Archive for July, 2012
The sting will be in the tail for the UAE’s newspapers
Bikram Vohra has been editor of Gulf News, Khaleej Times, Bahrain Tribune, Emirates Evening Post and helped in setting up Gulf Today The UAE’s English language newspapers have failed to invest in quality journalism and are ill-prepared for the looming world of multiple apps, argues Bikram Vohra “The former CEO of Rolls-Royce was once interviewed [...]
The Best Niagara never went away
Ramsey Naja is chief creative officer at JWT MEA “One of the images I remember from my childhood is that of a cast iron, ceiling-high toilet flush with an embossed slogan that read “The Best Niagara”. Now, this was not a flushing system as much as a mini-tsunami on a chain, a contraption designed to [...]
WPP names Roy Haddad its first ever MENA director
Roy Haddad has been named WPP’s first ever director for the Middle East and North Africa. Haddad, who is based in Beirut, will be responsible for co-ordinating WPP’s operations in the region and will retain his role as chairman of JWT MEA. He will, however, step back from his executive responsibilities at JWT. It is [...]
Asda’a Burson-Marsteller lands McDonald’s’ regional PR brief
Asda’a Burson-Marsteller has won the regional public relations account for McDonald’s. The win follows a competitive pitch and a final two-way shoot-out, with Asda’a now handling all GCC-wide regional assignments for the fast food giant. Weber Shandwick is retained for certain individual markets. Tarek El Kady, regional marketing director for MEA at the McDonald’s Middle [...]
Tribal DDB launches operation in Dubai
Digital agency Tribal DDB has launched in Dubai. The new operation is headed up by general manager Nick Whetham, who has moved over from Havas Digital to run the fledgling office, while former MRM associate creative director Arz Azar has taken on the role of creative director. The creation of a majority-owned Tribal DDB means [...]
HorizonGroup wins Abu Dhabi government briefs
Abu Dhabi’s Department of Transport has handed its PR, creative and digital accounts to the HorizonGroup. Parts of the business will also be handled by Memac Ogilvy and Viola Communications, although it is not yet known to what extent the business will be split between the three. HorizonGroup’s PR agency GolinHarris, ad agency HorizonDraftfcb and [...]
It’s all done in the worst possible taste…
Phil Lynagh is regional managing director at Tag: Worldwide JLT I’ve just had the misfortune of seeing the recent campaign produced by DDB London for Harvey Nichols and what a shocker, literally. Now, I’m old enough to remember some Benetton ads that caused quite a stir back in 1991 and I am as equally disgusted [...]
Time for adland to take a pitstop
Ramsey Naja is chief creative officer, JWT MEA Ah, summertime. A word so evocative it cannot but conjure up wonderfully stereotypical, HD-quality pictures of sandy beaches and pantone-perfect blue seas, mermaid-like beauties and sand-kicking Herculeses, pristine boutique hotel rooms and infinity pools… and frighteningly deserted ad agency desks with phones endlessly ringing in the background. [...]
