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.