Freelance copywriter in Abu Dhabi, near Dubai, UAE

Freelance copywriter in Abu Dhabi, near Dubai, UAE

SEO consultant, freelance copywriter in Abu Dhabi, UAE blogs about advertising

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Why advertising in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, UAE does not have more UAE nationals… May 13, 2010

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at www.copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 10comments

There’s something missing in UAE’s advertising.

Local flavour.

When was the last time you looked at an ad produced in the UAE and chuckled at the local touch in it? Never?

If a country doesn’t have its own homegrown talent in its ad agencies, how do you expect its advertising to have a uniquely local flavour? (Think Piyush Pandey of Ogilvy and street language.)

I have always felt that we need to have more and more young locals, meaning Emiratis, writing and designing ads in the UAE. If we can have a cartoon like Freej set in Satwa – why can’t we have ads celebrating UAE life?

In one of my earliest blog posts, I had a Creative Director of a large multinational company saying that UAE locals aren’t inclined towards advertising as a profession because of its overworked, underpaid culture compared to the other career options they have. That’s been the assumption in most ad circles I suspect.

But then, what if there are talented and willing Emirati youngsters eager and passionate to prove their creativity in advertising, like the rest of their global counterparts?

Should they not be given a chance? I’d say we should welcome them into agencies with open arms.

Here’s Ms UAE National (name withheld for privacy), a reader of my blog and someone really really passionate about advertising. She wrote to me about her experience as a UAE local in the local ad industry.

It was an eye opener.

And it broke my heart to see such passion not being acknowledged by the powers that be.

Here’s what she wrote:

Dear Farrukh,

I know you don’t know me, but I have been following your blog. I came across your blog when I was a student researching things on advertising here. I am probably the only national who is insane enough to be extremely passionate about advertising. (I haven’t met anyone with a similar ambition yet, and at the rate things are I am assuming I won’t for a very very long time) I don’t know why I am sending you this, but I guess I want a professional’s take on this given you’ve been in the industry for years. I would greatly appreciate your advice.

I am very frustrated because advertising has failed me. I believed in advertising more than anything. I studied it, graduated with honors, the first in my college, I love it infinitely. I landed an internship with [name of multinational agency brand] in 2007.

They were so fascinated with the fact I am a UAE national that does art direction, understands & thinks advertising and is very conceptual. The feedback I got from people there was great and it felt really like I have found my true calling. Some people even mistakenly took me for an employee.

I was the only national in the building, but I proved many stereotypes wrong. I really never wanted to leave that building. Towards the end of my internship, they offered me a job, but since I hadn’t graduated yet, I couldn’t accept it, as my university was a full-time institution.

After graduation, I contacted them again for a junior art director position, but for a while there were none.

I tried with other agencies and not a single response.

In any case, eventually I needed to accept a job. So, I worked as a graphic designer with a very prestigious multicultural real estate company.

I never stopped asking [name of multinational advertising agency in Dubai] if they had any vacancies though, kept in contact, and tried with other endless agencies. After almost two years, it seemed that the GD job wasn’t where I wanted to be and there was nothing more to learn. I resigned in hopes of finding an agency job.

I am well-aware of the economic crisis and have seen its impact first hand while in the company. However, I believed that if a man opened up an agency during the great depression, then there’s hope and miracles could happen.

Things have picked up since I was relentlessly trying last year, as we were unfolding a crisis. I have seen few openings at agencies, I have had initial responses, very few.

Only two, out of the lists I have contacted.

I filled every annoying web application and found out every possible vacancy that exists in Dubai.

However, I am afraid there’s more to it than that…

It’s not the crisis- no vacancies-no jobs excuse anymore. Obviously, they won’t be posting if they weren’t hiring. I think agencies are scared of hiring a national or worried or blinded by the negative stereotypes. Perhaps agencies assume nationals aren’t used to the hours, or the pressure, or the deadlines…or..etc.

I don’t know what it is, but it’s killing me.

Many agencies claim on their websites that they are  equal-opportunity employers, but I came to realize that if they really really were, there would be more diverse nationalities at agencies than we currently have here. People would be represented better and the quality of ideas wouldn’t be as biased and from a single source or mindset.

I know that everywhere there’s discrimination and preferences based on nationalities, or gender especially in this region. It’s unfortunate, but I believe we’re all human though.

In any case, I know it’s not the ideal time to be looking and hoping for an agency job. But, I won’t be young, willing, and able forever. I tried waiting, but it only pushed my dream further away… until someday.

I don’t appreciate those who complain about nationals not being too into this business, because now I know why even if they wanted to, it seems near impossible. I know, impossible is nothing. I majored in creative advertising because I saw a gap and hoped to be able to make a difference, I knew it wasn’t easy, but I never seemed to like easy things. I was prepared for all that the job would bring, except the fact that it would never come in the first place to bring with it anything for me to be up against.

I am at a crossroad again. I have a few offers with non-agencies for a design or a regular media job. Somewhere ordinary, doing ordinary things.

I have zero potential offers with agencies.

Those initial responses turned into deliberate ignores after I sent over my CV & portfolio. So, I am really trying to decide whether I should continue believing in advertising or abandon my dream & stop planning my life around it?

I dream of becoming a CD one day, the first national who have ever made it in ad land. I dream of achieving, teaching, and writing on all things advertising.

I don’t know why I chose to write this ridiculously long email and feel extremely idiotic, but perhaps it’s my SOS before this dream dies away with time, frustrations, and failed attempts. Maybe it’s because I don’t want to eventually be another talent the industry fails to see.

Thanks for your time.

Sincerely,

Ms UAE National

So, here’s someone challenging the notion that UAE nationals do not want to work in advertising. But who’s going to give her a chance to prove it? Your comments invited…

Copywriter in UAE completes four years of advertising blogging January 27, 2010

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at www.copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 14comments

It’s a special day for CopywriterJournalist.com – one of the first English advertising and copywriting blogs in the Middle East. My blog. Today this blog has completed four fruitful years.

This blog started its journey on 26 January 2006. Then, 98 posts and more than 2800 comments later, it’s still going strong.

The Guardian, UK has cited this blog. Regional ad publications and editors follow my blog and stories. Most have approached me to write for them at one point or another – and often, I have.

I was the first blogger to receive an official Press Accreditation for Cannes Awards managed Dubai Lynx, a great win for the ad blogging community in the Middle East. Numerous requests for insights, comment, reports, research and collaboration came my way through this blog.

There was even a time when I had to remove my telephone number from the pages here because my colleagues at work found my incoming calls ‘disturbing’. Needless to say – I loved it. To me, it is proof that my copy works. And I am always happy to help an ad friend in need.

My readers usually got immediate responses over the phone and as I write this, I think I have answered more than a thousand comments on my blog. Hard work? Yes. Waste of time, definitely not.

During these four years, creatives found jobs through this blog. Companies found talent. Freshers got guidance. Researchers picked up useful nuggets. Ad veterans found a place to share their wisdom. And rant too. Freelancers found amazing gigs.

Spammers found another place to sell more Viagra – but of course got caught by my spam filter. Sorry guys – I don’t need it. Yet.

Advertising icons of our time honoured this blog with their comments and feedback. People like the copywriting legend and Booker-nominated Indra Sinha and Drayton Bird – the king of Direct Marketing. I am humbled!

All of this has been possible thanks to you, dear readers.

Most blogs die when passion demands its price – hard, gruelling, selfless commitment. My posts were few and far between too at times when I just didn’t have the time.

But you, dear reader, kept coming back to my blog. Reading, commenting, checking if all was well. And asking for more.

You made me come back and write for you – and I was happy to do so. Even during the days when my personal life was falling apart and my career was going through its most challenging year. You kept the faith. So, I did too.

Thank you.

Here’s my tribute to you – your feedback and comments on my  copywriting blog <— click here to read

As for all those people who thought I was a fool spending too much time on this ‘blogging thing’, here’s my answer to why I blog and hope to continue doing so…

Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime
And in passing leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time;

Footprints that perhaps another
Sailing over life’s solemn main
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother
Seeing, shall take heart again.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Dear readers, once again, thank you for keeping this blog and me going… stay that way!

As always – your comments are invited and looked forward to – comment on this post by clicking here

farrukh

Copywriter job in Doha Qatar – Immediate posting January 5, 2010

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at www.copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 4comments

A copywriter job for a month is available starting immediately at a well known through-the-line advertising agency in Doha, Qatar.
The agency is looking for a copywriter with 5 to 7 years experience handling reputed brands
.You need to be a people person, with loads of passion for advertising and ideas.
Someone who is self motivated, and needs no supervision.
Your job would involve:
• Developing/revising creative ideas and concepts, in partnership with the art director/ art team and client servicing team.
• Writing original, clear, persuasive copy
• Proofreading
• Keeping up to date with clients’ products/services, target audience and their competitors’ activities;∙        
• Overseeing campaigns through the production stage to completion
• Working on several campaigns at once, meeting deadlines       
• Keeping up to date with popular culture and trends
The compensation would be 6000 Qatari Riyal plus bachelor accommodation + return air ticket + temporary visa
This is a temporary position for 30 days, with the possibility of long-term employment based on calibre and work results.

If you’re interested in this copywriting job in Qatar, mail your CV to farrukh.copywriter(at)gmail.com immediately or call Farrukh on +971507151722

Christmas Tree Made of Toblerone Chocolate in Dubai, UAE December 26, 2009

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at www.copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , add a comment

A Christmas Tree made of chocolate

Here’s a treat on the occasion of Christmas for all my blog readers in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, UAE and around the world… a Christmas tree made of Toblerone chocolates… treating chocoholics since 1868. Enjoy!

I had taken this picture last year at the Unlimited Power Online Conference at the Mövenpick Hotel Bur Dubai. That’s where I met Michael Koenigs of Traffic Geyser, John Carlton – the copywriting legend, Mike Filsaime known for his Butterfly Marketing, Russell Brunson, Barry Dunlop, Dean Hunt, Andrew Lock, Reg Athwal – active people in the internet marketing world.

If this tree isn’t intelligent, delicious advertising, what is? There was even a prize for guessing how many bars are in that tree. What was your favourite Christmas ad idea? Comments are open…

Twofour54 launches freelancer visa and licence package in Abu Dhabi, UAE November 4, 2009

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at www.copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 16comments

It’s finally here. Abu Dhabi’s media free zone twofour54 has gone live with its freelance package.

I just had a detailed chat with Greg Sweeting, the General Counsel for twofour54. Greg is a solicitor with over 15 years of media law experience, and looked after Showtime’s legal affairs across the MENA region prior to joining twofour54.

Why twofour54?
“The reason why we exist here at twofour54 – it’s all about building the creative content industry in Abu Dhabi for the Arabic world for Arabic content,” says Greg, explaining the philosophy behind twofour54.

The freelance option was one that was much awaited – one can’t think of a production industry without freelance talent.

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UAE National Day logo unveiled November 2, 2009

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at www.copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 5comments

UAE National Day has a nice, brush-stroke logo this year, as reported by Gulf News.

It will be the official element in all communication across the seven emirates, according to the Higher Committee for National Day celebrations headed by Abdul Rahman Al Owais, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development.

Source: Gulf News

Creatives in UAE… get ready for those National Day briefs raining on you… aaaaaany time now! I’ve made my share as well. Mail me ones you are proud of – maybe you’ll see them here with due credits. Old ones will do too. Good for err… reference.

How low can advertising creative go in UAE? You have no idea! October 29, 2009

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at www.copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 8comments

The state of advertising had reached an award-winning low in the Dubai Lynx when award upon award was withdrawn for plagiarism and the ‘Agency of the Year’ title stripped off the offending agency.

But looks like no one’s learnt a lesson. Yet.

Blatant copy-paste advertising is still rampant. With no regrets. Sad!

Here’s an original big idea from my ex- creative partner Sherif Galal, senior art director at TBWA\RAAD Abu Dhabi, for a client we worked for together – ADAC (Abu Dhabi Airport Company) for UAE’s National Day last year:

And here’s what was spotted by another friend from the agency – Joey Llovitt (yeah – you read that right) – on a DeviantArt portfolio:

Now, the original ad wasn’t one that you’d miss. It was on the front page of Adsoftheworld and still exists there – with more than 70 votes. It made it to the Dubai Lynx shortlist too, last year, but thanks to the F** agency’s creative director F***’s Fiasco many deserving ads lost to copycat ads as you read on this blog earlier.

News has it that some people very high up had a very good feeling when they saw Sherif’s ad on the UAE National Day. Perhaps, it’s the original ad’s goodness which makes it attractive to steal.

“I feel really bad… but at the same time, it’s an indication that the ad was so good,” says Sherif, with his trademark laugh. Imitation might be flattery, but ripping-off is the lowest form of life, noted one of the commentors in response to the copied ad on Deviant Art.

The copy-cat ad was posted on DeviantArt by the ID bluemp, traced back to one Mr. Md Naeem (LOL… he shares my surname) a 27 year old web designer from Pakistan.

I have been blogging about creative plagiarism and ethics in advertising for long now, as readers of my blog know. So, I decided to put these ads up but also give the offending party the benefit of doubt. I spoke to Naeem and asked him what the story is. And it only got worse.

He said: “What I upload on my website is not done by myself. This is one of my friend. He done that.”

So, we have a copied ad, that too posted in someone’s portfolio who says it’s not an ad done by him.

Well, someone’s done it.

Some poor client has paid for it.

And now that the word is out, some agency and creative better pay for this sheer laziness and insolence.

I asked Sherif what he thinks should be done now. And here’s what he said.

“Everyone should know. The company that this guy sold the ad to should know. I would stop him working in advertising. It would be like a lesson to other people not to steal work. “

Sherif Galal
Senior Art Director
TBWA\RAAD Abu Dhabi

Friends in the industry like Louai Alasfahani of the anubisblog fame (notoriety, rather) invest considerable time exposing creative stealing in the region.

Perhaps with these name and shame posts, we will be able to rid our agencies and industry of the kind of scum that copies other people’s ads, puts them in their portfolio and brings everyone a bad name.

Has your work ever been stolen?

What would YOU do if this happened to you as a creative?

Comments (and curses) are welcome…

Freelance Copywriter in Abu Dhabi – why it’s good to have one… October 29, 2009

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at www.copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 11comments

Potential Client (PC): Hello… is it Mr Farrukh? Do you do copywriting?
Me: Yes, how can I help you.
PC: I have some text for my brochure. It’s all written. I have done it myself. Can you look at it?
Me: Do you need help with editing it?
PC: No… no. Just read it and maybe, make some changes. Like, make it more beautiful? You know…
Me: Ok, if you could email it to me please – I’ll have a look and let you know what I think.
PC: How much will it cost?
Me: I will let you know once I have seen what shape the writing is in.
PC: It’s just a few sentences. I have already written it.
Me: Sure, it could be just one line – but if you need professional copywriting, it will come at a cost.
PC: Can you write a few ‘catchy’ phrases as well with that – you know, as a ‘gift’? 3-4 at least?
Me: You mean a tag line? Does your brand have one?
PC: No, but my wife and I have some ideas – maybe you could add to that? Just as a friend.
Me: Sorry, I don’t work that way.
PC: But it’s only 2-3 lines. Don’t tell me you will charge hundreds of dirhmas for that.
Me: Taglines are worth a lot more. How much do you think ‘Just do it‘ is worth?
PC: Ok, ok. You just make my brochure text beautiful and catchy. My neighbour and grocery guy can give me a few catchy lines. For free.
Me: I’m sure they can. I wish your brand luck though.
PC: Thanks. Do you also do ‘copyright’? Maybe you can copyright the slogan we come up with.
Me: Um…no. I don’t copyright. You might not need to.
PC: What if it’s really good… you know… and some big brand copies it?
Me: We’ll see.

Another day in the life of a freelance copywriter in Abu Dhabi… Ahlan Wa Sahlan!

[Disclaimer for dummies: The conversation above is a 'dummy' conversation, meaning fictional. If it has any resemblance to a person or brand, alive or dead, blame your wild imagination, not me. It is also not in any way associated to the delicious copy in the picture above.]

Do you have a similar conversation to share? Comments are welcome…

twofour54 ibtikar launches creative lab for funding young creative Arabs October 19, 2009

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at www.copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 1 comment so far

Money follows ideas, it’s often said. So, if you’re a cool, talented Arab with a big idea for an online, TV, or film project, Abu Dhabi’s a great place to be.

You get the idea, and we’ll get you the funds and support. That seems to be the motto for ‘creative lab‘ launched today by twofour54 ibtikar, the media industry funding and support pillar of twofour54 Abu Dhabi.

twofour54 ibtikar: creative lab offers grant funding and business support to talented Arab individuals from the UAE and across the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) region. If all you’ve got is an idea, you can now benefit from seed funding, development guidance and planning by creative lab to get your dream project off the ground.

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Unlimited Power Online in Dubai – How to Make Money on the Internet October 12, 2009

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at www.copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 6comments

Unlimited Power Online (UPO) is back in Dubai for the second time. You read about Unlimited Power Online I on my blog when some of the world’s hottest internet marketing gurus arrived last year to share their success secrets in the UAE.

The 2008 Unlimited Power Online event which I attended was packed to capacity

Participants at UPO 2008 listen with rapt attention on cool ways to succeed online

For internet strategists like me, it was a dream come true to personally meet online experts like Michael Koenigs of Traffic Geyser, John Carlton – the copywriting legend, Mike Filsaime known for his Butterfly Marketing techniques, Russell Brunson, Barry Dunlop, Andrew Lock, Reg Athwal and more who presented at the first UPO event last year in Dubai.

Ram and Gautam Ganglani of Right Selection, and Ernesto Verdugo, the world-travelled ‘entertrainer’ whose events almost always get overbooked in Dubai, made it possible for people in the UAE to meet and learn from some of the world’s best minds in the online industry.

Last year, Ernesto had promised me at the first event that he will aim to bring even bigger names to Dubai and UAE soon – on my wish list were Frank Kern and John Reese. And he’s coming closer to that promise this year with the 2009 Unlimited Power Online conference.

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Choosing a corporate blogging platform? 10 reasons why WordPress is better for business than Blogger June 18, 2009

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at www.copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 10comments

So many businesses are ready to enter the blogging world. The first question is where to blog? Should it be Blogger (owned by Google) or WordPress (open source CMS as well as free blogging service)? What’s the difference? What’s good from a marketing and advertising person’s point of view?

I blog on Blogger as well as WordPress. And here’s why WordPress gets my vote. 10 solid reasons:

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Say hello to my blog’s new look – the SEO-optimised Copyblogger theme for WordPress May 12, 2009

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at www.copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 4comments

Update 20 June 2009: It was getting very time consuming tweaking the Copyblogger theme’s style sheet – the fonts were too big to enable two or three columns easily. Now I’m using Prosumer theme. It’s 3 columns by default – working better in Firefox than Internet Explorer. Almost everything does, anyway.

Warning: Geeky post ahead. If you’re an out-and-out ad person with no interest in blogs, templates and themes, go have a coffee instead. This post is pure blog-talk.

Something recently went terribly wrong with my blog’s Google indexing. All the posts were showing up with the same blog title, not the post title. So, every result from my blog showing up in Google would say “Journalist and copywriter….etc.” with the post content relevant to the search showing up only in the result description.

Readers who are into SEO can understand my utter shock. For someone who’s Google’s first result for his targeted keywords, this is the worst nightmare ever. Many sleepless nights were subsequently spent tweaking code, deactivating plugins, rebuilding and resubmitting sitemaps. Nothing seemed to work to get my post titles back on Google.

After twaeking bits and bobs, I finally took the big step and changed the theme to the SEO-friendly Copyblogger theme. That worked!

I got all my posts titles showing up very well – which means good news for relevance in search engine indexing. I like the font and type size of the posts – easy on the eye. And, as opposed to my previous theme, Copyblogger’s ‘Comment’ link on posts is better placed for readers who want to comment. Cool!

Two trade-offs though.

I lost all the comments on my bio page – more than 180 of them. And the theme’s side bar only seems to allow run-on text even if I put line spaces, it’s a narrow bar. Will have to spend more time tweaking the template now. One more thing to add to my skills – CSS coding here I come!

Anyone else facing this problem – with Google replacing their post titles with their blog title, even though the relevant posts shows up in search results?

Jobs in advertising and IT vacancy in Abu Dhabi based advertising agency in UAE May 6, 2009

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at www.copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 19comments

At a time when redundancies are rife in Dubai and around the world, it’s always a good feeling to let people know of job openings.

Many friends have lost their jobs in advertising in Dubai in recent months. Abu Dhabi is less affected and I met a young and ambitious Abu Dhabi based agency currently building up their team from traditional creative people to digital specialists.

Here are the job vacancies available in this new advertising agency in Abu Dhabi – if you feel you have what it takes, email me your CV at farrukh_copywriter(at)yahoo.com

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If you can write words, does it make you a copywriter? May 2, 2009

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at www.copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 8comments

Copywriting is not about stringing together fancy words. It’s about establishing and staying true to a brand’s personality that resonates with its target audience. It’s about persuading prospects with words. It’s ‘salesmanship in print’, not greeting-card poetry.

Copywriting is hard work. Being a good communicator is a basic minimum skill a good copywriter must have. Being able to convey his point across in words, powerfully and memorably, should come easily to him. Researching companies, getting inside the mind of prospects, talking the talk of the consumer should be part of the ace writer’s arsenal.

A copywriter’s words become the brand’s voice, and every brand deserves its own distinct voice – a great copywriter knows how to make that happen. A good copywriter knows his products and brands as well as he knows his readers. And of course, he knows how to spell.

This post is dedicated to my readers, regulars and newcomers, who have their own ideas about what makes one a copywriter. And it was prompted by this ‘long copy’ I received as a comment completely unrelated to the post.

No doubt you are looking for some one who is trained in writing copies.
My training comes out of the hands of masters —members of American Writers and Artists Institutef—located in florida,Marina Del Ray.
Most of the copies I provided are flaw less. I am very grateful for the informatuion and efforts I recieved from this institution.
Those masters— Kieran Daugherthy,Bob Bly,Michael Masterson,—are unique in the whole world.
The AWAI is the only place in the world that offers such course.
I believe by my heart that you will not be disappointed having me assigned writing you copies or any other forms of writing.
If I recieve necessary and related information—to whom I am writing, purpose of writing, how long it should be,etc.— you will get the prompotion earlier than you expect so there will be enough time for revision, if revision needed.
If you happened to be interested to give me a try,do not hesitate to call me or writing email.

“It matters not how streight the gate
How charged with punishment the scroll
I am the capitain of my soul
I am the master of my fate”

What advice would you like to give to the writer of the comment quoted below? You’re welcome to post your feedback in the comments section for the benefit of this writer?

YouTube launches 48-hour ad contest with Cannes Young Lions April 30, 2009

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at www.copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 1 comment so far

YouTube and Cannes Lions are offering young creative people under 28 a chance to win a trip to this year’s festival, and participate in the Cannes Young Lions film competition.

YouTube will release the contest brief on 15 May to make a 60 second ad for a prominent charity and post it on the contest’s dedicated channel on YouTube at:
www.youtube.com/canneslions

You’ll have 48 hours to make a video and submit it to the YouTube contest channel. Then comes the more challenging part…

You’ll have two more weeks after submittiung your video to make it go viral. Blog it. Tweet it. Spread it through Facebook. Make it go round the world.

At the end of the two weeks, judges will pick two winners who’ll get an ALL EXPENSES PAID trip to Cannes.

As any young creative who’s passionate enough about advertising knows, the chance to visit Cannes, see the world’s best ads, say Hi to the hottest CDs in business, comes rarely for cubs who’re just starting out.

Making a YouTube video, that too for a charity, I think is really a cool way to win a ticket to the event, specially if you’re got the knack for video. You’ve got nothing to lose. And maybe this is the shot in the arm you need to make that YouTube video you’ve always wanted.

It’s time to get your mobile cameras, handycams, anycams rollin’…

Dubai Lynx strips FP7 off the Agency of the Year Award April 1, 2009

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at www.copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , add a comment

Dubai Lynx organisers have withdrawn Agency of the Year Award from FP7 Doha. The trophy will not be awarded this year. And you were wondering why the copywriter in uae hasn’t been so eager to post lists and pictures of Dubai Lynx winners this year. It just didn’t feel right. Now you know – there was something rotten in the desperate quest for awards this season.

When a creative idea looks very similar to another one that has previously been awarded, creatives can always plead innocent on grounds that creative minds could think alike for similar briefs. But online and offline, the accusations and investigations and exposes about FP7 Doha’s award-winning ads are mounting. We’re talking depiction of Jesus, showing a pig in a region where it’s ‘haraam’, running ads without the client’s permission, ads showing product lines which do not exist in the region… and more.

“Investigations after this year’s award show have revealed numerous examples of work from FP7 Doha that did not meet the Dubai Lynx entry criteria and subsequently these 18 submissions and the associated seven awards have been withdrawn,” stated an official statement by the Dubai Lynx organisers today.

Awards that have been withdrawn include 1 Gold Print campaign, 1 Gold TV/Cinema campaign, 3 Silver Print campaigns, 1 Silver Outdoor campaign and 1 Bronze TV/Cinema campaign. Ten shortlisted pieces in the Print and Outdoor sections have also been disqualified.

“The Dubai Lynx Awards exist to celebrate and raise the creative bar of genuine work of the region. Activities like this show a disregard not only for the Awards but more importantly for the juries who work so hard judging the event.”
Philip Thomas, Dubai Lynx CEO

I was one of the first bloggers to be accredited by the organisers of Dubai Lynx. In the very first year of its launch, this blog arguably had the most extensive coverage by a local blogger with agencies from all over the world visiting to view the winners pictures and entries. The second year was great too.

But this year, the third year of the Lynx, it just didn’t feel right. I salute and respect all the creatives who put in their blood, sweat and tears to do great work for their clients and target audience, and all due respect for the organisers and jury who spent countless hours making this event happen. But the entries that have now spoilt all that honest effort that went into the event and given us all creatives a bad name – that’s what is NOT cool at all.

Interestingly, in all the years, this must have been the most reported and blogged about Lynx event. I met friends from the traditional media – Communicate, Campaign, GMR, Media Week as well as so many online friends from AdNationMe to AdBlog Arabia to AdBasha and Jazarah. Anubis blog had a field day this time, as he’s been exposing copy-cat ads in the region for quite some time now. And most of them are not going to let this news pass:

1. Campaign ME blogs about the investigation

2. Anubis visualises the Lions’ reaction to the fiasco

3. And this expose from Anubis really takes the cake – see it to believe it!

4. AdNationMe on Samsung slamming the scam ads

5. AdBasha blogs about the art work of an American artists that brought about an easy victory

It all started with a blogger it’s being said – what I’m curious about is why all these publications are shy about crediting the scoop-blogger with a link at least. But we can be sure that this will be one of the most discussed awards in the region this year – too bad for those who’re in the news for the wrong reasons.

With all this around me, I really hope that tough measures are taken to eliminate such practices from awards in the future. I hope that creatives start being evaluated on the basis of how much their work worked for clients and their business. Not just how many scam and ghost ads they made to win awards at any cost. I hope people whose copy-paste tactics bring a bad name to the industry and us creatives are named and shamed publicly.

I wouldn’t say that an entire agency or network could be blamed for what has happened but rather individuals, and I believe FP7 is conducting its own investigation and has promised to take tough action.

To save you the heart-ache of seeing undeserving people lifting an industry award, again and again and again, I will NOT be posting ANY winners lists, pictures or entries this time – as you must have figured out by now anyway. Of course, these are things you can now get anyway from www.dubailynx.com

However, if you are patient enough, I am planning to share what I learnt at the workshops and seminars that the organisers too great pains to put together for us ad people at Dubai Lynx this year. Maybe even video too.

In the meantime, a previous posts of mine that you might want to revisit is:

Plagiarism in advertising – how fake and scam ads are destroying originality

When the going gets tough, advertise! The curious case of the redundant Porsche man in Dubai. February 3, 2009

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at www.copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 2comments

These are trying times for employed expats in Dubai. Because everything depends on a resident visa. Which depends on a job. And jobs in Dubai don’t seem to be very secure right now. 

As world economies reel under the recession, the impact is being felt in the UAE too. In more than 10 years I’ve been in the advertising industry, I have never had so many friends in advertising lose their jobs as during the past one month. It seems like not many days pass befores someone is out with their portfolio looking for a job again.
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Twitter power – how social media can make or break you in minutes. February 2, 2009

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at www.copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 4comments

Sometimes, the best case studies for advertising, marketing and PR are in day to day events. In recent days, I noticed two excellent examples of the power of social media, Twitter in particular. Read on to see how one Twitter entry made a 23-year old famous around the world in minutes. And led to global embarrassment for a very senior person in the field of PR. Just one little ‘tweet’ is all it takes!

First, for the positive impact that a post on Twitter can have. The story that will make you feel good…

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Online marketing gurus arriving in Dubai – Free online marketing books and preview November 26, 2008

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at www.copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 1 comment so far

UPDATE – 12 October 2009: You are looking at the 2008 UPO event post. Click here to read about the upcoming 2009 Unlimited Power Online conference in Dubai and see the photos of the 2008 event too!

First of all, apologies for not being able to post much in recent days. My father passed away last month in Abu Dhabi and since then, I’ve been busy with paperwork, visa procedures, etc. Everything seems to be taking many visits before the work gets done. Plus, there’s the advertising life.

Anyway, much has been happening on the advertising and marketing front. Campaign Middle East is back with Motivate publishing it this time. Stompernet which is the holy grail for SEO people was recently reopened. Most internet marketing gurus are in overdrive, offering lots of free bonus information on online marketing. Promoting business via internet videos is a hot topic. And this post is one that I just had to make before time runs out for all my readers who are active online because we’ve got an interesting event coming up in Dubai soon.

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9/11 Smoking Ad makes it to Epica Awards September 11, 2008

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at www.copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 19comments

It’s been a year since I posted the 9/11 Anti-Smoking Ad on this blog. The ad which was published on 11 September in Khaleej Times had sparked quite a strong debate online. New York copywriter and blogger Copyranter won a prize  given by Bill Green for spotting this post and comments poured in. Posted on Reddit, the ad pulled in more than 200 comments. And it had all started when friends at Percept had mailed me the ad for putting up on this blog. Here’s what we are talking about:

Sudeep Koshy, who was the copywriter on this ad, called me a couple of days back to give me some interesting news. This ad has made to the EPICA Awards. Page 116, 21st Edition (2008) Public Awareness category. My blog is where it was first featured online – and although I don’t consider CopywriterJournalist.com an ad showcase blog (the world is full of them), this was an ad that had stopped me in my tracks and go uhummm. So I guess many other people feel the same way too.

This is what Sudeep says about the ad that created quite a stir: “When the idea was conceived, it was never thought to stir up any controversy. Because, the intention and message of this ad is right up there, unmistakable, in cold fact and bare figures. Besides, the context also mattered: The ad was released on 9/11 of course, which was THREE days before UAE banned smoking in public places.”

Do you think this ad is offensive? Is it right to say that it is borrowed interest or that the creatives exploited a tragedy? Have you done an ad that makes people look at it twice and go hmmm? Comments most welcome…

Interview on Creativity and Advertising in UAE and the Middle East June 15, 2008

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at www.copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 10comments

Zeid Nasser, a good friend and founder of AdBlog Arabia and MediaMe, asked me some good questions about the state of advertising in the UAE and the Middle East for an interview he’s been wanting since we first met in Dubai.

He’s asked me what challenges copywriters face in the Middle East. How do Beirut and Cairo compare to the UAE in terms of creativity. And why I think blogs are a good idea for global exchange of ideas.

For all those readers who’ve been mailing me and asking me about the creative life in the region, it is a detailed look at what it’s like. Have a read at the MediaMe.com homepage or the interview’s direct link.

You’ll also notice that Zeid’s being a media person puts up regional media rates too on MediaMe.com. And jobs in advertising. So, I’m sure you’ll find his sites useful. Go for it!

Dubai Lynx Awards 2008 – Pictures of winners in Print, Direct and Media May 10, 2008

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at www.copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 6comments

Dubai Lynx Awards have passed and I have blogged about the exciting bits, before and after the awards. But my blog’s readers want more. The Dubai Lynx website has so much coverage this time, with shortlisted ads up there too open for anyone to lookup, I felt putting up the winners here was unnecessary.

But then, everyone loves pictures – and I do have some nice ones readers of the blog would like, taken by me from right under the stage (the press seats and my agency tables were at a distance so I just sat on the carpet - with all the journalist buddies – in true paparazzi style. Closer to the action.) 

So here goes another post with some great Dubai Lynx memories in pictures…

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English copywriter job position in Dubai, UAE for award-winning advertising agency April 16, 2008

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at www.copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 40comments

A hot and creative advertising agency based in Dubai, with a wall full of creative awards and a regional and multinational presence is looking for a full time English copywriter to join them immediately.

You need to have a stunning portfolio of ads across all media, and be an expert in BTL. Long copy should come easy to you. Brochures, leaflets, posters, direct mailers should be your forte.

The agency started out as a creative hot shop around 10 years ago. Swept quite a few coveted awards as it grew, adding PR, events into its portfolio. And very soon, you could be at a good position in its own independent BTL division as its chief copywriter?

Interested?

Rush you CVs to farrukh.copywriter(at)gmail.com and I’ll forward them on to one of the founders of the agency who’s looking to meet the prospective copywriter in Dubai asap.

NOTE: To keep track of new posts and advertising jobs in dubai and uae that I put up on this blog, you can bookmark it, favourite it or scribble www.copywriterjournalist.com on your wall. Best thing to do however is just fill in your emailin the ‘Get email updates FREE!’ box on the left hand side panel and click ‘Subscribe’. You’ll get automated email notifications when I put up a new post. Cool, innit?

Dubai Lynx awards winners and pictures April 4, 2008

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at www.copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , add a comment

Winners of the 2nd Dubai Lynx Awards were announced on 2 April in Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre on 2 April 2008.

The Dubai Lynx Awards ceremony was part of the 1st Dubai International Advertising Festival attended by over 1500 guests from over 17 countries.

A total of 180 Dubai Lynx trophies including Gold, Bronze and Silver were awarded. The competition was stiff this year with 513 ads making it to the shortlist from the 2023 entries submitted.

45 Dubai Lynx winners were declared for the Print category, Outdoor had 40 trophies, Direct winners were 28. Media was a new category introduced this year and it saw 24 winners. TV/Cinema had 20 winners, Interactive winners had 15 and there were only 4 winners in Integrated as well as 4 in Radio, the last two categories starting out with a very low number of entries.

Out of the 17 countries that partcipated in Dubai Lynx, advertising and media agencies in the UAE took home 127 trophies, followed by Qatar with 18 wins – thanks to FP7 Doha dazzling the jury with their work, Lebanon winning 12 trophies and Egypt grabbing 7 Dubai Lynx awards, including 2 Grand Prix. FP7 DOHA, Qatar, won the Print Grand Prix for EA Games BD Group entry called ‘Back Home’.

Leo Burnett Beirut won the Outdoor Grand Prix for Procter & Gamble’s ‘Natural Colours Change’.

Leo Burnett Cairo’s Melody Channel TV campaign won them the TV/Cinema Grand Prix. They had taken home the first Dubai Lynx TV Grand Prix for the same brand last year.

Bates Pangulf Dubai won the Direct Dubai Lynx Grand Prix for Dubai First credit cards ‘We Know Who You Are’ and in the Media category, the Grand Prix Dubai Lynx Award was won by JWT Cairo for Vodafone Egypt’s ‘Truck Stickers’.

No Grand Prix was awarded in the Interactive, Radio and Integrated categories, a weakness that I have earlier talked about in posts on radio and online advertising, and lack of campaignable thinking at times.

JWT Dubai was declared Agency of the Year with FP7 Doha coming in second, and Fortune Promoseven Dubai in third position.

MediaOne’s Abdul Shafeeq and Swapna Varma from the UAE were declared the winners of the 1st Dubai Lynx Young Creatives competition.

Useful links:
1. View Dubai Lynx Awards winners pictures and download winners list in Outdoor

Dubai Lynx Awards winners’ pictures in Outdoor category April 4, 2008

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at www.copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 4comments

Dubai Lynx Awards announced 40 winners in the Outdoor category, which had a large number of entries this year, following just next to the Print category. Here are the pictures of the Gold and Grand Prix winners of Dubai Lynx Awards in Outdoor…

Dubai Lynx Awards 2008 Gold and Grand Prix winners pictures – Outdoor Category

FP7 Doha team with their first Dubai Lynx Gold of the evening, for their Outdoor ad for EA Games

Click on ‘More’ below to see more pictures…

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Steve Harrison shares tips on pitching big advertising ideas to hesitant clients at Dubai Lynx April 1, 2008

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 9comments

On Day 1 of Dubai Lynx Awards and the Dubai International Advertising Festival, I was most interested in listening to the surprise session by Steve Harrison (not on the first released festival schedule but in the recent Dubai Lynx email notifications and updated schedule).

Steve has been described by Campaign magazine as “the greatest direct marketing creative of this generation” and his agency Harrison Troughton Wunderman has won more Cannes Direct Lions than any other agency in the world. Having worked at Wunderman and being passionate about direct marketing, how could I resist listening to someone who’s been the Worldwide Creative Director of Wunderman!

Steve’s presentation was about why clients buy bad work, and what can be done to stop them. Being a senior creative person who has to often present agency work to tough clients, I found Steve’s tips valuable and his interaction, engaging.

According to Steve Harrison, advertising agencies have to understand their clients before they can persuade them to buy great work. “You’ve got to start seeing the world through their eyes.” And one of the first key points to sell great work to clients – don’t sell bad work, don’t even take it to the client if you aren’t happy with it!

Also, before asking client to jump, agencies need to assure them they’ll take the client and his brand to the other side, that they know what they are doing.

“The client will never remember that you were three days late, but will always remember you for a bad campaign that bombed.”
Steve Harrison
Ex-Creative Director Worldwide – Wunderman

He cautioned agencies against producing dishonest work – ads that look like they’ve just been recycled from cliched, old concepts.

Steve’s answers were quick and witty. On being asked how clients that are family businesses should be dealt with, he suggested organising the pitch in their home with a smile. Businessmen may not be savvy about marketing but they know how to make money he said, and therefore, ads that will make them more money are sure to get their attention.

I asked Steve what he would do if the client loves a campaign but wants to change its big idea. Steve suggested doing a split test (like a true DM guy would). As well as presenting a completely new ad. A participant added that showing competitive ads could help. Of course, during his presentation he had already talked about getting the client involved from the briefing stage onwards in which case such a situation is less likely to arise.

The session was interactive with participants adding experiences of their market (a little too elaborately at times), talking about a ‘wine-women-wasta’ strategy, and the women in the audience objecting to the constant references to client’s wives.

As I was leaving, Steve thanked me for attending and said he liked my question and the insights I had shared with him on one of my campaigns. He’s delivering another seminar tomorrow but I might be battling agency deadlines. And making client logos bigger.

UPDATE – 10 April 2008: Samer Marzouq of Jazarah.net, another ad blogger buddy who had come all the way from Jordan, has a Video interview with Steve Harrison at Dubai Lynx in which Steve emphasises that clients must be trained by senior agency management on how to get their money’s worth out of an agency. I highly recommend the video.

Dubai Lynx shortlists, advertising seminars and workshops keep delegates busy on Day 1 April 1, 2008

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , add a comment

The first ever Dubai International Advertising Festival and the 2nd Dubai Lynx Awards started off well on Monday, 31 March 2008.

Two things most looked forward to on this day were the shortlist of Print, Outdoor, Media and Direct categories and the chance to listen to David Droga – the first seminar after the inauguration of the festival by the Crown Prince of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Maktoum Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Chairman of TECOM.

The shortlist announced today had a total of 383 entries – 195 in Print, 109 in Outdoor, 50 in Direct and 29 in Media. The overall standard looked pretty high this time.

The much awaited Droga5 seminar was packed with ad professionals eager to hear what one of the world’s hottest creative directors has to say about creating positive brand momentum. Seminars and workshops included those by Getty, Eardrum, IAA and EMAAR, Text Appeal and Jumeirah, Brandhome and Eurosport.

I met up with many friends in the ad business. Zeid Nasser of Adblog Arabia and MediaMe who’s come all the way from Jordan. Samer Marzouq of the Jazarah blog. Shehzad of Pirana Dubai, who has been on the jury of New York Festivals. Kerry Platts of Wunderman MENA, a wonderful CD to work with when it comes to Direct, who has been on the Cannes jury from UAE.

Amanda Benfell, the event’s PR and Press Manager, has been very helpful all along. The Press Centre is well equipped. The award-winning work showcased from Cannes and Eurobest makes one feel like a little, tiny dot in the creative universe.

If you’re at the Dubai Lynx, why not share your notes and experiences here? I’d be happy to post inputs from attendees on this blog for everyone’s benefit. You could also show me your work if it’s made it!   

Creative BTL advertising visualiser cum designer vacancy in Abu Dhabi March 30, 2008

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 15comments

One of the most creative advertising agency networks in the world is looking for a creative visualiser cum designer for its Abu Dhabi office.

You need to be passionate about BTL stuff. Everything from brochures and leaflets to website design and emailers.

The ideal candidate would be young and hungry to prove that BTL has as much award-winning potential as ATL. Of course, if you’ve already proven your mettle, you’ll sail through the shortlisting with your portfolio.

You’d have the ability to take a brief and deliver to it. On time. On quality.

Of course, you’d be fluent with designer things like Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator – the works.

What you’ll get is a warm and progressive agency atmosphere. Young and driven team mates. Focused and motivating creative direction. And a chance to grow as fast as you can take it.

If your mom and dad don’t allow late nights, or if you look down on BTL – this post is not for you.

But if laying out long copy as well pages, if designing brochures and publications, direct mailers and collaterals is your game, this is the opportunity you could be waiting for. In Abu Dhabi – the city that’s buzzing with activity minus the diversions and jams.

Rush your CV/portfolio to farrukh.copywriter(at)gmail.com and let me know why you think BTL rocks!

The position is full time, based in Abu Dhabi and needs to be filled immediately.

2nd Dubai Lynx Awards entries cross the 2000 mark in 2008 March 29, 2008

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 4comments

The 2nd Dubai Lynx Awards, part of the 1st Dubai International Advertising Festival to be held in Dubai, UAE, have received more than 2000 entries this year.

The awards for creative excellence in the Middle East have grown by around 20% by number of entries. 17 countries in the region are competing for the coveted Dubai Lynx trophies.

Entries for Dubai Lynx Awards 2008 – Break-up by category

As you can see, TV, Print and Radio categories have received almost as many entries as last year. The Outdoor category seems to have exploded this year jumping to almost twice the number of entries. Could this have to do with lots and lots of real estate ads? One hopes these are creative ones because size isn’t everything.

It’s heartening to see the new category ‘Media’ starting off strong with more than a hundred entries this year. Watching interesting media innovations would be interesting.

While Radio continues to reflect the little attention that is paid to it, and the general lack of creativity in the medium in the region, what is a little disappointing in the digital age is to see Interactive entries also trailing far behind press and TV.

The toughest competition is going to be in print as is obvious. Judging from last year’s entries and of course being a practising creative for half a decade here in the UAE, I had a feeling that Interactive and Radio would be easier to compete in, and that feeling was right after all.

The surprisingly low number of Integrated entries as opposed to single press, TV, outdoor entries may be the result of two factors. Some people feel that this region is less priented towards campaign thinking and more towards tactical one-off ads – resulting in some brilliant ads which cannot be strung together in a single campaign.

Also, at the time agencies were applying and submitting entries for Dubai Lynx, many people were finding it hard to understand the process of submitting ads as campaigns. What they were trying to figure out was whether 3-4 ads in a campaign have to be paid in full individually and submitted as ‘Integrated’ or is there another ‘Submit Campaign’ option. I think it was the former. Perhaps the ‘Submit Ads As Campaign’ process needs to be simplified next time.

What do you think is the reason for having more than 800 entries in Print alone and only 27 entries in Integrated? Are creative people in the region making brilliant ads but not brilliant campaigns? Are we too focused on short term creative flashes? Are our clients more concerned here about instant gratification?

Or did we just find it cheaper to submit many single ads than put lots of money on one campaign?

Your comments and insights and disagreements too are welcome in the ‘Comments’ section of this post…

Down memory lane: In the first Dubai Lynx Awards last year, this blog quite possibly had the world’s most extensive coverage with reports, views and pictures of winners. Have a look at these posts to get the feeling of what it’s like:

1. Dubai Lynx Winners (with pictures) Part 4 – Gold Winners in Print and TV/Cinema
2. Dubai Lynx Awards Winners Part 3 (with pictures) – Gold winners in Integrated and Interactive and Direct
3. Dubai Lynx Awards winners Part 2 (with pictures) – Gold Dubai Lynx for Outdoor advertising
4. Dubai Lynx Awards Winners Part 1 (with pictures and download links of Dubai Lynx winners): Global jury selects 111 top ads in the Middle East

Keep It Clear ad for Clear anti-dandruff shampoo March 9, 2008

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , add a comment

Clear anti-dandruff shampoo had a brilliant press ad in OK! Middle East’s 21 February edition (Issue 158).

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Ikon Advertising puts women first with Jill and Jack press ad March 8, 2008

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 2comments

Ikon Advertising published a good press magazine ad ‘Jill and Jack’ on the occasion of Women’s Day on the back page of Khaleej Times weekend.

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Dubai Lynx Academy to sponsor 20 students for Dubai International Advertising Festival March 5, 2008

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 3comments

The Dubai International Advertising Festival is based around the theme ’Learn to Win‘. And in line with that central theme, professionals and students from the advertising industry will have a chance to not just be inspired by award winning ads from the region and around the world, but also by the seminars and workshops that will be conducted by the top ad gurus like David Droga and Piyush Pandey.

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Dubai Lynx announces Advertising Person of the Year Award in Dubai, UAE March 5, 2008

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , add a comment

The 2nd Dubai Lynx Awards Ceremony will honour the Advertising Person of the Year with a trophy at the first Dubai International Advertising Festival on 2 April 2008. This announcement was made at a press conference held by the organisers yesterday in Dubai Media City.

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Dubai Metro could attract billions of advertising money in UAE February 27, 2008

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 4comments

Advertising agencies in the UAE and abroad are gearing up to bid for the opportunity to advertise in the Dubai Metro project, Hamed Al Sewerky of Emirates Business has reported today.

With thousands of commuters expected to travel daily in Dubai Metro, the potential for brands to have a captive audience is immense. Tenders and bids could be up for grabs for advertising not just inside or on the Metro cars but also in the stations and on the pillars.

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Job for senior English copywriter, senior Arabic copywriter and PR professional for UAE January 17, 2008

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 10comments

If you’re a senior English copywriter, senior Arabic copywriter or a senior Arabic PR professional looking for an exciting project in the UAE, here’s an opportunity.

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Dubai Lynx Awards juries announced. First Dubai Advertising Festival on its way… January 13, 2008

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , add a comment

Dubai Lynx Awards are back with a bang, this time with the first ever Dubai Advertising Festival.

Jury members of the 2nd Dubai Lynx Awards honouring advertising creative excellence across the Middle East and North Africa have been announced by the Cannes Lions, the organisers of the landmark event.

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Eid greetings from the advertising, marketing and creativity blog in UAE December 20, 2007

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 1 comment so far

Wishing all the readers of the Advertising, Marketing and Creativity in the UAE blog a very happy Eid.

Prayers and best wishes for a successful year ahead…

Copy/photograph: Farrukh Naeem (Copywriter in UAE)

Freelance journalist and business writer job vacancy in Oman November 27, 2007

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 8comments

For any freelance writer in Oman, I’d like to share a good opportunity. One of the leading business publications in the Gulf region is looking for a freelance correspondent in Oman. Here’s what they are looking for:  

Experience working for a business title necessary

Marketing experience preferred

Ability to meet tight deadlines

Experience and knowledge of the Oman market essential

Contacts across sectors very desirable

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Advertisers going viral. Is YouTube’s gain TV advertising’s loss? November 27, 2007

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 2comments

It’s every creative’s dream to engage the consumer on more than one level. And TV used to be THE medium to talk, sing, dance and flirt with the consumer better than print or radio.

But it always costs a bomb for a brand to get a few seconds on TV.

YouTube has changed that.

Audio-visual advertising isn’t about TRP’s anymore.

It’s also about pageviews and ‘favourites’ and bookmarks and links on blogs.

Most importantly, sending out your audio-visual messaging is virtually free now. And to top that, if you do it right, your YouTube video can assume viral status and be passed on via emails and blogs. Even be spotted on Facebook walls.

There’s a downside though. For now. Not everyone has the internet. Not everyone has broadband. But that’s changing like hell.

Have you been making a lot of viral videos for your clients too? Have you watched a viral which you really think works for the brand? Does viral work? How does it affect you as a copywriter? Or art director?

Comments are open…

Biggest ad poster in the world revealed by Sorouh in Dubai, UAE. And how you can put your face on it… October 23, 2007

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 26comments

Abu Dhabi based real estate brand Sorouh unveiled the world’s biggest poster in Dubai yesterday at a press conference held at Hyatt Regency Hotel from where one can get a glimpse of the record-breaking site on the ground.

 
The poster covers 20,000 square metres!

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Business writer / reporter wanted for Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) October 4, 2007

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 8comments

If you’re a freelance writer, reporter or journalist willing to take up an assignment in Saudi Arabia, this post is for you.

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Anti-smoking ad released on 9/11 in UAE – thought-provoking idea, copywriting and art direction September 16, 2007

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 23comments

Anti-smoking ads are never in short supply, but this one published in Khaleej Times on 9/11 this year really made an impact on me. I think it’s a thought-provoking idea, backed by great compelling copy that makes one think and an image that sends a shiver down one’s spine.

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Plagiarism in advertising: Copywriting legend Indra Sinha from the UK shares his views June 11, 2007

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 18comments

The discussion on plagiarism and copy-paste creativity in advertising continues with this post. Looks like my earlier post has struck a chord, with the kind of response I have received. Everyone has, at least once in their life, had their idea stolen, borrowed, killed only to be resurrected again with someone else’s name on it.

An interesting, almost ironic, thing happened right after I posted my content online. Zeid Nasser of MediaMe.com, a friend and fellow ad blogger in the region, re-posted my post, almost in its entirety, on his home page with a link back to my blog. (Thanks, Zeid.) The post has been titled ‘Plagiarism in the Middle East on the rise‘ which I have asked Zeid to reconsider since my post is about the ad industry not the Middle East. Interesting how far one post can go on the net, isn’t it?

I was also asked by a member of the Arabic media to comment on this issue. Good to know the interest generated by this theme. As I had written, plagiarism is a relevant issue that needs to be talked about. The post might have made some creative directors uncomfortable. Cool.

The most amazing part has been the mail sent in by Indra Sinha. He is a copywriting legend who needs no introduction. His work for Amnesty International and Metropolitan Police will have any ad lover mesmerised. I would even go so far as to say that Indra is what young copywriters may want to be when they grow up. And this is what Indra wrote to me that I would like to share with you:

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Plagiarism and copy-paste creativity in advertising – copywriter in Dubai, UAE, continues the discussion on ethics in advertising June 9, 2007

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 36comments

We the creative people in advertising – the creative directors, copywriters, art directors, graphic designers – take great pride in producing original ideas. At least that’s what we claim.

Then we see from amongst us, creatives being caught for copying not just a treatment or idea but entire sentences, phrases, tag lines, layouts with the fonts and visuals. I have even received emails from you, dear readers, alerting me to plagiarised ads. (An ad-blogging friend had sent me a copy of an ad he felt was a rip-off which he couldn’t put on his blog because they were also working for that client.)

The lack of self respect when one simply lifts someone else’s concept and execution is one of the reasons why we the advertising people have earned ourselves the notoriety of being in one of the least respected professions in the world. We have brought this upon us. (That email forward about “Don’t tell my mom I work in advertising…” comes to mind.) 

Some of us just can’t help lifting stuff from advertising awards books. I have seen it happening so much, it has almost become an industry norm. Sad.

I remember one creative who kept the awards book he copied from, safely tucked in his drawer. So that no one will ever know where his ‘inspiration’ came from. His best idea was traced back to that book in his drawer.

Perhaps it’s the pressure of winning awards. Perhaps it’s the lack of confidence in some people about creating something world class with their own mind. It’s not what one would expect from an industry like ours, bursting at the seams with highly talented people. We have some of the brightest minds in business in the ad agency cubicles, halls, water cooler areas.  

Call me a dreamer, but I am sure many of us in advertising believe that we don’t have to copy things from awards books and other people’s portfolios and websites. Yes, ideas are everywhere. But taking someone’s layout and copy? 

And people who get into the habit of copy-paste don’t just stop at ad layouts. I recently came across a profile of an ad man that reads just like mine with exact phrases from my profile, on the same online network, in my own city!

I am reproducing a few of the many, many ’coincidences’ I found below in this person’s profile:

My network profile: (Wants) partnerships for projects across the globe
Copy-paste profile: (Wants) Partnerships for projects across the globe

My network profile: campaigns for TV, radio, press, magazines, outdoor, direct marketing and the internet
Copy-paste profile: campaigns for TV, radio, press, magazines, outdoor, direct marketing and the internet

My network profile: worked on some of the hottest brands in the world
Copy-paste profile: worked for some of the hottest brands and companies in the world

I could have provided you a link to our friend’s profile – but then this post isn’t about any particular person. However, if you want to hire a ‘global creative director’ who’s good at copying and pasting things, email me and I might just give you the link.

Anyway, this post is about an unethical and unflattering practice that I feel does disservice to our advertising profession. It’s about two buttons on our keyboard – ‘Ctrl’ and ‘C’. Let’s not use them too much.

In the coming days, I plan to have a few more posts on copy-paste creativity in the world of advertising because discussion on this is relevant and needed, specially in the time of the internet which makes plagiarism easy to do. But then, it has also become easier to track. Thank you, Google.

Take the case of this blog as an example – I caught someone copying content from my blog, from as far as Russia, and pasting it as his own writing. Such a content-scraper can be easily banned from their web host on charges of copyright violation and breach of TOS. (Quoting from this blog, as this blog’s copyright notice says, is fine as long as the quote is attributed and linked back to my blog as the source.)  I believe in open source and information sharing but am strongly against plagiarism and credit-stealing.

What is your verdict, dear readers?

When does inspiration or benchmarking become plagiarism?

Have you met friends in the profession who feel it’s cool to copy as long as one doesn’t get caught?

Have your ideas and ads been lifted by other creatives who don’t have what it takes but are faking it?

If you are a brand manager or marketer, would you hire a self-professed ‘global creative director‘ who’s been caught stealing ideas from others and passing them as his own?

Comments are open… I don’t fancy anonymous ones though.

Creativity and advertising in the UAE – The important role young creatives play May 25, 2007

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 4comments

Keeping you posted on the latest advertising, marketing and creativity trends in the UAE and worldwide, I’d like to recommend today’s Gulf News Friday article by the senior journalist Shiva Kumar Thekkepat.

The report is in the light of the recently concluded Cannes Lions Young Creatives 2007 competition, which pits the wits of young agency creatives under 28 years for a chance to represent their agency and country at the global level.

The global Gold winners will enjoy a full delegate registration to Cannes Lions 2008, including hotel accommodation courtesy of the Festival, and many other goodies, like an Apple iPod!

The winning work is made available to a real client, usually a non-profit/charity organisation.

In the Gulf News article, Shiva talks to Sheetal Rajan and Bilal Kerbaj of Arabian Gulf Advertising (AGA) Dubai who won Gold and Keshav Naidu and Umran Shaikh of Team Y&R, Dubai who won Silver.

And a little surprise – you’d see your favourite ad blogger in the feature too. I shared views on the importance of encouraging young talent. And the days when agencies here in the UAE insisted on only talking to people with ‘minimum 10 years of experience’. And what global creative bigwigs who were here during Dubai Lynx said about our standards of creativity.

Also, why I respect creative people in the Middle East because I believe we try harder (think the legendary ‘We Try Harder‘ campaign). Like when we get a brief to promote skin care without showing any skin. And sell lingerie but stay clear of any product shot. Well, you get the picture

Farrukh Naeem, copywriter and journalist, talks to Shiva Kumar Thekkepat of Gulf News on advertising and creativity in the UAETechnorati Tags:
Farrukh Naeem, Copywriter Dubai, Copywriter UAE, Media in UAE, Team Y&R, AGA, Young Creatives, Shiva Kumar Thekkepat, Keshav Naidu, Advertising Blogger, Arabian Gulf Advertising, Bilal Kerbaj, Cannes Lions 2008, Sheetal Rajan, International Advertising Association (IAA), Dubai Lynx, Copywriting, Friday, Dubai, Creativity, Apple iPod, Journalism, Life In The UAE, Gulf News, Advertising in the UAE, Middle East Advertising, Creative Awards, Advertising Awards, Advertising in Dubai, uae advertising, Marketing
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Apple Macintosh’s legendary ‘Think Different’ campaign by TBWA Chiat/Day: A dream ad for any creative copywriter May 25, 2007

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 12comments

For me as an advertising copywriter in Dubai, UAE, it’s good to benchmark with ads that have made a global impact. What is the stuff that memorable ads are made of?

One campaign that remains etched in my memory and gives me the I-wish-I’d-done-that feeling is Apple Macintosh’s ‘Think Different‘.

The personalities that the campaign featured were the ‘crazy ones’, who zigged when others zagged. The campaign theme ‘Think Different’ itself is a rule-breaker, as my fellow copywriters will notice. Here’s what the script of Apple’s legendary ad spot said…

Here’s to the crazy ones.

The misfits.

The rebels.

The troublemakers.

The round pegs in the square holes.

The ones who see things differently.

They’re not fond of rules.

And they have no respect for the status quo.

You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them.

About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them.
Because they change things.

They push the human race forward.And while some see them as the crazy ones,
  we see genius.

Because the people who are crazy enough to think
that they can change the world… are the ones who do.

The ‘Think Different’ campaign featured many people whose lives and thoughts I find inspiring – Mahatma Gandhi, Albert Einstein, John Lennon, Bob Dylan, Mohammed Ali and Richard Branson whose autobiography I am reading these days.

This is what I am talking about:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KreJkItCk4E] 

Some of the people from TBWA\Chiat\Day who made this award-winning ad campaign happen – Lee Clow, Chief Creative Officer, Jennifer Golub, Executive Producer, Jessica Schulman, Art Director - share their experience in ‘The Making of Think Different’ on YouTube.

Which one is your favourite legendary ad? An ad made you wish you were in advertising when you were a kid? Let me know and maybe we could share it here on this blog…

Your comments are welcome and appreciated – click here to -> ’add your comment‘.

Useful Links:
1. Electric Escape reproduces an article by Stuart Elliott of the New York Times with an interview of TBWA Chiat/Day’s Lee Clow, Jessica Schulman, Jennifer Golub and Dan Bootzin
2. Detailed info by canadian-helper-ga on Google Answers about the background, credits and awards won by the ‘Think Different’ campaign
3. Wikipedia entry for the ‘Think Different’ campaign (yeah, it’s that legendary!)

Technorati Tags:
Farrukh Naeem, Creative Awards, Advertising Awards, TBWA\Chiat\Day, Apple Advertising, Jessica Schulman, Jennifer Golub, Jennifer Glub, Lee Clow, Mohammed Ali, Richard Branson, Copywriting, Creativity, Apple Macintosh, John Lennon, Think Different, Albert Einstein, TBWA, Gandhi, Bob Dylan, Marketing, Freelance Copywriter, Copywriter in Dubai, Copywriter in Abu Dhabi, Copywriter in UAE, Advertising in the Middle East, Advertising Blogger
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Xing and Maktoob Business networking event in UAE: The Dubai copywriter gets invited May 19, 2007

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 17comments

The networking site Xing and Maktoob Business organised ‘The Networking Hotspot’ on 16 May at Munchi Thai Restaurant at the Habtoor Grand Resort & Spa Hotel in Dubai. I was invited to experience some live networking by my friend Nelly Liebrecht, who is a prolific networker, marketing professional and Xing’s regional manager in Dubai.

Here are a few pictures from the event… and if you are a Xing member visiting for the first time to check these pictures out, welcome to the blog. I look forward to your continued interest. On to the photos now…

I crossed the poolside to get to the venue to be greeted by Xing and Maktoob Business banners. The pool in the summer evening was tempting. If only I had come in my shorts (sigh). (more…)

The sun sets on Emirates Evening Post: Another UAE publication bites the dust April 23, 2007

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 6comments

Emirates Evening Post was missing in action yesterday and it was sad to read about it in today’s Khaleej Times. Ben Flanagan’s report on ArabianBusiness.com notes that it is the end for the publication because of licensing issues. A three-month grace period had been granted to the paper in February by the UAE National Media Council (NMC), the report says.

The UAE’s only English newspaper that brought us fresh news in the evening - before the morning newspapers woke up - will take with it some fond memories. I had a chance to meet (and be interviewed by) some of its wonderful reporters over the years – Bobin James whose pictures of live concerts I absolutely loved, Veena Kuruvilla who I crossed paths with on her humanitarian beat, Kamakshi Matai and most recently, Vinod Kumar.

(more…)

Grey Worldwide Dubai’s ‘Broken Lego’ ad advertising karate for kids March 29, 2007

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 34comments

Here’s a print ad that recently won a Dubai Lynx Gold Winner in Print….

It’s for Seibukan‘s karate classes for children and done by Grey Worldwide in Dubai.

What’s good about it that even a child can understand it, in any part of the world. I’m curious to know if there is a series. What would you say another ad in this series would show? A stack of little books could be interesting.

Creative Ad Winners from Middle East and North Africa: Dubai Lynx Winners – Grand Prix in Print and Outdoor March 23, 2007

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 17comments

What better way to showcase creative excellence in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region than by posting its highest awarded ads? You’d be happy to know that Marketing, Advertising and Creativity in the UAE has become the most updated and comprehensive blog in the world on Dubai Lynx Awards, with pictures, reports, analysis, and starting with this post… the winning ads. I was invited to cover the Dubai Lynx Awards 2007 in Dubai and have been doing so for the past few days, with one of my pictures being selected for the official Dubai Lynx showcase in their online gallery.

If you’ve just returned from a space flight, Dubai Lynx is the region’s inaugural advertising awards function presented by the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival in association with the United Arab Emirates Chapter of the International Advertising Association (IAA) and supported by Dubai Media City (DMC). Let’s start with the Grand Prix Winners of Dubai Lynx in Print, Outdoor, Direct and Interactive categories.

Grand Prix Print

Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi Dubai
Title: Undo
Advertiser: P&G
Product: Olay
Country: United Arab Emirates

This print ad by Saatchi & Saatchi Dubai uses the product shots as keys ‘Ctrl‘ and ‘Z‘ which are together used to ‘Undo’ changes on a computer - the product promise is ‘wrinkle smoothing’. What I found most beautiful about this ad is that its headline, bodycopy, logo are in one single element – the product package. One of my all time favourite press ads is one that had won a Gold Pencil at One Show some time back – for Oil of Olay with a similar anti-ageing proposition. The stark white page had just two words on it – “Tock Tick“. Brilliant because it used a metaphor (turning back the clock) a man, woman, child of every age and demographic is familiar with.

Grand Prix Outdoor

Agency: JWT Cairo
Title: Lipton Tree
Advertiser: Lipton
Product: Lipton Green Tea
Country: Egypt

For the people who say outdoor advertising clutters the cityscape – what about this one, then? This outdoor out-of-the-box or should we say out-of-the-tea-cup idea beautifies it. And for tea enthusiasts like me, outdoor reminders like this when I look out my window might just trigger some impulsive strolls to the nearest kettle. Fresh and invigorating idea, like the product is supposed to be. Simply brilliant.

(Business idea for outdoor media sharks: Buy out the trees in your city, better still – plant some)

In the next post, I share with you the Radio and TV Grand Prix winners of Dubai Lynx… bookmark http://www.copywriterjournalist.com in your favourites, NOW!

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Check out related posts on this topic:
1. Dubai Lynx Winners (with pictures) Part 4 – Gold Winners in Print and TV/Cinema
2. Dubai Lynx Awards Winners Part 3 (with pictures) – Gold winners in Integrated, Interactive and Direct
3. Dubai Lynx Awards winners Part 2 (with pictures) – Gold Dubai Lynx for Outdoor advertising
4. Dubai Lynx Awards Winners Part 1 (with pictures and download links of Dubai Lynx winners): Global jury selects 111 top ads in the Middle East
5. More about the author of these posts: Farrukh Naeem – copywriter, journalist and advertising blogger in Dubai, UAE 

If you’re an editor looking for pictures and reports of Dubai Lynx 2007, or coverage of the advertising and marketing scene in the UAE and the Middle East, I could help. Feel free to mail me at farrukh.copywriter(at)gmail.com to discuss the possibilities.
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Which is the most creative country in the Middle East and North Africa? Dubai Lynx Awards country-wise analysis March 23, 2007

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 5comments

Dubai Lynx Winners, when arranged countrywise, give some kind of indication on the relative creative output country by country. For people like me who are fascinated by tables, analysis and data (although I am a creative guy – not a ‘suit’), this post should be a welcome break from all the goody-goody pictures I have been posting so far.

Dubai Lynx Winners By Country

UAE shows a very strong lead on all counts. But then, compared to its neighbours, Dubai and the UAE have been successful in attracting the world’s leading advertising networks as well as top talent from all over the world. In many other countries participating in the awards, the creative demographic is somewhat different, with the work done more by locals, for locals whereas in the UAE, work is done by a cross-cultural teams for its mutlinational residential mix.

(more…)

Dubai Lynx online: Who’s blogging the Dubai Lynx Awards? March 23, 2007

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , add a comment

Dubai Lynx Award 2007 is being blogged and written about around the world right now – in so many languages that one can’t even understand some of it

If you’ve been following the coverage online, you already know that my blog is currently the only one in the world offering an attendees view with insights, commentary and pictures of all the Dubai Lynx Grand Prix and Gold winners. In fact, the official Dubai Lynx website has also chosen one of my photos for its official Dubai Lynx Gallery. They’ve got great pictures, including ones of the judging process - do visit it.

Want to visit fellow bloggers writing and blogging about Dubai Lynx? Here are all the ones I cam across…

(more…)

Print and TV/Cinema Gold Winners of Dubai Lynx – with pictures March 23, 2007

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 3comments

World exclusive winners’ pictures of Dubai Lynx Awards on the stage – the last intallment. Coming up after this, you get to see what my blog readers are eagerly awaiting around the world – the WINNING ADS!

Dubai Lynx Winners – Gold in Print

Saatchi & Saatchi Dubai for ‘Cars’ ad of Bel La Vache Qui Rit Cheese

(more…)

Creative Ideas in Integrated, Interactive and Direct Bring Trophies To Gold Dubai Lynx Winners (Pictures) March 21, 2007

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 2comments

Presenting the Dubai Lynx Awards Gold winners in the Integrated, Interactive, and Direct categories. Not presenting the Dubai Lynx Gold Winners in the Radio category. Why? Scroll on to find out…

Dubai Lynx Awards – Integrated
Integrated is one category in which the jury did not find a single entry worthy of winning a Dubai Lynx Grand Prix award – the best we have in Integrated is the Gold winner. What’s sad is that to be judged for creative excellence in Integrated advertising, the entire Middle East North Africa (MENA) region could come up with only 22 entries out of a total of 1,679 submitted in all categories.

Makes one think – are we all looking for quick-fixes and short bursts of creative brilliance in the region rather than communication ideas that build integrated campaigns with ‘legs’ and keep running long after we are forgotten? Or is agency specialisation the culprit here? Feel free to agree or disagree in the comment section of this post.

Brandcom Middle East UAE team won a Gold Dubai Lynx for the cheeky Axe Deodorant’s Integrated campaign.

(more…)

Global Advertising Jury Spellbound By World-class Creativity at Dubai Lynx Awards March 21, 2007

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , add a comment

Dubai Lynx Awards winners‘ posts continue on this blog. Exclusive pictures and reports by Farrukh Naeem will fill you in on all that happened.

The Dubai Lynx awards ceremony had started with messages from the organisers, and the Jury Presidents.   

Jonathan Harries, the Worldwide Chief Creative Officer of DraftFCB Group, USA, and the Jury President of the TV/Cinema, Print, Outdoor and Radio categories of Dubai Lynx Awards: “What if we had an awards show where we took all the good things from other awards shows, and none of the bad? The good news, as I see it, is we can. This is the inaugural.” Yes, he was referring to the Dubai Lynx Awards.

Fred Koblinger, Chief Executive Officer of PKP Proximity and BBDO Holdings, Austria and Jury President of the Direct and Interactive categories of Dubai Lynx Awards expressed his feelings thus: “I am honoured to lead a jury of international experts to discover state-of-the-art work and celebrate the winners of what is, without a doubt, the most valuable creative award in this part of the world.”

It was announced that keeping in mind the time factor, while all winners will be announced, only the winners of Gold Dubai Lynx Awards will be called on stage. Here are the Gold Dubai Lynx winners in the Outdoor categories. 

(more…)

Dubai Lynx Awards Winners (with pictures): Global jury selects 111 top ads in the Middle East – Part 1 March 20, 2007

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 9comments

UPDATE: Dubai Lynx 2008 coverage and pictures from the event on www.copywriterjournalist.com:

1. 2nd Dubai Lynx Awards entries cross the 2000 mark in 2008
2. Dubai Lynx shortlists, advertising seminars and workshops keep delegates busy on Day 1
3. Steve Harrison shares tips on pitching big advertising ideas to hesitant clients at Dubai Lynx
4. Dubai Lynx awards winners and pictures
5. Dubai Lynx Awards winners’ pictures in Outdoor category

DOWN MEMORY LANE – PICTURES AND COVERAGE FROM DUBAI LYNX 2007

Dubai Lynx announced the winners of the Dubai Lynx Awards 2007 for awarding creative excellence in the Middle East and North Africa on 19 March at Dubai Media City Amphitheatre. A shortlist of 388 ads had been announced earlier from the 1,679 entries submitted. The Dubai Lynx jury comprising creative professionals from leading advertising agencies around the world awarded a total of 111 Dubai Lynx trophies.

In the Print category, 39 winners were announced, Direct had 22, Outdoor had 17, TV/Cinema had 14, Interactive had 12, Radio had four winners and the Integrated category had three winners. All categories had Grand Prix winners except the Integrated one.

As I had indicated in my earlier post on Dubai Lynx shortlist of winners, UAE led the show with 88 awards. Next in line were our friends from Egypt, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia each winning seven trophies and with Bahrain taking home two awards.

Above: The Dubai Lynx Awards ceremony was attended by over 1,200 professionals from the advertising and marketing world.

(more…)

Dubai Lynx Shortlist Announced: UAE leads the Middle East and North Africa in creativity March 18, 2007

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , add a comment

UPDATE: Dubai Lynx 2008 coverage and pictures from the event on www.copywriterjournalist.com:

1. 2nd Dubai Lynx Awards entries cross the 2000 mark in 2008
2. Dubai Lynx shortlists, advertising seminars and workshops keep delegates busy on Day 1
3. Steve Harrison shares tips on pitching big advertising ideas to hesitant clients at Dubai Lynx
4. Dubai Lynx awards winners and pictures
5. Dubai Lynx Awards winners’ pictures in Outdoor category

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DOWN MEMORY LANE: Read Dubai Lynx 2007 coverage and see pictures from the event:
1. Dubai Lynx Winners (with pictures) Part 4 – Gold Winners in Print and TV/Cinema
2. Dubai Lynx Awards Winners Part 3 (with pictures) – Gold winners in Integrated, Interactive and Direct
3. Dubai Lynx Awards winners Part 2 (with pictures) – Gold Dubai Lynx for Outdoor advertising
4. Dubai Lynx Awards Winners Part 1 (with pictures and download links of Dubai Lynx winners): Global jury selects 111 top ads in the Middle East
5. More about the author of these posts: Farrukh Naeem – copywriter, journalist and advertising blogger in Dubai, UAE

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The Dubai Lynx shortlist of creative advertising from across the Middle East and North Africa has been announced. Advertising agencies in the UAE are leading the region in creativity in all categories – TV/Cinema, Print, Outdoor, Radio. Team Y&R, Fortune Promoseven, JWT, Saatchi & Saatchi and Lowe MENA are names that repeat often in these categories.

In the Direct category, UAE entries are on the top with Wunderman (my favourite UAE agency) clearly dominating the shortlist. In the Interactive category again, UAE agencies are ahead with ARC Dubai and Impact Proximity in a tie for most entries shortlisted.

The Integrated category shorlist has Impact/BBDO, Saatchi & Saatchi Dubai, Team Y&R and Brandcom Middle East from the UAE and and JWT and H&C Leo Burnett from Lebanon.

You can download the shortlist from the official Dubai Lynx website:

* Download TV/Cinema, Print, Outdoor and Radio Dubai Lynx shortlist
* Download Direct, Interactive and Integrated Dubai Lynx shortlist

The final winners of Dubai Lynx 2007 will be announced at the Dubai Lynx Awards gala dinner and ceremony on Monday 19 March in Dubai Media City Amphitheatre at approximately 11:00 pm UAE time (2300 hrs GMT). I plan to attend and blog about the event (thanks to highly efficient PR and Press team of the event, in particular – Amanda Benfell and Camilla Cole).

If you’re an editor interested in a feature on Dubai Lynx 2007 but unable to make it to the event or send over a correspondent, email me at farrukh.copywriter(at)gmail.com. I’d also be happy to meet up with this blog’s readers at the event – my picture is on Farrukh Naeem’s Bio page on this blog. You’d most likely find me picking up wisdom from the hot creative gurus at the show.

Dubai Lynx 2007 – Useful links for you:
1. The official Dubai Lynx 2007 website
2. The Middle East Gets Its Own Advertising Awards: Enter the Dubai Lynx
3. Dubai Lynx 2007: World’s top advertising creatives to gather in Dubai, UAE (List of the jury members)
4. Dubai Lynx 2007: Profiles and pictures of president and jury members of TV/Cinema, Print, Outdoor, and Radio categories (useful for my journalists friends hoping to get interviews and face time)
5. Dubai Lynx 2007: Profiles and pictures of president and jury members of Direct & Interactive categories
6. Book your table/seat at the Dubai Lynx 2007 Awards Ceremony and Dinner on Monday 19 March in Dubai Media City
7. Subscribe to the Dubai Lynx 2007 newsletter for email updates on winners

Dubai Lynx Advertising Awards: Shortlist winners awaited from 1,679 entries March 16, 2007

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , add a comment

=======================================================================

UPDATE – Check out the LATEST posts on this topic:
1. Dubai Lynx Winners (with pictures) Part 4 – Gold Winners in Print and TV/Cinema
2. Dubai Lynx Awards Winners Part 3 (with pictures) – Gold winners in Integrated, Interactive and Direct
3. Dubai Lynx Awards winners Part 2 (with pictures) – Gold Dubai Lynx for Outdoor advertising
4. Dubai Lynx Awards Winners Part 1 (with pictures and download links of Dubai Lynx winners): Global jury selects 111 top ads in the Middle East
5. More about the author of these posts: Farrukh Naeem – copywriter, journalist and advertising blogger in Dubai, UAE

If you’re an editor looking for pictures and reports on Dubai Lynx 2007, or coverage of the advertising and marketing scene in the UAE and the Middle East, I could help. Feel free to mail me at farrukh.copywriter(at)gmail.com to discuss the possibilities.

=======================================================================

Dubai Lynx Awards 2007 shorlisted entries will be announced tomorrow 17 March at approximately 9:00 pm UAE time (1700 hrs GMT). Top creative advertising professionals from advertising agencies around the world are going through 1,679 entries that have poured in from 15 countries in the region to pick the ones that make it to the shortlist.

 

The Dubai Lynx 2007 judging process
The judging process is an interesting one – the same used at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival. Judges cast their vote using an iPAQ via a wireless network. Any vote given by a judge for his or her agency in their own country or state is automatically discarded by the system.

As you have read in my previous posts, the inaugural Dubai Lynx Awards recognise creative excellence in the Middle East and North Africa region and are being organised and presented by the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival, in association with the United Arab Emirates Chapter of the International Advertising Association (IAA) and with the support of Dubai Media City.

Technorati Tags: Dubai Lynx, Creativity, Marketing, IAA, Advertising in the UAE, Dubai Media City

Advertising sales job in Dubai, UAE at an internet advertising firm. Interested? March 11, 2007

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 3comments

Advertising Sales job in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, is up for grabs at an internet advertising and market intelligence firm that provides businesses access to the largest network of online publishers in the Middle East.

The firm is looking for people who:
* Have previous sales experience in advertising
* Bring in new clients and sales to drive revenue growth
* Maintain the existing clients and convert incoming leads

The Director tells me that the advertising sales person will be given a 10% bonus on all profits generated, in addition to a host of other benefits. Arabic language skills will be an advantage.

Do note that this is a purely sales and business development role and the managing of campaigns (post sales) will be handled by an existing internal team.

To apply to this position in advertising sales, readers can post their CVs to 
farrukh.copywriter[at]gmail.com

Advertising account manager from the UK on why he loves us creative people so much March 7, 2007

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 2comments

Creative people in advertising agencies usually share a love-hate relationship with their client servicing counterparts, also called account executives or simply ‘suits’. I had blogged about this in my post titled ‘Advertising account executives I fall in love with‘ (yeah, if people can love chihuahuas… suits are people too).

Mark Hutchinson, a senior account manager from the UK with accounts like Procter and Gamble in his CV, has responded after reading that post, on behalf of the suits of the world. I thought it’d be interesting to post his perspective.

If you are a creative reading this, I’d love to know what you feel about the relationship we have with the suits and whether you agree with Mark (he’s mostly written the good stuff, anyway). If you are a suit reading this, now you know I don’t really hate the suits, specially now after reading that part about ‘grating’ of the soul (see below).

If you are an account director reading this, and wondering how this suit looks in a suit, let me know in the comments section. (Mark’s got a ‘special’ someone in Dubai… he he.) Over to our guest, Mark:

In my experience, most of the time creatives and suits simply just don’t like each other.

A lot of suits simply don’t appreciate or value what creatives do and I’ve seen some of them even trying to design the work themselves, giving them a 5-year-old’s sketch version of what they want to see, not what the brief necessarily dictates.

Who are we to tell you guys what to write or design? I’m not a creative, what the hell would I know?

All I know is that I know good creative when I see it and there is nothing that makes me more enthusiastic, or more desperate to sell this idea to the client.

There is a flip side though, in that there are creatives who don’t respect what the suits have to do or who they have to deal with. It is often a pride swallowing role that often grates against the soul, no matter how high (or low) your personal levels of integrity are. Sometimes it’s forgotten that we are all on the same side. Thankfully I haven’t come across many of those in my career so far and those that I have, have often had more wrong with them than just getting on with people.

I have always had a great relationship with the creatives I work with, simply because I respect what they do and respect their views, even when they differ with mine. You guys are the ones that win the awards, not us.

Looking at the list of qualities, I’d consider all those points essential to a good account exec and certainly like to believe that I posses most of them.

As told to Farrukh Naeem by Mark Hutchinson

Technorati Tags:
Advertising, Client Servicing, Advertising Account Executive, Creativity, Creative, Copywriter, Art Director, Advertising in the UAE, Advertising in Dubai, Advertising in the UK, Mark Hutchinson, Creatives Vs. Suits

Technorati Tags:
Advertising, Client Servicing, Advertising Account Executive, Creativity, Creative, Copywriter, Art Director, Advertising in the UAE, Advertising in Dubai, Advertising in the UK, Mark Hutchinson, Creatives Vs. Suits
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Jobs for advertising professionals at YouTube – the third top brand in the world February 28, 2007

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 1 comment so far

YouTube, the video-sharing site named by TIME magazine as ‘Invention of the Year‘ for 2006 and ranked by brandchannel.com as third in the world’s top brands, is looking for advertising professionals.

With a recruitment ad like the one below, it’s hard not to get interested.

The vacancies currently open at YouTube include those for content editor, product manager, senior account executive, senior flash developer, etc. So, if you would like to work for one of the world’s fastest rising brands, look for more info here:

http://www.pcrecruiter.net/pcrbin/regmenu.exe?uid=youtube.youtube 

Though these jobs are not based in the UAE or the Arabian Gulf, this post is for people who admire successful brands, and of course, watch YouTube when no one’s watching (much to the annoyance of their IT manager who’s forever whining about the bandwidth slowdown on the office network).

Are you good at pulling rabbits out of the hat?

Technorati Tags: YouTube Jobs in Advertising, Advertising, Marketing, Creativity, Content Editor, Product Manager, Account Executive, Recruitment Ad

Campaign ME (Middle East) magazine could be back soon (we hope…) February 19, 2007

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 11comments

Campaign ME’s sudden disappearance, offline and online, and the cancellation of the Campaign Middle East Awards took the advertising and marketing fraternity in the UAE and Middle East by surprise as you must have read in my earlier post.

(In the picture: The last (hoping not) Campaign ME issue we received, dated 4th February 2007.)

My creative counterparts – copywriters, art directors – are in mourning because they loved to see their work featured in the pages of Campaign – they are sighing and saying things like: “At least tell us who won in the Campaign Awards.”

Samer Marzouq of Ad Blog Arabia shared our concerns over the fate of Campaign ME. 

More news is trickling in now and it’s these times when one misses the weekly publication more because any useful scoop on advertising would have been found in the pages of Campaign.

Roy Greenslade’s blog at Guardian Unlimited gives us a ray of hope that Campaign ME magazine may be coming back soon when it finds a new publisher.

Brand Republic’s report on 9 February had quoted Tim Bulley, Haymarket licensing director, referring to ITP - the publishers of Campaign in the Middle East under Haymarket’s licence, as saying: “We are willing to work with them to resolve the situation.”

On the other hand, grist from the blogging mill tells a different story.

Dubai Media Observer, the media critique blog that had also gone missing some time back, has come back with anonymous contributors. They have already said farewell to Campaign ME, because they believe that Haymarket is now in talks with Motivate - the other publishing giant in town.

Martin Diessner of Flip Media had mentioned something similar in the comments section of my earlier post. Dinesh Lalvani posted about it on the Flip Blog.

But Scott MacMillan, in his feature in Communicate, pointed out that Simon O’Herlihy, general manager of business development at Motivate, denied that they are taking over Campaign ME.  Scott’s also broken the news that the former editor of Campaign Middle East, Tim Addington, is leaving the Gulf to join Tim Burrowes at Reed Business Information in Sydney.

So I guess if we do have Campaign ME making a comeback, things will be different now.

Till then, we have Communicate published by Medialeader to bring us advertising and marketing news and AdVocate produced by Motivate for the International Advertising Association (IAA) UAE Chapter. 

Latest information on this can be posted in the comments section or sent emailed to me at farrukh_copywriter@yahoo.com

Technorati Tags:
Advertising, Creativity, Advertising in UAE, Advertising Publications, Haymarket, Campaign ME, Campaign Middle East, Campaign Middle East Awards, ITP, Motivate

Web copywriter job in Dubai, UAE February 10, 2007

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 5comments

Creative advertising copywriters looking for a job in Dubai or UAE – here’s an interesting Web Copywriter vacancy in the Dubai office of a web company ranked #1 Internet Services Business in the world by Entrepreneur magazine.

Here’s what they have told me they are looking for:

Web Copywriter job profile
The Web Copywriter would responsible for the editorial development of Search Engine Marketing campaigns. This includes writing keyword rich and marketable titles, descriptions, Web content, articles, and news releases.

Web Copywriter skills needed
Candidates must have a strong interest in search engine marketing, enjoy internet research and demonstrate solid writing skills. A basic knowledge of HTML is preferable. Also, strong learning skills are a must, as the company will be providing a full learning program covering writing for the web in general, and for search engine marketing in specific. As this is an entry level position, they do not require long experience record. Fresh graduates are welcome to apply. Main language is English, but being bilingual (+Arabic) would get you extra points.

Interested?
Rush your CVs to farrukh.copywriter[at]gmail.com

[If you are an advertising agency recruiter looking for creative directors, copywriters, art directors, graphic designers, account servicing or account planning people, I'd be happy to post your vacancy on my blog like the post above and take your message to many thousand ad agency people who visit my blog. Mail me at farrukh.copywriter(at)gmail.com with your advertising vacancy details. I reserve the right to publish a vacancy. Any ads asking for specific nationalities or ethnicities will be rejected outright.]

Where is the Campaign ME website? Campaign ME blog? February 9, 2007

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 22comments

Campaign ME has gone missing online. Our favourite Campaign ME blog about advertising in the UAE and Middle East is not to be found either. Both web links are leading us to ‘ArabianBusiness.com’. What’s going on?

My friends who had nominations in the Campaign ME Awards are worried. And of course creative buddies who used to get the joy of seeing their work and names in the creative showcase are wishing this is all a bad dream. That we’ll wake up tomorrow to another crisp copy of Campaign ME magazine in the agency… full of news, views, the lure of greener pastures in the last pages, and of course, the spicy bits from our well-informed reporter – The Spin.

Someone pinch me. Wake me up. Tell me this isn’t happening. I want my online fix.

Finders will be rewarded.

PS: Gulf News is also on the Campaign trail…

Technorati Tags:
Campaign ME, Campaign ME Awards, Campaign ME blog, Advertising in the UAE, Advertising Publications, Middle East Advertising, Creative Awards

Dubai Lynx 2007: World’s top advertising creatives to gather in Dubai, UAE February 7, 2007

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 10comments

Dubai Lynx, the inaugural advertising and communication awards honouring creative excellence across the Middle East and North Africa have handpicked the jury members from creative teams across the world.

Which means that once again Dubai is going to host some of the top personalities of the advertising world, after it made history last year by having the largest ever World Congress of the International Advertising Association (IAA). You can see pictures of the IAA event in my earlier entries on this blog.

As an agency creative, what pleases me most is that while the IAA event was swarming with the ‘suits’ – this one’s the creatives’ night out. The judges are top creative people from around the world, the judged being adventurous creatives from the region. Also, in the past few award functions held locally, people have felt that the local interactive work needs to be judged by experts in interactive media – and Dubai Lynx has a dedicated jury for interactive submission. That should make everyone happy.

Needless to say – it’s a pioneering effort – a first time event in the UAE. Can’t wait to cover it!

Here are the creative people you’re likely to rub shoulders with at the Dubai Lynx…

Dubai Lynx: TV/Cinema, Print, Outdoor & Radio Jury Members
USA, Jonathan Harries, Worldwide Chief Creative Officer, Draft FCB Group (Jury President)
Australia, Rob Belgiovane, Executive Creative Director, Belgiovane Williams Mackay
Germany, Amir Kassaei, Chief Creative Officer, DDB Germany
India, Ravi Deshpande, Chief Creative Officer, Contract Advertising
South Africa, Conn Bertish, Executive Creative Director, JWT
Spain, Jürgen Krieger, Executive Creative Director, Grey & Trace Barcelona
Sweden, Tove Langseth, Creative Director, Lowe Brindfors
Sweden, Adam Kerj, Executive Creative Director & Founding Partner, Saatchi & Saatchi
Thailand, Chukiat Jaroensuk, Chief Creative Officer, Euro RSCG Flagship
UK, Alasdair Graham, Creative Partner, Ogilvy Advertising

Dubai Lynx: Direct & Interactive Jury Members
Austria, Fred Koblinger, CEO, PKP Proximity & BBDO Holding Austria , (Jury President)
Australia, Chris James, Creative Director – Interactive, BMF Interactive
Finland, Kari Eilola, Creative Partner, Bob Helsinki
France, Valérie Lévy-Harrar, Chief Creative Officer, Euro RSCG 4D
France, Eva Klaass, Creative Director, Draftfcb
Germany, Olaf Oldigs, Executive Creative Director, KolleRebbe Hamburg
Italy, Fidelio Perchinelli, Managing Director, Assocuminicazione
Norway, Öystein Svaröd, Owner, Svaröd Direct
The Netherlands, Coen Weesjes, Creative Director, Downtown – Actionmarketing
Portugal, João Novais de Paula, President, DirectiMedia, Marketing Directo
South Africa, Nici Stathacopolous, CEO, Proximity#ttp
Spain, Stephane Sembinelli, CEO & Founder, SHOOT!
Switzerland, Roger Ruegger, Creative Director, FutureCom Interactive
Turkey, Salih Güngör, Creative Consultant, Guzel Sanatlar Saatchi & Saatchi
UK, Colin Nimick, Executive Creative Director, OgilvyOne Worldwide

“We are so pleased to have such gifted, well respected and prominent industry figures to judge the new Dubai Lynx awards. It’s important that agencies in the Middle East and North Africa benefit from their work being judged impartially by an international panel.”
- Phil Thomas
CEO of Cannes Lions, Eurobest and Dubai Lynx

Looks good, doesn’t it? What do you think? Is this going to make a difference in the region’s creativite benchmarks? Will more awards make us do better work? Will these make clients eager to try more courageous campaigns and take leaps of faith with their agencies?

Click the ‘Add comment’ link to express your opinion…

Technorati Tags:
Dubai Lynx, Advertising Awards, Cannes, Advertising, Creativity, Marketing, Advertising in UAE, Advertising in the Middle East and North Africa, Advertising MENA, Creative Awards, Dubai, Lynx, Advertising Agency, International Advertising Association, IAA, Dubai Media City

Advertising and Creativity in the UAE on the 35th National Day of the United Arab Emirates December 2, 2006

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 5comments

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) celebrates its National Day on 2 December. Occasions and celebrations like this one are a good time to check out and compare ads – the playing field being somewhat level even though each brand might have a different take on the same occasion. Here are a few ads from the UAE that caught my attention. Your feedback is welcome, as always, in the comments section of this post.

American Garden Ad – Way to this man’s heart

Credits: Face 2 Face (Thanks to Mohamed Somji who has supplied the credits for this one and explained why this ad was taken off the mupies in the comments section)

The ad above was my favourite this year. Fresh, relevant to the brand, and very tasty looking. If you haven’t already noticed, I have a weakness for appetising ads.

du Ad – Don’t you just luuurv these cute beoble?

Credits: Is it Leo Burnett? They’re handling du, but I don’t know if this was created by du or by the guys responsible for Freej – Lammtara Pictures.

It’s just amazing the way du has adopted these adorable characters – excellent strategy to win the hearts and minds, at least of the local community. Freej is a local Emirati animation series which made its debut this Ramadan and du is the new telco in town in the UAE, now competing with Etisalat which had been the sole telco operator in the Emirates till earlier this year. Ready made brand ambassadors for du, solid corporate support for the film makers – I’m a believer in such strategic partnerships.

I wish they’d translate Freej and introduce expat characters in there too – to make both the series and the appeal international. If that does happen, remember, you read it here first. Hey, if you think of having  a weird Indian character in there, you know who to call for writing the dialogues!

So, what do you think of these ads? Did you see or make any other that you would like to see on my blog? Comment, email, call – our lines are open, now…

Technorati Tags:
Advertising, Advertising in the UAE, United Arab Emirates, UAE, UAE National Day, Leo Burnett, The Classic Partnership, American Garden, Freej, du, Lammtara Productions, Creativity, Dubai, Marketing

Brilliant advertising copy for a brilliant client – Hewlett-Packard (HP) the company of inventors November 21, 2006

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 12comments

Hewlett-Packard is a dream client to make ads for. In fact, most IT brands are great to work for, specially if you are a techie like me. I have written for HP, Compaq and Microsoft and I just can’t get enough.

There’s one ad by HP which is a part of its memorable ‘invent’ campaign that I would love to hang as a poster on my wall. It has what HP calls “Rules of the Garage“. The copy is simple, powerful and inspiring – it works for any team, in fact, not just a bunch of IT wizards.

 

My salute to the writer who wrote this and the agency and client team that made this ad happen.

What do you think? Do you find the copy inspiring? Have you written an ad like this? If so, mail it to me at farrukh_copywriter@yahoo.com and I’d be happy to share it here with our readers. If you’ve worked on this ad, mail me the credits and I’ll put them up here.

Credits Update:
Special thanks to Mark Wenneker who’s emialed me the credits. So, the guys behind this amazing ad are:
Client: Hewlett Packard
Agency: Goodby, Silverstein & Partners
Creative Director/Writer: Steve Simpson
Art Director: Mark Wenneker

Perceptgulf’s vacancy ad for copywriter, art director and account manager November 16, 2006

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 46comments

There was recently a flood of recruitment ads by advertising agencies in Dubai looking for copywriters and art directors. Perceptgulf’s ad made me smile a wicked smile.

I talked to Prashant Sankhe, the Creative Director at Percept Gulf who made this ad happen.
“I think nobody has portrayed the pencil like this before,” he said.

 

As you can see, this ad shows a pencil labelled with ad vacancies on its various parts. The lead tip invites English copywriters and proofreaders to apply, the sharpened end calls art directors and graphic designers, the middle part is labelled for production coordinators, and the punchline…

The eraser is labelled ‘client servicing’ – Arab and European – for account manager and account executive posts. Clever!

And he’s been asked more than once: “Why did you put the eraser like that?”

“That’s the interesting point,” is Prashant’s answer. You bet!

Perceptgulf is affiliated to Hakuhodo which is among the top ten advertising groups worldwide. You can mail your CVs to prashants@perceptgulffz.com for creative positions and to cheriank@perceptgulffz.com for client servicing positions – you erasers (sorry, couldn’t resist that.)

If you are a creative reading this – tell me why this ad makes you smile. And if you are a ‘suit’ reading this – tell me why you don’t love me anymore (wicked me). The comments are open.

Technorati Tags:
Advertising, Marketing, Copywriting, Art Direction, Client Servicing, Copywriter, Creative Director, Jobs in Dubai, Advertising Jobs in Dubai, Copywriter Job, Art Director Job, Percept Gulf

Campaign ME Conference in Dubai: Looks like the party’s gonna rock! November 1, 2006

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 3comments

Campaign Middle East magazine, the media sponsor of this year’s Media & Marketing Show being held in Dubai in November, is organising its inaugural Campaign Middle East Conference on 27 and 28 November 2006 at Al Multaqua Ballroom, Dubai World Trade Centre.

I talked to Tim Addington, editor of Campaign Middle East, and asked him how this conference is going to be different than any other. “Usually, what you get in such events is people standing on a stage giving speeches and Powerpoint presentations. There is no interaction or engagement with the audience,” Tim said.

The Campaign Conference will have a different format. The conference would feature panel discussions with international and local professionals from the media, marketing and PR industries discussing and debating the hot issues relevant to the region. Participation of regional decision makers and the audience would be key.

“It’s not only about people speaking but also about the audience,” said Tim and added that the focus would be to have as much local participation as possible for the panel so that the issues discussed would make sense to the audience. I’m all for local flavoured debates and discussions.

Earlier this year, at the IAA World Congress held at the same venue, I remember the animated discussions that had swung from the panelists to the audience and back on burning issues like auditing of publications in the region. Throwing the discussions open to the floor worked well and at times the views of the panelists were challenged to good effect. Much work got done this way as more thoughts and ideas were discussed than would have been with panelists alone.

I am hoping to attend the conference and if I do, I’d be happy to share the proceedings on this blog – but I am just wondering about the warning on the event’s website about requiring a permission to do such a thing. Anyway, this is what is lined up:

Panel discussions planned for the Campaign Conference

• Relationship building: How effectively do media agencies and marketing departments work together
• The demise of print advertising. The future is online?
• How can PR command a larger slice of marketing spend?
• Getting inside the head of consumers
• The future of free-to-air TV in the Middle East?

Speakers at the Campaign Conference

Max Clifford, One of the most influential PR practitioners in
Britain whose past and current clients include Jimi Hendrix, Muhammad Ali, Frank Sinatra and Marlon Brando.

Hala Badri, Vice president of corporate communications, Du

Antoine Choueiri, Chairman, The Choueiri Group

Joseph Ghossoub, Chairman and world president of the International Advertising Association and chief executive officer of The Holding Group

Jan Zijderveld, Chairman of Unilever Middle East and chairman of the GCC Advertisers’ Association

Alex Andarakis, chief executive officer, Aujan Industries

Matt Blackborn, chief executive officer, Publicis Groupe Media, MENA

Gabriel Chahine, principal, Booz Allen Hamilton

Peter Einstein, chief executive officer, Showtime

Ramzi El Hafez, editor-in-chief, Business Week Al Arabiya

Chet Galpin, chief marketing officer, National Commercial Bank

Nassim Ghrayeb, chief executive officer, YouGovSiraj

Karen Hargreaves, director of marketing, MasterCard International Inc., MENA

Imad Kublawi, chief executive officer, IK Consult

Dimitri Metaxas, director, OMD Digital

Ahmed Nassef, vice-president, Maktoob Group, general manager, Maktoob.com

Fergi Varghese, director of corporate communications, Siemens, LLC

Kunal Wadhwani, Senior Vice President, Zawya

As you can see above, the line up of speakers is interesting. I would love to meet the guys from research and online industries most. What would you like to catch up on at the Conference? For more info, visit the Campaign Middle East Conference 2006 online here.

 

Technorati Tags: Advertising, Marketing, Campaign Middle East Conference 2006, , Advertising in Dubai, , PR in Dubai

Do shock ads on cigarette packs work? A blogger’s view from Canada October 30, 2006

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 9comments

In Canada, cigarette packs feature vivid pictures of the after-effects of smoking. Rotten gums and cancerous internal organs. Really creepy pictures. Does this communication approach (shock and awe) work for smokers?

Following a comment on my post on tobacco advertising, I discovered an out-of-the-box analysis of the smoking problem on Ben and Heather’s blog from Canada. They feel that the reason why we don’t take the smoking issue seriously is because its effects aren’t immediate. Here’s what they write:

“In a world where people live with a buy now, pay later mentality (thank you Visa, Mastercard, AMEX), we are conditioned to act now and worry about the consequences of those actions later. We don’t invest in RRSPs for retirement for the same reason we don’t worry about smoking: The debt and the diseases won’t hit us until years later and by then it’s too late….What we need is something that will make us act now, without hesitation.”
- Ben and Heather of thecourtjester.wordpress.com

And what would that be? Why not visit Ben and Heather at The Court Jester and find out yourself – be warned though, it’s a crazy one!

farrukh

Technorati Tags: Advertising, Marketing, Ethical Advertising, Business Ethics, Corporate Social Responsibility, Tobacco Advertising, Shock Advertising, Anti-Smoking Ads

The Middle East Gets Its Own Advertising Awards: Enter the Dubai Lynx October 29, 2006

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 3comments

UPDATE: Dubai Lynx 2008 coverage and pictures from the event on www.copywriterjournalist.com:

1. 2nd Dubai Lynx Awards entries cross the 2000 mark in 2008
2. Dubai Lynx shortlists, advertising seminars and workshops keep delegates busy on Day 1
3. Steve Harrison shares tips on pitching big advertising ideas to hesitant clients at Dubai Lynx
4. Dubai Lynx awards winners and pictures
5. Dubai Lynx Awards winners’ pictures in Outdoor category

Below: The first Dubai Lynx held in year 2007 – and how it felt:

Bringing home a Cannes Lion this year has done wonders for Dubai. Dubai will now be the host of awards called Dubai Lynx Awards every year, thanks to the UAE Chapter of the International Advertising Association (IAA) which brought us the world’s largest ever IAA World Congress (I had blogged about it earlier this year), Dubai Media City and International Advertising Festival (IAF), the wonderful people who bring us the Cannes Lions and the Eurobest Awards.

The annual Dubai Lynx Awards will honour excellence in advertising and marketing communications in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) across TV/Cinema, Print, Outdoor, Interactive, Radio, Direct and Integrated campaigns. Yeah, we’re getting there, people. Make way for Middle Eastern creativity!

“The decision to run the Dubai Lynx Awards was based on the significant potential growth in the region and the emergence, in the global village in which we operate, of work outstanding enough to win Lions at Cannes.”
Terry Savage
Executive Chairman
Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival

The winners of the first Dubai Lynx Awards will be announced on 19 March 2007 in Dubai. The organisers have announced two jury presidents for the awards. Jonathan Harries, Worldwide Chief Creative Officer, Draft FCB Group will head the first TV/Cinema, Print, Outdoor and Radio jury.
Fred Koblinger, CEO PKP Proximity & BBDO Holding Austria, Vienna, Austria will lead the first Interactive & Direct jury.

You can submit your entries online from Tuesday 12 December 2006 onwards at Dubai Lynx website here.

Useful links on Dubai Lynx Awards
AdWeek: Dubai Lynx Names Jury Presidents
Arab News: Entries for Dubai Lynx Awards Start From Dec. 12

Tobacco Advertising: Will you do it? Or will you say ‘No’? October 16, 2006

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 17comments

An interesting post has been put up by Richard Abbott on the Campaign Middle East blog - we’re having The great tobacco debate there. I have provided a few reasons why publications should and do refuse to publish ads that encourage the fatal habit of smoking. Some of the most reputed publications in the world like The New York Times, Reader’s Digest, Business Week refuse tobacco advertising.

I am posting a few highlights here, in continuation of my blog posts on social responsibility. You are welcome to comment and share your insights.

What happens when we make and publish tobacco, cigarette and smoking ads?

Smoking kills more people than car accidents, alcohol, homicides, illegal drugs and suicides combined. The following is what we are doing when we create, design or publish ads promoting tobacco and smoking:

• Encouraging children or young adults to experiment with tobacco and thereby slip into regular use
• Encouraging smokers to increase consumption
• Reducing smokers’ motivation to quit
• Encouraging former smokers to resume
• Discouraging full and open discussion of the hazards of smoking as a result of media dependence on advertising revenues
• Muting opposition to controls on tobacco as a result of the dependence of organisations receiving sponsorship from tobacco companies
• Creating through the ubiquity of advertising, sponsorship, etc. an environment in which tobacco use is seen as familiar and acceptable and the warnings about its health are undermined.

[Based on the Surgeon Genera's report 'Reducing the health consequences of smoking: 25 years of progress' USDHHS, 1989 as published on ASH's website]

Everyday, around 4,000 children try a cigarette and take their first step towards becoming nicotine addicts. They tend to start off with the most advertised brands.

Does controlling tobacco advertising help?

A study commissioned by the New Zealand government across 33 countries over 16 years from during 1970 to 1986 demonstrated that the higher the degree of governmental control on tobacco advertising and sponsorship, the larger the annual reduction of tobacco consumption.

Further on this point, UK Department of Health’s Chief Economic Adviser reported a drop in tobacco consumption of between 4% and 16% in countries that had implemented a tobacco advertising ban.

So, curbs on tobacco advertising do work and that is the reason why many countries have already put them in place and more are starting to do so. Perhaps UAE will follow suit too, knowing its passion for keeping up with the highest standards of living being followed across the world.

Useful Links:
1. CDC’s Tobacco Infomation & Prevention Source (TIPS): Home Page, Fact Sheets
2. GLOBALink’s Answers to Pro-tobacco Advertising Arguments
3. Action on Smoking and Health (ASH): Effects of Tobacco Advertising & Promotion
4. Smokefree.gov – Online Guide to Quitting Smoking and Useful Downloads
5. Office of the Surgeon General: Homepage, Toxic Substances in Smoke, Dangers of Secondhand Smoke
6. Tobacco.org’s Tobacco Timeline: 21st Century Tobacco History 

farrukh

Calling advertising fraternity to help Lebanon July 17, 2006

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 10comments

Things are going from bad to worse in Lebanon. When will this senseless violence stop?

I personally, wholeheartedly, unconditionally condemn all violence and every killing of an innocent civilian, particularly the use of bombs and missiles in civilian populations. (No matter how smart bombs get, they can never make out the difference between a terrorist and an innocent civilian, can they?) Like Gandhi said, an eye for an eye makes everyone blind. Senseless aggression is not the answer for anything.

Tim Addington has written about the Lebanon crisis and its effect on the advertising industry on the Campaign ME blog. Seeing the post, I was inspired to do something about it, as a human being, as an advertising professional, as a writer, as a journalist. Not politics but humanitarian support.

Moryarti of Dubai Consumer Mirror wrote a Relief for Lebanon post on the UAE community blog exploring how we can help. Do have a look at it and the links in the comments.

I am thinking, most of the advertising agency top brass in the UAE is Lebanese – they must surely be organising some relief efforts, I’d love to know how I can join in. And this is the time for not just the Lebanese but for all of us from every country in the UAE to rise to the occasion and find ways to help.

Instead of news of agencies closing down their offices in Lebanon, I’d be inspired to see the advertising people getting together and organising at least a relief campaign if not a campaign to promote peace and condemn violence. So many of advertising agency people are very well placed and well connected to initiate and organise regional campaigns for relief. Let’s do it. No help is ever too small.

C’mon advertising fraternity – it’s time for us to take our creativity and use it for a good cause – there is so much we can do as communicators as well as ad professionals with high disposable incomes. Organise relief campaigns, fund raising events, peace campaigns and advocacy. What if we don’t have some client to fund it – let’s do it pro bono. I as a copywriter volunteer to write the relief and peace ads for free.

I remember seeing an ad where one man is making his way through a huge crowd of people running franticallly in the opposite direction. This man is walking against the flow of the running crowd. Alone.

There comes a time when everyone has escaped and only this one man is still going towards the place which everyone was running away from. The camera focuses on the back of this man’s t-shirt. It has a red cross on it. That’s how I would like us ad people to be.

Advertising Website Review 2: Adrants – Marketing Sherpa’s “Best Blog On Advertising” July 2, 2006

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 6comments

MarketingSherpa recently announced results of its voting for the Top 10 Best Blogs & Best Podcast of 2006. More than 230,000 people had been invited to rate their favourite marketing related blogs and podcasts based on four criteria: (a) Personality, (b) Usefulness, (c) Design & readability, (d) Would you revisit?. The response was huge.

The coveted “Best Blog on Advertising” Award was won by Steve Hall’s Adrants. I interviewed Steve to find out what makes his blog tick.

Adrants had started as a personal blogging experiment for Steve Hall during a period of unemployment in 2002.

“My background was media, account service and new business on the agency side. Initially, I was hoping to get a job,” replied Steve when I asked him what his initial reasons for starting Adrants were. “I had heard that people were getting jobs because those hiring were reading blogs,” he said. But the blogging experiment brought in more than just interested readers.

“The focus changed when I realized enough ad revenue was coming in that it could sustain me,” Steve said. In March 2004, Steve was ready to launch it as a business that would get him his bread, butter and jam. And he did.

Today, Adrants gets 600,000 pageviews per month and 275,000 unique visitors. A newsletter version of the blog reaches out to 13,000 subscribers. Steve runs the blog on his own and is supported by a team for the sales.

I don’t think Steve’s looking for a job anymore.

Secrets of Blogging Success
By Steve Hall, Publisher, Adrants

1. Be concise.
2. Have a sense of humor.
3. Mostly know what you’re talking about. Actually, not being 100 percent right all the time makes for much better reading.
4. Learn where and who can give you stories.
5. If you want to make it a business: Realise that businesses take commitment. It’s not a hobby.

I’d love to know which one is your favourite advertising blog… fill me in.

Your favourite advertising magazine is now a blog June 26, 2006

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 7comments

Why wait for a month for your advertising industry gossip and scoops? Why wait a week? Why wait a couple of days even? The handful of advertising and marketing bloggers now have company. Our favourite industry titles are exploring blogosphere – and it’s a good thing for all of us I think.

Campaign Middle East staff is posting stuff on the Campaign blog. And with two Tim’s and Richard keeping the blog active, this one’s surely going to be fun. I await the posts by ‘The Spin’, that’s the part I never miss in the print edition, nasty me. Tim Burrowes had posted prompt Cannes snippets the past few days, experimenting with Cannes puns – and officially announced the Campaign blog in the yesterday’s Campaign. Your truly had already spotted the action before the announcement as you can see in my previous post. Good stuff.

Communicate has been blogging for some time now. The first entry I see in Communicate’s blog dates back to April, so they’ve been the ones to catch on early. But, the last entry was made on June 8. It’d be nice to see Mr (or Ms?) CommunicateModerator posting more frequently. C’mon, my friends at Communicate, your print edition is good – let’s see that happening in the blog too!

The Strategiy.com team is aggregating RSS feeds of advertising blogs which is a good idea to keep the Strategiy blog active. Also, there are six contributors on this blog and three guest contributors, which includes me, thanks to Ashwin Salian of Strategiy.com. My blog has a partial RSS feed on Strategiy. I am still exploring how effective RSS is for bloggers.

Now there’s ADvocate of the IAA which brings in news from the advertising industry – are they going to have a blog? Or do they already have one? Gotta find out.

All this reminds me of a really punny (eek!) line I saw one of these days. It said “Who let the blogs out?” I wish I had written that, even though puns usually give me the creeps – but due credit to the person who wrote this – let’s make a song out of it, an ad jingle if you may

It’s a blog crazy world out here in the UAE. Join in.

Wunderman ME Dubai strikes Gold in Cannes Lions Direct June 22, 2006

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 1 comment so far

Creative Directors here in the UAE are usually surprised when I tell them I am more interested in DM than in press or TV, as a creative advertising copywriter. The ‘response’ bit of DM fascinates me, since I saw sacks of ad coupons arriving at Wunderman Delhi after one of our successful DM campaigns. I have probably read Claude Hopkins too devoutly and thus believe that advertising is nothing without measurable response.

So it’s great feeling when I see creatives doing well in DM – like winning a Gold for the region at Cannes.

Friends from Wunderman’s (ME) Dubai office – Kerry Platts, Pooja Chandani and Richa Khan – have struck Gold at Cannes Lions in the Direct category with their direct mail entry for Microsoft. Mayura Sandeep of Ikon, another good friend, had buzzed me on this and then I found the news on Tim Burrowes’ blog entry in the Campaign blog. Tim is posting bits on the winners there, he filled me in with more info.

It’s a good idea I think, the Microsoft one. The task was to get people to understand the risks of using pirated software, and buy licensed software. So, prospects were mailed handwritten envelopes with CDs like the ones friends pass around with pirated software. When the CD was loaded, the computer crashed, to the utter shock of the recipient. Moments later, the offer of the mailer – a discount on Windows Genuine Software – flashed on the user’s screen.

The response rate? Close to 10%. Which is amazing!

Great going, guys – you’ve done great – for the region, and for the DM world.

The Wunderman ME Dubai team for the Cannes’ winning entry:
Kerry Platts, Creative Director
Richa Khan, Head of Copy
Pooja Chandani, Creative Group Head
Sara Hughes, Client Services Director
Eiad Rayyis, Interactive Director

There’s more good news for the UAE at Cannes. Have you heard it?

Does age matter in advertising agencies? May 28, 2006

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 39comments

Can one be too old to be in advertising? Or too young?

Advertising is a young person’s business, we are being told by some. The new age advertising agency needs to have ideators who know their ipods. Age and experience can be a disadvantage in the digital mindscape, some are saying. The need for “intellectual curiosity” is being stressed.

Matthew Creamer’s feature in AdAge few days back mentioned an agency executive seeking $30 million in damages from the advertising agency for valuing “youth instead of experience” and “terminating older persons because of their age”.

And here I am, someone who grew up feeding on the advertising knowledge and insights from the wizened ones like Ogilvy and Bernbach and Claude Hopkins. Contrasting that reverence for advertising legends had been my secret wish to become the youngest creative director around. I did rise up to lead a team of 8-10 creatives, help start the company’s web division, and work with the creative team to win some of the most coveted accounts in the market that made other bigger agencies see green. Clients were asking for me at the agency briefings, and expecting me at the creative presentations. I have always found it fun to be presenting our agency’s creative concepts to a room full of marketing managers from the client side, many of whom are my father’s age, and managing to make sense to them and win the account. But this was in a country that had the guts to let talent mow down the conventions.

So what is the reality in the market? Who is advertising fortune favouring today here in the Middle East? The GCC? The UAE? Young or old?

If this thing about agencies valuing youth over experience is true, show me a creative director in his teens in this region. Ok, show me one in his early twenties. And I am not talking of associate, assistant, almost creative director. I am talking regional, national, group creative director. Where are these virgin saviors of the digital era?

From my personal opinion, the scales are still in favour of the wizened viziers when it comes to the top positions – not the young Turks. And maybe that’s not such a bad thing. Because knowing new technologies is not the same as being firmly grounded in the intricacies of human behaviour. And making it dance to your tune.

Yet, I say, if young Turks can, with their work, prove the ability to lead the agency’s teams and take the advertising agency places – give them the toys to play – the corner office, the fancy designation, the reserved car park. And don’t just pack the old geezers off because they have more candles on their birthday cake than the bubbly intern. Not age, but work that works should be the criteria in deciding who stays, and where.

I was once refused an interview for a creative position in Dubai because the minimum requirement was TEN years of experience, and I had just two. I applied anyway. Showed my portfolio anyway. Tried to convince the agency that it’s the work, not the age, anyway. They were amused at my guts. But persistent about the 10 year experience minimum qualification. Much water has flowed under the Garhoud bridge but things haven’t changed much.

At least I can speak for Dubai, for this region. Agencies aren’t going to launch a firing frenzy throwing off their grey-haired VPs to substitute them for the tattooed kid on the skateboard, any time soon. We’re not in London or New York, habibi. Maybe I can aim to be the youngest VP in the meanwhile. No, no… more like the “chief conceptual officer” (CCO) of a creative hotshop in Media City. In a pair of bermudas. Is it allowed?

The life of a freelance writer May 7, 2006

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 16comments

Freelancing is the grass that looks green to the full-timed corporate drones. The dream to one day be one’s own boss seems hard to resist. But it can also be a nightmare.

A freshly discovered blog by Ratna Rajaiah, an ex-advertising suit now a freelance writer, tells it like it is about freelancing:

So you are your own master – big deal. The only thing that means is that when you crack the whip, it smacks your own butt and ow, does it hurt… you need to be a pretty decent runner – to run after people who’ve promised you money (yours that they owe you)/assignments/contacts/anything and how exhausting it can be to do all of this while wearing patient, polite not to mention a blazingly charming smile, when all you want to do is kick the person’s teeth in. (You know, that guy who said tomorrow never comes? He must have been a guy who makes out cheques to freelancers.)

My good friend and Arabic copywriter, translator, author and poet, Hanna Farha recently had a tough time getting paid by one advertising agency here in Dubai. They owed him around US$ 10,000. Yes – that’s more than 30,000 dirhams in dues!

Now, Hanna is a very soft-spoken and gentle person, most writers are. So what did he do? He spilled his heart out and wrote a poem to the agency’s client.

And guess what? The agency paid up. Now that’s what I call the power of poetry.

God forbid, should you be at your wit’s end dealing with an agency that treats its freelancers like beggars without bowls, take inspiration from this:

Let’s pray – a poem by Hanna FarhaLet’s pray… let’s pray
Hoping that (ad agency name)
Will pay
Its debts, our bills
Without delay
Debts to those who’ve been waiting
Night after night,
Day after day
A number of days now exceeding
One thousand days and one day
Waiting for (brand owner name) the great
To think about others’ fate
And put an end to a nasty game
That will only bring (ad agency name) shame…
Let’s pray… let’s pray
Hoping that (ad agency name) will soon pay…
Its debts, our bills, without delay
To those she owes, quite a lot
Standing in big lines, on the way
Suffering from strong winds and dust
And a lousy weather
Wet and hot
But remember Mr (brand owner name)
My ads made you our “King Kong”
No one can claim you were wrong
No one can claim you are wrong
They all think, you’re always right
Please excuse me Mr (brand owner name)…
Ask your (ad agency name) to pay us now
What she owes
No ‘why’ and ‘how’
Please make sure, Mr (brand owner name)
That (ad agency name) pays us all, in peace
Or else we’ll go to the police
We don’t like wars
We don’t like fights
We only want you
To pay our rights.

(c) 2006 Hanna H. Farha

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Advertising account executives I fall in love with: 5 rare qualities I just can’t resist April 27, 2006

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 13comments

What happened to my good taste, you ask. Read on.

It’s hard to fall in love with an account executive. But as the slogan says, “Impossible is nothing”.

During my adventures and stints at various agencies, I have come across a few traits that can endear me to an account executive, even though many times creatives are usually at loggerheads with the suits.

If you are an account executive and can see the wisdom of having a good friend in the creative department, these are a few things you could ponder over.

Qualities my favourite account executives have:

1. An unfaltering faith in the agency’s creative ability:
When I was working at a creative boutique, one of our account executives claimed to a top client that no matter what their top agency was doing, we could do better work for any given job. The client was game.

It started with a little leaflet as a test of our ability. “I have said big things about you guys – now don’t you let me down” he said back at the agency. Now that was motivating – and our work that started with a little leaflet snatched us the account, right from the jaws of the big shark.

2. Guts to question the client’s motivations:
“But why would you like a red carpet in your ad, Sir?” “What do you mean your ketchup is more ketchupy than others, Sir?” “Why would you want three options when you can have one powerful and hard-hitting one?” “Why don’t you want us to use any word starting with a, z, or k, Sir – did your astrologer tell you that?”

So many times, as a copywriter who could not digest illogical client requests, I have spoken directly to the client and found out that he is not the dumb bloke he is made out to be. It’s just that the account executive does not have the guts or motivation to ask the client any questions.

The good ones know the client, his consumers, his market, because they don’t just take orders but also argue and debate with the client if need be for what they believe is in the brand’s best interests.

3. Loyalty to the agency
Account executives who defend their creative work rather than help the client pick faults in it get my respect. These are the suits who would sell a campaign with selling points even the creative team didn’t think of. To them, the goal is to get the best work of the agency approved by the client.

Some account executives become the client’s voice in the agency, sometimes even insisting on the dullest ideas to be executed just because the client likes it. I am not surprised when such people ultimately jump ship and hop over to the client’s side to bark orders at their agency counterparts. You can smell their shifty loyalties early in their career. Not my type.

4. Bonding with the creative team:
My best days in advertising have not been days, but nights – late nights. While clients and agency bosses slept in their cosy beds, we the copywriters, art directors, finalisers were huddled over our PCs and Macs working on that big, crucial campaign.

During times like these, the account executives I love are by our side, helping, cheering us up, even arranging for pizza and coffee for the team that hasn’t had time to even grab a sandwich for lunch. Not that they must, but they still choose to be with us. “How can I leave my team working on my account in the middle of the night and go home?” they feel. Don’t you just love this team spirit.

Agencies that have such account executives are the agencies that win the pitches. Because people are working as teams and thinking as teams, and selling the work as teams – not individuals.

5. Complete, absolute, obsessive knowledge about the brand they handle
Nothing turns me on to a brand more than an executive who knows all about it. When I ask him or her what does the brand do, what its versions are, who buys it, what its competing brands are – instantly come forth the figures and the facts. Nothing turns me off than the phrase “But why do you want to know that?”. This is usually heard when the servicing executive just copied and pasted the client’s email into the brief format and mailed it to the creative department. The next phrase by the shameless (and clueless) executive is “Why don’t you look it up on their website… which is at… err…”

I remember working on a European brand of wooden floor panels. The account executive gave me a live sales presentation using the sales kit used by their showroom staff, in addition to the brief. I was able to touch, feel and browse the entire collection of panels with her help. That really got the creative juices flowing.

And this is the most important point – if an account executive loves the brand and knows all about it, they would be more likely to inspire the creative members of their team to catch on to the brand affinity.

Next post, maybe I could write about account executives I want to send to Guantanamo. Would you like to read that?

Bilingual copywriter job in the UAE April 27, 2006

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 4comments

Good news for my copywriter friends – an MNC in the UAE has a vacancy for a bilingual copywriter.

The languages, of course, that you are fluent in, would be Arabic and English.

Interested?

Mail me on farrukh.copywriter[at]gmail.com

If you are an account executive, you could try your luck too.

And puhleeez… do not paste your entire CV in the comment box. I am just a copywriter, not an agency boss, just yet.

Advertising Website Review 1: Ads of the World April 21, 2006

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 1 comment so far

Gone are the days when creatives put yellow post-its in one-shows and awards annuals, when warming up to create a hot campaign.
Now all you have to do is log on to the net and let your keyboard do the searching.
A fellow ad lover called Ivan Raszl has launched a website that archives good advertising from around the world, and lets you browse (and download) the stuff for FREE.
It's called Ads of the world.

I chanced upon the website a couple of days back while looking for award winning radio ads (another potential post).
While the site does not have radio ad archives yet, it has a good collection of press ads. Its streaming TV spots are a big attraction too I am sure. The website has a forum and a blog. And it had more than one hundred thousand unique visitors and almost one million page loads at the year end of 2005.
I asked Ivan, who is based in Bahrain, how it all started. This is what he told me:

The idea came from my own need. I work in advertising. When I start to work on a new client I want to get familiarized with what others have done in that industry. It was a difficult task to look up ads from different sites. So, I thought I'd make this site for myself and share it with others.

The site has apparently been so successful that Ivan has had to pay for extra servers to handle the traffic. This is what he told me has been the biggest challenge:

The biggest challenge is the big demand in traffic. When I started I only had a couple of throusands of hits a month. Now, it's up to 1.2 million page loads a month. I had to get a dedicated server to answer the demand. I had to get a separate server just for the videos too to give good speed. The second challenge to pay for all the costs, but I'm hoping Google advertising revenues will increase with time.

Good work Ivan. You are saving us a lot of time digging through the archives

Advertising agencies at the IAA World Congress March 27, 2006

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 3comments

Advertising agencies had their stalls at the IAA World Congress in Dubai, in the exhibition area strategically placed between the presentation hall and the dining area.

So, on all three days of the Congress, we had to pass by the agency stalls to get to the food and the coffee.

The Euro RSCG Promopub stall with its list of clients plastered on its wall. Literally. For stalls like these, I had to wait for the people to disappear to shoot the entire design.

 

The Fortune Promoseven stall – with a massage sofa. Hmmm… this I think was a good idea – but just one chair for 2000 delegates?
Much could have been done to make this massage idea stand out, and in turn, the stall. The copy on the wall caught my attention.

The Horizon FCB stall. Lots and lots of text. Like a 3-D version of a corporate leaflet. And something about "full_contact". Underscore seems to be the in thing, these days, what with Nissan's "shift_the future", etc.

And, I had to take a picture of this promo ad I have earlier seen in print. Being a copywriter, all the world's design cannot lure me away from good copy. This one is: credits to Shahir Ahmed of Team Y&R who I was told at the stall is the writer of this ad that was displayed at the Y&R stall.

The 40th IAA World Congress: The Opening March 25, 2006

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 4comments

The 40th IAA World Congress was inaugurated by His Highness Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai (picture: in the centre) at the Dubai International Convention Centre on 21 March 2006.

On his behalf, His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Department of Civil Aviation and Chairman and CEO of the Emirates Group (picture: first from left), welcomed the speakers, delegates and other guests to the event. The inaugural address was given by our very own Joseph Ghossoub (picture: first from right), the new IAA Chairman and World President.

The picture above was taken by me. This is the closest I have ever come to our visionary leader, Sheikh Mohammad. Well, good picture I think – considering I was hesitant to get too close.

Coming back to business. In his speech Sheikh Ahmed said,”There could hardly be a better time or place to address the ‘Challenges of Change’ other than right here in Dubai.”

I found this to be a common feeling across all delegates I met and networked with at the Congress. People were amazed at what they saw across the cfity of the Congress – at the pace of change and development.

“We will not stop building ourselves a truly world-class communications capability to encompass advertising, marketing, branding, public relations and all other related disciplines,” Sheikh Ahmed said.

He praised the current talent pool in our city thus: “Here in Dubai we have access to some of the best and brightest minds in the region, and from around the world.”

“The time is right for us to tap into this creativity, and take up the challenge of growth to create a city that is truly unique in the world: not just a city made of glass, steel and concrete, but a city made of ideas, creativity and opportunity,” he noted.

This was the part of his speech I really liked, and look forward to seeing – not just cold concrete, steel structures but a city buzzing with the warmth of innovation and creativity.

Whatsay you?

40th IAA World Congress in Dubai: Missed it? March 25, 2006

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 5comments

The 40th IAA World Congress held last week in Dubai was so packed with events, ii is not possible for me to put it all in one post. There is so much to share with my advertising and marketing readers on this blog. And the creative guys and girls. I hope to do it in a series of posts.

For every one delegate who attended there must have been be 99 others who might have wanted to but couldn’t, because of deadlines, client commitments, and the young ones – because of their position in the agency hierarchy and the steep entry fee.

I was surrounded by the big-wigs and missed the young torch-bearers of tomorrow at the Congress. They are the ones who will live to see the change and perhaps the ones to usher it in – but mostly what I saw was grey hair. I have feeling the young ones would have come on their own, these fresh talented ones, if they could afford the few thousand dollars.

Not to worry – here are people like me – bringing you what you might have missed. Sharing the learnings and knowledge with you.

It’s going to happen in many posts – not just one. But a series of posts. Starting now.

If you are lovin’ it, show me some TLC with your comments on this blog, and spread the word. Link to me and maybe I’ll be encouraged enough to post the pictures of the desert safari on Day 2, or rather, Night 2 of the Congress. It was naughtayyy, me lad. Very naughty, indeed.

The 40th International Advertising Association (IAA) World Congress in Dubai March 22, 2006

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 2comments

The Venue of the 40th IAA World Congress
Dubai International Convention Centre

I reached the venue just after 8 am. Things were quite. But the event host team, in their black uniforms were ready to receive guests – an hour beforehand. Right at the very beginning I saw the Gulf News counter and was tempted to take a copy of the day’s paper – but it looked like a lot of pages to carry. Later, I told myself.

 

Delegates line up for the IAA World Congress Sessions on Day 1
21 March 2006 at Dubai International Convention Centre

As the delegates arrived, I saw queues forming. Not a common sight in Dubai. The ‘traffic’ was moving slowly I noticed because bags were being inspected. Darn – why did I have to bring my accessories in a big leather bag. I must think of something more handy tomorrow. There were metal detectors too. Well, when you have Prime Ministers attending, all these precautions do make sense.

 

“Taking Care of Our Future” Exhibition by ACT (Advertising Community Together)
Around 300 campaigns from around the world addressing social and environmental issues

Time was short to soak in the creative juices strewn all over the exhibition. Public service always tends to bring out strong creative expression – and thank God – most of the work is not in the cliched black and white executions.

Some of it is very lively and colourful even. But all of it looks like ads – maybe there were strict rules of submission – given length and breadth of the layout, etc. Interesting stuff, must get meself a CD of this.

More later. Watch this space.

Why we need more women in creative departments March 16, 2006

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 2comments

A full page ad for raising awareness of breast cancer:

Two round bombs in the centre of a page, with their wicks ignited, reminding you of the cartoon series Road Runner with that pesky “Beep Beep” character.

The intelligent, sensitive headline?

“Bust cancer“

I don’t think a woman wrote or conceptualised this.

That’s why I am calling for more women in the creative department – sitting right next to the intelligent copywriters like me. Seriously.

The Third Annual Portfolios.com Awards – Completely Online! March 3, 2006

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 2comments

 

Remember London? The dark mystery unfolds… March 2, 2006

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 2comments

The secret to the “FORGET LONDON” campaign has ben revealed. This is what it was all about.

I read people crticising this teaser campaign, feeling it is in bad taste, keeping in mind the London bombings. I didn’t feel even a slight hint of any such thing in two simple words on a black background.

Maybe I’m not drinking enough coffee these days.

GMR Effectiveness in Marketing Awards – The Winners February 26, 2006

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 6comments

GMR Effectiveness in Marketing Awards (GEMAS) were announced in Dubai on 16 February 2006 at Madinat Jumeirah.

People looking for further information on the award are landing up on my page, including those searching for photos of the event. Since I wasn’t there, I can’t give you photos, but the results can be surely shared. What else is your friendly neighbourhood marketing blog for?

There were around 700 people present, minus yours truly. The house was full by the time I called in – right on the very day of the awards (entirely my fault). Next time I have to try and win the early bird prize.

BBC World’s Middle East Business Report correspondent, Nima Abu Wardeh presented the awards.

And, as I had suspected, the ‘creative’ ads which were the talk of the town a few days back were nowhere to be seen in the winners list. Unless I have missed something.

There’s award-winning creativity. There’s award-winning marketing effectiveness. Where is the ad that wins on both counts?

Without further ado, ladies and gentlemen, the GEMAS results:

GMR Grand Prix
Gold: Masafi
Silver: Nivea for Men Oil Control
Bronze: Hilton – Mastercard

New Brand Launch
Winner: Damas Sampatti Diamond & Gold Collection
Highly Commended: Grosvenor House

New Product Launch
Winner: Nivea for Men Oil Control
Highly Commended: Saudi Telecom for Al Jawal

Brand Development (Extension)
(No winners in this category only highly commended entries)
Highly Commended: Kiri Al Jarra
Highly Commended: Mashreqbank

Brand Alliance
Winner: Hilton – Mastercard ‘Hilton for Free’
Highly Commended: Damas – American Express Gold Card

Corporate Social Responsibility
Winner: Standard Chartered – Seeing is Believing
Highly Commended: Harry Winston Rare Moments

Integrated Communications
Winner: Aujan Industries Rani Float
Highly Commended: Sony Bravia

Public Relations
Winner: Roche Pharmaceuticals, Saudi Arabia Ministry of Health
Highly Commended: Nokia Fonetography Auction

Sales Promotion
Winner: Masafi
Highly Commended: Budget Rent A Car Saudi Arabia

Customer Focus
Winner: Porsche
Highly Commended: Masafi

Sponsorship
Winner: Aujan Industries for Barbican SoccaStars
Highly Commended: Emirates – Rugby 7s

The results posted by GMR online are here.

You might have to register before you can view the full article, err, listing.

Who’s your target audience? Not the client. February 22, 2006

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 6comments

I couldn’t resist picking up TIME magazine’s February 20 issue with the Google team on its cover for an inside look at the $100 billion Google empire.

The cover story, by Adi Ignatius, is well written, packed with info, quotes, inside information about the crazy creative Google world. Pictures of the Google headquarters show off the massage parlour, swim-in-place pools, snooker game in progress in the employee lounge, onsite hair saloon, food!

One quote by Eric Schmidt, the CEO of Google, really interested me:

The company isn’t run for the long-term value of our shareholders but for the long-term value of our end users.

Isn’t he so right? It’s just like my belief as an advertising copywriter we must write for our reader – the consumer, not the client or his wife.

It’s not the client who pays our salaries if you analyse it, it’s the guy who reads our ads, and then goes ahead and buys the product we advertise.

What’s the logic of appeasing shareholders at the cost of end-users, or making ads that “the client wants” but we know as communicators will not work with the target audience?

In the final analysis, the customer is the consumer, the end-user is the king – not the corporation.

The client pays for a product’s ads, but who pays for the client’s products?

 

The Flip Side Of Creative Awards February 21, 2006

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 2comments

At the recently announced Campaign Awards for creativity in advertising, no winners emerged for the Online category. Today, I just happened to see some reasons. Martin Diessner notes, and suggests in Flip Media‘s blog:

It is a clear to me that traditional advertisers in this region have not the required knowledge to judge on a category that requires in-depth technical, creative, digital media expertise and also experience.

Martin makes a few suggestions for future judging of online entries:

A set of basic minimum requirements or standards for judging on a submission might also help a judge that is not the most advanced online industry expert to comment on the work.

Read Martin’s entire post here.

Are you ready for the IAA World Congress? February 18, 2006

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 4comments

Dubai is all set to host the 40th International Advertising Association (IAA) World Congress at the Dubai International Convention Centre (DICC) from March 20-23. The theme of the Congress is ‘Challenges of Change’. It is being organised by the UAE Chapter of the IAA.The who’s who of the advertising and marketing world would be here in Dubai: Sir Martin Sorrell, Chief Executive of WPP; Tateo Mataki, Chief Executive Officer, DENTSU, Japan; Tom Bernardin, Chairman & CEO of Leo Burnett Worldwide; Ken Kaess President & CEO of DDB Worldwide Communications Group; Allen Rosenshine, Chairman of BBDO Worldwide Inc; Howard Draft, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, DRAFT; Colin Gottlieb, CEO of OMD Europe; Jack Klues, Chairman for Publicis Groupe Media; Susannah Outfin, CEO of Carat International; Marcio Moreira, Vice Chairman and Chief Operating Officer of McCann-Erickson World Group. Donald Gunn, the man behind the annual Gunn Report & Showreel of the Year which is considered the official worldwide measure of competitive excellence for the advertising industry will be here too.

An exhibition is lined up aimed at publishers, broadcasters, radio stations, designers, below the line and point-of-sale suppliers, direct marketeers, printers, research and brand consultancies, as well as stock photography agencies, to enable networking, and show off the creative work carried out in the region.

You will also be able to view public service advertising campaigns from around the world in the main concourse of the Dubai International Convention Centre. The exhibition, titled Great Ads for a Better Future, has been put together by Advertising Community Together (ACT), an initiative of AdForum.com and produced in partnership with the United Nations Environmental Programme, (UNEP). This collection will be open, free to the public for viewing. It feels good to note that the IAA Dubai Chapter is currently the largest chapter in the world, and of course the official organiser of the World Congress.

Just what I call being at the right place at the right time. Being in advertising, in Dubai, in March. Now all I need to do is register myself. Quickly.

Social Responsibility: Is it about black & white ads and a few cents in charity? February 13, 2006

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 6comments

What exactly is social responsibility for a business?

Does an arms manufacturer’s donation to the Peace Corps make bombs safer?

Does a tobacco company’s lung cancer funding make cigarettes healthier?

Does a brewery’s TV spot against drunk-driving reduce alcoholism?

Does an offshore oil company’s documentary on marine life, save it?

As creative writers, designers and communicators, are we in advertising just to earn money, no matter what we end up selling?

Even a prostitute does that.

A numbered few amongst us have drawn a line for what we will sell and what our conscience won’t allow us to.

This post is for each of those numbered few.

You are not alone!

Creative Awards: Do Clients Really Care? February 13, 2006

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 1 comment so far

It’s not unusual to see a client calling for a pitch of agencies despite getting years of award-winning creative campaigns from its existing agency.

Which brings us to the sensitive question – how important are awards won by an advertising agency in the eyes of a client?

Gulf Marketing Review‘s annual Agency & Client survey conducted by Ipsos-stat has revealed that awards won by an advertising agency are not even in the top 15 considerations when clients rate agencies.

The most important agency strengths evaluated by a client when choosing an advertising agency, both agencies and clients felt, are the agency’s understanding of the client’s objectives, needs and markets.

For the clients, effectiveness comes next.

Which brings us to the next question – the debate that never ends in advertising circles.

Are all creative award-winning ads effective too?

“Of course,” our friendly neighbourhood creative directors will reply in a confident chorus. But then the entries which were submitted for creativity awards should also shine in forthcoming GMR Effectiveness in Marketing Awards 2006. No?

We’ll see.

What’s Wrong With Radio Advertising in the UAE? February 8, 2006

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 2comments

In the recently announced Campaign ME awards for advertising creativity in the region, the judges picked just one winner in the Radio category even though there were three awards up for grabs.

This is what Elizabeth Drachman’s feature in the February issue of Communicate reveals:

Radio ads go for as little as 150 dirhams and agencies don’t get a cut, so creatives don’t go out of their way to make interesting ads.

While a low budget might fail to excite agency bosses, it might not necessarily be the reason for a bad creative product. Some of the best work is done pro bono by creatives in ad agencies for social service campaigns and NGOs.

But in radio, there no scope of hiding behind a full-bleed picture taken from a stock book. Radio doesn’t allow the “looks-great-means-nothing” variety of ads. If the script isn’t good, the ad is dead. Even if you use Marlon Brando.

Also, radio ads which do well internationally use humour. And wit. And language nuances. And local dialects. Or speaking animals. It would take quite a few brave clients and sharp copywriters to try these adventures before we can tune in to some serious fun on radio.

I have personally written and rewritten radio ads with adventurous situations only to unwillingly come back to “what the client wants” – the whole damned sales pitch in a boring conversation. Or worse, an announcement.

Oh, the voice of a popular movie star was fun to use though for one of the radio spots I wrote some time back. Too bad we didn’t enter it in the awards. Otherwise, I’d have a Gold Award in these dirty little hands right about now.

(SFX: Trumpet on full volume)

(MVO: Evil laughter to fade)

The Very First Campaign Awards Showcase Advertising Creativity February 6, 2006

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 3comments

The first ever Campaign Awards have been announced in Dubai. 650 entries battled it out for top slots in 14 categories. Face to Face, Tonic and Wunderman had great reasons to celebrate.

Face to Face was judged the Agency of the Year for 2005. Their integrated campaigns for Barbican and Rani Float and the dishdasha-clad Air Arabia mascots had, I feel, stood out from the clutter this year.

Tonic shone with its campaign for the Sony Microvault which got the highest votes in its category, and therefore, the Grand Prix. I think this one will go on to win a few more awards, with its powerful simplicity. Tomes of data and information stacked up in the middle of the layout in the shape of the tiny Sony Microvault. Brilliant!

Wunderman won the gold, silver and bronze in the Direct Mail category. Their work for Microsoft, FedEx and Adobe truly deserved it. My personal favourite is Adobe’s mailer with the brown paper bag. The body copy was printed on it and it was sent to computer users to hide their faces in, should they be using pirated software. It really got people’s attention when it was mailed – I remember it. Intelligent, funny, economical, and eco-friendly. Can’t help praising a great agency I have also worked at, can I?

Radio had only one winner – Team Y&R‘s campaign for Radio 1 featuring wannabe DJs.

Online had few nominations but zero winners. Hmm. Guess this is the category that needs a little more TLC from the creative teams. Think of it people, winning an award would be easier here. Unlike press and TV, the hard-fought categories.

TV Campaign
Gold: Crest Lighthouse, Saatchi & Saatchi
Silver: Domino’s, JWT Riyadh
Bronze: Mobinil Mercedes, Leo Burnett Cairo

Print Campaign
Gold: Sony Microvault, Tonic Dubai
Silver: Whiskas, TBWA\Raad
Bronze: Zayani, JWT Bahrain

Outdoor Campaign
Gold: The One TV, JWT Dubai
Bronze: Emirates Today, TBWA\Raad
Bronze: Dubai Autism Centre, JWT Dubai

The full list can be browsed here.

A souvenir of this event with the pictures of the winning campaigns arrived in the mail with the week’s print edition of Campaign.

Good idea! But would have been better if the ads had credits of the winning team alongside. Next time, we hope. When I send in my work too. Specially to the radio and online categories (rubbing hands in anticipation).

Looking for comedy in the advertising world February 1, 2006

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 2comments

“People don’t buy from clowns,” Claude Hopkins used to say. But does that explain the lack of humour in advertising in the Arabian Gulf?

When was the last time a local ad tickled your funny bone, made you laugh, or even smile? Think hard. Give up?

When I met Ed Jones, regional creative director of Saatchi & Saatchi, at the Gulf Marketing Forum, I thought he’d know the secret. He said: “Here people are very nervous of making jokes about the population because so many of the people who are doing the advertising are not part of the host country. There are very few if any Emiratis doing any advertising in Dubai. So they are not very sure of themselves in the kind of risks they can take.”

The same situation is on the client side, he noted. “You want people to have the courage to take risks. But if they don’t know their audience, then of course they are less inclined to.”

The advertising industry is very new in this part of the world, only as old as the oil boom. So, anyone who’s attempting humour is most often sailing in uncharted territory.

Also, there are cultural considerations. What might work in the USA or the UK might be too much to take for local sensibilities.

“Let’s face it – it’s a very conservative culture,” Ed said. I agree.

But there have to be creative ways to cut through the cultural differences and touch a human chord across a multicultural audience.

All we gotta do is find those ways. And with time, we will. At least that’s the half full glass I would like to see.

Insha Allah, as we say. Insha Allah.

Copywriting jobs in the UAE January 31, 2006

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 137comments

If you’re looking for a job in advertising in the UAE, these are the usual routes:
1. Spot the vacancies in the local newspapers
Gulf News and Khaleej Times are good places to start. The print editions have supplements dedicated to ‘Appointments’, while the usual classified ads can be browsed online.

2. Look for your dream job in an advertising/marketing community website

My friend Zeid Nasser’s mediame.com is a good place to begin.

3. Go through recruitment agencies and headhunters
Most advertising vacancies are posted in the papers through recruitment agencies. Many advertise the jobs available on their own sites and you can apply online.

SOS and Kershaw Leonard are currently looking for copywriters. You can visit them online and apply.

4. Contact your dream agency directly
Sometimes, the best thing to land a good job in advertising is to meet the Creative Director of your dream agency directly. Even if a CD does not have a copywriting position waiting to be filled, a few minutes with a good one can get you valuable feedback on your portfolio.

Visiting an agency and meeting its creative head helps you understand the agency and its expectations better.

But be warned: CDs are very busy souls and you must not be pushy in trying to arrange a meeting with them. Most will be happy to give you a few minutes of their time, when they have a few to spare. Which is rare. It rhymes, eh?

5. If you apply everywhere and nothing seems to work, don’t get mad…

Get even. Start your own agency. Or freelance copywriting business.

Dubai Media City and RAK Free Zone can help you establish your own advertising/copywriting operation with minimum red tape.

There are many other ways to stay in touch with the advertising world.

Networking helps. Knowing people in the industry will keep you updated on the trends: who’s moving, who’s scouting for talent, etc.

In a multicultural place like Dubai, a few advertising decision makers have a tendency to try and pull in their ex-colleagues from back home, whichever country they are from. Unfortunately, I have seen this sometimes leads to groupism in the agency, so this is an option I do not personally admire or encourage.

Even though I usually have a friend or two in most top agencies but I don’t use friends to pull any strings. Because if one is good at what one does, getting spotted in a crowd of applicants isn’t usually a problem.

Of course, there are Murphy’s laws. And luck too.

A creative Dubai copywriter blogs January 26, 2006

Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , 18comments

Hi,

Welcome to my blog. I hope you enjoy your stay here and look forward to your feedback.

Here’s a little background about my professional life, for those who would like to look up my credentials.

I am Farrukh, an advertising copywriter and journalist based in Dubai, UAE.

Global brands I have worked on:
In the 10 years that I have been writing professionally, I have written for some of the hottest brands in the world, including:

Hewlett-Packard
Microsoft
Adidas
Compaq
Thomas Cook
Honda
Jaguar
Millennium Hotels
Sheraton Hotels
LG
Philips
Jacuzzi
Rodeo Drive
Carrera

Writing across all media:
My copywriting exploits have covered a wide range of media: from press and magazine ads to TV commercials and radio spots; from direct mailers to press releases; from corporate brochures to online catalogues.

Power-packed BTL edge:
I have beefed up my above-the-line credentials with stints as TV commercial scriptwriter in a production house and a direct marketing writer in one of the largest integrated marketing solutions companies in the world under the Y&R banner.

Multi-industry, multicultural experience:
Having had the privilege to work for multiple industries and a multicultural audience across a wide spectrum of media, it’s easy for me conceptualise and craft attention-grabbing and insightful communication campaigns for various brands that arrive at my desk day after day.

Journalism credentials:
As a journalist, again, I have covered a wide range of industries including telecom, cosmetics, health, transport, internet, education, finance, and more. I have had the privilege to meet and interview the opinion leaders, the movers and shakers of these industries in the Middle East region. My features and analytical articles have been published offline and online by some of the most reputed names in business.  

Plans for this blog:
I would like to use this blog to post thoughts, ideas and information on advertising, marketing and other creative pursuits.

Your feedback would be appreciated and your views valued.

Let’s get on to the posts then…