Martin is 'Flip'ing

Flip Media's Martin is understandably upset about the Campaign Media Planning Awards. DMO seconds Martin's sentiments and thinks it is time for sponsors to start taking action by dropping their sponsorship of the awards.

Martin -- DMO stands behind you and the entire digital world. Money is the best motivator. Sponsors should hold out. Entrants should hold out. Let them hold a couple more awards without any online support.

Starcom MediaVest sweeps Campaign Awards

Apparently the Starcom guys took home more than half the trophies at the Campaign Media Planning Awards. Not to be misunderstood, DMO thinks the Hummer H3 campaign was great, but are these agencies the only ones who were shortlisted?

It just seemed like there were very few agencies shortlisted.. and the same ones were repeated several times.

If there were any losers that night, it would have been UM7. Unless it was the alcohol blocking DMO's memory, I don't recall them getting up to pick anything up.

Media and Marketing "No" Show

The M&M Show's first day would have to be called a total disaster. DMO is actually surprised that the fewer, but larger stands are investing this amount of money on.. well, nothing.

It's almost like a show that is designed for the media folks to show off to one another what they can do.. and by what they can do, it by no means refers to their offerings. It's more of a "my stand is cooler than yours" type of exhibition.

One word to describe it: horrid.

DMO suggests that Domus actually try to attract the prospects of the people supporting their event.

The 7Days Situation

When 7Days printed verbatim from AFP and WAM what were quotes from HH the President of the UAE, Sheikh Khalifa, the world seemed to have come to a halt. Arabic dailies went on the assault, claiming that the president's words were twisted to suit a hidden agenda.

It is no secret that Associated Newspapers acquisition of Catchpole Communications (the management company of 7Days) was a catalyst to the rather absurd assaults on 7Days.

Arab journos, take note: the UAE is on an unstoppable path towards liberalization. Fighting what is actually for your own benefit is quite possibly the stupidest thing one can do. There are better ways to combat a newspaper that is doing better than most.

This has also had a very interesting side-effect on the blogosphere. It has highlighted the extreme divide between the local population and the expats in the UAE. There is an intense frustration from the locals at the expats placing 7Days at the middle of all of it.

7Days has a long and hard battle to fight. Good fortune comes with a great deal of responsibility. DMO would like to lend his support and appreciation to the hard work 7Days is putting.

You guys are doing a good job. Keep at it!

P.S. DMO finds a lot of what is in 7Days borderline stupid, but it sure beats the hell out of every other daily in the UAE.

Showtime beats ART

It's always good to know that Showtime has won the exclusive rights to broadcast English Premiership football in the Middle East and North Africa. On behalf of everyone who overpaid the mobsters at ART to watch the World Cup, I would like to say:

In your face ART. I hope you never ever ever ever get an exclusive broadcasting deal for any major sporting event.

Campaign ME, grow up already!

I have come across this post on Communicate's blog. DMO can't say he is surprised by the response. Campaign are a bunch of kids with a few too many toys. They managed to antagonize GMR and now refuse to give credit where due.

Sadly, this is actually very representative of the industry as a whole. Me me me me is the prevailing attitude, so why should Campaign be any different? Well, for one, because they claim to be otherwise. You can't act as a moderator in the industry if you indulge in such behavior.

Give credit where credit is due. If anyone should know this, a magazine should. Pity.

PR Congress, who is impressed?

So I went by the PR Congress at the JW Marriott. I did not buy a ticket and did not have an invitation. I just crashed the party. Let me just say this, I am glad I did not spend any money on it.

There was a plethora of expert speakers. However, the audience was too ignorant of the subject matter. I walked in briefly during a CSR lecture where someone asked if they should concentrate on one activity or a multitude of them. A legitimate question but a no-brainer if you have been in the business (it all depends on your budget, doesn't it?). Then there were the rhetorical questions of "You are only after profit, and your CSR activities are not genuine." That is the moment when I wanted to snap, so I left.

To answer the lady at the back's question: Who cares what the intentions are. What matters is the result. It is important to remember that if CSR activities were not motivated by business results, it wouldn't of have existed. Quite frankly, a business that has 'pure' intentions to only do CSR and gain nothing out of it is a company I would be very uncomfortable doing business with. Because that means they don't understand business.

Unfortunately I did not have the time to attend the Gala Dinner (and I also thought crashing that would be a bit more difficult). I'm not sure who won the "PR Professional of the Year" but I can definitely say it's not me. If anyone knows who that is, please leave a comment here.

Overall, the event was okay (though lacking security from the likes of DMO). It is probably a good place to send your fresh PR executives.. but anyone who has been doing this for over a year has nothing new to learn. Even if they did, they would not change as a result.

The ice that never melts? Just too clever!

DMO is delighted to have picked up a copy of Communicate (Sep 2006 issue n. 20) while driving around aimlessly for something to do. Hats off to Communicate. The ice that never melts? To quote:

Four leading UAE publications published fake press release about a non-existent company that makes non-melting ice in an effort by Communicate to establish just how gullible local newspapers are when it comes to swallowing corporate propaganda.

Yes, you read that correctly. It said non-melting ice.

One online business news site and three daily newspapers published the dubious press release verbatim - in the case of the English copy, with our typo included. The takers were AMEInfo, Al Bayan, AlKhaleej and Gulf Today. Only one newspaper successfully sniffed out the hoax and called out on it.

Just splendid! The article goes on to talk about how Gulf News (the only ones who did the sensible thing and called) were not half as amused as they thought they would be. Of course not. You have just wasted their time and it's not like they are underworked.

DMO can testify that Khaleej Times do call their sources when they want to publish something, from time to time -- especially when it's a 'new' company setting up in Jebel Ali.

Campaign, I know you guys think you have buried Communicate in the dust, but with stunts like these, you've got to think again. Liz, please please please get your distribution sorted and consider switching to weekly very seriously.

When I walk into any media related office (PR or Ad) I always find a copy of Campaign on the desk. Now whether they read it or not is a different issue, but it is _available_ and it counts for their auditors which means they get advertisers to spend comfortably. You guys obviously have a superior editorial team (just judging from the content of the entire issue). It's a shame to see no marketing/sales active on that front.

Tags: Dubai PR / Newspapers

Masafi juices and nutrition facts

Today marks the first time I actually purchase one of Masafi's juice drinks. I didn't like their adverts. The artwork was poor and it simply didn't excite me. Their water outdoor ads were great. The fruit juice ads were just.. boring.

You know what won me over though? They are perhaps the only GCC-based company that includes the nutrition facts label on the bottle. Amazing, isn't it? I am totally baffled that this is not law. I'm not a health freak, but something about putting things into my system without knowing its content doesn't sit very well with me. I simply do not buy anything without nutrition facts.

Are those facts accurate? Who knows.. but that's not the point. It tells me that Masafi know what they're putting in those bottles. Perception is everything, isn't it?

Congratulations Masafi.. now I not only buy your water exclusively (still mineral water), but should I want to have a bit of juice, it's going to have to be Masafi. As for your 'Think fruit'.. think again.

Tags: masafi / nutrition / brand