As the concerns about the global warming and climate changes affect all of us around the globe, the UAE has established its own unique approach to encourage public awareness and resource conservation. On February 17, 2009, The Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi in collaboration with the Emirates Wildlife Society (EWS) and Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) launched a campaign centered on the website www.heroesoftheuae.ae.

The aim of this campaign is for everyone around the UAE to take action in being energy efficient and to raise awareness of the shortages of energy resources. The campaigns website contains a forum for the public to show their support for saving energy. Despite the many serious environmental problems lingering in the world, this website points out available and successful solutions adopted by everyday people.

The website features many graphics and animated images that explain the energy and environmental situation in a very simple manner. Cool features also include a list of energy saving tips and a calculator that can tell how households can save on their consumption. Other sections of the website show “green” case studies, some facts about the main issues in UAE, and competitions and quizzes for schools children.

This campaign really is a thoughtful gesture from the UAE for the sake of saving our planet. As they say, everyone should act now because anyone can be a hero.

Within this monthly forum, O2 takes a look at some of the most influential Arab business leaders shaping today’s markets. These individuals have achieved incredible success while advancing best practices in their respective industries. If you know someone who you think fits this description, let us know at editor@pr2live.com.

Lubna Olayan
She is one of the most influential business women and was listed as the top 100 most influenmtial people of 2005 by Time magazine. Ms. Olayan was born on August the 4^th, 1955, to a Saudi business man, Suliman Olayan, and mother Maryam Abdulwahab, and has many significant achievements in the world of business.

Ms. Lubna Olayan is the chief executive officer of the Olayan Financing Company (OFC). The company was founded in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 1947 by her father Suliman Olayan. OFC is a private multinational enterprise engaged in distribution, manufacturing, services, and investments. OFC operates in more than 40 countries and is one of the largest investors in the Saudi and regional stock markets.

Ms. Lubna’s first significant appearance was in 2004 where she was the first woman in Saudi history to deliver an opening keynote at a major conference at the Jeddah Economic Forum. Also in the same year, she was elected to the board of Saudi Hollandi Bank. In 2006 and 2007, Ms. Olayan joined the International Advisory Boards of Rolls Royce and Citigroup. She is also the member of the International Business Council of the World Econonic Forum and the International Advisory Board of the Council on Foreign Relations.

She also has significant roles in Saudi Arabia where she joined the Advisory Board of Effat College, a private and non-profit girl’s college in Jeddah.

Prince Al-Waleed Bin Talal
The most significant figures in today’s Arab business world
From banking to media, one of the most significant figures in today’s Arab business world is Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud.

Prince Al-Waleed was born on March 7, 1955 to his father Prince Talal, the son of the founding king of Saudi Arabia, and his mother Mona Al-Solh, the Daughter of Lebanon’s first Prime Minister Riyad Al-Solh.

As a young man, Prince Al-Waleed completed his undergraduate studies in Menlo College in 1979 with a degree in business adminstration. Later on in 1985, he earned his master’s degree at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs in the U.S.

His business career started right after his graduation from Menlo College in 1979. His business activities as an investor started when he bought shares in Citicorp in the 1990s when the firm was in distress. Now, his holdings in Citigroup account for $1billion, nearly double his initial investments in the 1990s of $550 million. After his investments in Citibank, he earned an international nickname as being the Saudi Warren Buffett.

Later, he made he made significant investments in large media companies such as AOL, Apple Inc., Motorola, News Corporation Ltd and other companies. Prince Al-Waleed also holds 10% stake in Euro Disney SCA, as well as real estate holdings in Four Seasons hotel chain and Plaza Hotel in New York.

Early in 2005, Al-Waleed purchased Savoy Hotel in London to be managed by Fairmont Hotels—in which he owns 16% stake. As of 2008, there are plans to construct the tallest building in the world, The Tower of One Mile. The tower , which is proposed by Al-Waleed’s own company, Kingdom Holding Company, is said to be a super tall skyscraper and the tallest tower in the world with a height of one mile (1609 meters).

In August 2009, his fortune was estimated to be US$16.3 billion and was ranked the 22nd richest person in the world.

Dr.Saad H. Al Barrak
The Deputy Chairman and the Managing Director of Zain
Dr. Saad Al Barrak is the Deputy Chairman and the Managing Director of Zain, one of the leading telecommunication companies in the Middle East. Al Barrak, of Kuwaiti nationality, is a distinguished engineer and businessman of international reputation.

He holds a BSc in Electrical Engineering, an MSc in Systems Engineering from Ohio University, and a PhD in Information Systems & Technology Management from the University of London. He is also an alumnus of Harvard University.

Prior to his appointment with Zain (previously known as MTC), Dr. Al Barrak was Managing Director of International Turnkey Systems (ITS), one of the leading IT companies in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Under Dr. Al Barrak, ITS’s revenues grew from $5 million in 1985 to exceed $100 million in 2000.

Dr. Al Barrak was Vice-Chairman of the Social Development Office (SDO) of the Amiri Diwan in Kuwait; Chairman of Egyptian software developer IT Soft; Chairman of Arab Telecom; and a non-executive Director of Arab Management Association in Cairo.

Since his appointment as the CEO in 2002, Zain’s customer base has increased from 600,000 to a conglomerate of 24 operations with over 70 million active customers across the Middle East and Africa. In this period, Zain’s market capitalization on the Kuwait Stock Exchange has increased from less than US$2.5 billion to exceed $20 billion (September 30, 2009).

In 2003, he received the ‘E-businessman of the Year’ award in the region. Later in 2005, he received the Middle East’s ‘CEO of the Year’ award in the Information Communication Technology sector.

In September 2007, Dr. Al Barrak received the 2007 Lifetime Achievement Award from leading industry magazine COMMSMEA. Dr. Al Barrak is also an Executive Board Member of Celtel International and a Member of the Board of the GSM Association.

Get all the latest info on the newest innovations within the world of mass media. Whoever geeks out at the latest technology and innovations in the market should easily be able to spot out Kindle. Kindle is a software and hardware device that stores and downloads e-books and digital media. It is a thin, lightweight, electronic reading device that you can take anywhere to download your favorite books, newspapers or magazines. In 2007, the internet’s largest bookseller, amazon.com, introduced Kindle to the market.

The Kindle screen simulates paper, and you can read it even in bright sunlight with no glare whatsoever. One of the features of the device is its slim model. Kindle is just over 1/3 of an inch thick. Another feature is its light weight where it’s only 10.2 ounces. In addition to that, you can store over 1500 books in your Kindle, so it has plenty of space. Kindle also has a long battery life as you might be able to read for days without recharging. Moreover, with your wireless 3G mobile phone you can download new books anytime and anywhere. There’s even a “Read to Me Feature” where you can set the Kindle to read text to you whenever you want to give your eyes a break.

Definitely one of the coolest gadgets to come out in a very long time!

Once again we couldn’t help ourselves but to highlight the exceptional work of geniuses at Google (or rather their advertising agency). All in all this is a fantastic ad; simple, honest and heartfelt. Many can relate to this experience, and it rings true to anyone who has ever explored a new city by looking online. The only thing that we feel brings the ad down is the last couple of searches as if all of life’s journeys ultimately end in two things, marriage and a child (come on, a baby’s laugh? It’s a little cheesy). We personally would have liked the final text be in French, which would have shown off a whole lot more of Google’s actual capacity then trying to leave viewers with a shallow family-friendly ending. We understand the target that this is going after, and despite the end, overall it succeeds brilliantly.

Courtesy of adage.com What marketing campaigns form the last fifty years do you remember the most? Probably only a few, and we bet that most of them are the ones that touched your heart and moved you emotionally. It’s not all about making money, and these campaigns show that the most memorable work is done not for the company, but for the public.

1. American Express Statue of Liberty Restoration (1983): During a three-month period, American Express offered to contribute 1 cent for each card transaction and $1 for each new card issued. The campaign raised $1.7 million to restore the statue and Ellis Island.

2. Yoplait Save Lids to Save Lives (1999 to present): Consumers were asked to save and mail in millions of sticky lids to raise 10 cents each to support Susan G. Komen, a breast cancer patient. To date it has raised more than $26 million.

3. Dove Campaign for Real Beauty (2004 to present): Unilever developed the Dove Self-Esteem Fund and hopes to reach 5 million young women with information on positive body image by the end of 2010.

4. 1,000 Playgrounds in 1,000 Days (2005 to 2008): The Home Depot and KaBOOM took employee volunteerism to build great places for kids to play within walking distance of their homes.

5. The Members Project (2007 to 2008): American Express pioneered the use of social media to direct corporate giving and buttressed brand appreciation with this effort. Over two years it gave away $4.5 million, including top winners the Alzheimer’s Association and U.S. Fund for UNICEF.

6. Whirlpool and Habitat for Humanity (2004 to 2007): The appliance maker transformed its previously little-known commitment to CSR by providing a refrigerator to each Habitat for Humanity home built in the U.S.

7. Lee National Denim Day (1996 to the present): Lee, a traditonal male brand, embraced the breast cancer cause by empowering consumers to organize workplace drives at which employees contributed $5 for the right to wear jeans to work on the first Friday in October. Over 13 years, the program has raised nearly $75 million for breast cancer research and advocacy.

8. Product (Red) (2006 to the present): With their privately held company, Bono and Bobby Shriver created a cause marketing campaign (RED). They licensed the brand to GAP, Apple, Armani and many other retailers. (RED) has raised more than $140 million for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

9. Live Strong Bracelet (2004 to present): Nike and Lance Armstrong Foundation first came up with the idea to raise funds and awareness to super cyclist’s cancer by yellow rubber bands.

For more than 10 years Syria has been expanding its production capacities as a premier name in the world of Arabic television dramas. These programs have reached every house in the region and every Arabic channel on TV (some are even broadcasted outside the region). Many people say it is a genre all its own, getting into the hearts of individuals through its light-hearted comedy, historical meaning, and its reflection on life’s daily struggles.

Some of the most successful drama episodes on Arabic TV are produced by Syria Art Production International. The company has produced a number of popular dramas that are familiar to a HUGE regional audience, including shows like “Letters of Love and War”, “Ishtar”, and the six seasons of “Spot Light”. Many say that Spot Light is the most successful Syrian drama comedy ever produced for TV, with a courageous attitude and willingness to deal with different social issues in the Arab world.

If you’ve never seen these shows before, you may be surprised by how much they have in common with the drama shows produced in areas like Hollywood and Bollywood. The most valuable asset in these markets is the professionalism of the actors and actresses, and like in LA or Mumbai, areas like Damascus attract a lot of regional talent.

Although the drama content in these cities may be similar, Syrian TV still lacks the technological advancements that can enhance the quality of the production process. Some have said that government subsidies could help in making the industry a new player comparable to the powerhouses of Egypt and Lebanon, but so far these calls seem to have fallen on deaf ears. DVD sales may be another opportunity to increase regional exposure, and in fact there are a lot of Syrian shows currently sold on DVD in the GCC. Unfortunately many of these are pirated.

Will this industry make the impact it seeks in 2010? The verdict is still out, but let us know what you think by writing us at editor@o2mc.net.

Think you’ve seen it all?  It’s not always the biggest brands that capture our attention, or the largest agencies.  Check out this world’s most popular viral videos of 2009 and see which businesses are making waves in the world of multimedia marketing.  You may be surprised at who made the cut!  Rankings were consolidated by AdAge.com.

1,  Evian Babies “Live Young” (BETC Euro RSCG)
2,  T-Mobile “Life’s for Sharing” (Saatchi & Saatchi; Mediacom)
3,  Microsoft “Xbox/Project Natal” (World Famous)
4,  DC Shoes “Gymkhana Two” (Mad Media)
5,  Nike Basketball “Most Valuable Puppets” (Wieden & Kennedy)
6,  Samsung LED TV “Extreme Sheep LED Art” (The Viral Factory)
7,  NBA “Where Amazing Happens” (Goodby Silverstein & Partners)
8,  Volkswagen “The Fun Theory” (DDB)
9, Microsoft “Megawoosh” (MRM Worldwide, Germany)
10,  Air New Zealand “Nothing to Hide” (.99 Auckland)

Every year millions of people decide “This is the year for me!”  Promises are made and plans are set in place for a new, better you.  Most of these resolutions fade within a month.  Few survive to the see the spring, much less the heat of summer.

So what happens if you slip off the track?  You could just promise to try again next year, or you could take the initiative today and make a resolution for yourself that doesn’t have to compromise!  Here are a few tips to help you make everyday changes for the better.

1. Be realistic in setting your goals.  Even if you are feeling ambitious, realize that you’re only human.  You can’t end war and save the planet all by yourself, and winning a new BMW is largely out of your influence.
2. Have a specific goal in mind.  Want to save the planet?  Start by planting a new tree once a month.  Volunteer your time at a charity organization or community centre.  These are the kinds of goals you should be thinking about; clear and concise.
3. Create a resolution where you can measure your success throughout the year.  People tend to say things like “I’m going to be a better husband/wife”.  What does that mean in terms of new behaviour?  If you can’t evaluate your progress than the whole resolution is worthless.  If you say “I’m going to spend two hours every weekend alone with my husband/wife doing something she enjoys”, that’s a bit more manageable.  Commit to a schedule, a specific activity, or a certain location.  You should feel good about honouring your goals, so make sure you give yourself the chance.
4. Do something worthwhile.  It’s never too late to do something for yourself and the greater good.  Watching two hours of TV instead of three isn’t going to alter your life or anyone else’s.  Think about what you have to offer the world, your passions and hobbies, and what problem in your community you can help solve.
5. Consider alternatives instead of just “quitting”.  This is an extremely valuable lesson in terms of personal psychology.  If you want to quit smoking for instance, all power to you!  What will help you in the long run is if you can say “instead of smoking right when I get up in the morning, I’m going to take a hot bath to relax.”  Instead of lighting up at the office, make it a point to chat with a co-worker you haven’t spoken to that week.  It’s these little alternatives that keep your mind occupied as you wean off of unhealthy practices.

Get all the latest info on the newest innovations within the world of mass media.

Looking at this social media app, you can immediately see the potential for success.  Part GPS-finder and part video game, Foursquare has taken the world by storm as the fastest-growing application in the digital kingdom.  There’s already a Dubai application that has been up and running for months!

Think of foursquare as an “urban mix tape.” The application is specific to the city you are in and is used by downloading the software for free onto your cell phone.  In short, Foursquare helps you make lists of your favorite things to do and lets you share them with friends. Foursquare will keep track of the things you’ve done, help you create To-Do lists and even suggest new experiences to seek out.

By “checking in” around the city, you’ll start finding tips that other users have left behind. After checking-in at a restaurant for example, it’s not uncommon to unlock a tip suggesting the best thing on the menu. Checking-in at a bar will often offer advice on what your next stop should be. Every tip you create is discoverable by other users just by checking-in, and you even earn awards for being an active member!

From golden necklaces to flat screen TVs, Dubai Shopping Festival is without a doubt theworld’s premier shopping event of the year.  Now in its 15th year, DSF 2010 promises to be one of the biggest and grandest in history!  As the festival kicks off, more details are starting to roll in as excitement spreads throughout the city.

It has been announced for instance, that DSF 2010 will be raffling off an incredible 80 cars and Dhs 3 million in cash over the festival period, running from January 28 to February 28.  More than 6,000 retail outlets and nearly 50 malls and shopping centers are estimated to be taking part in the exceptional promotions.  According to event organizers, over 150 international and regional events are being held in the UAE over this period, with activities concentrated in areas like Al Seef, Dhiyafah and Rigga.  Eager consumers are flying in from all corners of the world, and hotels are benefitting from the influx of tourists.

Around three million visitors attended DSF 2009, spending a collective total of nearly Dhs 10 billion!  Both of those numbers were positive gains compared to the year before, and there is no reason to expect a slowdown in 2010.

If you haven’t gone already, it’s time to take advantage of the best deals in the UAE!