BELIEVE Branding rebrands globally

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Branding agency, BELIEVE Branding has rebranded as Believe You Me. With offices serving Australia, South East Asia and the Middle East, the rebrand aims to develop and be up-to-date with the changing world while working across a variety of brand-led engagements. The agency will focus on the three core practice areas of brand strategy, creative and production particularly in FMCG Consumer Packaging, Corporate Identity, Digital Experience and Shopper Marketing.

“After several decades of working across the Australian, South East Asian, Indian and Middle Eastern regions, the notion of ‘trust’ is a constant that defines both people and brand from the inside out, just as it is with our new name, Believe You Me,” says Blair Triplett, Managing Partner, Believe You Me. “We wanted a new name that reflects who we are, but equally a name that underpins the brands we build and the close relationships we have with our clients to help drive truly insightful brand strategy and consumer-led brand design.”

TishTash makes new appointment 

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Dubai-based marketing and PR agency, TishTash has appointed Alison Bowers to the role of Marketing and Events Executive. With a wealth of experience working in the UK before moving to the UAE, Alison most recently worked with brands such as H&M and Boohoo. In her new role, she will support the team on all events for the agency, manage consumer databases and CRM, oversee partnerships and support with marketing and promotional activities.

“TishTash is such an incredible brand, with such a good ethos,” says Alison. “That was really important to me when I moved to Dubai, to find those fundamental common values in a company, so I didn’t settle for anything less. As soon as I met Tash and her team, I knew this is where I wanted to be. The best thing is, we all love what we do. I am excited to be a part of such an innovative team.”

Natasha Hatherall-Shawe, TishTash, Founder and Managing Director, continues, “There are some people you meet and straight away you feel like you’ve known them forever and that’s how I feel with Alison. Her can-do attitude, fun-filled personality, passion for events and trying new things made her perfect to support us.”

Custard welcomes new General Manager 

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Dubai-based event management agency, Custard has appointed Michelle Clarke to the role of General Manager. With a wealth of experience as an events professional, Michelle previously worked with leading brands in the MENA region and England for over 15 years. She most recently worked within the agency where she held the role of Client Services Director. In her new role, Michelle will be responsible for the leadership of the business and team, oversee operations and event delivery.

“I’m delighted to have been granted the opportunity to become Custard’s General Manager,” says Michelle. “I’m looking forward to working hard with our amazing team to achieve even higher levels of creativity and event execution, to ensure we are providing our clients with world class events!”

Silx nominated for Marketing Excellence Award 

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UAE-based content marketing agency, Silx has been nominated for the Annual Marketing Excellence Awards Program. Organised by ITSMA and set to take place on November 6, 2018 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the program honours the marketing programs, campaigns and new initiatives that have demonstrated superior performance in strategy and planning, innovation, execution and business results. Silx has been selected as a finalist in the Driving Business through Thought Leadership category for their program on Virtuzone.

“It is an honour for Silx to be announced as an ITSMA 2018 Marketing Excellence Awards finalist,” says Alex Ionides, Managing Director, Silx. “To be nominated in the ‘Driving Business through Thought Leadership’ category makes it all the more special, as this is the concept that really underlines what we do. As we tell our clients every day, a comprehensive content marketing strategy is about much more than lead generation, it’s about positioning your brand as an authority – a true thought leader. To be recognised for this approach gives all of us at Silx a great feeling.”

In The Hot Seat – Dominic Ellis

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Team TMN chat with Dominic Ellis, Editor, Business Traveller Middle East, who talks about his current role and offers his thoughts on the media industry in the Middle East.

Name: Dominic Ellis

Age: 47

Nationality: British

Current job title: Editor, Business Traveller Middle East

When did you first arrive in Dubai? September 1999
Where did you work prior? Grocery and shipping trade magazines in London area; Independent Grocer made it onto Have I Got News For You? once, but Reed actually provided excellent training and I enjoyed travelling round the world writing long market reports for International Freighting Weekly, which gave me a thirst for travel.
What were your first impressions of the media industry in the Middle East? Print reigned supreme amid the boom in Gulf economies, with magazines left, right and centre; there was no Netflix in those days, but Dubai Channel 33. At one stage I was editing three magazines simultaneously; it was hectic but enjoyable. Of course, everything changed after 2008.

Tell us about your current role… I count myself lucky to have been the launch editor of BTME in 2003 and still with the title 15 years later. The magazine had a redesign at the turn of the year with sharper photography and more lifestyle content – reflecting the wider changes in travel and hospitality. I contribute to gulfbusiness.com with the breaking news and the magazine enables us to reflect on the most important stories and trends, which is the best of both worlds.

What challenges do you face? Time and deadlines never change, and print publishing is universally harder than it was, but I’m fortunate to have a strong niche.

How do you overcome writer’s block? Write down key points and quotes, then it usually flows.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job? Travelling somewhere new and getting to experience the best in hospitality – although I travel a fair amount in economy. I do like meeting people and travel is full of characters.

How would you rather be contacted at work? We are all email driven these days but I don’t mind a phone call if it’s short and relevant.

What do you think of publications in the region? I can’t generalise, you’ll find good and bad everywhere, and publishing is a bit like going out to bat; you’re only as good as your last edition/score. The UAE clearly leads the way with English and Arabic.

What role has digital media played when it comes to reader engagement in the magazine industry? Motivate has a growing digital department and it’s clearly pivotal to every brand’s evolution. But there is no dressing it up – Facebook and Google have changed the rules of the game. How the next generation consumes news is different to before, yet I think – hope – if you’re providing value, revenues will come and you’ll survive.

Has the region’s culture and diverse audience posed as a limitation or advantage in producing editorial content?

Both. Not every article will appeal to the 200-plus resident nationalities, but ultimately our readers, like the guests in hotels and airlines, are drawn from across the spectrum which provides a wide scope for content.

What’s your pet PR peeve? “Did you get my press release?”
Describe yourself in five words… Positive, outgoing, friendly, focused. I’ll leave people who know me to add the fifth.

Who inspires you? Too many to mention! I look to mum and dad’s generation for wisdom, and to Andrew’s for energy.

What’s your most overused saying? “Can I get back to you on that?”

Five things you can’t live without? Computer, sunglasses, BBC radio, eggs & avocado
When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? Footballer of course. Then a cricketer. I didn’t like writing until I got to uni.

If you weren’t in your current role, what would you be doing? Hopefully something socially constructive.

What’s your favourite form of media? Mags of course!

What advice would you offer to someone looking to start a career in the media industry in the UAE? Always do something you enjoy. If you can find that, and work hard, the rest will take care of itself.

 

 

In The Hot Seat – Briar Prestidge

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Team TMN chat with Briar Prestidge, Executive Director, Briar Prestidge International, who talks about her current role and offers her thoughts on the PR industry in the Middle East.

Name: Briar Prestidge

Nationality: New Zealand – yes, I’m a ‘Kiwi!’

Current job title: Executive Director of Briar Prestidge International – branding, marketing and reputation management, and Executive Director of Deals in High Heels – events and media.

When did you first arrive in Dubai? Start of 2017

Where did you work prior? I have a background in sales, executive headhunting, digital marketing and branding, and I’ve worked in London, NYC, Melbourne and Auckland.

What were your first impressions of the digital marketing industry in the Middle East? There is a shortage of qualified and experienced digital marketers which is often reflected in the work.

Has your opinion changed much? No

Tell us about your current role… As head of Briar Prestidge International, I am in charge of innovative brand and marketing strategies to build the profiles and reputations of high-profile people and brands.

What challenges do you face? Competing against other agencies is always a challenge. Often prospects will explain what another agency has recommended for them and it’s often the wrong service which would be a waste of their resources. Educating clients is key.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job? The value we provide – building a reputation is a unique recipe for each client we work with. We have the creative/technical expertise and global relationships to do this. We are also currently working on some exciting projects, including an Amazon Prime global TV Series called ‘The Movement,’ have just launched a regional podcast show called ‘Business is Personal’ for one of our clients and we are currently leading an in-house series called ‘Business Quickfire – The Great Mind Series’ – we have global leaders partaking to give their ‘one-minute’ piece of advice.

How has clients’ expectations in today’s digital community influenced PR and marketing in the UAE? CEOs and leaders are now waking up in the morning and checking their social media – some want the same reputation and leverage that they have offline, ONLINE. When executed right, digital ‘Executive Branding’ and online PR strategies can have significant impact on business’ ROI, but should still be integrated with traditional PR, such as publications and speaking engagements.

How has social media in the region evolved to become an integrated part of the digital marketing industry? Whether we like it or not, social media is here to stay and 50% of our personal brand now resides online. LinkedIn especially, can be a lucrative platform to get your message out there – the algorithm is very free and it is where Instagram and Facebook were 5 or so years ago.

Your customers and potential prospects also expect to see you on social media – there is a perception that you aren’t ‘established’ if you’re not, and it’s been researched that people perceive the quality of content reflects the quality of your service or product.

What do you think of PR ethics in the industry today? I see many PR agencies, quite literally, ‘spraying’ out press releases – wouldn’t it be more effective to have a targeted approach? Through our sister business, media and events platform ‘Deals in High Heels,’ we even receive press releases on construction… how is that even relevant?!

Describe yourself in five words… Driven, analytical, learner, approachable, funny.

Who inspires you? Other entrepreneurs who have built companies off the back of hard work and dedication.

What’s your most overused saying? Fab, cool.

Five things you can’t live without? Apple Airpods and iPhone (hey I’m in the digital space), a good book, heels (haha), my community.

If you weren’t in your current role, what would you be doing? Designing my corporate fashion and sunglasses label, Head of Business Development or a writer.

What’s your favourite form of media? I’m torn between old school editorial and high-quality video in a show style format.

What advice would you offer to someone looking to start a career in marketing in the UAE? Proactively drive your career – for me, marketing started as a ‘side hustle.’ Qualify in digital, keep up with the latest trends, have the guts to try new and creative things, build solid relationships and always be thinking of the bigger picture.