It’s the dawn of a new day in Qatar’s energy market as O2 Network help Energy City Qatar (ECQ) take off in 2010! The project was initiated in 2006 and they started construction early 2009, although it’s still not clear when the project will be finalized (possibly by the end of 2010).

Energy City Qatar is a fully integrated business cluster that will be the Gulf’s first oil and gas industry hub. ECQ will be a single point of access to the Middle East and global Oil & Gas players in the hydrocarbon value chain. The $2.6 billion project will consist of low-rise office & residential areas offering world class offices for 20,000 people and luxury residences for 10,000.

Envisioned by Gulf Energy, ECQ forms part of the major new city development, Lusail, which in addition to major business and entertainment districts will be home to up to 200,000 residents. Qatar is touted as the most progressive, business-friendly and the fastest growing economy in the Middle East. Home to the world’s third largest natural gas reserves, Qatar has a stable and maturing political environment, a free press, and internationally recognized regulatory environment.

In an important step in its expansion strategy within international business and finance capitals, O2 Network is proud to announce the launch of a new global office based in Hong Kong! The team will meet the increasing demand for creative services in the region and build new businesses in one of Asia’s largest markets. According to Mohammed Johmani, Founder of the O2 Network, the goal of the expansions is to strengthen an industry which is witnessing significant growth but also strong critique and evaluation.

“It’s all about showing value for your services, and that evidence has become increasingly important in light of the worldwide businesses challenges faced during 2009,” says Johmani. “This will be the foundation of our strategy entering into Hong Kong as the demand for communication consultancy services remains strong.”

The launch of O2 Network in Hong Kong, one of the pioneer business capitals in South East Asia, is the first of the company’s Asian offices and is seen as a strategic gateway into regional markets including the world’s second largest economy China. The new O2 office will offer a comprehensive portfolio of the network’s services, including market research, PR consultancy, advertising, branding, and interactive web products.

As more and more expats migrate to the UAE, its only natural that some of their native institutions follow suit. The New York Film Academy in Abu Dhabi is just one example of the many renowned educational bodies that has come to the capital in the past couple of years to train those interested in the world of media and film.

The New York Film Academy (NYFA) was founded on the philosophy that “learning by doing” combined with best industry practices is more valuable than years of theoretical study for filmmakers and actors. This educational model allows students to achieve more in less time than at all other acting and film schools in the world.

The New York Film Academy is honored to be the acting and film school of choice of many Hollywood filmmakers and actors who have sent a son or daughter to study with them. They include Steven Spielberg, Al Pacino, Robert Downey Jr., Jamie Foxx, and even Bono from U2!

NYFA’s accelerated two year fine arts degree are structured for students who want intensive training from award winning faculty using professional facilities and equipment starting their first day of classes; better preparing them for a career in motion picture and entertainment industries.

For those that are considering college or looking to sharpen their skills, the film schools and acting schools offer evening filmmaking workshops, and acting workshops. The academy also hosts summer film camps and acting camps throughout the world that are designed for high school students.

If you were here ten years ago, something like this would sound like a far off dream (in fact it was for many aspiring film students). With institutes like twofour54 and NYFA growing, plus the newest CNN international headquarters being established in the capital, the sky is the limit for those looking to break into the biz in the UAE capital.

Got Talent is one of the most popular TV series of the last several years, broadcasted on hundreds of channels around the world. It has captured the interest of all of those who are gifted with a talent—and even many that aren’t. The concept started in the UK by host Simon Cowell, although it was America’s Got Talent that cemented the show as an international platform for singers, dancers, musicians, magicians, comedians, and other performers of all ages.

In a recent move to bring the series closer to local audiences, MBC group has partnered with the Got Talent franchise in order to give the Arab world the chance to show off their talents to a wider public. Casting calls are being made in the month of March and are open to peoples of all ages and all backgrounds (provided they can speak Arabic).

In previous seasons of the Got Talent show, we have seen acts that have both horrified and amazed audiences, with judges screaming everything from rude obscenities to YES YOU CAN! Notable acts like Susan Boyle—who was mocked the moment she was on stage—broke all conventions after just a few seconds on stage, leaving the crowd’s eyes wide open and jaws dropped from her incredible voice. Maybe one of you out there can do the same…

During the first season of Arabs Got Talent, which will be aired on MBC4, the public can register online and will be chosen accordingly by talent and availabilities. From heartfelt performances to hilarious gags, we can’t wait to see who’s got talent in the Arab world!

Get on stage at http://riyadhciti.com/2010/02/arabs-got-talent/.

With the boom of the internet usage in the UAE, many consumers are turning to buying and selling their goods online. The competition between portal website is intensifying and now consumers have plenty of options to choose from.

One of the most popular website in the UAE is souq.com. Souq.com is a UAE based website that acts like an auction, where buyers and sellers bid for products. With a username and password, you are ready to go and start your shopping experience online with anything listed on this portal such as mobile phones, jewelry, cars, tickets, and many other products, new and used. Kristy Melia, the sales and marketing manager of souq.com, confirms the “great growth” they are experiencing in the market and how they have a customer base of more than 400,000 members.

Competition is present in this industry with another portal in the market. Dubizzle is considered a market leader in classifieds in the UAE, with items ranging from property for sale or lease, jobs, to community services such as car lifts. JC Butler, the managing partner of Dubizzle, states that they had a healthy growth in terms of revenues and customer subscription and that they play at the top of the game in the e-commerce competition.

The latest entrant in the Dubai market is the Lebanese portal Elmazad.com. Elmazad.com has its headquarters in Lebanon and has operations in Dubai with plans to expand to other nearby countries. The website invites users “buy and sell anything free on the largest online market in Lebanon and UAE”. “Anything” can be items like mobile phones, clothes, cars, accessories, and even real estate properties. The COO of elmazad.com in Lebanon, Hisham Al Ashkar, sees Dubai as a great potential for the business to grow as it is still focusing on brand awareness with its marketing campaign through SMS, Facebook and other magazines.

According to company spokespersons, all of the above websites have experienced a huge growth in their customer base. Nowadays, consumers are shifting their buying behavior to online websites or auction sites for many reasons.

One reason is the cheap prices that one can get through such websites. The exact products found in the market are being sold for a discount in dubizzle and souq.com. Unwanted gifts from jewelry to business pens are sold online for less than their original prices in store, and trust us, there are a lot!

In addition, these websites have done a lot to develop their offerings to attract more customers. Souq.com for example introduced a free shipping promotion to encourage more customers to spend online.

The recent economic downturn has also affected much of the regular shopping that is going on in the marketplace. Many people are moving in and out of the country, requiring to sell or to buy their household goods. During financial distress, consumers would turn to buying used products at a cheap price or selling their unwanted stuff to get some extra cash.

Last but not least, while the prospects of online shopping are definitely better during hard times, it is the quality of experience that is more important. Just like window shopping is fun for some of us, so is shopping online. With just a few clicks of a mouse and some searches for the item that you’re looking for, the product becomes yours! You don’t have to worry about getting stuck in a traffic jam, finding a parking space for your car, or not finding what you’re looking for in the mall. One of the many ways the internet continues to make life simpler.

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.

They make up more than half the world’s population and represent billions of dollars of buying power, but marketing to women is still a challenge even for the brightest minds in mass media and consumer business.  Furthermore, many women say that they feel underserved in today’s consumer market.  As psychologists look deep into the female psyche to discover exactly what women want, everyone seems to be coming up with their own “revolutionary” insights.  Have any of these proven successful?

The simple answer is yes, sort of.  Women are a diverse market and cannot be stereotyped into one category or another.  Those in the marketing world tried to do this years ago and failed miserably.  Mass media have played a huge role in perpetuating—and at times changing—female stereotypes, and offer a number of unique case studies into popular culture.  Television shows are a great example of this phenomenon.

Oprah Winfrey, a hard -working news anchor turned international media mogul, is a role model for men and women alike (although most of her audience is women).  She is compassionate, honest, and generally optimistic about the future of our planet.  By supporting the arts and charity organizations around the world, she has gained the respect of her colleagues and the millions of viewers that watch her show religiously.  She tackles serious social challenges and brings real emotion to her live audience.  This makes for great entertainment and appeals to male and female audiences around the globe.

At the other end of the entertainment spectrum is the insanely popular Sex and the City sitcom.  The show takes a comical and sensational look at what it’s like to be a single woman in New York.  Raunchy and brutally honest, it’s the perfect example of how style and sex continue to sell in today’s world.  This also makes for great entertainment.

The point is that there is no universal formula for appealing to women.  Some women think that Oprah perpetuates outdated stereotypes of the “homemaker” woman and marginalizes females as emotionally fragile creatures.  Others find Sex and the City to be grossly misleading, highlighting only the most superficial and materialistic interests of the female gender.

These shows are successful not because they appeal to all women, but because they appeal to a particular personality with unique values and interests.  Entire teams of researchers are dedicated to studying these personalities.  Surveys are distributed and interviews are conducted as every corner of the television market is explored.  This is then the foundation for the show, and advertising campaigns worth billions of dollars are aimed at real people rather than female or male stereotypes.

In marketing along the gender line, the age of “just going pink” is officially over.

This banner ad shows a young, online audience how fun, eccentric - and even downright weird - life with Pringles can be. As the user clicks on the banner again and again (and again, and again), they go deeper and deeper into a story with surprises at every turn without ever leaving the ad.

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