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 in Arabia, Advertising in Dubai, Advertising in the Middle East, Advertising in the UAE, Copywriting, Internet Advertising, Marketing, Viral Advertising , 1 comment so farFirst 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.
I’ve just spotted an event called Unlimited Power Online that I think would be very valuable for people who do business online or have a stake in the internet marketing industry. An event where some of the world’s leading names in online marketing will teach using the Internet to easily attract new clients at zero cost, how to use online audio and video to boost sales, how to get found on search engines without it costing a cent - all of this without spending a fortune on advertising. And a chance to get online marketing books worth hundreds of dollars for free. More about that in a minute.
As readers of this blog know - I don’t usually plug products or advertise stuff on my blog. But this event is something that I am very excited about. Because it’s so rare to rub shoulders with top internet gurus here in the UAE. Plus, there’s a way you can sample it in a preview and get free books to benefit your online efforts without paying anything. Read on if that sound like fun.
Right Selection from Dubai are bringing in some of the most popular names in the internet marketing world - all in one place, teaching their art of persuasion online. Google them and you’ll see these guys are the who’s who of creating online buzz:
1. Mike Filsaime - “Viral Marketing & Butterfly Marketing”
Mike Filsaime is one of the most influential online business experts, creator of the “Butterfly Marketing” method and a leading authority in Viral Marketing.
2. Stephen Pierce - “How To Turn Your Business Into An Internet Success”
Stephen is author of ‘Secrets To Creating Wealth’
3. John Carlton - “Kick-Ass Copywriting Secrets of a Marketing Rebel”
John publishes the internationally acclaimed “Marketing Rebel Rant” newsletter, where he shares effective advertising, marketing & copywriting strategies. He is one of the most well recognised copywriters in the online world today.
4. Sean Roach - “The Art of Online Possibility Thinking!”
Sean’s expertise is using the internet to achieve financial success. He’s been voted ‘Best Speaker’ at World Internet Summits the UK, Australia and Malaysia.
5. Mike Koenigs - “How To Use Online Video To BOOST Online Profits!”
Michael Koenigs brought the “Internet Infomercial” format to the web with the Infomercial Toolkit – by adapting the television infomercial formula to work online. He’s a consultant to some of the largest companies in America including 20th Century Fox, Sony, Mazda, General Mills, Dominos Pizza, Carlson Companies, Northwest Airlines, 3M. Internet marketers and bloggers know him as the co-creator of Traffic Geyser, a Web 2.0 service for businesses that distributes Internet videos to over 100 top sites with the click of a button to drive website traffic and leads.
Mike is considered an expert in using video to get high rankings on search engines and a producer of over 40 products and more than 300 web sites for authors, entrepreneurs and internet marketers including Debbie Ford and Deepak Chopra.
6. Andrew Lock - “How You Can Use the Power of the Internet to Get More Done & Have More Fun!”
Andrew’s free weekly web TV show, ‘Help! My Business Sucks!’ is the MOST downloaded Podcast on Itunes.com above Business Week, The Harvard Business Review and Brian Tracy. Andrew is the author of “Magical Marketing’ and “How to Shoot, Edit & Distribute HDV”.
7. Russell Brunson - “How To Turn Ideas Into Money”
Russell Brunson is the President and Founder of DotComSecrets.com INC. He is an accomplished author, renowned speaker, software developer, business consultant, and a popular online marketer.
8 and 9. Dean Hunt And Barry Dunlop - “Cut Your Marketing Budget & Reach More People!”
Dean Hunt and Barry Dunlop are considered the world’s leading BUZZ marketing consultants. They are the co-authors of an amazing BUZZ marketing guide called “The Web Traffic Orgasm”.
10. Chris Guerreiro - “How To Up Your Income In A Down Economy”
Chris works directly with top CEO’s , entrepreneurs, and authors to help them create large, long term income streams and legacies that can be handed down from generation to generation.
11. Team MC and Master Facilitator: Ernesto Verdugo
Ernesto is a successful corporate consultant and turn-around expert, and an accomplished online business owner, running a total of 20 successful websites.
12. Chris Griffiths - Mind Mapping
Chris is the creator and developer of Imindmap. The official Mind Mapping software of Tony Buzan. He’s also the CEO of Buzan Online.
Chris will be giving away to all participants a full set of mind maps containing all the ideas discussed by the speakers of the main conference.
13. Sharad Agarwal - CEO of Cyber Gear
Sharad is an online consultant to Dubai e-Government, Grand Hyatt, Starwood Hotels, Shell, Toshiba, Sharp, American Hospital, Médecins Sans Frontières, Union Properties, Kingdom Centre and Saks Fifth Avenue in Saudi Arabia, CityStars in Cairo and Qatar Masters in Doha.
I was surprised when I saw that this event is happening in the UAE - it almost seemed like a mistake - something happening before its time. I mean - how many people here would even know who these guys are? Currently, such high profile online workshops/events usually involve thousands of dollars in fees and take place in the US, Europe, etc and seats fill fast. But right here in Dubai? It’s a great opportunity for anyone like me who lives and breathes online advertising, social media, blogs, video marketing on the internet, the works! But can’t fly off to far away places for picking up new skills.
Now, most of advertising and marketing events in the UAE happen on working days - so I thought to myself - no way am I going to get an opportunity to attend this event and personally meet these guys who I have only been reading about all this time. But kudos to the organisers - the training is on 5 and 6 December 2008 - over the weekend! The location is Oud Metha Ballroom in The Mövenpick Hotel in Bur Dubai.
This and more happens over 2 days of online business and e-commerce training inclusive of 2 buffet lunches with networking opportunities. Yes, it carries a price tag - it’s a little less than $1000 per person. Seeing the list of speakers, anyone who’s clued in on the online marketing industry would know it’s a good deal. But this post isn’t about selling this event. I am personally against
What I really want to share with you is this - getting a taste of the above training wihtout paying anything!
Pay nothing when you attend a 2-hour free preview of Unlimited Power Online this weekend.Choose from 28 November Friday or on 29 November Saturday. The preview venue is Al Majlis Ballroom, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai.
Program is:
17.30 Registration
18.00 Preview Start
19.30 Q & A
20.00 EndIn the free preview event, some of things that you will learn are:
- How to use the 3 most popular websites on the Internet to:
A) Instantly make extra money (even without a website)
B) Attract new customers to your business
C) Become an instant expert in your industry or field of competence- 5 FREE sites that will help you boost your productivity
- What’s the ONLY obstacle between YOU and Internet riches and online success and find out the easiest way to overcome that obstacle
- How to start a part time online business from scratch even if you have ZERO technical skills or product to sell online
- The 1 single element that’ll make any website succesful and that 95.3% of ALL websites online simply ignore to use!
Every attendee will also get two free gifts on arrival:
- Free digital copy of The Unlimited Power Conference Manual (valued at USD $197.00)
- FREE lifetime access to the Unlimited Power Online membership site (valued at USD $297.00) (With educational videos, e-books, success blueprints, downloadable MP3 files)
Although you can pay and register for the main event at Mövenpick Hotel on 5 and 6 December, what I would personally suggest is that before spending any money, try out the free preview this weekend by registering for it at the link below:
More free internet business books - instant downloads:
You can download these six books free of cost as bonus gifts once you’ve registered for the free event by inviting people you know to it - look for a form when you submit your details online for the preview event on the link above.
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, Advertising Agencies, Advertising Awards, Advertising Clients, Advertising Events, Advertising Pitch, Advertising in Dubai, Advertising in the UAE, BTL Advertising, Campaign Magazine, Client servicing, Creative Director, Direct Marketing, Dubai International Advertising Festival, Dubai Lynx Awards, Farrukh Naeem, Harrison Troughton Wunderman, Lack of creativity in advertising, Marketing, Steve Harrison , 7 commentsOn 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.
Keep It Clear ad for Clear anti-dandruff shampoo March 9, 2008
Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising, Advertising Awards, Advertising in Arabia, Advertising in the Middle East, Brands, Clear Shampoo, Marketing , add a comment
Clear anti-dandruff shampoo had a brilliant press ad in OK! Middle East’s 21 February edition (Issue 158).
Dubai Lynx Academy to sponsor 20 students for Dubai International Advertising Festival March 5, 2008
Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Ad Blogging, Advertising, Advertising Agencies, Advertising Awards, Advertising Events, Advertising in Dubai, Advertising in the UAE, Arabic Advertising, Art Director Job, Copywriter job, Copywriting, Dubai International Advertising Festival, Dubai Lynx Awards, Dubai Media City, Lack of creativity in advertising, Marketing , 2 commentsThe 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.
Dubai Lynx announces Advertising Person of the Year Award in Dubai, UAE
Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Ad Blogging, Advertising, Advertising Awards, Advertising Events, Advertising in Dubai, Advertising in Egypt, Advertising in Kuwait, Advertising in Lebanon, Advertising in Oman, Advertising in the UAE, Arabic Advertising, Dubai Advertising Festival, Dubai International Advertising Festival, Dubai Lynx Awards, Farrukh Naeem, International Advertising Association (IAA), Lack of creativity in advertising, Marketing , add a commentThe 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.
Dubai Lynx Awards juries announced. First Dubai Advertising Festival on its way… January 13, 2008
Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Ad Blogging, Advertising, Advertising Awards, Advertising in Dubai, Advertising in Egypt, Advertising in Kuwait, Advertising in Lebanon, Advertising in Oman, Advertising in the UAE, Cannes Lions 2008, Dubai Advertising Festival, Dubai Lynx Awards, Farrukh Naeem, Marketing , add a commentDubai 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.
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, Advertising Awards, Advertising in Dubai, Advertising in the UAE, Business Ethics, Copyright Permission, Copywriting, Corporate Social Responsibility, Ethics in Advertising, Indra Sinha, Journalism, Lack of creativity in advertising, Marketing, Plagiarism, Plagiarism in advertising, Tobacco Advertising , 18 commentsThe 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:
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, Advertising Awards, Advertising in Dubai, Advertising in the UAE, Copyright Permission, Copywriting, Ethics in Advertising, Farrukh Naeem, Internet Advertising, Journalism, Lack of creativity in advertising, Marketing, Plagiarism, Plagiarism in advertising , 36 commentsWe 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 : AGA, Advertising, Advertising Awards, Advertising in Dubai, Advertising in the UAE, Apple, Arabian Gulf Advertising, Bilal Kerbaj, Cannes Lions 2008, Copywriting, Farrukh Naeem, International Advertising Association (IAA), Journalism, Keshav Naidu, Marketing, Sheetal Rajan, Shiva Kumar Thekkepat, Team Y&R , 4 commentsKeeping 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
Apple Macintosh’s legendary ‘Think Different’ campaign by TBWA Chiat/Day: A dream ad for any creative copywriter
Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising, Advertising Awards, Apple, Apple Advertising, Copywriting, Farrukh Naeem, Freelance Journalist, Jennifer Golub, Jessica Schulman, Lee Clow, Marketing, Richard Branson, TBWA, TBWA\Chiat\Day, TV commercial , 10 commentsFor 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
Dubai Lynx Advertising Awards: Shortlist winners awaited from 1,679 entries March 16, 2007
Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising, Advertising Awards, Advertising in Dubai, Advertising in the UAE, Dubai Lynx Awards, Dubai Media City, International Advertising Association (IAA), Marketing , 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
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, Client servicing job, Copywriter job, Jobs in advertising, Marketing, YouTube , 1 comment so farYouTube, 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, Advertising Awards, Advertising Publications, Advertising in Dubai, Advertising in the UAE, Campaign ME, International Advertising Association (IAA), Journalism, Marketing , 11 commentsCampaign 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
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Advertising, Creativity, Advertising in UAE, Advertising Publications, Haymarket, Campaign ME, Campaign Middle East, Campaign Middle East Awards, ITP, Motivate
Web copywriter job at WSI Dubai, UAE February 10, 2007
Posted by Farrukh Naeem at copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising, Advertising in Dubai, Advertising in the UAE, Copywriter job, Copywriting, Copywriting vacancy, Jobs in advertising, Marketing , 5 commentsCreative advertising copywriters looking for a job in Dubai or UAE - here’s an interesting Web Copywriter vacancy in the Dubai office of WSI, ranked the #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 copywriter@ezwsinet.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.]
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Advertising, Copywriting Job in the UAE, SEO, Copywriter, Job in Advertising,