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In The Hot Seat – Shweta Bhatia

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Shweta Bhatia, Founder and Chief Creative Officer at newly launched fashion and lifestyle platform, www.hubb.fashion talks to TMN about her career and her views of the media industry in the Middle East…

Name: Shweta Bhatia

Age: 34

From: India

Current job title: Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Hubb

When did you first arrive in Dubai? 

When I was 28 days old.

Where did you work prior?                           

Prior to my current position, I was a freelance Fashion Writer and most recently Fashion and Beauty Editor at Femina Middle East.

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

The media industry is pretty much the same everywhere in the world, with specifications varying depending on each country or region. The people are more or less the same – a bunch of them are cut throat, competitive and beings that rule and lead, while the remaining just try to stay afloat.

Has your opinion changed much?

Not so much, except that I feel some people have become a little more accessible from where they were before.

Tell us about your current role…

At Hubb, I oversee everything — from the tone of the website to the design and articles posted. I also work on stories and video edits as well as organise schedules for each week.

What challenges do you face?

I think the main challenge is to get subjects for my readers that interest them. I want to be able to tell stories that resonate with the reader. Not just report things for the sake of it. Everything is so proper nowadays. I like mess-ups, I like that people are not perfect or super articulate. It drifts away from the reality of the story. There are many real stories to tell if we find them but finding them is a task. Even if it’s a light and humorous article, I’d like the reader to look forward to the next edition — and in order to do that, I love to cover personalities that are engaging.

How do you overcome writer’s block?

With a big jar of Nutella and binge watching a favourite show

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

Definitely the people! The people I meet always stay in my mind. I read their body language and observe their behavior. Sooner or later, you will find a trait here or there mentioned in my stories when I sit to write. I never forget anybody who I meet once. Other than that? The paychecks at the end of it!

How would you rather be contacted at work?

I prefer to be emailed or contacted via WhatsApp.

What impact has culture had on the UAE’s media industry?

UAE is a multi-cultured society, so meeting all standards without hurting any particular group’s sentiment is a challenge in itself. This ensures that all segments are aware of each other and work together in order to present the right information. It has the perfect mix of the east and the west.

If you could change something about the media industry in the UAE, what would it be?

It would definitely be certain people and their attitude.

Describe yourself in five words…

Passionate, loyal, affable, straightforward and a foodie.

What inspires you?

People who are fearless inspire me the most. Those who aren’t afraid to try anything and have a very different take on life. I love that hunger for adventure in them. I can’t ever connect with anyone who says, “I’m satisfied with what I have in life.” People who don’t give up make for great stories and that’s what inspires me.

What’s your most overused saying?

No worries.

What’s the most exciting thing that has happened to you in your career?

My team. I met all the members of my team in my journey here. They are the most exciting part of my journey.

Five things you can’t live without?

My phone, watching TV, food, fashion and my family.

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

I’d be travelling around the world.

When you were a kid, what did you want to be?

I wanted to be a Bollywood actress!

What is your favourite form of media?

Definitely the television.

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

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Don’t let rude personalities affect you, this is their shortcoming, not yours. Stay grounded and grow a thicker layer of skin to stay sane.

PRCA launches Digital PR and Communications Report

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PRCA MENA has revealed the results of its first Digital PR and Communications Report, produced in partnership with YouGov. Aiming to provide a benchmark of how the PR industry is performing with digital communications, the online survey was conducted in April 2017 with a sample size of 2,027 adults.

“The revolution of the digital world has influenced PR and Communications beyond doubt,” says Leanne Foy, General Manager, PRCA MENA. “Now is the right time to start benchmarking just how the industry is perfoming with digital communications, whether in-house or agency side.”

To receive a copy of the report, contact enquiries@prca.mena.global

Content Plus launches index for top agencies in the UAE

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Dubai-based consultancy, Content Plus has launched new public relations index in the UAE. The PR index aims to provide a practical assessment and examine the efficiency of agencies in the UAE based on the first-hand experience of journalists through a poll as well as act as a guide for companies to select the best PR agency representation. With 200 journalist polled, the results shortlisted ten best agencies, ranking them based on the quality of content and effective engagement with the media by evaluating their level of support, fast follow up and interaction. The full list is available on content-plus.net

“The importance of these perspectives lies in the fact that the media is essentially, the primary channel used to convey the messages of PR agencies’ clients to their target audiences,” says Mohammed Baida, Managing Director, Content Plus. “By launching the Public Relations Index, Content Plus aims to analyse the strengths and weaknesses of the UAE PR industry and pinpoint practical ways to improve their level of collaboration with different media outlets.”

She Wants Dubai goes live

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Lifestyle and city guide website, shewantsdubai.com (SWD) launches. The new platform was founded by Emily Franklin who brings with her over ten years of experience as an Entrepreneur, having also founded online travel websites, countryviewcottages.co.uk and latelettings.com. SWD offers women living in Dubai a platform dedicated to recommending all things to do and places to go in fashion, beauty, nutrition, fitness and lifestyle in the city. The website will also features a highlight of the week and an exclusive section for Dubai offers as well as tips and advice from women of different backgrounds including make-up artists, personal trainers and wellness experts to share their journey in the city with the readers.

“It’s an extremely busy time for us post launch, meeting inspirational ladies and having a lot of fun exploring our wonderful city – the She Wants Dubai motto is ‘more of what you love’ and that’s the message we want to share,” says Emily Franklin, Founder and Managing Director, shewantsdubai.com.”

Online fashion and lifestyle platform launches

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Online fashion and lifestyle platform, hubb.fashion launches. Founded by Shweta Bhatia, a graduate of journalism and business fashion from London College of Fashion and most recently Fashion and Beauty Editor at Femina ME. The new digital platform focuses on the modern woman and features news and editorial content that offers a 360 degree fashion, beauty and lifestyle experience from the industry in the Middle East to the rest of the world. Hubb.fashion will also provide an interactive section for readers to add to existing narratives and send in their contributions to be published online without the need to subscribe.

“Hubb means ‘Love’ in Arabic and love is for everything that this country has to offer,” says Shweta Bhatia, Founder and Chief Creative Officer, hubb.fashion. “At Hubb we aim to inspire, fascinate and share the experience of every story personally to each reader. Our site is about taking a break from your routine and coming online to unwind and explore your areas of interest. We bring our readers a little bit of everything – after all, we Hubb everything that’s trending.”

Omnicom Media Group signs new partnership

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Omnicom Media Group, part of Omnicom Group has signed an agreement with digital advertising company, Pathmatics to enhance its service offerings across the MENA region. The partnership will grant Omnicom’s clients in the region exclusive access to Pathmatics’s unique display and mobile advertising intelligence to better capture market dynamics and enhance their digital planning and buying performance.

“This MENA extension to our global contract with Pathmatics is the latest development in our multi-tiered approach to enhancing our service offering in the region,” says Dimitri Metaxas, Regional Executive Director-Specialist Companies, Omnicom Media Group MENA. “Pathmatics has the unique advantage of pinpointing the true path of digital adverts, which affords our clients greater clarity in an ever-evolving, complex landscape.”

PRCA and TMN to launch training sessions

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PRCA MENA has partnered with The Media Network to launch half-day face-to-face training courses in Dubai. The trainers are accredited and certified by PRCA and all delegates attending will receive a certificate upon completion of the course. In addition to this, a series of face-to-face training sessions in Arabic are due to launch later this year. The sessions are priced at AED650 for PRCA members, AED850 for Premium Members of The Media Network and AED1,000 for non-members.

“I am very pleased to partner with The Media Network, to broaden further the range of training options available to PR and communications practitioners in Dubai,” says Francis Ingham MPRCA, Director General, PRCA. “It is a key priority of the PRCA to improve standards within the industry, and this is an important step forward.”

Michelle Kuehn, Managing Partner, The Media Network adds, “We’re so thrilled to launch face-to-face training sessions with PRCA. Our ethos has always been to create a nurturing media community in the region, and through this step, we aim to provide access to quality training for PR professionals in Dubai.”

CARMA wins at AMEC

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Media intelligence firm, CARMA secured three awards at the International Association for Measurement and Evaluation of Communication (AMEC) annual awards that took place in Bangkok on May 18, 2017. Along with two gold awards for ‘Best multi-market reporting’ and ‘Best use of integrated communication measurement’, CARMA’s CEO, Mazen Nahawi was also awarded the ‘AMEC Lifetime Fellowship Award’ during the two-day global summit.

“These awards demonstrate the emphasis we place on providing real value to our clients,” says Mazen. “Utilising media intelligence is no longer just good practice for companies, as you can see from the results, it also plays a critical role in formulating key corporate strategies.”