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BR Comms wins at SME Stars of Business Awards

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Dubai-based PR, marketing and design consultancy, BR Communications, has been named the ‘Best New Business in 2014’ during the SME Stars of Business Awards held at the Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai. The annual event, organised by CPI Media Group, recognises the most outstanding SMEs in the GCC region through 22 categories. Currently in the UAE, the number of SMEs is estimated to be around 327,000, with total revenue of USD234 billion.

“We are truly honoured to be recognised for this category,” says Bahaa Fatairy, Managing Director, BR Communications. “Since launching our business in December 2013, we have been striving to make a mark in the region’s highly competitive communications and media industry. The award definitely serves as motivation for us to continue doing our best in delivering value-added service to our clients. SMEs are undoubtedly the backbone of any nation’s economy, and platforms such as the SME Stars of Business Awards are ideal in celebrating the achievements of these businesses.”

Maddi Glendinning joins Harper’s Bazaar Arabia

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Maddi Glendinning has joined the team at Harper’s Bazaar Arabia as Features Writer. Having been with ITP Publishing since the beginning of this year, Maddi was most recently Lifestyle Editor/Sub Editor at Grazia Middle East, Grazia Bahrain and Grazia Luxury. In her new position, she will cover content across fashion and beauty for the Middle Eastern edition of the luxury lifestyle magazine.

BMW Group welcomes Sales and Marketing Director

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As of January 2015, Ralf Bissinger will succeed Alexander Eftimov as Sales and Marketing Director for BMW Group in the Middle East. Ralf brings considerable expertise to the Middle East, with more than 25 years of experience with BMW Group. Since 2010, he has been Sales and Marketing Director for BMW Group Thailand and was previously Sales and Marketing Director for BMW Group India. Prior to that, he held a number of senior marketing positions including Marketing General Manager for BMW Asia, Singapore and Importer Region, Marketing General Manager for BMW Group M in Munich, Germany, and Region Sales Manager for the America Region for BMW M, also in Munich. Ralf also held the position of Product and Market Planning Manager for BMW Australia.

“Ralf is an experienced executive with a broad international background,” says Johannes Seibert, Managing Director, BMW Group Middle East. “He has extensive knowledge of the BMW Group brands and marketing expertise, and will play a crucial part in achieving our goal to strengthen our number one position in the Middle East premium automotive segment even further in 2015 and beyond. I look forward to welcoming Ralf as a member of our management team.”

Last issue of Good Housekeeping ME to hit stands

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The publication of Good Housekeeping Middle East is officially being brought to a close after the December issue. Launched December 1, 2011, Good Housekeeping Middle East has brought the latest tried and tested advice on fashion, beauty, food and home from across the region. Backed by the Good Housekeeping Research Institute and Good Housekeeping Seal, the publication has had a monthly circulation of 15,000 copies distributed throughout the UAE and GCC under Editor-in-Chief Lena ter Laare.

 

 

Celia-Jane Ukwenya joins Harper’s Bazaar Arabia

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Celia-Jane Ukwenya has taken on the role of Acting Fashion and Beauty Director at Harper’s Bazaar Arabia. With extensive experience across the fashion industry, Celia-Jane previously held the positions of Fashion and Beauty Editor at L’Officiel Middle East as well as Contributing Fashion and Beauty Editor for Velvet magazine. Most recently, Celia-Jane has contributed on a freelance basis for Elle, Marie Claire, Condé Nast Traveller, Velvet, Time Out Dubai and Emirates Woman.

Boasting an expansive stylist résumé across the UAE, she has worked as a fashion stylist on shoots for Grazia, L’Officiel and Harper’s Bazaar, to name but a few. In addition to this, Celia-Jane has styled on fashion shows such as Harper’s Bazaar World of Fashion, advertising campaigns for Emirates Airlines, Harvey Nichols, The Address Hotels and Level ShoeDistrict, and TV commercials for Saadiyat and Maggi. Celia-Jane temporarily takes over the role of Fashion and Beauty Director from Sally Matthews, who had been in the position since 2007.

HOT Media to publish Atlantis magazine

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HOT Media is set to publish the official magazine of Atlantis, The Palm. With the debut issue scheduled for the first quarter of 2015, the luxury-focused magazine will be the exclusive in-room publication of the hotel and its forthcoming residences. The magazine will be published quarterly and have an initial print run of 20,000 copies, with Chinese and Russian language editions planned for later in 2015.

“Atlantis, The Palm is a truly unique resort hotel and known throughout the world,” says Victoria Thatcher, Managing Director, HOT Media. “It’s an exciting opportunity for us to create a beautiful publication that expertly reflects the hotel’s iconic standing and mass luxury offering.”

Active announces results of Digital Trends Report

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PR and communications agency Hotwire and Active PR have announced the launch of the first Digital Trends Report 2014 for the Middle East region. The first dedicated Digital Trends Report for the Middle East comprises of eight key trends for the region when it comes to digital communications, with this year’s theme for the report centred on ‘The Year of Reflection’. Main highlights of 2014, as well as what organisations, brands and technophiles should be looking forward to in 2015 are covered. The Digital Trends Report will be published annually.

The eight digital trends for 2014 are as follows –

  1. Politics finds its voice: Active and Hotwire take it back to 2011, when we were getting started with social media. As the younger Arab generation comes of age politically and the region continues its transition from autocracy and dynasty to representative government, the impact of social media will have a permanent political impact, perhaps more than in any other region.
  2. Social media in school: Whose responsibility is it to educate children on the pros and cons of social media? Should social media education be added to the curriculum? These are questions we expect to be raised more in 2014 and beyond.
  3. Cultural sensitivity: Communications in the Middle Eastern region is a different ballgame from the West, so how do you express opinions or communicate on social media without breaking the law or common courtesy? This chapter highlights what the rules and protocols are when communicating publicly on social media and what private users and organisations should be aware of.
  4. Death of anonymity: How safe is our personal information online? What should or shouldn’t we share?
  5. Data for the moment: How did brands leverage Dubai’s bid for Expo 2020 to their own benefit? Were they creative while doing so? This report looks at how brands should understand their social data and base their social media campaigns on that.
  6. From customers to consumers: It is likely that customer service teams and community management will merge in 2014/2015. Customer service teams will lose their reputation for starched-collar-stuffiness, while community managers will gain authority to act on behalf not just of the brand, but also of the organisation.
  7. Digitisation of retail: Frictionless digital technology has the potential to delete the middleman. We expect to see retailers move upstream and become content and product manufacturers, and downstream to own mobile and television.
  8. But how much? The upcoming year will be a breakthrough year for campaign measurement and in the establishment of standards for measuring social media focused activity.

“We’re very excited to present our first Digital Trends Report for the Middle East,” says Fatima el Malki, Digital Communications Manager, Active PR. “Through many interactions and conversations with our clients and fellow specialists in the fields of communications, public affairs and technology, we noticed a lack of thought leadership focused on digital. Reading reports and articles comprising of various percentages on social media behaviour are educational, but our report focuses on how to leverage on these trends as a brand or communications professional.”

Sawsan Ghanem, Editor of the report and Managing Partner at Active PR adds, “Digital is literally changing the way we all look at things and the way we behave. The Digital Trends Report 2014 is designed to provide a taste and insight into how much of an impact digital communications has on society, both worldwide and in the Middle East.”

DABO & CO Founders win at Gulf Capital SME Awards

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Lucy and Camilla d’Abo, Founders of integrated communications agency DABO & CO have been named joint Entrepreneur of the Year at the 2014 Gulf Capital SME Awards, in recognition of their outstanding contribution to the UAE small and medium business community. In addition to the entrepreneurial sisters’ success, DABO & CO were Highly Commended in the DHL People & Culture of the Year award – an acknowledgement of the company’s ongoing focus on talent and nod to the positive work environment it has created.

“As we celebrate DABO & CO’s 10th anniversary this year, we are extremely proud of what we have built and of the amazing people that have contributed to the success of the company,” says Camilla d’Abo, Managing Partner, DABO & CO. “We hope that our win will inspire other small and medium business entrepreneurs to follow their passions and to explore the array of opportunities that are available within the UAE.”

Lucy d’Abo, Managing Partner of DABO & CO adds, “It is an honour for us to have won the Entrepreneur of the Year award, alongside all of the other inspirational individuals that take pride in building successful businesses.”

Now in its third year, the Gulf Capital SME Awards recognises the success of companies committed to growth and innovation in business across the UAE. A total of 11 award category winners were lauded this year, with accolades including Gulf Capital Business of the Year, Emirati Business of the Year and RSA Startup Business of the Year.

Winners of the MEPRA Awards 2014 announced

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The winners of the MEPRA Awards 2014 have been announced. Celebrating the achievements of the Middle East’s PR industry over the last 12 months, a record-breaking 161 entries for this year’s MEPRA Awards were whittle down to 17 winners.

MEPRA Agency of the Year was awarded to Weber Shandwick MENA, while Memac Ogilvy Dubai won the Best Campaign award for The Autocomplete truth initiative and Mubadala won the In-House Team of the Year. A total of 10 agencies and organisations won for their creativity and execution, with Weber Shandwick, Memac Ogilvy and Hill+Knowlton Strategies winning multiple categories.

The winners were selected by a distinguished jury of marketing and communications leaders from across different sectors and organisations. The jury selected entries that exemplified best practices from across five categories – issue identification, research, strategic approach, planning and execution. Entries were received from across the region, extending to Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, as well as the UAE.

“The judges noted the quality of the entries this year, and they were impressed by how well the winners had managed to convey the underlying issue, the depth of research undertaken, the thought behind their strategic approach, the amount of planning which went into the winning campaigns and the quality of the execution,” says Carine Duvignaud, General Manager, MEPRA. “This year’s award-winning campaigns, agencies and organisations prove that the region has moved beyond what is traditionally viewed as a function that only embodies media relations to a profession that adds real value to the bottom line in terms of reputation building, issues awareness and incremental business.”

The full list of winners for the MEPRA Awards 2014 is as follows:

Sectors & Services 

  • Best Consumer Goods Campaign – Memac Ogilvy PR Tunisia – Delice
  • Best Consumer Services Campaign – House of Comms – Bounce: The Free-Jumping Revolution
  • Best Consumer Services Campaign (Highly Commended) – Hill+Knowlton Strategies – WWE Riyadh Tour 2014
  • Best Corporate Reputation & Image Campaign – Weber Shandwick MENA – The DGC-X-Factor! How DGCX Transformed Its Regional and Global Profile
  • Best Corporate Social Responsibility & Environmental PR Campaign – Blue Rubicon – Action on Diabetes Ramadan

Campaign

  • Best Government Communications Campaign – Hill+Knowlton Strategies – Inspiring a Sporting Generation – Qatar National Sports Day
  • Best Health Car & Services Campaign – Memac Ogilvy PR Dubai – Break Away from Psoriasis
  • Best Business to Business Campaign – Weber Shandwick MENA – Credit Where It’s Due! Raising Understanding of S&P’s Role in Regional Capital Market Development
  • Best Internal Communications Campaign – ENEC – 123 Tarkeez

Techniques 

  • Best Integrated Campaign – Memac Ogilvy PR Dubai – The Autocomplete truth
  • Best Launch Live Event/Stunt – DABO & CO – The Launch of Nokia Lumia 1020: Reaching New Heights
  • Best Use of Media Relations – Mojo PR – ICAEW
  • Best Use of Social Media & Digital PR – Atlantis the Palm
  • Best Use of Sponsorship – Hill & Knowlton Strategies – ‘Winning the ultimate World Cup battle of the brands for Adidas’

People and Agencies 

  • Agency of the Year – Weber Shandwick MENA
  • In-House Team of the Year – Mubadala
  • Best Overall Campaign of the Year – Memac Ogilvy PR Dubai – The Autocomplete truth
  • Dave Robinson Award for Outstanding Young Communicator of the Year – Becki Willis, Hill+Knowlton Strategies
  • Dave Robinson Award for Outstanding Young Communicator of the Year (Highly Commended) – Rijosh Joseph, DABO & CO