand, complete with real expectations and public exposure.

This wasn’t a simulation,it was a full creative process from concept development and production to pitching and delivery, all under the guidance of industry professionals.

Over several high-pressure weeks, students collaborated with experts like content creator Amir De Leon and strategy teams from TBWA/RAAD, utilising Nikon’s professional gear and participating in  hands-on workshops hosted at Radisson RED.

“It’s one thing to have a vision. It’s another to actually make it happen,” said Omar Alaqubawy, a student at the American University in Dubai. “We had to take everything we knew and turn it into something real, which was way harder than it sounds.”

For Omar, the idea for his team’s project came from a nostalgic Egyptian soda commercial, a personal reference point that sparked a campaign rooted in authenticity and humour. “Inspiration isn’t about copying,” he said. “It’s about taking a spark and making it your own.”

As a Nissan driver himself, the experience felt even more personal. The team even slipped inside jokes into their final cut, details only Gen Z viewers might catch. That kind of bold, unpolished creativity is exactly what modern brands are seeking.

“We wanted something we’d actually stop scrolling for,” said Warda Ahmed from Westford University. “So we focused on capturing real, unscripted fun, not something overly polished or traditional.”

Campaigns that go both ways

From the start, the competition encouraged students to document their creative journey on social media, generating behind-the-scenes content, teaser clips, and campaign updates that engaged audiences  organically. The initiative generated 8.3 million views across TikTok and Instagram, with 9.8K likes and 2.1K shares, along with hundreds of organic reposts, highlighting a clear audience preference for timely, unpolished content.

But the impact extended beyond  digital metrics. The top team earned  a fully funded Master’s scholarship, highlighting AAC’s commitment to fostering growth alongside exposure.

At the same time, AAC gained a unique perspective into Gen Z’s creative instincts. What do they respond to? What turns them off? What makes them engage, share, and connect? The program became a two-way learning street; an exchange of ideas, values, and strategies.

As Omar Noted, “We weren’t just watching a campaign unfold; we were part of it.”

Students worked side-by-side with mentors and AI-guided personas, benefiting from a blend of traditional mentorship and next-gen collaboration, built for a generation raised on connectivity.

But most importantly, Nissan KICKS Starters wasn’t about producing polished corporate ads. It was about listening. About giving GenZ a platform to create, express, and connect with  their peers, without being filtered or overcorrected.

The result? Campaigns that felt genuine, reflecting lived experiences, and a group of young marketers who weren’t just being prepared for the industry, they were actively shaping it.

As Omar put it, “Letting young people market directly to their peers just makes sense. We see things differently from how older marketers assume we see things.”