New award at Dubai Lynx

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The Dubai Lynx International Festival of Creativity has announced the launch of a new award category, The Innovation Award. The new award celebrates technological creativity and aims to support and promote the development of innovation across the industry. Ben Jones, former Chief Technology Officer, AKQA, has been elected as the Jury President for the new addition to Dubai Lynx. Entries for all award categories are open from November 24, 2016 with an ‘early bird’ rate until January 24, 2017. The final deadline for all entries is February 7, 2017.

“I can’t wait to be part of Dubai Lynx. I have always believed that the western world lives in isolation to the reality of greatness that comes from MENA and further afield. For me, innovation is the perfect blend of simplicity, thoughtfulness, naive excitement, timing and the ‘retrospective obvious’,” says Ben Jones, Jury President, Dubai Lynx International Festival of Creativity 2017. “It’s often in the new ways we communicate to the fresh business models that are created and quite often this is where the excitement lies and often without huge spend. These pillars shone through many of the entries from different categories at last year’s awards and I’m excited to see what entries come through this year.”

Entries for Festival of Media now open

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Festival of Media MENA is now accepting entries for its 2017 awards ceremony. The third edition of the festival launches a series of new award categories including Best Use of Traditional Media, Best Use of an Influencer, Best Use of Real-time Marketing, Best Branded Content Creation, Best use of Gamification, Best Insight Award, Best Local Execution of a Brand, The Creative Use of Data Award and Best Not-For-Profit Campaign. Following the entry deadline on February 2, 2017, the shortlisted nominees will be announced on March 15, 2017.

In collaboration with C Squared and Mediaquest, the festival will take place on April 26, 2017. Festival of Media MENA invites media agency networks and innovative media owners as well as marketers of the region to attend a one-day industry-centric conference and an awards ceremony to celebrate their work and achievements. The conference provides a platform for the attendees to discuss media trends and technologies as well as network with industry professionals to promote their initiatives to prospective clients and agencies.

UAE newspaper announces closure

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UAE-based newspaper, 7DAYS has announced the closure of its newspaper and online news publication. The news brand will cease operations after 13 years of publishing in the UAE with its final print issue to be published on Thursday, December 22, 2016.

“Whilst it was our stated intention to re-focus and restructure the business for 2017 and beyond, it has since proved not possible to create an acceptable cost base that could deliver a viable and sustainable business,” says Mark Rix, CEO, 7DAYS. “It is therefore with great sadness that we announce the unique 7DAYS news brand will close and thus, cease to inform and entertain the UAE in its refreshing and inimitable way. I have only praise and admiration for the dedicated and talented team that have created such a popular media portfolio over the past 13 years and I wish each of them every future success and happiness.”

PRCA MENA Awards 2017 now open for entries

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Nominations for the PRCA MENA Awards 2017, hosted by Public Relations and Communications Association Middle East and North Africa (PRCA MENA), are now open for entries. The deadline for the entries is December 13, 2016, with the finalists to be announced on January 4, 2017. The awards aim to recognise teams and individuals for campaigns that have taken place between November 1, 2015 to November 2, 2016, that can demonstrate strategy, creativity and originality across 12 categories including Best Integrated Campaign, Rising Star of the Year and Best PR Campaign: Media Relations. The winners will be announced at the awards ceremony to be held on February 8, 2017 at the H Hotel. Nominations for the awards are currently open and can be made through prca.mena.global/how-to-enter/.

“I am delighted that the first PRCA MENA awards are open for entries, celebrating excellence in PR and communications across the region,” says Leanne Foy, General Manager, PRCA MENA. “We have a range of new categories to bring to the region and entries will be judged by our international judging panel.”

Dubai Lynx announces press conference

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The 2017 Dubai Lynx International Festival of Creativity press conference will be held on December 5, 2016 at the CNN Building, Dubai Media City. The conference will focus on new initiatives for 2017, including the launch of an ‘Innovation Award’ and additions to the festival programme.

The press conference will be presented by Thea Skelton, Festival Director, Dubai Lynx, with panellists Terry Savage, Chairman, Lions Festivals; Ian Fairservice, Vice Chairman, Dubai Lynx; Khadija Al Bastaki, Director of Business Development, Dubai Media City; Hani Ghorayeb, President, IAA-UAE Chapter; Walid Yared, Chief Marketing Officer, Choueiri Group and Faisal Bin Haider, Chief Executive Officer – Printing and Distribution sector, Dubai Media Incorporated.

Shortlist for ICCO Global Awards 2016 announced

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The International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO) has announced the shortlisted nominees for ICCO Global Awards 2016. Taking place on December 1, 2016 in London, the award nominees include Cohn & Wolfe for ‘Regional Network of the Year – EMEA’, Instinctif Partners for ‘Regional Independent Constultany of the Year – EMEA’ as well as House of Comms and Grayling for ‘World’s Best PR Campaign – Media Relations.’

“The ICCO Global Awards is an opportunity for the PR and communications industry to showcase the way in which the discipline can achieve real results through powerful outcomes,” says Charlene Corrin, General Manager, International Communications Consultancy Organisation. “An international jury reviews campaigns and teams from around the world, with a true focus on measurement and effectiveness. This year a number of campaigns were entered from the Middle East region, but the stand out work which has made the shortlist came from Grayling and House of Comms, both members of PRCA MENA.”

A2Zarabia.com launches in the UAE

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Dubai-based entrepreneur team launches A2Zarabia.com, a consumer-based online platform in the UAE. A2Zarabia.com is a one stop online shopping hub that aims to combine the functionality of different categories to effectively make life easier for its users. The new platform will be headed by Syed Sarfraz and Parvez Ahmed as the co-founders and it will feature categories that include properties and motors, as well as sections for jobs, exclusive deals, events and other classifieds.

“There are multiple existing websites for each category separately giving its users significant value,” says Syed Sarfraz, Chief Executive Officer, A2Zarabia.com. “However, there isn’t a single website, that satisfies all these daily requirements at a single portal for the user which will make their life easier. We wanted to provide this service to the users across the UAE and beyond. The website has already received a good reception with vendors and strategic partnerships with major brands.”

Hello! Arabia secures royal exclusive

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Hello! Arabia has secured an exclusive interview with Her Highness Sheikha Futtaim Bint Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, daughter of the Ruler of Dubai set to be published next week. The interview features HRH Sheikha Futtaim speaking about her passion for horses, painting and arts as well as the progress made in the UAE for women’s empowerment, whilst paying tribute to the vision of both her father, HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum and the Founder of the UAE, HH Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

“Her Highness is a role model to so many people not just in the UAE but across the world,” says Gina Tadros, Editor-in-Chief, Hello! Arabia. “Her interview is a wonderful insight into her dreams and passions and we are very proud to be publishing it.”

House of Comms welcomes New Junior Account Executive

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Integrated communications agency, House of Comms has welcomed Daisy Priestly to the role of Junior Account Executive. A recent graduate from Brighton University, Daisy holds a degree in Event Management. In her new role, she will work across House of Comms’ client accounts as well as building her media contacts.

“Never have I been around a group of people who are so passionate about what they do,” says Daisy. “It’s so inspiring and I feel incredibly lucky to be working with some amazing clients. I know that this is where I want to be and to see how people are able to grow within House of Comms makes me confident that I will be able to smash my career ambitions as a part of this team.”