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BPA Worldwide to release concurrent data

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Global assurance provider BPA Worldwide will release concurrent audience metrics for 41 consumer titles and six newspaper brands in the Middle East, for the six-month period that ended December 31, 2015. The top-line figures in the Trend Report About Circulation (TRAC) cover media with operations in four Middle Eastern countries: Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Included in the report are the headline average qualified circulations and other channels, including web traffic ‘average unique browser’, social media and apps downloads for the most recent December 2015-ending BPA brand reports.

“The concurrent release of audience data for consumer and newspapers based in the region helps level the playing field in the marketplace,” says Rana Hariz, Director, Middle East Operation, BPA Worldwide. “Media buyers and advertisers can turn to this single report and make an accurate evaluation of audience metrics between brands before they buy.”

BNC Publishing launches new awards

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Hotel News ME, part of BNC Publishing, is set to host its inaugural Leaders in Hospitality Awards 2016, on April 19 at The St. Regis Dubai in order to celebrate the best of the industry’s talent, properties and concepts. The awards are designed to capture the outstanding elements of properties, campaigns and people across a number of categories including Leading New Hotel, Best Spa and Best Room Refurb. Judges will be announced on hotelnewsme.com later this month.

“The Leaders in Hospitality Awards 2016 will celebrate and bring together professionals at all levels,” says Melanie Mingas, Group Editor, Business Portfolio, BNC Publishing. “The categories have been meticulously constructed to represent all sectors and levels of the industry, as opposed to the traditional people-only awards. We have categories that will distinguish exceptional concepts, properties and personalities across the industry.”

Elevision expands into Abu Dhabi

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Elevision Media has officially completed its first Abu Dhabi installation in Marina Square. The installation is phase one of the digital platform’s expansion into Abu Dhabi, following the rapid growth of its Dubai network. Located in Reem Island, the digital-out-of-home (DOOH) media solution inside elevators of towers in the development has increased Elevision’s network by 14, taking the total number of towers operated across Dubai and Abu Dhabi to over 100.

“Today I am pleased to announce that Elevision is live in over 100 of the UAE’s premium commercial and residential towers and is reaching an audience of over 115,000 unique viewers,” says Nial Sallam, CEO, Elevision Media. “The growing popularity of DOOH media with its tactical flexibilty is fast becoming a ‘must have’ channel for media buyers and brand managers alike. As the region’s fastest growing DOOH network, Elevision is positioned at the forefront of this burgeoning industry platform and we are excited to be squarely focussed on our next phase of expansion as we zero in on our 200 tower milestone.”

 

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.”

Omnicom wins at Sustainability Reporting Awards

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Omnicom Media Group MENA has received the Best First Time Sustainability Report award for its inaugural report at the recently held Asia Sustainability Reporting Awards. The document, entitled Leaving a Mark, not a Footprint, was produced by the communications holding group in accordance with the GRI G4 Guidelines and was deemed the best introductory report to be produced by an organisation in Asia last year.

Held in Singapore and organised by CSRWorks International, the awards ceremony recognised organisations for excellence in reporting their sustainability initiatives. A gala dinner event was attended by dignitaries from companies, non-profit organisations, embassies, trade associations, advocacy organisations and academic institutions and was presided by the British High Commissioner to Singapore, H.E. Scott Wightman.

“Our first report was a deeply meaningful exercise, that allowed us to define our values, identify our priorities and quantify the impact we intend to have on a number of fronts, both internally and externally,” says Elie Khouri, CEO, Omnicom Media Group, MENA. “This recognition validates our efforts to lead the way in the area of sustainability, in the region as well as the communications industry. We will continue to adhere to the most advanced guidelines and protocols, pushing ourselves to reach the highest levels of integrity in order to contribute to a more sustainable future for ourselves, our partners and our community.”

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.”

Quest Arabiya sports series goes into production

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Quest Arabiya’s new flagship adventure-travel show Nabd Al Moghamara – Arabic for ‘Pulse for Adventure’ – is now being shot in locations across the region, from the Maghreb to the Levant. The show will be hosted by extreme sports enthusiasts, Hussein Gazzazz and Ghida Arnaout, and is scheduled to air for the first time on March 13, 2016. Quest Arabiya, a division of Image Nation Abu Dhabi, is a free-to-air, factual entertainment Arabic TV channel, launched in December, 2015 in association with Discovery Communications.

“The launch of Nabd Al Moghamara, our first of many regionally-produced, long-form flagship series, will take the channel – that has already been embraced by viewers in 22 countries – to an exciting new level and demonstrate our commitment to creating original Arabic content,” says Carl Von Doussa, General Manager, Quest Arabiya. “We are looking forward to highlighting the incredible, natural landscapes throughout the Middle East and North Africa and showcasing the region’s diversity and talent.”

Sheen El Meligi, Programming Director, Quest Aribiya, adds “Nabd Al Moghamara is set to showcase some great stories of personal endeavour and achievement, but it is also an example of our commitment to providing opportunities for the production industry in the region. We are happy to be working with regional producers, crew and talent on this exciting show.”

 

PRCA MENA launches

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The Public Relations Consultants Association Middle East and North Africa (PRCA MENA) has launched in Dubai. The new professional body will cover the entire MENA region, providing PR practitioners with an association to share best practice as well as network and work to raise standards of PR. The organisation will provide training, networking, market intelligence and an international network through the International Communications Consultancy Organisation.
PRCA MENA will be co-chaired by MENA PR industry leaders Loretta Ahmed, CEO Middle East, Grayling and Mohamed Al Ayed, CEO, TRACCS. Founding members include MENA consultancies Golin MENA, Memac Ogilvy, Fleishman Europe, Q Communications, MCS Action, Sept PR, Active and Instinctif.