Posts

In The Hot Seat – Dana Abdelhadi

/in , /by

Dana Abdelhadi, Managing Partner at expose-communications tells TMN about her current role and what she thinks about women dominating the Middle East’s PR industry today…

Name: Dana Abdelhadi

Age: 33

From: Palestine

Current job title: Managing Partner at expose-communications

When did you first arrive in Dubai?

1988, a very long time ago!

Where did you work prior?

Prior to my current role, I worked with Mediaquest Corp. from 2006 – 2007 and most recently with Microsoft from 2009 – 2010.

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

Representing young regional talent eight years ago was a whole new category in the fashion and lifestyle PR world, but the industry was so welcoming and eager to learn about us and our clients.

Has your opinion changed much?

Not so much – the industry has kept its doors open for new agencies and brands, which is great, as in an emerging fashion market such as ours, we need to always make space for our competitors so our industry can blossom.

Tell us about your current role…

I wear different hats throughout the day. I go from planning strategies for fashion shows in Paris to preparing VIP guest lists, to private events while overlooking all aspects of the business – all with the help of my very driven team and my very creative clients.

What challenges do you face?

Time – I need more than 24 hours a day to achieve everything I have on my mind.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

When I see my team as devoted to my company as I am and as a result our clients become our family.

How would you rather be contacted at work?

Email, always by email. With so much going on, I need everything to be written down. I always email myself reminders when I am on the go.

How has PR managed to stay relevant in today’s digital age?

We ensure our strategies are now done for shorter periods of time to keep up with the constant digital change.

What do you think of women dominating the PR industry in the UAE and the role that this has played in the media community?

I never thought of myself as a ‘feminist’ until I became a mother and realised how much more women can do with their time – hence my female driven agency. This is one of the few industries here where people prefer to be represented by a woman and I’m so proud to see so many women in the fashion industry representing such great local and international brands.

Do bloggers play a key role in the UAE’s PR industry today?

Yes definitely, however it’s the insta-famous individuals that are the hottest thing happening in PR right now.

What role has digital media played in redefining the relationship between PR professionals, journalists and bloggers?

PR professionals do what they do best, work on building and maintaining great relationships with journalists, bloggers and any other players in the field, as they are all different outlets we use to expose our brands and we work with each of them in a totally different way. As for bloggers, they need to be featured in the print titles to maintain their credibility in the industry and the journalists are using the bloggers for content. We have all learned to work together in a seamless manner.

Describe yourself in five words…

Passionate, driven, fair, private and sleep-deprived

What’s your most overused saying?

Effortlessly chic!

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

Moving into our new showroom last year. I had so much fun putting it all together and I still feel very proud walking into work every day.

Five things you can’t live without?

My daughter Jude, my laptop, my emails, to-do lists and my husband’s morning coffee.

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

I’d have a tiny concept store selling unique items collected from my travels.

What is your favourite form of media (i.e; TV, radio, print)?

Print. I still get very excited when a beautiful glossy with an amazing cover shoot lands on my desk.

How do you see the PR industry changing in the UAE in the coming years?

Clients and their agencies will be more and more careful on how they spend their budgets so the strongest titles and accounts will really stand out and get the returns they deserve.

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

Keep your party shoes in your car, as you will definitely need to be able to run around comfortably for a good 12 hours of the day and welcome to the industry!

Darine El-Khatib joins Turner International

/in , /by

Turner International Middle East, North Africa and Turkey (MENAT) has appointed Darine El-Khatib to the role of Senior Director of Creative Strategy and Brand Development. With extensive experience in the creative and media sector, Darine previously worked with Takhayal Entertainment, later acquired by Discovery Networks in 2012, were she held several positions including, Head of Productions and Creativity Services, Head of Channel for Fatafeat TV and most recently Channel Director for MENA. In her new role, she will oversee the programming, creative and marketing activities for the MENAT region and report to Tarek Mounir, Vice President and General Manager of Turkey, Middle East, North Africa, Greece and Cyprus as well as work on developing new services and products to further expand Turner’s scope and competitiveness. She will also lead the content and brand teams and be responsible for developing editorial strategy, as well as driving relationships with partners.

“We were very impressed with Darine’s comprehensive understanding of the industry and rich portfolio of experience,” says Tarek Mounir, Vice President and General Manager Turkey, Middle East, North Africa, Greece and Cyprus. “Her appointment as Senior Director of Creative Strategy and Brand Development is a great asset to Turner and we are confident that, with her great repertoire of professional endeavors, she will be a driving force for our company.”

M&C Saatchi PR expands into the UAE

/in , /by

Public relations agency, M&C Saatchi PR, part of M&C Saatchi has opened its UAE offices as a part of its expansion plan into the region. The new PR division will increase M&C Saatchi’s existing businesses in the UAE and offer clients across the region a range of fully integrated creative communications services. The new launch will also see the appointment of Amy Brill to the role of Head of PR, having worked with clients such as Hilton, Kimberly Clark and Kenya’s Ministry of Tourism, Amy brings with her a solid background in brand and multi-markets. In her new role, she will head all PR operations at the Dubai and Abu Dhabi offices reporting to the Global CEO at M&C Saatchi PR, Molly Aldridge, as well as drive new business growth and ensure the delivery of quality and creative work.

“M&C Saatchi PR is a close-knit, yet truly global agency with expertise in delivering some of the industry’s best campaigns for the world’s top brands,” says Amy Brill, Head of PR, M&C Saatchi PR, UAE. “I look forward to bringing the same passion and energy that the global M&C Saatchi PR family is known for to this dynamic and fast-moving market. Watch this space!”

Publicis Media makes new promotion

/in , /by

Publicis Media Middle East, part of Publicis Group has promoted Amer El Hajj to the role of Chief Investment Officer. With experience in the region’s marketing and media industry, Amer previously worked with Starcom MediaVest as Media Manager before joining Publicis in 2004 as Regional Buying Director and most recently holding the position of Executive Vice President of group trading and Commercial Managing Director. In his new role, he will oversee and continue to work on developing strategic decisions to guide Publicis’ portfolio of trading and investment operations across the region.

“Amer’s proven track record for successfully leading large scale initiatives, supporting all markets’ commercial requirements and pushing profitability as the number one priority, has quickly earned him the respect and admiration by colleagues, clients and partners alike,” says Alex Saber, Chairman, Publicis Media Middle East.

House of Comms appoints Arabic Media Consultant

/in , /by

Dubai-based integrated communications agency, House of Comms has appointed Mohammed AlSayed to the role of Arabic Media Consultant. Born in Saudi Arabia, Mohammed has experience in the region’s media and PR industry having worked with corporate and consumer clients across the GCC. In his new role, he will join the Arabic team and work across House of Comms’ portfolio of Arabic-focused clients as well as oversee Arabic content for the agency’s media activities across the region.

“My move to Dubai was a very strategic one as I was looking to bring my regional expertise to the UAE and work for an agency with a diverse portfolio that would enable me to bring my wide range of experience to life,” says Mohammed. “Joining House of Comms has given me the opportunity to work with some of my dream clients, while focusing on my role as Arabic Media Consultant for the region.”

Major leadership changes at Edelman DABO

/in , /by

Communications and marketing firm, Edelman DABO has undergone major leadership changes in the region following mass layoffs earlier this year. Camilla and Lucy d’Abo, founders of Dabo & Co, which in 2015 was acquired by Edelman and rebranded as Edelman DABO, will step down from their current roles and leave the agency. After seven years of working with the brand, Managing Director, Jason Leavy will also depart Edelman DABO to pursue new opportunities in the PR and publishing industry.

The new management transition will see Jason Galucci, previously CEO at Lexis UK take on the role of Managing Director, Brand at Edelman UAE. In his new role, he will oversee the combined Edelman DABO team and its operations across the country.

Alex Apthorpe will also be joining the agency’s new management team to take on the role of Director of Brand Experience and Creative for Edelman DABO. Previously Senior Vice President and Joint Managing Director for Jack Morton Worldwide – Middle East, in his new role, Alex will oversee the experiential team reporting to Galucci.

Out with the old in with the new

/in , /by

Jacqui Hewett, General Manager, Tonic International, tells TMN what she thinks about the evolution of the region’s marketing industry from traditional to digital and offers some rules to help marketers through the transitional phase…

To say that we are spoilt for choice nowadays when it comes to marketing solutions is an understatement. In fact, the abundance of choice can be totally overwhelming for marketing professionals, especially when they are looking to transition from the traditional marketing space into the digital marketing space.

“Marketing plans now need to be multi-faceted, linked to real business deliverables and agile whilst always being consumer centric.”

Long gone are the days of the four P’s directly translating into a cookie cutter solution, agencies have been peddling with the usual suspects of below-the-line marketing (BTL), TV and some additional out-of-home advertising (OOH) support. Marketing plans now need to be multi-faceted, linked to real business deliverables and agile whilst always being consumer centric.

With this in mind, there are four rules of thumb that I like to focus on with clients that are making the sometimes-daunting transition from traditional to digital marketing much easier:

Keep it simple

Consumers have short attention spans and are spoilt for choice – just because you can use every new digital platform and technique to execute your campaign doesn’t mean that you should. I have a test that I run with clients and colleagues when we are crafting the big idea into an executional plan, if it takes you more than two minutes and more than two slides to explain the concept and how consumers will participate, the idea is too complicated. When an idea is too complicated, consumers lose interest – marketing directors need to encourage their agencies to design campaigns that are simple, engaging and responsive.

Measure the right things

We all know digital is exciting because it’s so measureable, this is one of the main reasons clients are shifting focus away from traditional into this space. However, too much of a good thing can have a negative effect and one of the most common mistakes clients make is to want to measure, investigate and analyse every single metric. This inhibits the process and usually translates into agencies spending more time explaining which metrics are important and which are not versus spending time optimising and adjusting the campaign based on the key result factors. Clients need to be thoroughly involved in setting up the measurement plan so that it links directly to their business key performance indicators (KPIs). They also need to ensure they understand clearly what metrics are significant and why, then focus their attention on those metrics.

Work with experts

The shift from traditional to digital marketing usually means that clients are learning new skillsets, techniques and mediums quite quickly. This can result in feeling a bit like a jack of all trades, master of none — take the time to select your agency partners carefully. You do not need to be ‘all knowing’ across digital, but you need to trust that the agencies you have supporting you are experts in their field. Look for partners who come recommended for solving your particular problem, ask for specific case studies and client references, and understand from them what kind of results can be expected prior to launching.

Don’t be afraid to fail

Even writing the word ‘fail’ is scary — especially when your marketing investment usually represents a significant portion of the company’s revenue. The advice here is ‘NO’ to bet it all in red, and hope for the best. What clients need to do is test, test and test! Set aside testing budgets not just at the beginning, but also across your campaign so that you have the flexibility to explore different techniques whilst isolating any loss of opportunity. If you don’t give your campaign and your agency the ability to seek out new ways of doing things, eventually growth will stagnate.

In conclusion, change is good and evolving your marketing strategies will only ever reap rewards in the long run. Embrace the change and don’t be afraid to ask questions — the digital space is here to stay so marketing directors need to understand and benefit from it.

CPI launches online technology platform

/in , /by

CPI Media Group has launched online technology platform, Tahawultech.com. The new platform will cover stories from the technology industry as well as offer technology decision makers and business leaders across the region an online forum to express their opinions and share stories about the industry. Tahawultech.com will also include CPI’s online technology publications such as, Computer News Middle East (CNME), Reseller Middle East and Security Advisor Middle East to create a digital home for readers across the region granting them access to the latest news, data and analysis under one platform.

“The launch of Tahawultech.com is a hugely exciting new development for CPI Media Group and its long-established technology brands,” says Natasha Pendleton, Publishing Director, CPI Media Group. “By unifying our current digital offerings under one new platform, we are consolidating up-to-date technology and business transformation news from across the region, whilst offering new fantastic opportunities through original video content generation, thought leadership editorials and digitally focused events.”