New platform set to transform taxi advertising

/0 Comments/in /by

Taxi Media Middle East is to soft launch its new state-of-the-art touchscreen technology for taxi advertising in late November. The advertising platform is set to transform taxi advertising effectiveness through the means of time based, location based and real-time updates allowing advertisers full control of their content.

Taxi Media Middle East has the exclusive rights to the Middle East for the world’s largest taxi media platform. Currently operating in Hong Kong, Mainland China and Canada, with further expansion to Australia, South Korea, Vietnam, France and Germany planned in 2014, the units are heavily patented and have won many awards for their advances in technology.

The soft launch will roll out across 7,146 taxis in the Abu Dhabi Emirate involving Emirates Taxis, Cars Taxis, Arabia Taxis, National Taxis, Tawasul and Al Ghazal Taxis. The official launch is set for January 2014, with expansion into other Emirates and countries within the region planned later in 2014.

entourage honoured at Dubai SME 100 Awards

/0 Comments/in /by

entourage marketing and events were honoured at the prestigious Dubai SME 100 awards that took place yesterday. Key management were present to receive the industry recognition at the award ceremony that took place at Dubai World Trade Centre, in the presence of HH Sheikh Majid bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority.

“At entourage we don’t just work for awards but for results for our clients, this approach is now being recognised by the guardians of industry,” says Mohammed Tayem, Managing Director of entourage. “Personally I am extremely proud of my team and thank our clients to giving us a chance to serve them.”

SME 100 is a premier ranking of Dubai’s 100 top performing SMEs, launched by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Establishment for SME Development (Dubai SME).

Lonely Planet Traveller & BBC Good Food relocate

/0 Comments/in /by

Lonely Planet Traveller Middle East and BBC Good Food Middle East have moved to new offices. The entire editorial, sales, marketing and events teams have shifted to CPI Media Group’s headquarters in TECOM. The new address is office 804, Grosvenor Business Tower, TECOM and the switchboard number is 04-440-9100. Individual email addresses and direct lines remain the same.

Insignia Worldwide launches new PR division

/0 Comments/in /by

Branding and communications agency, Insignia Worldwide, has today launched its new PR division, Insignia PR. The Dubai-based agency will provide representation for destination brands, including international hotel groups, boutique properties, leading restaurants and lifestyle venues and the arts and culture segments.

“We speak the language of travel and lifestyle fluently as we understand consumer dynamics, key feeder markets, seasonalities and segmentation,” says Founder & CEO, Gaurav Sinha. “When you complement this knowledge with our insights about the region, our ability to influence media as well as the market, and our imagination to deliver creative and compelling messaging platforms, you have a refreshing new perspective on PR services.”

At the helm of Insignia PR is Director, Gabriela Asquith, who adds: “Our foremost strength lies in our international media relations, promoting homegrown brands across the world and connecting international brands to this region.”

New Editor joins Mother, Baby & Child magazine

/0 Comments/in /by

Dina Maaty has today joined Mother, Baby & Child magazine as Editor, superseding Zaina Shihabi, who stepped down last month after relocating to Liverpool. With over five years of experience in the media industry, Dina has previously held both editorial and PR roles in leading lifestyle publications and government communication hubs in the US, Qatar and Egypt.

“I am delighted to join this publication which has been helping women in the UAE make a smooth transition into the world of parenting and motherhood,” says Dina. “I look forward to presenting readers with more quality content as expected from a magazine of this calibre.”

The Dubai Mall Magazine Features Writer, Sarah Jimaa

/0 Comments/in /by

Name: Sarah Jimaa
Age: 23
From: London, United Kingdom
Current job title: Features Writer, The Dubai Mall Magazine

When did you arrive in the UAE?
I’ve been here for about eight years with the exception of last year where I was based in London – my second home. Time notoriously flies in Dubai!

Where did you work prior?
Before coming aboard at NPI Media I worked at HELLO! Middle East for two years as Fashion & Beauty Writer, before heading back to London to pursue my master’s degree. I also did some freelance styling while I was in London before returning to Dubai.

What were your first impressions of the media industry in the Middle East?
When I first started out in media it was still a growing industry but one that has now flourished immensely.

Have your views changed the second time around?
Absolutely! It’s a vibrant and growing scene and it would be difficult to name a title that has yet to be produced in this region besides the obvious few…

What challenges are you facing?
None so far, knock on wood. I think it helps having worked and lived in the region before and understanding how things work here – in terms of timing, priorities and deadlines.

How do you plan to make your mark with this title?
By delivering original, up-to-date fashion and beauty news and providing readers with their must-have season staples issue after issue.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
Reporting on the latest trends in both fashion and beauty is rewarding in itself but getting to meet new people and traveling along the way are always added bonuses.

How do you find the PRs in the region?
Persistent but pleasant!

What’s your pet PR peeve?
Incessant calling. If I say I will get back to you, I will – I promise!

What advice can you offer PRs seeking coverage in your magazine?
Know the magazine and the type of products we would feature – it makes life so much easier for both parties. I am responsible for the fashion and beauty pages, plus gifts, trends, style, travel an gadgets, so make sure your news is relevant to me.

Work calls via landline, mobile or both?
I would say email first and then landline if urgent! Either would be just fine.

Describe yourself in five words…
I’ll leave that for others to judge!

What’s your most overused saying?
“Absolutely!” I think I’ve actually used it somewhere in this feature – oops!

Five things you can’t live without?
My iPhone, statement heels, food, friends and family

If you weren’t a journalist, what would you be?
I’m a massive foodie, so anything related to food would be fab – perhaps a cooking show presenter – one can dream!

O1NE Yas Island

/0 Comments/in /by

As the Grand Opening weekend gets underway at O1NE Yas Island, Team TMN catch up with the Sky Management team to find out what’s in store…

Congratulations on the launch of O1NE Yas Island. Does this concept have any association with the original SKYBAR, Beirut? 
Yes, we at Sky Management own SKYBAR and also O1NE Beruit which is the same design and concept  as the Abu Dhabi venue. We have gone one step further in Abu Dhabi though and added in some really unique touches.

With so much competition in the Abu Dhabi and Dubai nightlife scene, what makes O1NE Yas Island different?
O1NE Yas Island is a concept all on its own and it will open every Thursday to accommodate 1,000 club goers at a single time. O1NE is more than just a nightclub, it is an innovative breakthrough, a monument that mixes art, lavishness and technology.

Is it a private members bar? Or is it open to the public?  
While the opening weekend is by private invitation only, the bar will be open to the public every Thursday from here on in. It’s free entrance for standing but tables are available with a minimum spend.

What is the basic concept of O1NE – is it a nightclub, lounge bar or a bar & restaurant?
O1NE Yas Island is a nightclub with a 360-degree 3D projection mapping on the inside that can transport guests from St. Tropez to outer space on every visit. These, among many other elements, make O1NE Yas Island an artistic and technological landmark in the city. The idea is a cutting edge venue, which mixes art and technology.

Who is the interior designer for O1NE Yas Island and what is the concept behind the venue’s design?
The  architecture and interiors were designed by Sari El Khanzen Architects and the design emulates a coliseum, with an 18 metre high celling. The architecture and interiors are made to complement the technology and bring it to life.

We’ve heard the venue features a graffiti wall. Tell us more…
Yes, O1NE Yas Island features the world’s largest privately owned graffiti wall on the outside and 19 of the world’s best graffiti artists were flown in to work on it for the last two weeks. Some 30 personnel have been on hand to help them have full access to the outer walls, that measure 18 metres high and total 3,000 sqm.

If the urban art doesn’t excite party-goers, what else will draw them to the venue?
On top of offering a fantastic new venue, we will be bringing in world-renowned DJs to impress party goers and ensure they are drawn to the venue.

Is this the company’s first venue launch in the UAE?
No, we own Skybar in Yas Marina also.

What does Sky Management have planned next for the region?
O1NE Yas Island is the latest of our regional offerings and there are plans to expand further in the region in 2014. We will be sure to keep you updated!

 

Is social media more reliable than traditional news titles?

/0 Comments/in /by

While traditional media in the region is seen as unreliable and people are getting more of their news from social media, does this mean that Facebook and Twitter are better news sources? Or does it simply mean today’s readers are more savvy and discerning? MEED‘s Austyn Allison offers his thoughts…

Off-line, as well as online, we befriend people with interests similar to our own. We know what axes friends have to grind, and we filter their news, gossip and opinions accordingly

“A recent pan-Arab poll by Northwestern University in Qatar found that less than half of those surveyed (48 per cent) believed that traditional media in their country was trustworthy. This shouldn’t be surprising; traditional media has always come under fire for being untrustworthy, and rightly so. It’s flawed, and no less so in this region. Anywhere in the world, traditional media can be biased, inaccurate, lazily reported, censored or skewed—and people recognise this. Only 41 per cent of the Northwestern survey’s respondents said they thought that regional media could report the news unencumbered.

Even if the heavy hand of censorship isn’t always apparent, it’s often implicit. Regional news sources self-censor for fear of losing their licences or advertising revenue, or do so under sway of personal and political connections.

So if traditional media is biased, why not turn to social media as an alternative? Across the eight countries surveyed, Facebook is the third most popular source of news, just behind Al-Jazeera and Al-Arabiya television channels. Yet social media has as many flaws as traditional sources, in regards to its accuracy and trustworthiness. The difference between the two media is that Facebook and its ilk also have the benefits of familiarity and relevance.

Off-line, as well as online, we befriend people with interests similar to our own. We may not agree with them, but they have always been sources of news. Each conversation that we have with friends is a news exchange. We also know from experience what axes friends have to grind, and we learn to filter their news, gossip and opinions accordingly. Never do we begrudge them, as we do newspapers and television, if they come at something without showing all sides of the story.

Social media now peddles the same biased or inaccurate information that we used to get at the pub and the water cooler. We all follow or are friends with people who frequently reproduce, reiterate or just share spurious news. The catch is that we are exposed to more and more news from traditional and social sources, so we are better able to gauge what is true and what isn’t.

Overall, this can only be a good thing. It means that consumers of news are becoming better attuned to prejudices in reporting, and have learned to filter them out. Social media is as unreliable as traditional news sources, but it brings us more of what interests us, and brings it to us from different angles. The more sources of information we have, the more ways we have to assess what is accurate. And beyond the facts, we have access to many more opinions and interpretations than ever before. This all means that we can get a much more rounded view of what is going on in the world.

Now that we are able to get so much more news, from so many more sources, it’s what we choose to do with it that counts.”

 

Austyn Allison is Supplements Editor at MEED, part of Emap Middle East. Follow him on Twitter @maustyn