Posts

Vaniday

/in , /by

Team TMN caught up with Nitin Reen, CEO and Co-Founder of Vaniday Middle East, to find out more about the newly launched online booking platform….

Tell us a bit about Vaniday?
The cornerstone of the Vaniday philosophy is that looking and feeling your best should be accessible to every person, at any given moment, wherever they are in the world. With Vaniday, customers are able to discover new services and professionals, book appointments and get inspired. Salons can showcase their work, connect with new and existing clients, and grow their business.

Where did the concept for Vaniday originate?
Although, it is one of the largest and most profitable industries in the world, the beauty & wellness sector is one of the few industries that has not yet fully transitioned from offline to online. It is so simple nowadays to book a plane ticket, or book a car service to your door online. We identified a gap in the market and thus, Vaniday was born.

What makes Vaniday unique as a service?
First of all, we have an unprecedented number of high-end, well-established venues on the site that feature exclusive offers to our users. We are available online via the website, as well as both an Android and an IPhone app, and our customer service team are highly-trained and ensure that booking and paying for services is both easy and convenient for salons and clients alike. Also, unlike salons and spas, which have strict opening hours, Vaniday is available 24/7, 365 days of the year.

How have you marketed Vaniday since its launch?

We have used a combination of offline and online marketing channels.  On the offline side, we have tried initiatives ranging from flyering and hosting events, to radio campaigns and billboards on Sheikh Zayed Road. On the online side, we have had a good amount of success through SEM and Facebook focusing on both the web and app fronts. It’s important to note that we don’t view any initiative in isolation and we try to tie everything in together – so if we have an offline initiative such as radio mentions or a competition, then we link it in to Facebook advertising to have a complimentary and symmetrical marketing offering.

How do you feel social media has helped your company grow?

Social media is important for any business, but of even greater importance for a company that exists in the digital world (such as ours) – and greater still for a company centered around the beauty industry. Social media is very useful to us in order to drive customer engagement – It helps us get to know our customers/supporters and allows them to get to know us. Through SoM, we can get an idea of who our customers are, what they appreciate and what they want.

Who is Vaniday’s target audience?
Anyone with a busy lifestyle who loves indulging in hair, beauty and spa treatments. More than a third of our users are males and most of our users are professionals who want to be able to book salon and spa visits quickly and conveniently, without worrying about where to go or what appointment is available.

Why did you decide to launch Vaniday in the UAE?
Given the hectic lifestyle in the UAE, we felt that many people needed a service that could save them time when they wanted to book a salon or spa visit. The Middle East in general, and the UAE specifically, is one of the fastest growing beauty markets in the world. This, along with the fact that the UAE has one of the highest smartphone penetrations in the world and a growing propensity to transact online, made the foray into the UAE market a very simple one.

How can businesses/PR companies get involved with Vaniday?
There are many ways in which external agencies can get involved. As a young but rapidly expanding company, we are open to fresh ideas and progressive thinking and we are always on the lookout for exciting collaborations! All people need to do is get in touch.

For any salon or spa that would like to be listed on Vaniday, its management can get in touch and we can negotiate how they can become salon partners.

Did you face any challenges in establishing the website in the UAE?
The main challenge at the beginning was hiring a great team. Our goal was to be lean which demanded the highest standards of efficiency and we were quite lucky in finding amazing talent. Every member of our team is a rockstar in his/her focus area. We wanted to bring people in who are truly passionate about our company and have strived to cultivate an environment where people feel that this is their company and they take pride in all of its achievements. We were fortunate to achieve this objective and today, everybody in our team lives and loves Vaniday.

What does the future hold for Vaniday?
We are currently experiencing very rapid growth. We have been active for less than a year and are already in numerous countries all around the globe. We are constantly working on expanding our existing markets as well as new ones. In regards to the Middle East, this trend also holds true. This is a region whose market behaviour is very conducive to our business model and we are planning to capitalize on this to the benefit of our current and potential customers.

Wassim Daniel joins Cheil MENA

/0 Comments/in /by

Cheil Middle East and North Africa(MENA) has appointed Wassim Daniel as its new Chief Growth Officer. Wassim brings with him 15 years of experience in top multinational companies in the GCC and Levant area. Most recently, Wassim established FP7-McCann in Iraq and previously was Growth and Development Director for MCN in the Levant region.

In his new role, Wassim will look to diversify the extensive client portfolio at Cheil MENA and will work closely with the agency’s headquarters in Seoul to support global clients looking for greater market share in the Middle East. He will also work with the digital team to promote its new services in programmatic media across the current client portfolio which includes; Etihad, Samsung, du, Coco Cola and Renault, identifying new opportunities for the experiential and retail marketing divisions.

“Cheil MENA is taking on the legacy networks with the kind of ideas that transcend discipline and the traditional ways of advertising,” says Wassim. “It has recognized strengths in technology, retail experience, digital solutions and events, which support its offering as a full service agency. There is a real movement happening at Cheil and I am very proud to be part of the executive team driving its expansion.”

Keesoo Kim, CEO, Cheil MENA adds, “Through his experience in the industry, Wassim will add tremendous value by helping introduce domestic clients to Cheil’s global vision for Ideas that Move and to Cheil’s global network of experts that develop cutting-edge solutions to clients’ business problems.”

Hill+Knowlton Dubai promotes Lisa Welsh

/0 Comments/in /by

Lisa Welsh has been promoted to General Manager at Hill+Knowlton Strategies Dubai. Previously Deputy General Manager Dubai, Lisa brings with her years of experience in integrated communications having lead the consultancy’s Health+Wellness practice across the Middle East and Africa, tripling its size in the last three years. She also has extensive experience in the pharmaceutical sector where she advised regional and global brands, ranging from regulatory issues management to market entry and influencer engagement.

“We’ve had an impressive 2015 with significant growth across all our key sectors specifically healthcare, sports + entertainment and brand marketing,” says Lisa. “We continue to drive our clients businesses through creative integrated campaigns that deliver impact and enhance their reputation.I am looking forward to the opportunities for further growth in 2016.”

Penelope Walsh leaves Time Out

/0 Comments/in /by

Penelope Walsh has been appointed as the Online Editor for Hotelier, Caterer and Arabian Travel News magazines. Previously Eating Out Editor for Time Out Dubai for the last three and a half years, Penelope will continue to cover restaurant, bar, hotel and travel news across the region more in depth and with industry-relevant perspective.

She will focus on new openings of hotels and restaurants, industry appointments, new hotel and F&B operational features and relevant on-trade developments.

The Portsmouth Group hires Teesta Raha

/0 Comments/in /by

Teesta Raha joins The Portsmouth Group as Consultant. In her previous position as Account Manager at Hill+Knowlton Strategies, she managed PR strategy for consumer, corporate, technology and finance accounts including Sony Professional, Intel, Coca-Cola, TetraPak and Meshreq.

In her new role as Consultant, Teesta will be responsible for all PR and creative communications strategy for a range of clients and include managing retainer accounts and select client projects from across the technology, corporate and consumer sectors.

Middle East PR Awards 2015 shortlist announced

/0 Comments/in /by

Middle East Public Relations Association (MEPRA) announces shortlist for the 2015 Middle East PR Awards set to take place in three weeks on December 14, 2015 at the JW Marriott Marquis. The MEPRA Awards Program is judged by peers and acknowledges the best in class in PR throughout the Middle East and is set to break records with the largest event year to date.

Entries for the awards are welcomed from businesses and individuals operating in the public relations sector across the Middle East. This year, fourteen categories are available which include; ‘Consumer Goods’, ‘Consumer Services’, ‘Healthcare & Services’, ‘Corporate Reputation & Image’, ‘Government Communications’, ‘Business to Business’, ‘Financial PR’, ‘Corporate Social Responsibility & Environmental PR’, ‘Corporate Social Responsibility & Environmental PR’, ‘Best Integrated campaign’, ‘Best Use of Social Media/Digital PR’, ‘Best use of Media Relations – consumer or trade’, ‘Best Employee Engagement’, ‘Best Live Event/Stunt’, ‘Agency of the Year’ and the ‘Dave Robinson Award – Outstanding Young Communicator of the Year’.

For more information and to register, visit www.mepra.org/mepra-awards/

 

Amy Frengley joins Omnia

/0 Comments/in /by

Branding and digital communications company Omnia has welcomed Amy Frengley to the role of Strategy Director. Amy previously worked as Managing Partner at Brandsmiths, part of the All About Brand network , and brings with her a wealth of experience in branding after years of extensive freelance work in Dubai. In her new role as Strategy Director, Amy will oversee all strategic direction and implementation of the agency’s key branding projects.

“After a number of years working in the region, I am delighted to be joining Omnia to flag a new chapter in the agency’s growth,” says Amy. “With a bolstered strategy offer, we can provide our clients with the insight and thinking that’s needed to develop brands with resonance and help them drive long term growth.”

Slant Agency launches

/0 Comments/in /by

Lopamudra Kundu, formerly Vice President at IKON Advertising, and Shantesh Row, formerly Executive Creative Director at IKON, have launched advertising and communications agency, Slant. The agency will provide 360 degree thinking in ATL, BTL and TTL, including all creative and strategy – from press & OOH campaigns to TVCs and Radio, as well as content creation to complete marketing, identity and design plans.

Founding Partners Lopamudra Kundu, Shantesh Row and Prabhangshu Kundu, have worked across 250 brands throughout the Middle East, India and Australia and together possess over 50 years of experience in advertising.

“We’re a new-breed communications agency,” says Lopamudra. “We are independent, agile, collaborative and forward thinking.”

Shantesh adds, “Slant brings an edge, a different way to offer solutions to our clients. As ‘Slanters’, we are sure this off-centre approach will add value and impact to our clients.”