It’s time for Reform

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It’s yet another three-day weekend for Team TMN and while the vast majority of the UAE has made their way to Yas Island for the F1 Grand Prix, we’re more than thrilled to stay put for some much-needed down time. A weekend by the pool combined with long lazy lunches and chilled dinners sounds just what the doctor ordered. But where to go? After hearing whispers of a promising new Gastro bar and grill a stones throw away from base, we thought it rude not to stop by and investigate…

What: Reform Social & Grill

Where: The Lakes, Emirates Living District, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

When: Opening hours are from 7am until late, seven days a week 

The promise: “From a fresh and healthy breakfast menu to an authentic gastropub lunch and dinner experience, Reform is perfect for all the family during the day and a lively bar and restaurant come the evening”

Did it deliver? Buried within the sleepy Lakes community, the ample parking adjacent to Reform Social & Grill provided the perfect stress-free start to our early evening eat. Dressed down and seeking a casual light bite, we were warmly greeted on arrival and offered al fresco dining overlooking the pool and gardens. Clearly a community venue, the restaurant was awash with families making the most of the cooler temperatures after a long summer stretch.

While we resisted the cocktail menu, which included the Clover Club, Bramble and terribly British Pimm’s Cocktail, we couldn’t turn down the tasty and tangy Slow Collins mocktail that consisted of raspberry puree, lime juice and soda.

With a menu bursting with all the British favourites, we soon discovered it’s the perfect place to retreat when you’re feeling the need for some home-cooked comfort food. Whether that be the Crab Tart or Leek & Goats Cheese Pudding to start, the ‘Scarborough Fair’ Spring Chicken or Rare Breed Pork Chop for main or the Sticky Toffee Pudding or Norfolk Treacle Tart for dessert. And if that’s not enough choice, there’s even a selection of sharing platters to appease all tastebuds.

Standout dishes included the Honey Mustard Pork Ribs, which came generously portioned with a side of Celeriac & Apple Slaw, Cauliflower Cheese from the side dish selection and the Fish & Chips, which proved to be a stable choice, with hand cut fries and a thoroughly enjoyable pea and mint mash. The Bakewell Pudding (with extra custard, of course) put a rather large spanner in the works of our planned ‘light bite’. Naughty, but oh-so nice!

The Verdict: If you want to escape the hustle and bustle of the city but still demand quality food and service, you can’t go far wrong with Reform Social & Grill. Our only regret? Not indulging in the highly tempting cocktail menu. Next time, we’ll be leaving the car at home…

 

Would you like Team TMN to review your event, latest launch or product? E-mail roadtested@the-media-network.com with full details and we’ll be in touch to offer our verdict.

 

The Entertainer mobile App now live in UAE

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Discount voucher publisher, The Entertainer, has announced its highly anticipated mobile App is now live in the UAE, with the wider GCC to follow in the coming few days. Founded in 2001 as a Dubai-based discounted dining and activity guide, The Entertainer has now grown into a successful international company distributing 2-for-1 offers across 24 destinations throughout the Middle East, Asia, Africa and Europe.

The App will run alongside the printed publication and will offer customers 2-for-1 offers on the best restaurants, cafes, spas, nightspots and attractions.

For further information, visit www.theentertainerme.com

ZenithOptimedia celebrates 25th birthday

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ZenithOptimedia is today celebrating its 25th birthday. On 30 October 1988, Zenith Media opened for business in a converted warehouse in Paddington, London. Created from the media buying departments of Saatchi & Saatchi, BSB Dorland and KHBB, it went on to become the first worldwide media “dependent” agency.

Steve King, CEO, Worldwide, ZenithOptimedia, said: “I feel enormously proud and humble that I have been with the network since our launch as Zenith Media in 1988. While our business has changed beyond all recognition in scope and scale, I believe that the enduring success of ZenithOptimedia is testament to the fantastic people and spirit around the network and the clear purpose and direction that we derive from our ROI focus.”

“The fact that our agency has grown five-fold in the past five years is testament to our ability to deliver revolutionary communications solutions – in real time – and across all paid, owned and earned digital media channels,” said Firas El Zein, CEO of Zenith MENA. “At Zenith MENA, our vision is – and always has been – centered on spearheading multimedia trends across the region. As part of this winning strategy, we have, in the past two years, successfully launched Newcast – a specialist branded content and experience division – as well as Performics MENA, the region’s leading performance marketing agency. In light of ZenithOptimedia’s 25th anniversary, it gives me great pleasure to affirm that these new entities further cement our position as a pioneering ROI agency.”

To mark the 25th anniversary, ZenithOptimedia is embarking on a major global futures study to look at how the world could change over the next 25 years. The study will look at how the world’s economies will develop, how our societies will change, how advances in technology will improve our daily lives and how we might enjoy entertainment in the years to come. ZenithOptimedia will publish the study in December.

Will Rankin confirmed as Editor of Diners Club

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Will Rankin has been confirmed as the new Editor of Diners Club Magazine, an exciting new upmarket lifestyle magazine aimed exclusively at Diners Club’s 15,000 regional members. Will, who has been a journalist for twenty years, was previously launch editor of The Oath magazine, and is currently a freelance Editor who works across a number of titles including his own lifestyle website, Middleeastliving.com.

Will aims to encapsulate Diners Club ‘Belong’ philosophy by writing about lifestyle matters such as fashion, travel, motoring and fine dining… interviewing movers and shakers, explaining what it means to be part of the exclusive global club that is Diners Club.

“I launched Banker Middle East, so while I have financial understanding, this is surely a dream job for any journalist and includes the sexy end of the financial world,” says Will. “It should be a great read, and fun to compile. The publisher has massive enthusiasm, creativity and deep faith in the magazine.”

Contact will at will.rankin@cre8network.com

Ben Rossi bids farewell to CNME

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Computer News Middle East (CNME) Editor Ben Rossi bids farewell to CPI Media Group and its flagship magazine title this week as he prepares to leave Dubai for his new editorial role in London. Ben joined CNME – the Middle East’s leading technology publication – as Sub Editor in January 2012 and was promoted to Editor in August 2012 at the age of 23. This Thursday will mark his last day at the title.

Ben commences his new role as Editor of Information Age print magazine and online publication on November 4, 2013. Information Age is the UK’s leading monthly IT publication.

“I owe a lot to CPI for giving me the opportunity to be the editor of its flagship magazine at such a young age,” says Ben. “It was a great honour being able to put my stamp on a brand and title as superb as CNME. CPI is a fantastic publisher to work for and it will be very sad leaving having made some great friends at the company. I’ve had a terrific time in the Middle East, but am now looking forward to my new challenge at Information Age in London.”

Computer News Middle East (CNME) is now seeking a new Editor. Anyone interested can contact cnme@cpimediagroup.com.

 

Starcom MediaVest Group launch Zero Dot

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Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG) announced today that it has launched a new unit at the company, Zero Dot, a new generation of brand consulting, experience design, strategy and original creation of content.

Zero Dot, led by Jonathan Hoffman, SMG President, Experience Design, the unit provides a new way for brands to think about creativity and ideas and its work is inherently designed for the digital age, across multiple screens—social and participatory at the core. Designed to work quickly, in an integrated fashion with a fast, agile process, Zero Dot yields ideas for clients who can take them to market faster than typical integrated marketing approaches.

“Consumers are at the centre of everything we do,” says Laura Desmond, SMG CEO. “Keeping ahead of their pace of change and connecting with them in real-time is a part of our DNA. Today’s converged media world has created a need for more agile, multidisciplinary solutions, which is where Zero Dot comes in—serving as a consultancy that can create a new breed of experiences and catalyse speed to market so brands can engage today’s consumers in the moment.

Zero Dot will collaborate with all SMG agencies and Centres of Excellence (COE) and joins a strong group of emerging media and content units at the company, including Liquid Thread; SMG’s global data and analytics COE; its emerging mobile and social COE; Big Fuel, SMG’s social agency; and its Search COE. Zero Dot will expand globally throughout 2014.

New Editor announced for Nawa3em.com

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Ruba Nesly has been announced as the new Editor and PR executive for online magazine Nawa3em. Based in Dubai, Ruba – who is a media and journalism graduate from Damascus University – will be responsible for covering events and conducting interviews.

“Working at Nawa3em is a fantastic career opportunity for me,” says Ruba. “Each day here is different and brings a new adventure, experience and excitement “

Contact Ruba  at rubanesly@2pure.com / +971 (0)4 441 8415

Oryx Gulf Media launch L’Officiel Hommes

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Oryx Gulf Media, publisher of the L’Officiel group of titles and BBC Top Gear, has announced the official re-launch of L’Officiel Hommes Middle East, the leading men’s fashion magazine published by Les Editions Jalou. Available in both Arabic and English editions, the bi-annual magazine will have a print run of 55,000 copies and will be available across the Arab world.

“L’Officiel Hommes is an iconic French magazine with various international editions and it is with a great sense of pride and accomplishment that we add the Middle East to Jalou’s growing footprint across the world,” says Souha Abbas, Publishing Partner and Group Editorial Director at Oryx Gulf Media. “We have assembled an incredibly talented and seasoned team to bring this magazine to life and remain confident that it will satisfy the market’s hunger for a dedicated men’s fashion magazine of international calibre but with local sensibility.”

The launch issue includes interviews with Dean and Dan Caten of Dsquared2, Michael Kors, Emirate film director Abdulla Al Kaabi and London-based menswear designer Khalid Al Qasimi with exclusive Robert Pattinson photographs by Nan Goldin courtesy of Dior Parfum for the new Dior Homme fragrance campaign. Various writers of the French and Italian editions have also contributed to the debut issue.

“This is an interesting and exciting era for men’s fashion and the re-launch of L’Officiel Hommes Middle East could not have come at a more poignant time,” expressed Hassan Al-Saleh, Chief Editor of L’Officiel Hommes Middle East. “We are incredibly proud of our launch issue. The content is editorially stimulating and visually captivating.”

Oryx Gulf Media first re-introduced the women’s fashion title L’Officiel in April of this year, followed by the L’Officiel Kids supplement. The Dubai-based publisher plans to launch L’Officiel Art Middle East in November.

Luxury Lifestyle platform Buro 24/7 goes live

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The new online magazine Buro 24/7 Middle East has today gone live. The luxury lifestyle platform run by Russian fashion icon Miroslava Duma and local Emirati entrepreneur, Salama Alabbar, is an extension of the existing and highly respected Buro247.ru. The Middle East version will host up-to-the-minute news from the world of fashion, film, art, current affairs, literature, music, cars and much more.

Log on now at www.buro247.com/me or follow Buro 24/7 Middle East on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest @Buro247ME.

For further information, contact Editor-in-Chief Holly Williams at H.Williams@Buro247me.com

 

ITP partners with Sayidaty for Arab Woman Awards

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ITP Consumer, the region’s largest publisher of English language women’s magazines, has announced a ground-breaking partnership with Sayidaty as media sponsor of its Arab Woman Awards for the coming year.

The media partnership will include the Arab Woman Awards official publications being distributed with Sayidaty, on-site interviews with the winners featured on Sayidaty.com, post-event coverage of the event plus the magazine also plans to utilise the events to launch its own marketing initiative called ‘Sayidaty celebrates women’ which it will unveil at the Arab Woman Awards UAE in December at the Sofitel Abu Dhabi.

“Sayidaty is the region’s most popular Arabic language lifestyle magazine so it seemed a natural fit for us to partner with such an authoritative awards that so actively promotes the achievements of women,” says Mohammed Fahad Al-Harthi, Editor of Sayidaty. “We are a pan-Arab publisher so the Arab Woman Awards were particularly attractive to us due to their ‘across GCC’ vision.’

The Arab Woman Awards is the GCC region’s only pan-Arab awards to recognise Arab females in areas including business, charity, the arts and design. The awards now run annually in the UAE, Kuwait and Qatar with the first KSA awards launching in early 2014 with the support of Princess Reema Bandar Al-Saud. A Bahrain edition is planned for 2015.  The award winners are selected by a private Judges Board from each country which follow strict criteria to determine each winner.  Now in its fifth year the awards have recognised over 150 women to-date with leading businesswomen, doctors and educators including HE Fatima Al Jaber, Dr Manahel Thabet, Sheikha Hessa bint Khalifa Al Maktoum, Bothaina Al Ansari, Moudhi Al Hajiri , Sheikha Souad Al Sabah, and many more. The awards are presented at private, invitation only ceremonies with the winners and their achievements published in an official Arab Woman Awards commemorative book.

“Sayidaty has always been a great supporter of the awards through its post-event coverage and attendance,” says Sue Holt, Deputy Managing Director of ITP Consumer and founder of the Arab Woman Awards “We are delighted to formalise this partnership and create an annual calendar in which to jointly celebrate amazing women.”

For more information on the Arab Woman Awards, contact: Marianne Bassil, Marketing & Events Manager, ITP Consumer marianne.bassil@itp.com / +971 (0)4 444 3814