GN Publishing to launch high-end fashion title

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GN Publishing has signed an agreement with Le Grand Kapital to launch CitizenK Arabia and CitizenK Homme Arabia in the Middle East. CitizenK International is a leading luxury lifestyle and fashion magazine in France with a circulation in excess of 100,000 copies per issue. The magazine was launched in 1992 and is owned and edited by its Founder, Parisian fashion industry icon Kappauf. CitizenK Arabia will be published in a mixture of English and Arabic – with small dedicated sections in simplified Chinese, Russian and Farsi – four times a year from March 2016, and will cover the world of luxury fashion and lifestyle from a local and international perspective. CitizenK Homme Arabia will contain a unique mix of luxury fashion and lifestyle content targeted at a male audience.

Both magazines will be distributed together, with a total print run of 20,000 copies. They will be priced at AED40 in the UAE, with CitizenK Arabia and CitizenK Homme Arabia being distributed in retail across the GCC, to VIP homes and at selected boutique retail outlets, hotels and luxury venues in the UAE.

“I am delighted that we are launching CitizenK Arabia, an exciting new force in the GCC’s luxury lifestyle media space,” says James Hewes, Publishing Director, GN Publishing. “The opportunity to bring France’s premier luxury lifestyle magazine to this market is not to be missed and I look forward to working with Kappauf to deliver CitizenK Arabia to the region’s luxury consumers.”

Kappauf adds “CitizenK Arabia is the next step in our international expansion and is a project particularly close to my heart due to my Syrian origin.”

IPREX opens in the Middle East

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Global communications network IPREX has opened in the Middle East, following the election of Iris Public Relations from Dubai as a partner. IPREX is a $250 million network of communications agencies, with 1,800 staff and 115 offices worldwide working across the spectrum of industry sectors and practice disciplines.

“Partners have worked successfully with Iris PR over the last couple of years when they were an IPREX affiliate agency so we are delighted to welcome them as a full partner, bringing the number of IPREX offices in our region to 30, across 18 countries,” says Mayte Gonzalez-Gil, President, IPREX EMEA.

Lisa George, Director, Iris PR, adds “We have worked with several IPREX partners in the past for clients such as Carefusion and MIT Centre for Real Estate and we enjoyed these collaborations. Joining IPREX will give us a global reach and an opportunity to share and adopt global best practices.”

 

New PR auditing services at CTT Consulting

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UAE- based PR & communications agency, CTT Consulting PR & Media Communications has partnered with Circle Hospitality Consulting. This new business alignment will mean that CTT Consulting will now be offering PR auditing services across a wide range of business categories. This new service will assist companies who wish to reassess the effectiveness of their internal PR departments, are looking for a fresh approach to PR or for companies who are interested in establishing a PR department.

“We are delighted to be working alongside the experienced Circle Hospitality Consulting team to promote new short-term consultancy services to hotels, restaurants and other businesses in the UAE,” says Caroline Tapken, Managing Director, CTT Consulting. “Specialising in hospitality from concept, pre-opening and operation to sales, marketing and efficient revenue generation, our combined expertise extends to restaurant launches, sporting events, exhibitions, FMCGs and technical/telecommunications.  Public relations is relevant across all business, particularly in a challenging business environment, and a fresh perspective from a different industry can be extremely productive.”

Ahlan! on Dubai Life goes live

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Top selling celebrity magazine, Ahlan! – part of ITP Publishing – has launched a new weekly TV show, Ahlan! on Dubai Life. Hosted by Deputy Editor JJ Anisobi and TV presenter cum vlogger Anika Morjaria, the show airs every Saturday at 9pm, on Du Channel 423. Giving an insider overview on the latest celebrity gossip, fashion mishaps and must-see videos, Ahlan! on Dubai Life will complement the print title and online platform, while also giving a more in-depth look into VIP events and happenings in the UAE.

Ahlan! on Dubai Life can also be streamed live on dubailife.tv/live

SMG launches SPORTS at SMG

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Following launches in the US, Russia and Africa, Starcom Mediavest Group (SMG) is rolling out its sports marketing capability, SPORTS at SMG, in the MENA region. SPORTS at SMG will be headquartered in Dubai and offer fully integrated sports marketing capabilities for brands. Leveraging SMG’s market position, the division’s capabilities will include audience insights, strategic development, investment, management and evaluation.

“In an increasingly fragmented landscape, sports is still the number one driver of audiences in big numbers across multiple platforms, devices and multiple markets,” says Robin Clarke, Managing Director, EMEA, SPORTS at SMG. “New technologies are enabling rights holders and sports media vendors alike to evolve their offering to brands significantly. Helping our clients understand and invest in optimal ways in those spaces can deliver far greater effectiveness in investment and ROI. This is a key strength of our company.”

Raed Kablawi, Head of MENA, SPORTS at SMG, adds “SPORTS at SMG in the MENA region will ensure our clients understand the landscape, the opportunities and the routes to high value ROI from investing in sports at local, regional and global levels. As part of a world class media network, we are armed with the best supporting capabilities in digital, content, social, data and media planning/buying to do just that.”

Cheil unveils new global identity

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Cheil Global Network is rolling out a new ‘The Network Built for Now’ identity across its entire network of agencies. Developed by London-based design consultancy johnson banks, Cheil’s new identity was designed to reflect its growth as a network of specialist agencies, embodying both the entrepreneurial spirit of its origins in Seoul and its place in the Asian tech revolution. The global positioning of Cheil as The Network Built for Now is also intended to strengthen the network’s reputation for specialism in brand communications, retail, innovation, social and design.

“We’re lucky enough to be building the first network built for now,” says Aaron Lau, President of International, Cheil Global Network. “That means we’re not encumbered by where the industry has been or sustaining hundreds of traditional offices. Instead, we can focus on what clients need in this day and age.”

Chris Chalk, Global Chief Strategy Officer, Cheil Global Network adds “The ability to create, embrace and exploit change will define success, or failure, for all brands and businesses in the future. Our business is no different and we are purpose built for change.”

DCN launches Fashion Star

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Dubai Channels Network (DCN), a division of Dubai Media Incorporated, has launched new reality TV show Fashion Star, a program dedicated to showcasing Arabic talent in the field of fashion design. The show will feature fashion icons including Reem Acra, Hanaa Ben Abdesslem, Remzi Tabiat and TV presenter Leila bin Khalifa, and will begin airing on Dubai One and First Dubai from Wednesday, February 3, 2016. A group of 12 fashion designers will compete on the show for a grand prize of AED500,000 and the opportunity to showcase their collection on Namshi.com.
“Given the large-scale logistical and production challenges involved, Dubai Channels Network will closely monitor the operations of the company producing the program,” says Sarah Jarman, Director of Dubai One channel. “This is a first-of-its-kind opportunity for established designers from various Arab countries to receive advice and guidance from international Designer Reem, alongside an outstanding team of mentors.”
Fashion Designer Reem Acra adds “I hope the show receives public attention and that our young contestants grow a wide fan-base. Based on the new ideas and contemporary designs the program has in store, as well as the submissions of our ambitious designers, I am optimistic that the show has great things in store.”

Chris Will Eat launches

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Chris Gregory has launched new food and lifestyle blog, Chris Will Eat – chriswilleat.wordpress.com. The blog aims to provide an honest and open account of the F&B scene in the UAE, helping people to make their way through the host of dining options available with impartial reviews as well as home recipes. Chris currently works with hotels and restaurants in the region and he has spent the last four years living in Dubai cultivating his interest in the region’s growing food scene.

“I created Chris Will Eat first and foremost to offer people an authentic account of the F&B landscape in the UAE,” says Chris. “I’ll also be covering clean eating and occasional cheat meals, cooking at home and travelling. In the last three to four years the dining scene has evolved massively and it’s been truly exciting to be a part of. I’m looking forward to working on Chris Will Eat and seeing people engage with the site.”

 

Dubai Lynx to launch Lynx Live

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The 10th annual Dubai Lynx Festival, taking place between March 6 and March 9, 2016, will see the launch of Lynx Live – a new initiative that will bring live festival content to the world through TV.AE. A regional online content platform launching on March 1, 2016, TV.AE will broadcast one live seminar from each day of the festival. The daily session will be determined by a people’s vote, which will invite the industry to vote on the seminar that they most want to see. From January 31, 2016, voters will have two weeks to decide which sessions they want to watch from the Inspiration Stage, additionally, one session per day from the Arabic stage will be available to view post-event.

“Nearly 2,000 delegates experience Dubai Lynx every year but we know that there are many more who would like to be there but can’t,” says Emma Farmer, Festival Director, Dubai Lynx. “Together with TV.AE, we want to support the industry by giving a bit of the Festival back. We have a wealth of outstanding regional and international speakers, all delivering valuable insights on creativity and the industry. We want everyone to benefit and get inspired.”

Marwan Saab, General Manager, TV.AE, adds “We’re very excited about this partnership, one of the key reasons we’re launching TV.AE is to celebrate and support the incredible diversity and talent that exists in our region. The partnership with Dubai Lynx, the region’s premier creative festival, is a perfect match.”

Blue 449 launches Middle Eastern network office

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Blue 449, part of the ZenithOptimedia group, has opened its eighth network office with the launch of the agency in the UAE, following the global launch of the Blue 449 network in March 2015. Headquartered in London, the communications network has also opened offices in the UK, France, Italy, Australia, Germany, Belgium and Spain.

The Blue 449 UAE office is located in Dubai and will be led by CV Suvi, who will take on the role of Managing Director, Blue 449 MENA. CV will report to Firas Al Zein, CEO, Zenith MENA.

“We are extremely excited about the launch of Blue 449 in MENA,” says CV. “It is a dynamic network that will benefit from all the resources of ZenithOptimedia and Publicis Groupe. The network’s integrated planning approach and ‘open source’ partnership framework will enable us to work more effectively across media, content, data and technology bringing in flexibility and agility to meet client challenges.”

Andrad Vigh, Global CEO, Blue 449, adds “We are very proud to open Blue 449 here in Dubai. This launch is a significant step in the creation of the Blue 449 network. This first outlet in the Middle East continues our expansion and the development of the agency’s very different approach to communications.”