In Dubai We Bouncing, it's how we do!

DMO is not a big fan of the radio, it's almost never on. However, having gotten increasingly tired of the same 6 CD's and not bothered to change any of them, the radio took center stage.

Now we all heard of the so-called rapper Phat Mo came out on the 'scene'. It was funny, with many mixed reactions. Today I noticed a new song 'In Dubai we bouncing' (or something like that). Not sure who is responsible for it, but it's there.

I remember conversations with musician friends several years back when I tried to sell them the idea of selling Dubai. "Talk about clubbing, women, cars, money.. sell Dubai like it's the LBC.. hell, get Snoop and 50 cent on in it." (Un)fortunately, my musician friends are the "We won't sell out to the man" types. Fair enough. I am glad that someone is taking on the project though.

I am just not sure what efforts are being made to promote this "I Love Dubai" type of music (similar to 2pac's infatuation with California). Dubai government could certainly benefit from it. After all, that's the image Dubai has among the GCC neighbors who spend good money on "club hopping and bottle popping".

DMO says, turn on that PR machine and get this party started. It doesn't matter if you like the music or not -- if it will generate more money into the country, milk it!

Help Lebanon? Help ME!

DMO is quite impressed by the Lebanese and their campaigns all over the UAE. Outdoors, TVC's, print.. if it were a car DMO would have bought it. Of course DMO is not too thrilled with the graphic images used, but if the regional culture likes to see faces of decpitated children and people dying, more power to ya.

It makes one wonder about the Palestinians who are also constantly bombarded. This by no means is a political post (you pick your side, your business). However, there was very little concerted effort in the media to campaign for helping rebuild the Gaza airport when it was detroyed. There was some PR, but it mostly got people upset without an outlet to channel that anger.

In the case of Lebanon, I believe it was beautifully executed. Anger was channeled to relief funds. Awareness was coupled with a call to action. No, not a call to go out and wage a holy war. A call to rebuild a country devastated by war.

As much as DMO hates to admit it (and DMO will never admit this to his many Lebanese friends), much props to them.

New PR, say whhhhatt?

DMO has the feeling that this blog is turning into an obsession with Alex McNabb's 'column'. Well, this will be the last. I just wanted to point out to Mr. McNabb (oh and I know you're reading this), there is no such thing as New PR [registration required]. There is also nothing wrong with using the term 'blogosphere'. Expand your vocabulary.

The fact that blogs can influence mainstream media is nothing new. We've seen this in all the recent wars. We've also seen this in Apple's lawsuits against bloggers and other web portals. Because, really, blogs and news portals are not very different. You have to admit that personal diary style blogs are not exactly going to catch the attention of anyone but a small group of friends and relatives. With that out of the way, there really isn't much of a difference between the two.

How you ask? Well, let me educate you, Mr. McNabb. Blogs are simply put, news portals -- which have been around for a long long time now. Though the origins of blogging is claimed to date back to 1994, the truth of the matter is, it wasn't until Slashdot appeared on the scene that blogs started taking off.

Is slashdot a blog? Hardly, but it sure as hell looks like one. A blog is simply a sequence of posts listed in chronological order. That's it. What's so revolutionary there?

Alex is on thin ice here, talking about what he knows nothing about. Of course it is admirable how he concludes his piece by saying that he doesn't know anything. Ah.. at least he's an honest one in the lying bunch.

Honesty doesn't cut it, you have to know your shit.

Phoney telephony

So the biggest craze right now is the VoIP situation in the UAE. For those who don't know, the TRA has banned VoIP in the UAE. By that law, UAE telecom providers are obliged to block all VoIP traffic. In short, all cheaper communication for the largely expatriate-based population is out of the question.

Of course in a country where the telecom is a government-owned firm, it is hard to distinguish between the TRA and, say.. etisalat. The fact that the new kid on the block 'du' (also known as 'duopoly') is also half-owned by the government, makes things even worse.

etisalat's PR agency (the one and only.. the sleaziest of them all, Asdaa) should make it very clear that the TRA and etisalat are not best friends. Unfortunately of course, Asdaa is hardly competent enough to deal with that and DMO is not certain how long Asdaa is going to continue to serve etisalat without the contract being renewed.

If etisalat wants to establish itself as the 'good guy', which, I assure you, is going to be a really tough sell - they need to hire a PR agency that is not as sleazy and unethical as they are.

Oh yes, there hardly is an 'ethical' PR agency, but Asdaa does stand out. I think it is how they differentiate themselves from the pack, "We will backstab and hurt people without care. We are sleazy and unethical. We are Asdaa."

Really, etisalat, time to hire a real agency - and don't just throw it on to a government-owned agency like Du did with Jiwin. Do it right.

Boy, what a vacation!

DMO has had one of the best vacations possible! Visited more countries than I can remember and it was just a blast. Then I came back to find the same old insanity here.

First off, who the hell is PR Congress and what's up with this PR Professional of the Year Award. I mean, really.. the market is 'abuzz'? I haven't been back for long, but I haven't heard a single person even talk about it. So, who of the 'PR Professionals' is the IIR trying to suck up to now?

And now there is also the Media and Marketing Show 2006. Look guys, it's nice to have exhibitions and all that fancy stuff, but last I checked the MM Show was a complete disaster. At least, as far as PR is concerned, it was a no-show.

Campaign.. so now you have a blog of your own, very nice. But, for the love of everything that is sacred, could you puhllease get rid of that annoying McNabb column. I mean, seriously, he doesn't know much and he is hardly entertaining. It just annoys the hell out of me (and pretty much anyone I have asked). Maybe I have a little anti-McNabb club? On the other hand, I am disappointed that you keep taking out the 'On the Campaign Couch with JB'. That'a a column that is entertaining.

Then you started shrinking the infamous 'The Spin'. What the hell? Addington, just 'cause Burrowes is gone doesn't mean you have to make radical changes. Go ahead, add a blog, blog tidbits.. all nice. But give me back my Spin space and again, GET RID OF THAT MCNABB!

In other news, anyone know what happened to Peter Barton? GMR seems to be in a constant slump lately.

Oh I've been away for too long!