In The Hot Seat – Danielle Wilson Naqvi

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Team TMN chat with Danielle Wilson Naqvi, Founder, CSPR Group, who talks about her current role and offers her thoughts on the PR industry in the Middle East.  

Name: Danielle Wilson Naqvi

Age: 42

Nationality: British

Current job title: Founder of CSPR Group and Unique Family Travels

When did you first arrive in Dubai? I have lived in Dubai for the last 25 years.

Where did you work prior? Before starting my own PR agency 10 years ago I worked at ITP for 6 years as Head of Marketing for the women’s group which include Ahlan! Masala, Grazia, Cosmo, Harpers etc

What were your first impressions of the PR industry in the Middle East? I actually left ITP to set up my own PR agency. 10 years ago the PR industry was a lot less saturated and I felt like the PR companies back then (16 years ago) didn’t provide a lot of information or were even that creative in their approach. As a marketer I used to chat to the editors/sales team within ITP and PR reps never supplied enough information on their brands that we had to chase for the information. With this in mind I wanted to focus on female entrepreneurs and small businesses which needed start up support. I am proud to have worked with many diverse brands and represented many amazing women in the region from Elham Al Qasimi, Shereen Mitwali, Jessica Khawaty, Caroline LaBouchere, Aiisha Ramadan, Saja Kamal, Amna Haddad to name a few.

Now a days there are so many people in PR, some think outside the box and others follow what everyone else is doing, if you work with well known brands you role is slightly easier, but still long hours and hard work. Its not all about events and getting influencers to cover your brand.

Has your opinion changed much? 16 years on and PR in the region is strong with many talented and creative people in the business.

Tell us about your current role… Currently the brands I am managing are all in the business sector mostly focusing on entrepreneurial women. I am also just about to launch a travel business which I am super excited about and I flip my work day between these projects, my foundation in Pakistan and being a mum to my 3 children all under the age of 6.

What challenges do you face? When it comes to media, editorial teams change a lot so its keeping up with relationships and as my current clients are more business lead I need to stay on the ball in the corporate sector too. I do however enjoy working with new brands, it can be a challenge but it keeps me excited and the creativity is endless.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job? Seeing a campaign come together, gain momentum and the brand doing well on its own without PR support. My most rewarding campaign was launching Emirati adventurer Elham Al Qasimi who successfully trekked an unassisted and unsupported expedition to the Geographic North Pole. We received global coverage from CNN and BBC World to Elham gracing the cover of nearly every publication in the region, winning many awards, being part of many panel discussions, sponsorship from brands and being asked to speak on the Ted platform.

How has clients’ expectations in today’s digital community influenced PR and marketing in the UAE?  Clients have become more demanding as they have the ability to control and manage their own message – this means that they demand a specific type of service from their PR and Marketing companies. The relationship between the client and the service provider had become much more customized. This has also made everyone more honest and transparent meaning less chance of disappointment or unrealistic levels of expectation.

How has social media in the region evolved to become an integrated part of the PR industry? Instagram is the biggest tool for PR. Many of my clients sell their products via Instagram, you can share snippets of information and of course thought leaders in the region can really promote your brand. My biggest issue with Instagram is that people buy likes and followers to make their accounts look more popular but actually they are making their accounts look daft, it makes me cringe. They could have over 20k followers yet receive under 100 likes and no comments per post. Others post a picture and the fake likes kick in within a minute and before you know it they have more likes per post than Karen Wazen has in 5 minutes and we all know she has one of the most powerful and honest accounts in the region. I think people have forgotten that Instagram is about interaction and engagement – you can have all the likes in the world but if you have no engagement your account isn’t going to get you anywhere. Be honest and authentic!

What do you think of PR ethics in the industry today? We are all in this rat race together and I personally support other PR’s even some of my ex employees have started their own agencies and I will continue to help them along the way.

Describe yourself in five words…

Honest, caring, understanding, grafter, loyal

Who inspires you? My husband with his always positive approach on life

 What’s your most overused saying? Think outside of the box!!!

Five things you can’t live without? My 3 kids, husband, holidays, my phone, love

If you weren’t in your current role, what would you be doing? I am also the founder of an NGO based in Pakistan which provides new born screening tests to all babies born in the country. I set it up with my husband in our late daughters name, its called The ZB Foundation. We are the only screening facility in the entire country and every test we provide is given free. Our aim is to make new born screening a birth right like it is in every country in the world except Pakistan. If I didn’t need to earn a salary I would do this full time as it’s the most rewarding and selfless thing I can do.

What’s your favourite form of media? Instagram

What advice would you offer to someone looking to start a career in PR in the UAE? Find a niche in the market which you are passionate about and focus on that.

In The Hot Seat – Emma Hodgson

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Team TMN chat with Emma Hodgson, Digital Editor, Emirates Woman Group, who talks about her current role and offers her thoughts on the media industry in the Middle East. 

Name: Emma Claire Hodgson

Age: 30

Nationality: British

Current job title: Digital Editor – Emirates Woman Group

When did you first arrive in Dubai? October 2013

Where did you work prior?

I was working in Westminster, London as a political journalist.

What were your first impressions of the media industry in the Middle East? How close knit the media community is over here. Everyone seems to know everyone else.

Tell us about your current role…

I’m managing the digital teams for both the Emirates Woman English and Arabic sites, along with all digital editorial (social media, video, newsletters).

What challenges do you face?

Working in digital is the equivalent of being on print deadline every single day times ten. The challenges lie in navigating that everyday.

How do you overcome writer’s block? Go back to the facts, the basic who/what/where/when/why/how.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

Putting in the effort and seeing our audience grow in real time. With digital you have so much data at your fingertips, it’s great when you can use that in a positive way.

How would you rather be contacted at work? Email. Always email. 

What do you think of publications in the region? There’s a lot of great publications, but the quality does vary widely. There’s still a lot of opportunity to be the first to do something here, and I think the best publications take advantage of that.

What role has digital media played when it comes to reader engagement in the magazine industry? I could write a book on that subject. Briefly – it’s turned it on its head, magazines used to control the conversation between themselves and their reader. Now digital (and social media in particular) has changed the power dynamic in that relationship. Social media and website platforms are now usually the first entry point at which many readers are exposed to a media brand.

What’s your pet PR peeve? The same as many journalists – when people ring to see if you’ve received an email blast.

 Five things you can’t live without? Memory foam pillow, yoga, my Kindle, sleep, travel.

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? A vet.

If you weren’t in your current role, what would you be doing? Writing books.

What’s your favourite form of media? The internet.

What advice would you offer to someone looking to start a career in the media industry in the UAE? Don’t burn bridges, it’s a close knit media community and if you behave unprofessionally – the news will spread quickly.

In The Hot Seat – Victor King

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Team TMN chat with Victor King, Founder and CEO, Absolute Communications Group, who talks about his current role and offers his thoughts on the PR industry in the Middle East.

Name: Victor King

Age: 42

Nationality: Indian

Current job title: Founder and CEO of Absolute Communications Group

When did you first arrive in Dubai? 1999

Where did you work prior? I was working as a PR Account Director with a boutique PR firm based out of DMC. Along with that, I was also working as an independent PR and Communications consultant with a few Dubai based organisations.

What were your first impressions of the PR industry in the Middle East?

When I came to Dubai, my first observation about the PR industry was that the benefits of using a PR agency’s services were only accessible to the large organisations and the much deserving SME sector was utterly neglected and left out as they perceived it to be an expensive affair to have a PR agency onboard. This is where I saw a window of opportunity and founded Absolute Communications to help small and medium-sized companies, and startups to get their share of PR and Communications advisory, without burning a hole in their pockets.

Moreover, I also noticed that the agencies were asked to majorly focus on increasing the number of media clippings for the enterprises, and the consulting element was completely missing from the whole equation.

Has your opinion changed much?

The PR industry has evolved substantially in the last few years. With the financial crisis resulting in a lot of publications and media outlets shutting shop or moving away from tradition, towards digital platforms, those agencies which were solely focused on a single vertical or those who only sustained their business due to the number of media clips materialised by them were rendered defunct.

This has presented an opportunity for small and medium sized agencies to prove their potential and prompted the larger agencies to evolve into fluid communication strategies than just focusing on media relations.

Tell us about your current role…

My current role is to focus on the overall growth of Absolute Communications Group in the UAE as well as in international markets. I also focus on creating new service offerings to our clients and developing new product and service modules, which can facilitate the growth of Absolute Communications and help our existing and new clients with integrated marketing and communications solutions.

In 2016, along with rebranding Absolute Communications, we also opened our first international office in India. What started out as a one-person operation out of a living room in 2011, now has offices in Dubai and India, with a plan to open two more offices in India already in the pipeline. This will enable us to establish our footprint in the Indian subcontinent.

Around the same time, we also launched Absolute Digital, a vertical offering digital and social media services to our clients which has now expanded even further to provide web and app development services as well.

What challenges do you face?

Cash flow remains one of the major challenges that we face till date. Even the financial system is not on our side as it is designed to help SMEs that are product driven, making it more difficult for service driven startups like ours. Moreover, the policies only allow financial assistance to companies with over 5million turnover, which, for a consulting business is very difficult to achieve especially when we are just about seven years old.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

Seeing our clients grow and seeing the kind of trust they place in ACG team; seeing the team enjoying their work while they deliver excellence, and seeing the industry grow together as a whole.

How have clients’ expectations in today’s digital community influenced PR and marketing in the UAE?

Thanks to the digital revolution, clients are more informed and have a much clearer vision of what they want to achieve as a part of their corporate objectives. This has helped PR and MarCom professionals understand and plan their strategies and align them with these objectives in a more efficient way.

However, this has also created a need for the agencies and the industry professionals to continuously learn and evolve in their operations, service offerings and integration plans.

Clients expect much more than just media relations and messaging strategies from agencies, they expect the agencies to play an advisory role, which can contribute towards their long-term growth.

How has social media in the region evolved to become an integrated part of the PR industry?

Social Media was always a part of the PR industry, it was just positioned separately because of the traditional media relations centric approach.

Over last few years, both agencies and clients alike, are looking at a more communications-centric approach and social media comes in as an integral part of digital communications as it works effectively with traditional and digital PR and communications plans.

What do you think of PR ethics in the industry today?

That’s a sensitive one. The best answer I can think of comes from the core belief system of Absolute Communications. Every member of Absolute is made to understand the same thing, “Align yourself with the growth of the client, have a proactive approach and deliver excellent results.” This in return will drive the growth of both the client and the agency.

In today’s fickle-minded ways of working, agencies who have strong ethics and value ecosystems are the ones who are able to retain clients and acquire new ones. These agencies not just sustain themselves, but even manage to grow in a difficult financial climate, like the one businesses have been witnessing in the region since the last 12-18 months.

Describe yourself in five words

Inspire, learn, communicate, empathize and lead by example are a few words that define me

Who inspires you?

Happiness and growth

What’s your most overused saying?

You grow, I grow

Five things you can’t live without?

My wife and kids, Absolute Family, Single Malts, Cigars and the smiles all these bring to me

If you weren’t in your current role, what would you be doing?

I would be backpacking somewhere in the Far East. My earlier travels to the region have only left me yearning to go back and explore more.

What’s your favorite form of media?

Digital

What advice would you offer to someone looking to start a career in PR in the UAE?

Remember the conventional basics – please remember that PR stands for Public Relations and not Press Releases, and in Public Relations, always remember to keep “Relations” before all other things while developing or executing a PR and Communications plan – traditional and digital alike.

This industry is all about networking and relationships, for the relationships you build will take you a long way and make people want to keep coming back to you. Your PR career will not be anything more than ordinary if the content and strategies you create are not held tightly in place by the relationships you forge and nurture.

In The Hot Seat – Walid El MajzouB

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Team TMN chat with Walid El Majzoub, Regional Media Relations Manager, TRACCS PR, who talks about his current role and offers his thoughts on the PR industry in the Middle East 

Name: Walid El Majzoub

Age: 41 years

Nationality: Lebanese

Current job title: Regional Media Relations Manager

When did you first arrive in Dubai? 2002

 Where did you work prior? Prior to joining TRACCS, I spent four years at the Pan Arab Research Center in Dubai as the News Monitoring Manager.

What were your first impressions of the PR industry in the Middle East? At the Pan Arab Research Center, my role involved reviewing the numerous press releases distributed by different PR agencies, which led me to inaccurately believe at the time that the scope of PR was more or less limited to press release development and distribution.

Has your opinion changed much? It changed completely after I moved to TRACCS in 2007. That’s when I started to truly understand the real impact of public relations and I began to develop a deeper sense of appreciation for the different elements that make up an effective 360-degree engagement strategy including media training and crisis management.

Tell us about your current role. As the Regional Media Relations Manager at TRACCS, my role involves working closely with our offices in the Middle East and North Africa to oversee the media engagement strategies for our clients in various markets.

What challenges do you face?

Having been part of the communications industry for 11 years now, I have closely witnessed the evolution of the media landscape and the rise and decline of many trends. However, the main challenge that continues to excite me as a media relations professional is the need for PR agencies to stay competitive, to consistently deliver results and continuously identify new opportunities for collaboration.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

Apart from the exposure to new people and experiences, my role as a media relations professional offers ample opportunities for learning new skills and expanding my knowledge.

How have clients’ expectations in today’s digital community influenced PR and marketing in the UAE?

The growing focus on social media and digital storytelling has had a major impact on client expectations. For example, every campaign today, by default, has to be a 360-degree campaign, which means the notion of a traditional campaign is virtually dead. Second, the media outlets themselves are undergoing a digital overhaul in terms of either extending their reach through multimedia platforms or transforming themselves into full-fledged digital media outlets. As a result of this digital revolution, PR agencies in the UAE have had to rethink their approach to communications to manage their clients’ evolving expectations.

How has social media in the region evolved to become an integrated part of the PR industry? In a nutshell, social media has fueled the transformation of news stories into conversation starters, making it a crucial component of any PR strategy.

Describe yourself in five words. Passionate, friendly, professional, positive and patient

Who inspires you? Our Managing Director who has been instrumental in strengthening TRACCS’ position as one of the leading PR networks in the region.

What’s your most overused saying? Be happy.

Five things you can’t live without? Family, work, Dubai, Lebanon and nature

If you weren’t in your current role, what would you be doing? I would have been an entrepreneur.

What’s your favourite form of media? Newspaper and magazines. Even in this digital age, I firmly believe in the enduring power of traditional media.

What advice would you offer to someone looking to start a career in PR in the UAE? Have patience and work hard to build your reputation.

In The Hot Seat – Waseem Yakdi

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Team TMN chat with Waseem Yakdi, CEO, Zia Creative Network, who talks about his current role and offers his thoughts on the PR industry in the Middle East.

Name: Waseem Yakdi

Age: 33

Nationality: Syrian

Current job title: CEO, Zia Creative Network

When did you first arrive in Dubai? 2006

Where did you work prior?

Multinational Advertising Agencies, Film production houses and event management companies all over the UAE.

What were your first impressions of the advertising industry in the Middle East?

Since UAE has always grabbed the world’s ATTENTION in the advertising sector, it becomes imperative for us to be updated with THE latest trends and technologies in order to catch up with the growing pace of the industry in the region. Therefore, my aim has always been to fetch creative brains and compliment them with high-end technology in order to create thought-provoking advertising campaigns.

Has your opinion changed much?

Definitely a lot ever since I started my own advertising agency.

Tell us about your current role & what challenges do you face?

I manage our business development, marketing department, creative studio, film director and supervise the advertising and film production work. My major challenge is to achieve the client’s expectations by thoroughly understanding the client’s objectives and transforming the idea into execution that deliverS tangible results. I am able to achieve this through my skillful team and by guiding them in the right direction.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

It’s always been my achievements complimented with client’s satisfaction. These two things always keep me motivated and help me set the highest benchmarks in the field of advertising.

Is traditional media still relevant for effective branding in the region today?

Yes, of course. There is and will always be old school requirements and we still deliver that happily. I believe that Below The Line (BTL) advertising is never going to lose its charm because Old is Gold.

How do you keep up with the latest creative tools and technologies?

Being updated with the latest creative tools and technologies is something I cannot afford to miss, if I do, I will leave a chance for my competitors to take the lead and that is not in my dictionary.

Has cultural differences in the region created a limitation or an advantage to advertising campaigns?

Not at all, creativity has no limits and if you are good enough to spread the message effectively, you can spread it through a book that can be read by everyone irrespective of the cultural diversity.

Describe yourself in five words.

Hard worker, Optimistic, Charismatic, Creative and Ambitious

Who inspires you?

Professionals

What’s your most overused saying?

Get the work done today, to get another one tomorrow

Five things you can’t live without?

Technology, my professional tools, my creative team, my sport activities and my suits 🙂

If you weren’t in your current role, what would you be doing?

Working hard to achieve my current position and aiming to make it even better.

What’s your favourite form of media?

ATL and TVCs

What advice would you offer to someone looking to start a career in advertising in the UAE?

Define your abilities and find your route, work hard and you will definitely achieve what you aim for, if you have the passion for it, you will do it well.

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.

In The Hot Seat – Cheryl King

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Team TMN chat with Cheryl King, Managing Director, markettiers, who talks about her current role and offers her thoughts on the PR industry in the Middle East.

Name: Cheryl King

Age: 34

Nationality: British

Current job title: Managing Director

When did you first arrive in Dubai? October 2014

Where did you work prior? LEWIS PR in London

What were your first impressions of the PR industry in the Middle East? It was great to see a lot of familiar faces who had relocated from London and global agencies that had set up shop here doing some interesting work. The industry seemed quite press release driven from my first impressions, presenting an amazing opportunity for markettiers to make our mark by demonstrating the power of broadcast strategies in expanding audiences and influencing behaviours.

Has your opinion changed much? Yes, absolutely. When I arrived, broadcast PR was very much in its infancy in the region. Over the past four years, we’ve witnessed the explosion of video content as a tool in PR strategies. Media are hungry for rich media to support their news articles so that they can deliver their stories in a more engaging way. Now we’re seeing online media owners, as well as TV, investing more in their own editing facilities, and we see major news sites actively requesting for B-Roll content so that they can create their own bespoke stories whilst others are still looking for the packaged video news release content that has historically been our ‘bread and butter’ in the region.

News sites are also delivering live streams much more frequently, and utilising their communities on social channels to expand upon news stories and create a dialogue with their readers/viewers that hasn’t always been possible. We also see podcasting as a PR tool growing in popularity in the region, with brands starting to take advantage of the opportunity this offers to tell more of their story and communicate their brand identity in a more relaxed, conversational way.

Tell us about your current role… My role is an exciting one, with touchpoints at every step of the process of a campaign. With a close knit team, everyone gets involved with each campaign we deliver, from attending and producing film shoots for major news announcements, events and initiatives, to crafting proposals for up and coming campaigns, to delivering live streams and podcasts for brands. I oversee the team in the Middle East and also get to work closely with our London headquarters on campaigns that involve international media relations. It’s very varied and definitely very busy!

What challenges do you face? In the beginning our key challenge was one of educating potential clients and the media about the power of broadcast to build out their strategies and stories. But now, whilst there are some clients that still operate more traditionally, the majority of clients absolutely get it, and are open to being more digitally innovative. It’s been exciting to see the region make this shift, and the campaigns we’ve been involved with have been fantastic – particularly the Guinness World Record breaking campaigns for the likes of the world’s longest zipline, which achieved unprecedented global coverage.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job? I think for anyone in the comms industry, there’s a lot of satisfaction from seeing an idea that you’ve proposed bought into by a client, executed and landing excellent results. There’s a buzz to securing a key target for the client in reaching their audience effectively. It’s been amazing to work on some firsts for the region including the first live and interactive stream delivered to a media portal back in 2015. We’ve also been delivering 360 videos and working on some very ambitious projects of late, one of those being delivering the live broadcast stream for the World’s Largest Aerial Firework Shell on New Year’s Eve, a world record for Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah. It involved a crew of almost 50 people working together across the whole Island to make sure the feat was seen around the world. It’s also been great to work with a very passionate and energised team – their excitement for what we do always keeps me motivated, even at 2am in the morning when we’re editing an overnight Video News Release!

How has clients’ expectations in today’s digital community influenced PR and marketing in the UAE? For us, the desire for digital is an exciting development, as it’s an area we service through video content creation and broadcast media relations. Now, digital has become a necessary part of PR strategies we’re seeing clients open to exploring newer and innovative tactics – challenging us to keep ahead of the curve as well.

How has social media in the region evolved to become an integrated part of the PR industry? Everything we do has to work for social. PR and social should be viewed as one after all. Audiences consume content across multiple platforms, they are scrolling through Facebook, viewing stories on Instagram and posting updates on LinkedIn. So therefore there are huge opportunities to create loyal communities via social media – the audience then becomes your brand advocates as a result. For us, working our video content hard means that we can create short social edits / vignettes to work across different social platforms – again it’s about being clever with your content so that you reach your audience via their existing media diet.

What do you think of PR ethics in the industry today? There have been some well documented ethical slip ups in the industry of late – that’s perhaps an understatement. With budgets ever more stretched and given up to other forms of comms, for some there must be a temptation to offer things they might not otherwise do. But I think, as with anything, it’s up to the individuals involved to maintain their own sense of what’s ethical and behave accordingly.

Describe yourself in five words… Quite short and annoyingly smiley.

Who inspires you? My sister. She’s had a difficult few years, but I’m proud of how she’s pushed herself forward and how she has set up her own business whilst being a great mum to my niece and nephew. 

What’s your most overused saying? Nice one.

Five things you can’t live without? My phone, running shoes, back pack, red wine and cheesecake.

If you weren’t in your current role, what would you be doing? A Blue Peter presenter. That would have been the dream.

What’s your favourite form of media? At the moment, podcasts – I’m listening to a lot of Tim Ferriss podcasts currently. 

What advice would you offer to someone looking to start a career in PR in the UAE? Go for it. Get as much work experience as possible – I worked at my local radio station first, and then did some stints at a newspaper and an ad agency before I started in PR. It gave me a good grounding of the different forms of comms, what I felt best suited my interests and skills set.

In The Hot Seat – Rosa Bullock

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SOCIATE’s Founder, Rosa Bullock tells TMN about her current role and what she thinks about the PR industry in the Middle East…

Name: Rosa Bullock

Age: 31

Nationality: British

Current Job Title: Founder, SOCIATE

When did you first arrive in Dubai?

August 2013

Where did you work prior?

I was a PR and Marketing Expert for Club Fit for Business.

What were your first impressions of the PR and marketing industry in the Middle East?
I found that the local PR and marketing industry was the opposite of SOCIATE’s brand values. Companies offered minimal flexibility and maximal starting figures, completely ruling out start up entrepreneurs.

Has your opinion changed much?
I’m trying to be the change I want to see. SOCIATE strives to make up for what the UAE’s public relations and marketing scene lacks. We add a personal touch to our professionalism.

Tell us about your current role.
As Founder at SOCIATE, I currently oversee the mechanics of the agency. Dedicated to business development, I spend a significant chunk of my time out on the field. Backed by a solid senior management team, I’m knee-deep in growing the SOCIATE brand.

What challenges do you face?
Balancing cash flow and ensuring I have the best team.
What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
Working closely with our clients, from start to finish, essentially as an extension of their in-house marketing team. Intimately understanding their objectives, achieving the results and celebrating the successes.

How has clients’ expectations in today’s digital community influenced PR and marketing in the UAE?

Tracking a campaign’s progress is more instant now. This helps us keep our finger on the pulse of the status of a campaign, in both the public relations and marketing industry.

What are the most common digital marketing mistakes companies make?
Creating content that doesn’t relate to the target audience, rushing the planning process of a campaign, not making a campaign’s core message clear and not having a smooth-running website.

How has social media in the region evolved over the years to become an integrated part of the PR industry?
Bloggers have heavily influenced the way PR campaigns are designed now. They’re an important element we consider. Sharing content on social media now impacts the way products are promoted.

How would you describe yourself at work?

I have a tight bond with my team. I’m permanently approachable and am always happy to lend a helping hand to any team member that could use one. I quite often enjoy accepting a helping hand too.

What’s the most exciting thing that has happened to you in your career?
It would have to be the opportunity to start my own agency. The independence you feel when owning and running your own company is invigorating and occasionally petrifying.

Describe yourself in five words.

Optimistic, sociable, approachable, tenacious and tall.

Who inspires you?
Karen Brady. She’s also charmingly known as the First Lady of Football. She’s made massive contributions to a highly competitive industry that is and has always been primarily dominated by men.

What’s your most overused saying?
It’s just Dubai.
Five things you can’t live without?
My daughter, my husband, my daughter’s nanny, laughter, oh yeah, and water.

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to go to fashion college. My mother would buy me the most expensive magazine at the time, Vogue. I knew exactly what I wanted to be doing as an adult at age 13. I went on to attend the London College of Fashion and pursued a degree in fashion management, specialising in marketing.

What’s your most used social media platform?

Instagram

What advice would you offer to someone looking to start a career in PR and marketing in the UAE?

Network, network, network. As the famous saying goes, ‘your network is your net worth’.

In The Hot Seat – Injeel Moti

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Team TMN chat with Injeel Moti, Managing Director, Catch Communications, who talks about her current role and offers her thoughts on the PR industry in the Middle East.

Name: Injeel Moti

Age: 27

Nationality: Indian

Current job title: Managing Director

When did you first arrive in Dubai? 2010

Where did you work prior? I kicked off my PR career with BUZ Public Relations before moving to an in-house role at Saffron media and publishing. I was most recently with Sept PR.

What were your first impressions of the PR industry in the Middle East? The industry offered a lot of opportunity for growth and progression. You could get in and make it your own. Back in 2012 when I stepped into the business the way PR was done was quite different that it is today with the print landscape dominating so much of what comprised PR as we like to call it today, traditional PR.

Has your opinion changed much? One of the bigger changes and one we have lived through in the recent years is the shift from print to digital. Influencer marketing and social strategies now form a large part of any PR campaign which wasn’t the case too many years ago.

Tell us about your current role… As Managing Director of Catch Communications which is a boutique consultancy, my role is really quite diverse; no two days are the same. I am juggling my time between client servicing, managing accounts, deadlines, new business pitches and of course the most grueling yet essential of all – finances

What challenges do you face? I would say it would be time management. When you are running a business you are responsible for every single aspect of your operation, everything from start to finish needs to be meticulously looked at. There are several hats that I wear through the working day including that of a publicist, an accountant, a business developer among others, thus making time a luxury to have and time management a skill that needs to be mastered.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job? Retention of a client and the renewal of a contract. No award bigger in a fiercely competitive industry such as ours to know that your client wants to work with you again and trusts in your ability to deliver for their brand / service. And of course landing a meaty piece of coverage for a client, a double spread always has me going yipeee!

How has clients’ expectations in today’s digital community influenced PR and marketing in the UAE? What I have come to see in my experience is clients are wanting a lot more exposure digitally now than ever before. Briefs sometimes come in the form of ‘We want X influencer to review the restaurant’ or ‘We want to run a campaign on Instagram with XYZ’. PR agencies have to be quick to adapt and come up with solutions and recommendations to yield the best possible results for their clients.

How has social media in the region evolved to become an integrated part of the PR industry? Social media has shaped up to become a large part of PR practice today. A lot of creative strategy and input involves a social media element to it. With the print industry in the region shrinking more so with each passing day and digital & social mediums being the outlets through to which brands reach their consumers, it has come to be an essential channel for PR practitioners to work with.

What do you think of PR ethics in the industry today? There is good and bad in any industry. A few campaigns might have gone terribly wrong in recent times but it isn’t fair to label the industry in entirety. I believe the PR community in the region here comprises of many wonderful people from around the world who truly put in their best. A lot of my peers from the industry have gone to set up their own ventures or landed high ranking roles as communication officers producing some truly wonderful work!

Describe yourself in five words… Warm, approachable, hustler, professional, driven

Who inspires you? Any self made woman who is at the top of her game

What’s your most overused saying? ‘Send it across shortly’

Five things you can’t live without? Netflix, phone, cats, dumplings, books (not necessarily in that order)

If you weren’t in your current role, what would you be doing? Designing shoes, with really high heels

What’s your favourite form of media? Print, I am old school like that. There is always a stack of magazines around me.

What advice would you offer to someone looking to start a career in PR in the UAE? Try it out and see if you enjoy it, the best way to do that – internships. Intern at a multinational, a mid-sized firm, a boutique consultancy and find out where you fit in the best. The exposure that you will receive at each will be very different and by the end of it you will know if PR is for you!