Posts

Tamara Clarke partners with Intel

/0 Comments/in /by

Abu Dhabi-based tech blogger Tamara Clarke has partnered with Intel to launch Appisodes – a bi-weekly column that features some of the UAE’s hottest app developers. A former software development professional, Tamara brings a range of expertise to the partnership as the blogger and social media strategist behind Middle East lifestyle and technology blog, The Global Gazette. Published on the IQ website by Intel – www.iq.intel.co.ae/ – Appisodes will explore technology culture, news, trend, innovations and the people behind them, with focus on highlighting local talent, as well as Intel’s dedication to supporting technology in the region.

Etisalat spotlights local production by twofour54

/0 Comments/in /by

As a result of the ongoing partnership between twofour54 and Etisalat, an extensive collection of films produced by twofour54 is now available for subscribed viewers on Etisalat’s video on demand platform (VOD), eLife on Demand, as well as Etisalat’s eLife Video Packs. The aim of this is to highlight local talents from the filmmaking industry, as well as reinforce Arabic content.

40 creative lab films and music videos will be shown, some of which have previously participated in Abu Dhabi Film Festival, Tribeca Film Festival in New York and the Encounters Short Film & Animation Festival in the UK.

“twofour54’s creative lab intends to support young talent and provide them with opportunities to develop their skills and experiences through the appropriate media platforms,” says Maryan Al Mheiri, Chief Operating Officer, twofour54. “This initiative is an opportunity for aspiring filmmakers to highlight their creative work through an established platform, showcase their projects to broader audiences and motivate others. twofour54’s creative lab films can now be accessed on Etisalat’s VOD, which is a testament to the quality of work our members are achieving and we look forward to continuing our relationship with Etisalat.”

Rashed Al Abbar, Vice President of Home Services at Etisalat adds, “As well as delivering top class TV content and entertainment to homes in the UAE, Etisalat is actively seeking new means of supporting the community of local artists and filmmakers. Through our wide reach in the UAE, we are excited about introducing a new platform for award-winning, homegrown talent to showcase their skills and creativity. Overall, our partnership with twofour54, one of the leading media hubs in the UAE, helps promote locally produced content and enhances the UAE’s film industry.”

For further information, contact William Royce at william.royce@twofour54.com / +971 (0)50 614 6653

Mediaquest & C Squared to launch Festival of Media

/0 Comments/in /by

Mediaquest has joined with C Squared to launch the first-ever Festival of Media in Dubai. The partnership between two of the region’s leading publishers and events companies will bring the internationally renowned industry awards and networking programme to the city, with the inaugural event scheduled to take place on April 15, 2015.

“The Festival of Media has a well-earned reputation as being one of the foremost marketing and media events in the world and one that celebrates the very best in industry thinking,” says Alexandre Hawari, Co-Chief Executive Officer, Mediaquest. “The Festival comprises a number of components that marks it out as a global leader. These include an awards programme that recognises the very best marketing campaigns, an exhibition that enables vendors to promote initiative to prospective clients and several platforms that provide networking and thought-leader opportunities. In fact, the high quality of discussion and debate at the Festival has led to it becoming known as ‘the Davos of advertising.’

Launched in Venice in 2007, the Festival of Media Global was created to highlight key developments in the media sphere, such as consumer trends, branded content, advertising and social media. The Awards element was added in 2009, establishing the Festival as a leading media event on the international marketing calendar. The Festival of Media MENA will add to the pantheon of global Festival of Media events, which currently take place in Rome, Singapore and Miami.

Charlie Crowe, Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of C Squared adds, “The Festival of Media is more than just an event, it is a movement. Since 2007, we have not only been reflecting the changes taking place in media, but we have also been part of shaping this change. After our partnership with our friends at Mediaquest, we now have the Festival of Media in four regions and we look forward to inviting media professionals and advertisers across the MENA to be part of the conversation.”

The Festival of Media Global Awards is one of the world’s largest advertising ceremonies, attracting work from more than 40 countries. The awards are judged by a senior panel of media agencies and advertisers and are open to all who are involved in advertising. The MENA edition of the Awards is expected to attract a multitude of entries that reflect the diverse array of media operators producing high-quality work in the pan-Arab region. Alongside the awards programme, The Festival of Media MENA’s one-day conference is set to feature seven to nine global media leaders who have been invited to offer their thoughts and expertise on a number of topical and pertinent MENA media subjects.

Facebook acquires voice-recognition firm

/0 Comments/in /by

Facebook has acquired Wit.ai, a company that makes voice-recognition technology for wearable devices and internet-connected appliances. While a price for the deal has not been released, the 18-month old company, which is based in Palo Alto, California, is to move to Facebook’s offices in nearby Menlo Park, with Facebook set to hire a number of Wit.ai’s employees, including its three Co-Founders – Alex Lebrun, Willy Blandin and Laurent Landowski.

In an official blog post by Wit.ai, the team has noted “Facebook has the resources and talent to help us take the next step. Facebook’s mission is to connect everyone and build amazing experiences for the over 1.3 billion people on the platform – technology that understands natural language is a big part of that, and we think we can help.”

The company currently makes software that can understand spoken words as well as written text phrased in ‘natural language’, and highlights Facebook’s ambition to extend its reach beyond computers and smartphones by potentially integrating the software into apps and home-automation devices.

Abu Dhabi Media signs MoU with RAI COM

/0 Comments/in /by

Abu Dhabi Media has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with RAI COM, a leading Italian television operator working across public service, broadcasting, radio, satellite and digital platforms. The MoU agreement between Abu Dhabi Media and RAI COM will ultimately unite both geographic markets and will allow each organisation to continue promoting tourism and cultural interests, in addition to creating awareness of EXPO 2015 and EXPO 2020, which are set to take place in Milan and the UAE respectively.

“This MoU is yet another significant milestone in Abu Dhabi Media’s mission to build awareness of the UAE’s achievements locally, regionally and internationally, and reaffirms the nation’s leadership position as an international cultural, economic and financial hub,” says His Excellency Mohamed Ebraheem Al Mahmood, Chairman and Managing Director, Abu Dhabi Media. “Our partnership with RAI COM will facilitate knowledge transfer and best practice exchanged across several facets of the media industry including production, publishing and digital.”

Luigi de Siervo, Managing Director of RAI COM adds, “The signature of this agreement between RAI COM and Abu Dhabi Media represents for RAI the act for a future and long lasting mutual cooperation. It also confirms the willingness of the two countries to develop a continuous partnership. The first objective is to grant a complete coverage and detailed information about EXPO 2015 in the UAE. This will pave the road for a successful EXPO 2020 taking place in the UAE.”

The strategic partnership will see Abu Dhabi Media work in close cooperation on brand logistics and production, with each organisation benefitting from the resources and support through a series of communications and initiatives aimed at promoting activities to diverse audiences across local and international markets.

Carat MENA expands into Bahrain

/0 Comments/in /by

Carat MENA, global media planning & buying specialist and a part of Dentsu Aegis Media, has appointed Bahrain-based marketing communications group Gulf Marcom Group, as a partner to support its clients with interests in the Kingdom. Gulf Marcom Media House, the media planning and buying arm of Gulf Marcom Group, will represent Carat’s client portfolio that includes British Airways, General Motors, Ikea and Total amongst others.

“The affiliation with Carat connects our local insight, based on 30 years of experience, with its global tools and buying power that will add tremendous value for brands operating in Bahrain,” says Thamer Al Muqla, Managing Director, Gulf Marcom Group. “The partnership will also be leveraged by the wider Gulf Marcom Group, which includes agencies in branding, advertising, event management and digital.”

Ahmad Haider, Managing Director for Carat Saudi Arabia and who will manage operations in Bahrain adds, “This new partnership illustrates the importance Carat is placing on Bahrain’s media market, which has seen significant growth in recent years, and the subsequent need to support our clients in the Kingdom of Bahrain. This market has huge promise fuelled by urbanisation and a growing sense of consumerism, and we are pleased to partner with a well-established and respected group.”

Image Nation transferred to twofour54

/0 Comments/in /by

At a board meeting chaired by His Excellency Mohamed Ebrahim Al Mahmood, Chairman and Managing Director of Abu Dhabi Media, the decision has been made to transfer Image Nation to Abu Dhabi Media Zone Authority, twofour54. Founded in 2008 as a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi Media, Image Nation serves to help build foundations for the development of the entertainment industry in Abu Dhabi and the UAE.

“Abu Dhabi Media is proud to have witnessed Image Nation grow so rapidly over just six years into one of the leading creators of media and entertainment content in Abu Dhabi and the UAE,” says His Excellency Mohamed Ebrahim Al Mahmood. “Following a thorough examination of the prospects for future growth of the company and given our vision to focus on media content in the region, the Board of Directors feel it is the ideal time to transfer Image Nation to the Abu Dhabi Media Zone (twofour54). This move will ensure that Image Nation is in a position to continue creating quality media content for local and international audiences, and will benefit the local industry by creating jobs and opportunities for professional development, in collaboration with key international partners.”

Noura Al Kaabi, CEO of twofour54 adds, “We are very pleased to welcome Image Nation, one of the region’s leading content creators, to the twofour54 campus. Image Nation’s relocation to Abu Dhabi’s home of media and entertainment is a boost to the industry eco-system that we have created to support our growing media industry. Both twofour54 and Image Nation have shared goals of creating world-class content, developing regional talent and enabling local filmmakers to learn from international experts in the industry. We look forward to working even more closely with Image Nation in growing the UAE’s filmed entertainment sector.”

MenaMarketPlace partners with PubMatic

/0 Comments/in /by

MenaMarketPlace has partnered with US-based PubMatic, a leading programmatic advertising platform, in an exclusive relationship that brings PubMatic’s global sell side platform (SSP) technology and services to MENA advertising buyers for the first time. The new partnership aims to capitalise on the increase in advertising spend predicted in the MENA region, which will rise to $5.7 billion by 2017.

“This strategic partnership with PubMatic will help publishers take advantage of the evolving media landscape, driving clear ROI for their digital ad inventory,” says Vincent Pelillo, Managing Director, MediaMarketPlace. “Through integrating with the industry-leading software automation platform that PubMatic provides, we have created the first premium programmatic marketplace for MENA publishers and media buyers.”

Rob Jonas, Chief Revenue Officer at PubMatic adds, “The catalyst for our expansion to the MENA region has been the tremendous publisher demand for the PubMatic platform across EMEA. MenaMarketPlace provides significant value to publishers looking to take more control of their digital ad inventory. Local and global ad networks, DSPs, trading desks and agency holding groups will now be able to reach targeted audiences in a premium online environment.”

The PubMatic One Platform technology includes Yield Optimisation and real-time bidding-based functionality, offering an automated and transparent solution to publishers and media buyers. Additionally, PubMatic’s platform innovation will include solutions that are expected to become increasingly relevant as the programmatic advertising market matures in the MENA region. These solutions include – audience and data management platform capabilities, as well as private marketplace functionalities that are already in place.