PR Account Director, Eva Glele

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Name: Eva Glele

Age: 42

From: Born in Benin, raised in France, bred & defined by many cultural influences

Current job title: Account Director, Active PR

When did you arrive in the UAE?
I landed in the UAE September 2013.

Where did you work prior?
In incomparably cosmopolitan and vibrant London for three years as in-house PR Manager EMEA for Regus, the world’s largest provider in flexible working spaces.

What were your first impressions of the media industry in the Middle East?
Great quality, especially in the fields of business, technology and lifestyle, where I’ve had the opportunity to directly collaborate with over the years. There is incredible growth potential in the region and a bunch of very talented and hard-working media professionals.

Have these impressions changed much?
Not really, they have only been strengthened.

Tell us about your new role…
My role is to oversee all of the agency accounts, provide strategic counselling to add value to our clients and help them achieve their business goals. I support the team as/when needed, as well as ensure we deliver on time and to agency standards. Another key part of my role is to help achieve our growth ambitions – which are huge and already paying-off. 

What challenges do you face?
All the normal challenges that are inherent to a fast-paced role in a fast-paced agency with a strong commitment to delivery.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
I love when I see things fall into place.

What’s the most exciting thing to happen so far?
Having scored 10 new business wins as a team since the beginning of the year, diversifying our clients portfolio which means exploring new territories and industries we are excited about, and finding ourselves in the privileged position to choose who we want to work with. That is truly exciting!

What do you think of the quality of media publications in the region?
I find the media publications in the spaces we have traditionally worked with of great quality. Reaching the same quality and influence online will be the next focus in the region, I believe. 

What sets you apart from other PRs?
It is a bit difficult to answer this question without sounding presumptuous, as I cannot presume of the skillset of other PRs. I can only comment on what has proven to be my strengths over the years:

My credible international PR experience has allowed me to think strategically in a wide range of cultural settings, and effectively communicate across the boundaries – which was always my ambition when I started to work in PR. Versatility, gained through a mixed in-house/agency background and experience across industries ranging from luxury retail to B2B technology in Paris, London, Senegal, Tokyo and Mexico (I often say that I see myself as a true PR chameleon). A hands-on approach – blue chip company or SME, I was lucky to always be part of small, hard-working and result-driven teams, hence I’m not afraid of rolling-up my sleeves and working in the trenches if need be.

Finally, I would say that my good spirits have also always seemed to set me apart somehow. I am genuinely a happy person and I’m glad I have found in the Active team, kindred spirits who share and value the same qualities.

Work calls via landline, mobile or both?
Either: My landline is always transferred to my cell phone.

What’s your most overused saying?
“Well done!” Does that actually qualify as a saying?

Five things you can’t live without?
Do you mean apart from the obvious: freedom, peace, respect, love, food, water, oxygen, natural light and sleep (not cheating at all)? I’d say my family, music, (paper) books, laughs and inspiration.

If you weren’t a PR, what would you be?
Most probably a kung-Fu master, a Gonzo writer, a language or art teacher, a humanitarian or a music festivals promoter.

M for magnifique

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With the promise of great food and spectacular views, Team TMN couldn’t wait to head to Pier 7 to experience the newest arrival on Dubai’s nightlife scene…

What: Atelier M

Where: Pier 7, Dubai Marina Mall, Dubai Marina, Dubai

When: Open daily, 6pm – 2am

The promise: “From dinner to the old world luxury of the prohibition-esque bar, through to the ambient rooftop ultra-lounge which emerges from the venue’s impressive mirrored centrepiece, Atelier M caters to all aspects of your evening on the town in Dubai.”

Did it deliver? The restaurant’s décor was quintessentially French in style, elegant in its simplicity and oozing sophistication; equally ideal for an intimate meal or night out with friends. Our table had a perfect view of the open plan kitchen – the centrepiece of the restaurant – allowing us a taste of the action as the chefs cooked up a storm.

The menu boasted contemporary French–Asian fusion cuisine, and we opted to try out the sharing concept of courses encouraged by the restaurant, an interesting novelty. We started with the Pistachio Crusted Goat Cheese with Baby Beetroot, and Grilled Asparagus with Gruyere and Truffles. While simple choices, both were beautifully cooked, strong in flavour and perfectly portioned.

The main courses were nothing like the small portions that we’ve come to expect from typical French cuisine, and took away any doubts we might have had over the plate-sharing concept. The ample size didn’t detract from the quality of the Wagyu Rib Eye with Chimichurri, Garlic Puree, Shiitake Mushroom and Yazu Pickled Shallots, which was entirely succulent with a melt-in-your-mouth texture, and the Pan Seared Halibut with Buttered Leeks and Romesco Sauce, while a generous sized fish, was so delicious that it was reluctantly shared. The side of Soy and Honey Glazed Sweet Potato was definitely more of an acquired taste, though certainly worth a try.

Although dinner wouldn’t be complete without dessert, we were just too full to try. Instead we feasted our eyes over the menu that included Blueberry Cheesecake, Shortbread and Lychee, as well as a Roasted Spice Pineapple, Hazelnut and Coconut Crumble with Yogurt Sorbet.

To let dinner settle, we made our way up the spiral staircase to settle in the second floor lounge, where the distinct prohibition style and vintage feel of the bar wouldn’t be out of place on the set of Great Gatsby – complete with an art-deco centrepiece of mirrored glass which appeared to have exploded from the bar. A small lift at the rear of the lounge took us up to the rooftop bar, where we ended the evening taking in the panoramic skyline of Dubai Marina with a Devil’s Horn cocktail in hand, of course.

The verdict: Now that Pier 7 holds a license, Atelier M is a strong contender to become one of the hottest nights out in Dubai. Between the restaurant, lounge and rooftop bar, each level could easily be a success in its own right, and Team TMN will definitely be heading back soon – at the very least to indulge in dessert!

En’Route Middle East magazine

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Team TMN catch up with Aishah Yousef, Editor-in-Chief, En’Route Middle East, to get an insight into the newly launched UAE-based travel magazine En’Route Middle East…

When did the magazine launch?
The magazine publicly launched May 5, 2014, during the Arabia Travel Market Exhibition (ATM) in Dubai.

Explain the concept behind En’Route Middle East.
We at Ad Fusion Media wanted to produce a magazine for readers that showcased travelling from a real-life perspective. Several sections of the magazine are dedicated to personal travel experiences and the discoveries made by real people.

How did the idea come about?
The idea of En’Route Middle East came from a discussion between Ibrahim Obaid Al Naqbi, the CEO of Ad Fusion Media (and Publisher of En’Route Middle East Magazine) and myself. We were talking about how people are influenced by their experiences in worldwide travelling, and thought that producing a magazine which would allow people to enjoy and post their travel stories and adventures would be exciting for any reader.

How did you decide on design and what influenced this decision?
We got the initial design of the cover from our USA contributor, and it has taken inspiration from all the elements of nature, specifically the sea, mountains, sun and the sky. 

How will En’Route Middle East stand out from other travel publications in the region? It’s the first magazine that beholds a realistic and genuine approach to providing current events and travel advice to its readers, by finding travel stories and adventures of people from all walks of life. It will stand out as a magazine with a heart and a human touch. 

What are the main features of En’Route Middle East?
The magazine is broken down into the following: Editor’s Pick – A bold analysis of the Editor’s destination choice for the issue. Side Trip – An excursion incidental to a trip… this section brings out the best of tourism-worthy news of undiscovered places that any tourist could be interested in on a specific trip. Wanderlust – Tales of travels across the globe, with a focus on the UAE. Tasty Travels – Food and restaurant reviews. City Scenes – Rundown of the Metro… hotspots and places to wine, dine and unwind. Road Sign – Travel advice, facts and Q&A. Sweet Escape – Reviews of hotels, resorts and other accommodation options. Where to go Next – Your next tourist destination. Also included are sections called Tourism4U and ICONS, which feature iconic and inspirational personalities in the hospitality industry.

How can PRs get involved?
My inbox is open 24/7 (gm@theadfusion.com) to receive all newsworthy travel articles from anybody who thinks that our magazine is a worthy venue for their press releases.

Are there any advertising opportunities?
Yes, we are open to it.

Where will the magazine be available?
En’Route Middle East will be published quarterly with an initial circulation of 10,000, and will be distributed throughout luxury hotels, trade centres, leading airlines, travel agencies and various tourism partners. 

What can we expect to see in the future?
The second phase of the magazine is to increase our distribution copies and to produce a travel show under the name of En’ Route Middle East goes live, so watch this space!

 

For further information, visit www.enrouteonline.com

 

Can magazines be effectively run by freelancers?

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Since 2006, the number of freelance writers has increased more than 300 per cent and today, freelancers produce more than 70 per cent of magazine content in the USA. With this in mind, can a publication be effectively run with just a team of freelance journalists?

“YES” says Will Rankin, Freelance Editor, Diners Club Middle East

WillRankin120Most freelancers have great experience across a diverse number of fields and topics… staffers can become stale and jaded quickly, writing about the same topic day in and day out

As long as there’s an editor to report to, it is my view that a team of freelancers can definitely run a publication. Of course someone needs to chase the freelancers and pull the magazine together, but I know a number of publishers who not only employ freelancers, but also rely on them. Now, I can only recount my own experiences, but I’m currently freelancing, and work across a number of titles as an editor, employing a number of different writers.

From a company point of view, there’s no need to worry about office costs, visa costs, medical care, holiday pay or gratuities, so farming the work out to freelancers makes an awful lot of business sense, especially to a start-up.

I bring more than two decades of journalistic experience to a publication, the sort of experience that doesn’t come cheap, were the company looking to employ me full-time. Compare my ability and experience to a fresh graduate staffer, and I really believe I represent a better option. Most freelancers have great experience across a diverse number of fields and topics, bringing livelier copy and a wealth of experience to publications. Staffers can become stale and jaded quickly, writing about the same topic day in and day out.

One of the joys of freelancing for me is the sheer diversity; one day I’m writing about oil field technology, the next compiling a hotel review. I have rarely stuck a full time job for more than two years. Journalists – at least the best ones I know – tend to be people who don’t like a job that is strictly nine to five; who work best when the mood strikes them, and who, yes, quite often enjoy late night libations, even if they are couched as press events.

Freelancers can sit at home, working in their underwear while still coming across as extremely professional. Put me in a tie, make me work nine to five, and my work will surely suffer. Freelancers also have more freedom to navel gaze, to come up with better feature ideas, and to think outside of the box. 

 

“NO” says Radhina Almeida Countinho, Associate Director, TRACCS UAE

RadhinaFreelancers may have the skills and the ability to do the work but you still need someone who is dedicated to the job full-time

There’s an important distinction in the way you classify a freelance journalist – is it someone who is on your books regularly on a freelance contract – as in, physically not sitting in your office but pretty much tied to you anyway by a regular salary and job responsibilities, or someone who pitches and gets commissioned on an ad hoc basis? The distinction in my opinion is a crucial one because although the work culture has evolved and is definitely one in which freelancing is becoming more the norm than the exception; can a publication run purely on ad hoc freelancers? I don’t think so.

If one thinks that all you need to run a publication is a bunch of intelligent individuals armed with notepads, telephones, multimedia skills and a laptop, it’s an unfair simplification of the journalistic process. For smaller publications and those that don’t cover sensitive issues, perhaps the freelance model may work, but for more serious publications, institutional backing plays a big role.

Well-established, respected titles still hold clout and get staffers opportunities and access to doors many freelancers wouldn’t be able to get through. True, there are big name bylines that can confidently command any audience they seek, but for the vast majority there are many other considerations. Like safety, for instance. Many news agencies are not comfortable sending freelancers into conflict zones because the risks are too high. The same is true for the journalists themselves. It could be a life and death situation for a freelancer in a hostage situation – an international title holds bargaining power that a freelancer working on his or her own just does not.

Moreover, from a publication’s point of view, a full-time employee is just more reliable and in many ways, more cost effective. When it comes to it, can you pin down a freelancer to sub your work, write those headlines, or make that call when he or she is physically not in your office? The answer is no, and most employers won’t want to take that gamble on a regular basis.

Yes, freelancers may have the skills and the ability to do the work but you still need someone who is dedicated to the job full-time who can keep a check on quality and consistency. And someone who is around when the five ads you thought were turning up fail to show and you need those five pages filled ASAP – that isn’t a job any freelancer is going to be able to help you with at 10.30pm on a Friday night!

 

 

Top tips for a great social media campaign

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Social media has become a must-have business tool for professionals and companies alike. Here Faheem Gill offers tips on how to make the most of your social media campaign…

With such a connected audience, developing social media campaigns that capture the attention is essential

Social Media a must for any company that wants to be successful. The UAE has the highest penetration of smartphones in the world (72%), not to mention that 52% of UAE residents visit social media sites daily. With such a connected audience, developing social media campaigns that capture the attention is essential.

Facebook is now limiting organic reach to roughly 2% of followers of pages, which is forcing most companies to begin looking at other social media channels. With social media users in the UAE embracing these new social channels, it is worth reviewing your social media strategy. Here’s five top tips to help you stay on track:

1. Start with your goals
The goals of a social media campaign must be defined first. Whether it is just getting more followers, or increasing engagement, the goal of the campaign must be measurable. In addition to having clear targets, you must have a good analytics package to measure this. With most social media channels you can either use third party tools or develop a custom tool to measure the key performance indicators that you and the client have agreed upon.

In addition to having the goals in place, you should also:

  • Ensure the client has a social media policy, and how does the campaign fit the policy
  • Define the key customer including their interests, demographics and psychographics
  • Be within the confines of the cultural and legal framework of the region

While you are getting ready to run your client’s campaign, a value added service you can provide to your client is to measure how their competitor is doing during the same time. Tools such as Moz Analytics gives you a good way to gain some insight into your client and their competitors and gives you a granular look at the competitive landscape.

2. Be active
With a plethora of social media channels out there, you have to be active on the ones that are important for the campaign. For example, a B2B may be more inclined to be on LinkedIn whereas a B2C in the home and garden space would be a better fit for Pinterest. Being active on the right channels at the right time is key. One tidbit we have found out is that more negative viral events occur during holidays and weekends than the weekdays. A good rule of thumb is to be active three times a day with three different touch points to the target customer.

3. Entertain through images
Visual graphics and videos are easier to share and have to be part of the mixture. From videos to images and infographics, there are numerous options that can fit your campaign. In general campaigns should have a good mixture of visuals to content. You can easily newsjack trending topics with images that fit your campaign’s goals.

4. Quality over quantity
Campaigns must meet the right balance of hitting the touch points without becoming spammy. Often there is too much content being distributed without any feedback. Engagement with your target customer is key and some try a ‘throw everything’ approach. The top three most visited sites in the UAE are Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.  Having your campaigns on these sites will be enough for most campaigns. Just don’t overuse the #hashtags (3 maximum).

5. Measure and report
We started with the goals of the client and we end with it as well. The way to keep your clients satisfied comes from the data that shows how social media is helping them with their goals. Tools such as Buddy Media, Brandwatch, Social Sprout and many more can help you capture the data you need and keep your clients happy.

 

Faheem Gill is Managing Director, Asia Operations at Xelleration. Follow him on Twitter @ims43

Christina Sang joins Insignia PR

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Christina Sang has joined the Insignia PR team as Account Manager. Christina was previously with Esquire Financing Inc. in the Phillipines, where she set up the marketing team and managed business development initiatives.  Subsequently, she was appointed as Project Manager of the Office of the Chairman, and handled the Chairman’s private equity development projects. Prior to this, Christina worked for Emaar Hospitality Group with Armani Hotels and Resorts in Dubai, dealing with events in luxury, VIP and corporate segments, as well as spearheading the launch of At.mosphere for which she handled the communications and events.

“Christina is a true third culture kid of today,” says Gabriela Asquith, Director, Insignia PR. “Her versatile background and multi-lingual capacity keep Christina in the know and adaptable to emerging international trends.”

Aquarius Magazine launches redesign

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Aquarius Magazine has undergone a full redesign and rebrand unveiled for this month’s June issue. In circulation since 2002, this is the first restructure of the women’s lifestyle magazine, and includes a new look, new logo and new attitude.

“While the title has always been very close to our hearts and a vital part of our portfolio, we wanted to offer readers a new and fresh look to compliment our new editorial attitude,” says Katie Heskett, Associate Publisher, Gulf News Magazines. “We have changed our focus to address all elements of a woman’s life – from careers and parenting to fashion and beauty, food and home. With so much more content on offer and various platforms that we are able to deliver it on – including our website, app, social media and monthly events – we wanted to have a fresher look that fitted a new era for the title.”

Louisa Wilkins, Editor of Aquarius Magazine adds, “Aquarius is such a well-loved and respected magazine with our readers. Our commitment to them remains our top priority, and this redesign and editorial direction will offer them even more great content and opportunities to engage with us. It’s amazing to see how the magazine has developed this year – we’ve done a lot of work and research with our readers to get this final results and the feedback from them has already been fantastic.”

Gulf News Publishing Director James Hewes further adds, “The magazine is one of the most important titles at Gulf News Magazines, and to see this exciting new direction is just one part of our ongoing development plans for our women’s lifestyle group.”

CNN International launches Future Finance

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CNN International has announced the launch of Future Finance, a new weekly segment showcasing future trends related to the global financial system that will feature in two of the network’s highest profile business shows – Quest Means Business and World Business Today. Future Finance will complement CNN’s business coverage by examining everything from a future without cash to high-speed trading that employs the power of laser beams.

Each month Nina Dos Santos will host a Future Finance 15-minute special programme highlighting the best in CNN’s series of short feature films, and offers global insight into what’s on the horizon at consumer and industry level. With stories from Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas; Future Finance will be an opportunity to gain perspective on possible future trends related to all areas of global business innovation. The weekly reports began airing on June 3 2014, with CNN’s first instalment of its 15 minute programme launching June 25, at 10.45 BST / 11.45 CET.

A dedicated microsite www.CNN.com/FutureFinance will feature Future Finance reports and supplementary content such as digital explainers, info-graphics and analysis. The material will also appear and be promoted across other CNN business and news web pages.