The Feedie app

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Team TMN caught up with Victor Knaap, CEO of Media Monks – innovators behind the revolutionary Feedie app – to discuss the company’s exciting new partnership with Media One Hotel, Dubai…

Where did the concept for the Feedie app originate?
The Feedie concept is the brainchild of The Lunchbox Fund founder Topaz Page-Green, and creative agency Tribal Worldwide in New York. The Lunchbox Fund (www.thelunchboxfund.org) is a non-profit organisation dedicated to providing a daily meal for orphaned and vulnerable school children in South Africa. The app concept uses existing foodie behaviour and current technology, inspiring food lovers to leverage their passion for sharing photos of food to share actual food with those in need.

How does the Feedie app work?
Everyone eating out in Dubai can now download the free Feedie app on their iPhone (an Android version will be launched in April). Feedie users or “Feedies” can locate participating restaurants using the app’s map feature and are easily able to make an instant donation to the fund by simply snapping a photo of their meal and posting via the Feedie app. The app has additional features, including the ability for Feedies to share their favourite restaurants and photos with other Feedie users, and can choose to also share on Facebook, Google Plus, Twitter and Foursquare.

Tell us a bit about Media One’s partnership with Feedie.
We are excited for Media One Hotel to be part of this great initiative, and looking forward to seeing many Media One food photos transformed into daily donations for hungry school kids. We hope that many of the customers will get behind The Lunchbox Fund and take food photographs whenever they visit the hotel.

Media One is the first venue in the UAE to partner with Feedie – how did this relationship develop?
Media Monks was a guest speaker at Dubai Lynx, the International Festival of Creativity 2014. Our session titled “Interaction with Emotion: Telling Tales with Technology” showcased perspectives on the future of digital storytelling; the line between the two camps of technological innovation and emotional engagement. One of the highlights of our seminar was the concept of Feedies created with advertising agency Tribal Worldwide in New York. Because Dubai Lynx is a place where creative minds meet each year, we were thrilled to launch this idea at the Festival. Media One Hotel, being a hub for festival representatives, was a prime location to partner with. The hotel management and staff have done a great job supporting Feedie’s Dubai launch and turned it into a great success.

How will the Feedie app be promoted within the hotel?
It will be promoted through social media, a tent card in each outlet, bill folders, the Media One Hotel website, posters, TV screens, and of course staff will inform and encourage guests to download the Feedie app.

What makes the Feedie app such a novel approach to encouraging charitable work?
Before Feedie, there were no foodie apps using their influence for the good of others. The Lunchbox Fund is the first to utilise this powerful sub-culture and harness its energy productively, allowing foodies a one-of-a-kind opportunity to share their food – literally. Feedie allows users to extend food beyond taste, texture and Instagrammability, and it is amazing that such a simple app has already generated over 12million meals in South Africa. While the Feedie app gives food lovers a chance to use their passion for good, we see it as a perfect example of the growing trend in digital where the latest technology influences people’s lives.

Why will the app appeal to existing ‘foodies’ in Dubai?
Foodies around the world share the same love for taking snapshots of their food, and it’s a digital behaviour trend that has taken over social media channels, such as Instagram. The Feedie app taps into this trend, and it’s a universal idea that translates well in any geographical location. Looking at the popularity of dining out in Dubai we are expecting all foodies here to turn into food philanthropists very soon.

Do you have any plans to expand in the Middle East in the future?
The Feedie concept first launched in October 2013 at The Lunchbox Fund’s annual gala in New York, featuring co-chairs Mario Batali, Liv Tyler, Casey Affleck and Maggie Gyllenhaal. We have since launched it in Los Angeles, and Dubai. It’s barely the beginning of a longer journey supporting the Lunchbox Fund, as we plan to bring this concept to as many cities as possible. Stay tuned for the upcoming Feedie launch near you.

For further enquiries relating to the Feedie app and Media One partnership, contact Sally Meech at sally@mediaonehotel.com / +971 (0)4 427 1000

The Feedie app

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Team TMN caught up with Victor Knaap, CEO of Media Monks – innovators behind the revolutionary Feedie app – to discuss the company’s exciting new partnership with Media One Hotel, Dubai…

Where did the concept for the Feedie app originate?
The Feedie concept is the brainchild of The Lunchbox Fund founder Topaz Page-Green, and creative agency Tribal Worldwide in New York. The Lunchbox Fund (www.thelunchboxfund.org) is a non-profit organisation dedicated to providing a daily meal for orphaned and vulnerable school children in South Africa. The app concept uses existing foodie behaviour and current technology, inspiring food lovers to leverage their passion for sharing photos of food to share actual food with those in need.

How does the Feedie app work?
Everyone eating out in Dubai can now download the free Feedie app on their iPhone (an Android version will be launched in April). Feedie users or “Feedies” can locate participating restaurants using the app’s map feature and are easily able to make an instant donation to the fund by simply snapping a photo of their meal and posting via the Feedie app. The app has additional features, including the ability for Feedies to share their favourite restaurants and photos with other Feedie users, and can choose to also share on Facebook, Google Plus, Twitter and Foursquare.

Tell us a bit about Media One’s partnership with Feedie.
We are excited for Media One Hotel to be part of this great initiative, and looking forward to seeing many Media One food photos transformed into daily donations for hungry school kids. We hope that many of the customers will get behind The Lunchbox Fund and take food photographs whenever they visit the hotel.

Media One is the first venue in the UAE to partner with Feedie – how did this relationship develop?
Media Monks was a guest speaker at Dubai Lynx, the International Festival of Creativity 2014. Our session titled “Interaction with Emotion: Telling Tales with Technology” showcased perspectives on the future of digital storytelling; the line between the two camps of technological innovation and emotional engagement. One of the highlights of our seminar was the concept of Feedies created with advertising agency Tribal Worldwide in New York. Because Dubai Lynx is a place where creative minds meet each year, we were thrilled to launch this idea at the Festival. Media One Hotel, being a hub for festival representatives, was a prime location to partner with. The hotel management and staff have done a great job supporting Feedie’s Dubai launch and turned it into a great success.

How will the Feedie app be promoted within the hotel?
It will be promoted through social media, a tent card in each outlet, bill folders, the Media One Hotel website, posters, TV screens, and of course staff will inform and encourage guests to download the Feedie app.

What makes the Feedie app such a novel approach to encouraging charitable work?
Before Feedie, there were no foodie apps using their influence for the good of others. The Lunchbox Fund is the first to utilise this powerful sub-culture and harness its energy productively, allowing foodies a one-of-a-kind opportunity to share their food – literally. Feedie allows users to extend food beyond taste, texture and Instagrammability, and it is amazing that such a simple app has already generated over 12million meals in South Africa. While the Feedie app gives food lovers a chance to use their passion for good, we see it as a perfect example of the growing trend in digital where the latest technology influences people’s lives.

Why will the app appeal to existing ‘foodies’ in Dubai?
Foodies around the world share the same love for taking snapshots of their food, and it’s a digital behaviour trend that has taken over social media channels, such as Instagram. The Feedie app taps into this trend, and it’s a universal idea that translates well in any geographical location. Looking at the popularity of dining out in Dubai we are expecting all foodies here to turn into food philanthropists very soon.

Do you have any plans to expand in the Middle East in the future?
The Feedie concept first launched in October 2013 at The Lunchbox Fund’s annual gala in New York, featuring co-chairs Mario Batali, Liv Tyler, Casey Affleck and Maggie Gyllenhaal. We have since launched it in Los Angeles, and Dubai. It’s barely the beginning of a longer journey supporting the Lunchbox Fund, as we plan to bring this concept to as many cities as possible. Stay tuned for the upcoming Feedie launch near you.

For further enquiries relating to the Feedie app and Media One partnership, contact Sally Meech at sally@mediaonehotel.com / +971 (0)4 427 1000

Editor, Richard Jinman

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Name: Richard Jinman
Age: 49
From: London, UK
Current Job Title: Editor, The Week Middle East

When did you first arrive in Dubai?
On February 15, 2014.

Where did you work prior?
I worked for two broadsheet newspapers in Australia – The Australian and The Sydney Morning Herald. I’ve also worked for The Guardian in the UK and TheWeek.co.uk.

What were your first impressions of the media industry in the Middle East?
It was exciting to see the range and diversity of news media in the region.

Tell us about your role…
I’m in Dubai to launch the Middle East edition of The Week, a news magazine that’s hugely successful in the UK and the US. The magazine distills the week’s top news items into an informative and entertaining package, as well as providing a guide to property, travel destinations, the arts and new technology (among others).

What challenges do you face?
Getting familiar with the news agenda in the region, and making sure I’m aware of as many news outlets and news blogs as possible. 

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
Editing a news magazine in the Middle East! I’ve been fascinated by the region for years, but working as a journalist here is very exciting.

What do you think of the quality of media publications in the region?
There are plenty of well-produced glossies and lifestyle magazines, but I do think there’s room for more products that report and analyse the news.

How do you find PRs in the region?
Very friendly so far!

What’s your pet PR peeve?
The PR who phones up to say – “Hi, I just sent you an email. Have you got it?”

What advice can you offer PRs seeking coverage your magazine?
Send me an email (don’t ask me if I’ve got it!) or give me a call. The Week is a very broad publication and we’re interested in everything, from the latest app to the best places to eat in Qatar.

Work calls via landline, mobile or both?
I’m old school – give the landline a go.

Describe yourself in five words…
Tall. Curious. Myopic. Quizzical. Erm…can I have tall again?

What’s your most overused saying?
“I love that story.”

Five things you can’t live without?
My wife-to-be, my Leica M9, my electric toothbrush, my notepad and my phone.

If you weren’t a journalist, what would you be?
A photographer.

Keep me updated not inundated

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Helen Spearman, Editor of good magazine, explains why less is more in when it comes to press release distribution…

I’m polite 99.2% of the time, but that 0.8% is reserved for people calling before I’ve had the chance to read an irrelevant email

I went downstairs for a coffee this morning and came back to 24 emails. In approximately four minutes. I felt each one buzz through in my back pocket, but I wasn’t filled with dread as they arrived. It was annoyance that multiplied 24 times in that time. Want to know why? Because I confidently knew that around 80% of those emails would be irrelevant. Not irrelevant to the PR who sent them, their client or perhaps a handful of magazines that would publish them, but irrelevant to my magazine and me.

I’ve worked in PR and marketing, I’ve sent those mass mail outs, and heard the echo of my inbox when journalists don’t reply. I get it. It’s easier to send that press release to everyone, and then tell the client how many editors have received it. But the long-term effect of all those emails to all those (disinterested) editors is very, very damaging.

There are some PR agencies, and some particular individuals, whose emails I can predict won’t be of interest and I can delete with glee before reading – they could send the most bang-on snippet on the planet, but their previous form for sending guff (technical term) means that, chances are, I’ll have already disregarded it.

Do your research. On me, on the magazine, on our readers. Know what’s in the title’s sections, and understand why that client would or would not be appropriate. By all means make suggestions, but not scattergun, vague suggestions about including it ‘somewhere’. Put some thought into what would work and where in each title. Yes, it’s more work, but there’s something to be said for quality over quantity, and building relationships with journalists.

We all know that these emails go to everyone (especially when PRs forget to use BCC – cue angry ‘reply all’s’ that last for days), and we know that some poor junior exec is going to follow up by phone, but please PLEASE don’t call within five minutes of pressing send. I’m polite 99.2% of the time, but that 0.8% is reserved for people calling before I’ve had the chance to read an irrelevant email.

Let’s keep the communication lines open. If your client is the perfect fit (not just in their mind) for a particular magazine and it makes sense for both sides to work together, make it just that – a collaboration. A quick personal email will do so much more good than banging out an anonymous mail merger effort. And if you do use mail merger, at least have the good sense to use the same font/colour for the addressee’s name as the body copy. Major red flag. And make sure your colleague isn’t sending the same email to the same mailing list.

Above all, though, it’s about managing the expectation of the client, being honest with them about what’s really newsworthy and communicating what coverage they can realistically expect. They might want ten press releases per month, but saturating the market (and everyone’s inbox) could mean that they end up with nothing. And their PR might never get a reply to an email.

 

Helen Spearman is Editor of good magazine. Follow her on Twitter @helen_spearman

Keep me updated not inundated

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Helen Spearman, Editor of good magazine, explains why less is more in when it comes to press release distribution…

I’m polite 99.2% of the time, but that 0.8% is reserved for people calling before I’ve had the chance to read an irrelevant email

I went downstairs for a coffee this morning and came back to 24 emails. In approximately four minutes. I felt each one buzz through in my back pocket, but I wasn’t filled with dread as they arrived. It was annoyance that multiplied 24 times in that time. Want to know why? Because I confidently knew that around 80% of those emails would be irrelevant. Not irrelevant to the PR who sent them, their client or perhaps a handful of magazines that would publish them, but irrelevant to my magazine and me.

I’ve worked in PR and marketing, I’ve sent those mass mail outs, and heard the echo of my inbox when journalists don’t reply. I get it. It’s easier to send that press release to everyone, and then tell the client how many editors have received it. But the long-term effect of all those emails to all those (disinterested) editors is very, very damaging.

There are some PR agencies, and some particular individuals, whose emails I can predict won’t be of interest and I can delete with glee before reading – they could send the most bang-on snippet on the planet, but their previous form for sending guff (technical term) means that, chances are, I’ll have already disregarded it.

Do your research. On me, on the magazine, on our readers. Know what’s in the title’s sections, and understand why that client would or would not be appropriate. By all means make suggestions, but not scattergun, vague suggestions about including it ‘somewhere’. Put some thought into what would work and where in each title. Yes, it’s more work, but there’s something to be said for quality over quantity, and building relationships with journalists.

We all know that these emails go to everyone (especially when PRs forget to use BCC – cue angry ‘reply all’s’ that last for days), and we know that some poor junior exec is going to follow up by phone, but please PLEASE don’t call within five minutes of pressing send. I’m polite 99.2% of the time, but that 0.8% is reserved for people calling before I’ve had the chance to read an irrelevant email.

Let’s keep the communication lines open. If your client is the perfect fit (not just in their mind) for a particular magazine and it makes sense for both sides to work together, make it just that – a collaboration. A quick personal email will do so much more good than banging out an anonymous mail merger effort. And if you do use mail merger, at least have the good sense to use the same font/colour for the addressee’s name as the body copy. Major red flag. And make sure your colleague isn’t sending the same email to the same mailing list.

Above all, though, it’s about managing the expectation of the client, being honest with them about what’s really newsworthy and communicating what coverage they can realistically expect. They might want ten press releases per month, but saturating the market (and everyone’s inbox) could mean that they end up with nothing. And their PR might never get a reply to an email.

 

Helen Spearman is Editor of good magazine. Follow her on Twitter @helen_spearman

LylaLovesFashion relaunches with new look

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In celebration of its fifth anniversary, Middle East fashion, beauty and lifestyle blog, LylaLovesFashion.com has relaunched with a new look. Visitors can expect a new layout and user friendly navigation plus posts in Arabic, making LylaLovesFashion.com the first dual language blog in the UAE.

“After five successful years of LylaLovesFashion.com, I felt it was time to take it up a notch,” says Zahra Lyla Pedram, Founder and Editor, LylaLovesFashion.com. “After all, in an industry that changes every season, it is vital to keep up with the trends. The addition of Arabic was a natural move, since the blog is based both in Dubai and London.”

APP signs Revolution and The Rake magazine deal

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Arab Publishing Partners (APP) today announced a new license agreement with Revolution International Ltd. From September 2014, APP will publish the Middle East editions of leading international watch lifestyle magazine, Revolution, and men’s luxury style title, The Rake.

Revolution International Ltd was founded by Wei Koh and Dr Bruce Lee in Singapore in 2005, and has successfully launched 16 international editions of Revolution magazine making it the leading and most respected watch magazine in the world. Revolution Middle East will be published quarterly and will remain true to its brand promise of ‘celebrating the machine with a heartbeat’. The magazine will continue to deliver quality content and insights relevant to the watch connoisseurs and collectors from the GCC region.

Building on its success Revolution International Ltd then launched The Rake in 2008 bringing to life Editorial Director and Founder Wei Koh’s vision of creating a magazine that is ‘the modern voice of classical elegance’ inspired by male icons like Cary Grant and Michael Caine.  This unique men’s style and artisanal luxury publication quickly gained a global following amongst both discerning readers and premium advertisers. The Rake Middle East will be a bi-monthly title catering to the elite sector of the Gulf’s male population that are seeking the essential details and ground-rules for style. Along with fashion, the magazine will also cover other areas of elegant living including art and fine dining.

“The Middle East is a major market for us to be involved with, as recent studies have shown that the Middle East consumers have the highest per capita spend on luxury goods, while Swiss watch imports to the UAE alone has risen by over 35 per cent in the last three years,” says Dr. Bruce Lee, CEO, Revolution International Ltd. “Given the importance of the region within our international growth strategy for our titles, we knew we had to find a partner to successfully cater to the expectations of the Middle East audience. We feel we have found the right partner in APP Group and are looking forward to working closely with their team.”

Ali Akawi, Managing Director of APP & ITP Consumer, said: “We are excited to see the APP Group further expand its portfolio with two more premium magazines. Both titles appeal to a unique reader profile and we are delighted to have the opportunity to bring to Wei Koh and Dr. Bruce Lee’s vision in this region. We look forward to delivering the same quality journalism that audiences expect from the international editions of Revolution and The Rake.’

Both magazines will be published in English and circulated across the GCC with a bespoke circulation plan to target affluent, influential consumers who appreciate the latest in luxury goods.

Aishwarya Tyagi joins Grazia Middle East

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Aishwarya Tyagi has joined the Grazia Middle East and Grazia Bahrain team as Picture Editor. Previously a Freelancer assisting the fashion team at Vogue India,  Aishwarya most recently acted as PR Account Executive at The Qode, where her role included developing communications strategies for clients as well as planning and executing events to promote brand awareness. As Picture Editor, Aishwarya will be overseeing the visual aspects of the magazine and will be assisting the art and features team to create the highest standard editorial content.