Second edition of VFDE announced

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Vogue Italia, in association with The Dubai Mall, has announced the second annual Vogue Fashion Dubai Experience (VFDE), to be held at The Dubai Mall from October 30 – November 1 2014. A platform to encourage the upcoming generation of fashion designers and set a benchmark to encourage future talent, VFDE will host an array of workshops and panel discussions for the public.

Additionally, VFDE will showcase the talent of eight new international designers at a fashion show to be held at The Dubai Mall Fashion Catwalk on October 30. The designers have been selected by Vogue Italia as part of VFDE’s focus on mentoring new talent. A panel of international fashion players will attend the exhibit of the S/S 2015 collections.

Following the first global talent scouting competition which launched in January 2014, organised by The Dubai Mall and Vogue Italia, with the support of BySymphony.com, 20 emerging designers will also showcase their S/S 2015 collections at this year’s VFDE, at the ‘International Talents Showcase’ at Armani Hotel Dubai, held from October 31 – November 1.

Cheil unveils Samsung campaign on Sheikh Zayed Road

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Cheil MENA, a communications partner of Samsung Electronics, has unveiled a three-month integrated campaign on the Sheikh Zayed Road, which includes a digital billboard that will display consumer-generated content to promote the photographic capabilities of the new Samsung Galaxy S5.

The ‘Super Selfie’ campaign encourages Samsung Facebook fans to upload their personal photos onto the social media platforms, and those with the most shares and likes will be streamed onto the screen via the purpose-built billboard. The billboard is located on Sheikh Zayed Road facing the Dubai Garden Centre and consumers can upload their selfies until September 30, 2014.

“We wanted to create an idea that would move people into action whilst achieving significant awareness for the new phone,” says Nitin Baweja, Account Director, Cheil MENA. “The partnership with the Dubai Municipality has been a one-off opportunity to push the boundaries like no other brand has ventured to do before, for which we are grateful.”

Omar Al-Jabi, Creative Director at Cheil MENA adds, “We wanted to invite our audience to explore the capabilities of Samsung Galaxy S5 by capturing their best sides and sharing what they love. This campaign is designed to provide people with a platform where they can share their fun moments and be given the opportunity to be seen by the world.”

Middle East PR Awards 2014 open for entries

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The Middle East PR Awards 2014, hosted by the Middle East Public Relations Association (MEPRA), is now open for entries. The deadline for entries is October 9, with the finalists to be announced on November 2 . The awards, which seek to recognise agencies, teams and individuals in the public relations sector in the Middle East, will be announced on November 25 at an awards ceremony and gala dinner held at The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi.

The categories for this year’s Middle East PR Awards are split into the following:

Sectors & Services
Consumer Goods, Consumer Services, Corporate Reputation & Image, Corporate Social Responsibility & Environment PR, Government & Communications, Health Care & Services, Internal Communications and Business to Business.

People & Agency
In-House Team of the Year, Agency of the Year and Young Professional of the Year.

Techniques
Best Use of Sponsorship, Best Launch Live Event/Stunt, Best Use of Media Relations – Consumer or Trade, Best Use of Social Media/Digital PR and Best Integrated Campaign.

Not Open to Entries
Overall Campaign of the Year and Chairman’s Award – Contribution to the PR Profession in the Middle East.

For more information and to register, visit www.mepra.org/en/awards/

JCDecaux unveils digital screen network in Oman

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JCDecaux, the worldwide outdoor advertising company, has unveiled a new network of HD digital screens at Muscat International Airport and Salalah Airport, in conjunction with Oman Airports Management Company (OAMC). The premium quality screens are located in the baggage reclaim areas of both airports, offering a unique proposition for advertisers. The new network of screens will feature JCDecaux’s specialised content management system, which allows tailored advertising in the form of targeted or live campaigns. The system will be able to target specific flights from specific countries, change the creative from day to night and broadcast live content.

“We are pleased to see these impressive screens, which are the first of their kind in Oman, going live in Muscat International Airport and Salalah Airport,” says Samer Ahmed Al Nabhani, Chief Commercial Officer, OAMC. “Our partnership with JCDecaux means that this impressive network of screens will place us at the forefront of innovation and creativity, whilst also enhancing the advertising landscape and creating a more enjoyable passenger experience.”

David Bourg, CEO Middle East of JCDecaux adds, “The installation of the new network of high-definition digital screens marks a significant step forward in enhancing the outdoor advertising landscape in Oman. In addition, this new advertising solution strengthens our digital footprint in the Middle East, now with 500 digital screens across airports in the region.”

PHD partners with YouTube for data integration

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PHD Worldwide has agreed to integrate YouTube data into their global media operating system, Source. YouTube will now become a channel in its own right in PHD’s propriety planning and buying operation used by all its planners, spanning 81 offices in 66 markets, and covering their major clients such as Unilever and GSK.

Talks between PHD and YouTube began in 2013, and since then YouTube engineers have integrated the latest YouTube reach data into PHD’s operating system. This is the first time that YouTube data has plugged directly into an agency’s own planning system at scale. PHD planners will now be able to optimise their channel mix using the latest and most accurate YouTube reach data to select how much to invest in YouTube in terms of reaching the maximum number of consumers at the minimal cost.

“We have so many clients now wanting to consider online video, and in particular YouTube, alongside TV,” says Malcolm Devoy, International Strategy Director, PHD. “The question is always on how much to invest. To establish this you need various pieces of data, which Google have now provided. Embedding this directly into our planning system now allows our planners across the world to make accurate decision on video channel allocation.”

Dubai One to shut down production

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While the official announcement is due to be made after the Eid holiday, it is now known that Dubai One is preparing to shut down TV production and lay off 80 percent of its staff. Launched in 2004, the English language TV station is run by government owned Dubai Media Incorporated (DMI).

The remaining staff will be transferred to Arabic language channels, and although Dubai One will remain on air, its content will be syndicated from elsewhere. Shows that will be taken off the air include in-house business news show, Emirates 24/7; daytime chat show, Studio One and entertainment programme, Out and About.

Dentsu Aegis Network to offer ICUC

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Dentsu Aegis Network has further consolidated its presence in the communications space by offering social media moderation and management specialist ICUC in the UAE. Founded in 2002, ICUC provides content moderation, community management and reporting insights to support brands’ media strategies in the digital space.

“The social media world is evolving and changing daily, and a brand can no longer have a social media presence without needing protection,” says Audrey Soler, Business Development Manager, ICUC. “With the launch of ICUC in the UAE, we can help brands moderate and monitor their social conversation in both Arabic and English. Social networks, blogs and video-sharing sites like YouTube are great vectors in the region but this is just one aspect of social strategy. Whilst brands need to engage with their consumers 24/7 through strong social customer care, managing online reputation by keeping negative social content at bay is equally important. With 12 years of experience in online risk mitigation, ICUC delivers peace of mind and insurance for our clients and their social presence.”

Michael Nederlof, CEO of Dentsu Aegis Network MENA adds, “There is an ideal match between ICUC’s real-time social media services and our clients’ growing needs across the social media landscape. Brands will now understand consumer opinions and monitor product campaigns and competitors in real-time, to make better business decisions and maximise return-on-investment.”

MEP Middle East Awards deadline announced

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The nomination deadline for this year’s Construction Week MEP Middle East Awards has been announced as October 1, 2014. Construction Week‘s 8th annual MEP Middle East Awards recognises the leading engineering accomplishments from the Middle East’s mechanical, electrical and plumbing sectors in the region.

Categories for this year’s awards include – Contractor of the Year, Consultant of the Year, Specialist Contractor of the Year, Boutique Consultant of the Year, Health and Safety Initiative of the Year, GCC Project of the Year, Mechanical Project of the Year, Electrical Project of the Year, Public Health Project of the Year, Mechanical Engineer of the Year, Electrical Engineer of the Year, Young Engineer of the Year, Project Manager of the Year and Executive of the Year.

The MEP Middle East Awards 2014 are to be held November 26 at the Sofitel Dubai The Palm Resort & Spa. To nominate, visit www.constructionweekonline.com/mep-awards.

Orient Planet and INEGMA announce partnership

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Orient Planet, the integrated marketing and communications company, and The Institute for Near East and Gulf Military Analysis (INEGMA), the strategy and security consultancy, have announced a joint venture to establish a new unit called Orient Planet-INEGMA. The specialised unit aims to effectively deliver PR and strategic communication campaigns targeting the defense, security and risk domains.

“At INEGMA, we recognise the importance of having focused and powerful communication strategies that are tailored to fit the needs of security and defense industries,” says Riad Kahwaji, CEO, INEGMA. “These strategies must be consistent and properly delivered through the most effective means, and this is why our partnership with Orient Planet is a welcome development. Through Orient Planet-INEGMA, we will offer communication solutions for the very dynamic and complex defense, security and risk industries, and create relevant PR and marketing strategies. Clients in the defense and security sectors will be assured of sophisticated, timely and significant solutions.”

Nidal Abou Zaki, Managing Director of Orient Planet adds, “Orient Planet-INEGMA is the first of its kind in the region to offer a diverse range of communication-based services in highly specialised industries of defense, security and risks. We are pleased that we are bridging this gap in the market with INEGMA, whose expertise in these three areas are widely recognised. Orient Planet-INEGMA will help companies in these domains to further establish their brand and identity and effectively reach their target audience.”

TRACCS makes World PR Report 2014

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TRACCS has been ranked among the top five Public Relations agencies in the Asia-Pacific region by the Holmes Report in its World PR Report 2014. TRACCS took the fifth spot in the regional rankings of Asia-Pacific agencies, posting a 22.6% growth in the past year, outstripping the average global PR growth rate which registered at 11% for the year, according to the World Report.

The release of the global listing of PR consultancies also showed that TRACCS, which operates across 13 markets in the region, climbed the global rankings by 11 places, now positioned at 109 among the world’s top 250 consultancies. TRACCS remains the only regional PR network to feature on the list of Top 250 Firms.