Advertising is no longer what it used to be. In just 15 years, communication has shifted from TV and magazines to stories and reels. We’ve moved from intuition to data. And we skipped straight from “before” to “after.”
🎙 On Economy Today, the founder of MamaCRM, Orestis Michail, shares his experience of this rapid transformation – and explains what a business needs today to truly stand out.
Read the interview. Get inspired. Book a Demo.
How has advertising changed over the last 10–15 years? How do you see this transformation through your experience?
First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to have experienced advertising through traditional media and to have jumped on the early train of digital marketing evolution.
Over those 20+ years of experience, a lot has changed: consumer habits, the media through which people get informed and entertained, and the promotional tactics marketers are using. However, the core principles of marketing have remained unchanged—and that is incredibly important.
What does that mean in practice? Simply put, before someone buys a product, a service, or a brand, they first need to be aware of it. And before showing interest, they must have interacted with it. In order for a consumer to make a purchase, four basic stages must be followed: Awareness, Engagement, Interest, and Purchase.
1️⃣ Awareness – The consumer receives initial information about the new product or service.
2️⃣ Engagement – Consumers spend a bit of time learning more and begin discussing it within their circle.
3️⃣ Interest – They show increased interest, search for it through trusted sources, compare features and prices, and may even contact the company for more information.
4️⃣ Purchase – They proceed with the buying process.
Even though these stages remain the same, the major change over the last 15 years is the speed at which they now happen. Twenty years ago, building awareness could take months, depending on the budget and market size. Today, it can happen in record time. For example, Dubai Chocolate went viral on TikTok and its sales skyrocketed in a relatively small period of time. That kind of speed was unimaginable 15–20 years ago.
It’s clear that businesses now invest heavily in digital channels and social media, which are incredibly effective—as long as you know how to use them properly and have the patience and methodical approach to guide prospects through all the stages above, ultimately leading to sales that ensure business sustainability.
Another major development is that every stage of the strategy is now measurable. Data allows us to validate the success of each step, giving marketing managers tremendous power to assess and fine-tune their strategies with greater accuracy.
Advertising continues to evolve and is now data-driven, allowing companies to make strategic decisions with precision. Those who understand and embrace this new reality will hold a clear competitive advantage.
What are the biggest challenges for an advertising agency in the modern era?
Advertising agencies have adapted to the new market realities to continue delivering comprehensive marketing and promotional services to their clients. However, the modern era brings fresh challenges that demand continuous evolution and adjustment.
Speaking from personal experience, I had the opportunity to work with major advertising firms in Cyprus from 2013 to 2019, providing digital advertising services. Today, I continue to support the industry by offering consulting through the MamaCRM platform.
Here are the three biggest challenges advertising agencies face today:
1️⃣ Translating marketing strategy onto social media – Ensuring each client’s strategy is consistently and accurately communicated across all channels.
2️⃣ Managing social media platforms – The need to manage multiple platforms (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, YouTube, TikTok) for 30, 40, or even 50 different businesses makes this a highly demanding task.
3️⃣ Handling client demands – Clients expect instant responses, detailed reports, and strategies tailored to their constantly evolving market needs.
These challenges aren’t exclusive to advertising agencies—they also affect digital agencies, business groups, and even small to mid-sized companies with in-house marketing teams.
That’s exactly why we created MamaCRM, a platform that combines:
✅ AI-powered marketing dashboard
✅ Social media management tools
✅ CRM features for daily tasks
The goal of MamaCRM is to empower businesses and agencies to efficiently manage their presence across multiple platforms, track campaign performance, and evaluate their strategy in real time. This way, they can adapt quickly to market demands and maintain a competitive edge.
How do you see the impact of AI and technology on advertising?
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the new trend that came to stay—and to be honest, it excites and concerns me at the same time.
On one hand, its potential is exciting. For instance, I may soon create a virtual version of myself that gives social media marketing advice while I sip gin & tonic on the beach! 🍸😎
On the other hand, AI worries me because it threatens critical thinking. Too often, we accept the information it provides as absolute truth, without questioning it—and that’s dangerous.
Before we talk about AI’s impact on advertising, let’s make something clear: AI isn’t new in this field. Platforms like Meta, Google, and TikTok have been using AI algorithms for years. As professionals, we’ve been “battling” them from day one.
The big leap we’re witnessing now is that AI has become accessible to everyone. This means that any business, regardless of size, can now use AI to:
✅ Create content
✅ Optimize campaigns
✅ Run more targeted, faster, and more cost-effective marketing
But AI is not all-powerful. At this stage, we still need skilled people who know how to use it effectively. And more importantly we need critical thinking and emotion, two elements AI hasn’t developed (yet) to a satisfactory degree.
Technology is transforming advertising, but human creativity and strategic thinking remain irreplaceable.
Can advertising channels and technology make Cypriot businesses competitive on a global level?
Absolutely, a Cypriot business can compete globally, and we’ve proven many times in the past. To do so, it needs three key pillars:
1️⃣ World-class product or service
2️⃣ World-class online presence and ad budget
3️⃣ World-class operations and customer service
Social media and online advertising allow Cypriot businesses to acquire customers worldwide. But once a company decides to go global, it must understand that two things change:
📌 The competition – It shifts from local to international.
📌 The target audience – Each country has its own culture, buying habits, and preferences.
A smart approach is to expand gradually, one country at a time. This way, you can understand its specific characteristics, implement best practices, and refine your plan before moving on to the next market.
The key to international success is using all available advertising tools wisely, while also incorporating traditional promotional methods.
For example, if you want to promote a product in Dubai, advertising only on Facebook and Google isn’t enough. You need to combine:
✅ Online advertising on local platforms
✅ Participation in trade shows or local events
✅ Exposure through local channels and podcasts
This creates a sense of local presence and builds trust bridges with consumers.
With the right strategy, Cypriot businesses can grow and become truly competitive on a global scale.