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SMG Beirut ranked in Directory Big Won Rankings

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Starcom Mediavest Group (SMG) Beirut has ranked the third media agency globally in the 2015 Directory Big Won Rankings. The Directory Big Won is one of the most extensive awards ranking reports in the world, compiled from 7,194 awards, 3,406 pieces of work by 1,443 agencies and it has been tracking media networks since 2003.

“This ranking is an aggregate of our company’s stellar performance at awards shows in 2015, and a further testament to the creative talent we have in Beirut and in the region,” says Wilson Issa, Managing Director, SMG Beirut. “This accolade is driven not only by our people, but also by our clients, who continue to support our drive to innovate and transform their businesses.”

UM MENA releases media trends report 2016

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UM MENA has released a 2016 media trends report, NEXT THING NOW, for the region. Set to become an annual fixture, the report highlights yearly trends specific to the MENA region and UM’s view of where the market is heading towards on various themes in the industry. Written by UM MENA’s media specialists, the report also features input from professionals at Coca-Cola, Google, DMS and Yahoo! It will be distributed to UM MENA clients and publishing partners around the region and will also be available online through the agency’s website by Q2 of this year.

“The report echoes the views of our media experts at UM as well as the direction in which our company is heading in the coming years when it comes to media planning and marketing solutions for our clients,” says Chris Skinner, CEO, UM MENA. “There is a definite shift in the industry but by thinking forward and adapting our approach to the future trends we can achieve maximum impact and ROI. NEXT THING NOW will provide you with necessary insights and the way forward for you as a marketer and a media professional.”

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.”

dmg appoints new President for region

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dmg events has appointed Matt Denton as President for dmg events – Middle East, Asia and Africa. Matt joined dmg world media in 1998 as Head of Marketing for the UK consumer shows and he managed the Daily Mail Ideal Home and Ski and Snowboard Shows. Matt entered the MENA market in 2010 as Vice President for dmg events in Middle East and Asia handling The Big 5, a large regional construction event which grew from a single show to multiple shows across the GCC and India under his management.

In his most recent position, Matt moved to dmg’s US operation as President, overseeing the global digital marketing portfolio with offices in the US, Japan, UK, Australia, New Zealand and India.

“I am really excited to be returning to the UAE and getting reacquainted with the products and teams I know so well,” says Matt. “Although many things remain very familiar, much has changed in the time that I was away from the Middle East. There are many new faces and new initiatives and dmg events has grown exponentially across the region. I look forward to working closely with the teams, stakeholders and partners to continue this growth in the years to come.”

Geoff Dickinson, CEO, dmg events, adds “I have had the pleasure of knowing Matt for a very long time and he has always illustrated strong entrepreneurial skills in both developing and launching events. I was delighted to be instrumental in persuading him to rejoin dmg events in 2010 and I am pleased that he will now take the helm of our Middle East, Asia and Africa portfolio.”

Entry submission open for Digital Awards

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Entry submission is now open for the MENA Digital Awards (MDA’s), an awards show aimed to honor digital efforts in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Coupled with the Digital Media Forum (DMF), the awards will recognise excellence in the use of digital technologies and media by honoring the people and brands leading the communication industry.
Categories for the MDA’s cover all forms of technical and creative digital work, across the communications industry, with winners being determined by a panel of international digital experts who will assess both results and impact of entries. Entry is open to all members of the digital industry, covering clients, agencies and producers, with a number of new awards categories under the heading of Digital Assets.

Criteo begins operations from new location

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Performance marketing technology company Criteo has started operations from its new Dubai offices in Media City, aiming to offer opportunities to a growing local workforce. The company has also welcomed the move of its Managing Director of Emerging Markets, Dirk Henke, from Munich to Dubai – where he will continue to run operations in the MENA region as well as in Turkey and Russia, amongst other markets.

“This is a very exciting time, both personally and professionally,” says Dirk. “Criteo is very eager to tap into the potential of the Middle Eastern markets in the midst of an ongoing e-commerce and m-commerce surge. Joining the Dubai office allows us to focus on the region, and being here makes it easier to dig deeper and get more involved in the rise of digital programmatic advertising. I look forward to supporting our existing and potential clients.”

Crème de la Creme Awards winners announced

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The first ever Crème de la Crème magazine Luxury Awards have been held at Turtle Beach, Shangri-La Al Jissah Resort and Spa in Oman. Presented by Mercedes-Benz, the awards honoured luxury brands across nine different categories including Best Fashion Label Powered By Mercedes-Benz, Best Jewellery and Best Hotel. Nominees were evaluated by well-known names in the Sultanate and winners included Amouage and Patek Philippe.

Mindshare to hold Content Decoded Conference

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Mindshare, part of global media agency network WPP, is set to hold a media conference under the theme of Content Decoded on January 19, 2016. The conference will be held in The Annex, Burj Khalifa Dubai, and will offer a lineup of experts from a range of different industries, who will teach participants how to utilise data for more creative content, as well as how to deliver content at a scale, amongst other topics.

“At our core, Mindshare’s first priority is to maximise the return on investment for our business partners,” says Samir Ayoub, CEO, Mindshare MENA. “The way content is initiated, developed and used has changed over time. This event will help professionals from any industry use the tools and insights that our panel has created from years of experience. Using their techniques, our attendees will be wowed by measurable impact of adaptive, data-powered content developed for their business.”