GMR | Nov 2010

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NOVEMBER 2010 - NO 192

SECTOR ANALYSISSECTOR ANALYSIS

A MediaquestCorp Publication

Registered in Dubai Media City

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CLIENT SERVICINGPITCH UP OR SHUT UP SAY CLIENTS

INSIGHTSRAMADAN 2010:CONSUMER CHANGES

MARKETING WAGING WAR ON THEAMBUSH MARKETERS

Wat ‘appens nxt?

REGION’S AUTO MARKETGATHERS SPEED ON THEROAD TO RECOVERY

REGION’S AUTO MARKETGATHERS SPEED ON THEROAD TO RECOVERY

Glashütte Original – 165 years of watchmaking art.PanoMaticCounter XL

Glashütte Original. Founder of the German Watch Museum Glashütte.

The PanoMaticCounter XL. The art of complication. Featuring the new Caliber 96-01 with 584 individually crafted and manually finished components, 217 of which comprise a novel function that makes it possible to count and keep track of things from 1 to 99. Find out more at www.glashuette-original.com.

Bahrain: ASIA JEWELLERS, +973 17 534 444 · Jordan: TIME CENTER, +9626 552 5706 · Kuwait: MORAD

Qatar: RIVOLI, +9744 833 679 · Saudi Arabia: ALFARDAN JEWELLERY, +9661 462 8972 · Syria: WATCH

YOUSUF BEHBEHANI, +965 2467 626, Lebanon: ATAMIAN, +9611 256 655 · Oman: MISTAL, +968 24771444

TOWN, +963 11 3736 115, Turkey: LPI, +90 212 296 7960 · United Arab Emirates: RIVOLI, +9714 800 rivoli

Glashütte Original – 165 years of watchmaking art.PanoMaticCounter XL

Glashütte Original. Founder of the German Watch Museum Glashütte.

The PanoMaticCounter XL. The art of complication. Featuring the new Caliber 96-01 with 584 individually crafted and manually finished components, 217 of which comprise a novel function that makes it possible to count and keep track of things from 1 to 99. Find out more at www.glashuette-original.com.

Bahrain: ASIA JEWELLERS, +973 17 534 444 · Jordan: TIME CENTER, +9626 552 5706 · Kuwait: MORAD

Qatar: RIVOLI, +9744 833 679 · Saudi Arabia: ALFARDAN JEWELLERY, +9661 462 8972 · Syria: WATCH

YOUSUF BEHBEHANI, +965 2467 626, Lebanon: ATAMIAN, +9611 256 655 · Oman: MISTAL, +968 24771444

TOWN, +963 11 3736 115, Turkey: LPI, +90 212 296 7960 · United Arab Emirates: RIVOLI, +9714 800 rivoli

4 Gulf Marketing Review November 2010

NOVEMBER 2010 – ISSUE NO. 192

www.GMR-Online.com

PROFILE Wake up and smell the Corn Flakes: Talking to Kellogg’s Will Brockbank.

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NEWS 10Carat wins World Cup guerilla Bavaria. O2 scores with Asian Cup. N_K_D delivers ‘social media’ pizza. Hug Digital officially launches. Trilingual site for ‘digital Arabia’. Social media takes centre stage at this year’s DIFF. Nestlé rolls out ‘Ajyal Salima’ with some help from AUB.

WORLD NEWS 18Decaux launches OOH poster recog-nition for iPhones in France. Chilean miners provide global product place-ment platform. Texting central to US teen life, says study. Tourism Australia scores with YouTube Symphony Or-chestra. MEC India bags two accounts. Dentsu Group consolidates subsidiaries to create ‘marketing cloud’. New York topples London as the world’s top ad creative city.

NEWS PLUS 22We report from Riyadh on news and views from around the stands at the third Saudi Media Show.

INSIGHTS 26GMR Exclusive: Egypt eclipses UAE as the rising star of Ramadan adver-tising. Regional ad spend and media consumption during the Holy Month differs widely from 2009, reports PARC.

CREATIVE VIEW 32Did EWS’ little cape-wearing eco heroes or BMW’s artistic Kinetic Ball teaser campaign win over this month’s guest critics?

HALAL LIFE 34How Qatar’s Barwa Bank, a new en-trant in the financial services sector, is using humour to position itself as the region’s ‘modern Shari’ah-compliant

bank’. We also look at how Shari’ah finance presents a marketing opportunity for everyone, irrespective of belief.

MARKETING 40Ambush marketing can rob official sponsors of their rightful glory. So what can be done to give brands that actually pay a sporting chance?

COVER STORY: APPS 46Are branded apps the white knights of mobile marketing or merely a tale of sound and fury…? We talk to brands and planners as they grapple with the phenomenon.

CLIENT SERVICING: 62 PITCHINGIn October’s GMR an agency chief struck a blow for fairer pitching prac-tices in the region. This month the clients strike back…and it ain’t pretty.

MEDIA 66Online protocol: Bayt.com’s Ali Sinaei specifies the dos and don’t-you-dares of social media marketing.

SECTOR ANALYSIS 70AUTOMOTIVESHow Germany’s premium brands held their ground throughout the economic crisis. Online media is not the way forward for everyone it seems. Eco strategies continue to dominate the global development agenda for manufacturers. Luxury marques add extra value while consumers – and manufacturers – continue to rise from the East and dealerships finally dis-cover the delights of consumer-centric services. There is a lack of region-specific advertising in the auto sector, plus the latest stats and analysis from Mediastow, Sekari and PARC.

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Reproduction in whole or part of any matter appearing in GMR is prohibited by law without the prior written approval of the publishers. Opinions expressed in GMR do not necessarily represent the views of the publishers and editorial staff of the magazine. The publishers do not hold out any guarantee as to its accuracy, neither do they indemnify any loss arising through use of the information.

All dollar prices ($) are US dollars, unless otherwise specified. All marketing data is subject to confirmation.

Printed in the UAE by Atlas Printing Press

70 SECTOR ANALYSIS: AUTOMOTIVES

MANAGING EDITORSiobhán [email protected] MANAGING EDITORPrecious Jasper de [email protected] SUB EDITORElizabeth [email protected] EDITORSalil [email protected] DIRECTORSSheela Jeevan, Alvin Cha, Aya Farhat CONTRIBUTORSAlex Malouf

ADVERTISING: MEDIALEADERUnited Arab Emirates [email protected]: +(971) 4 391 0760

Saudi Arabia: Ghassan A. [email protected]: S.C.C Arabies18 rue de Varize75016 Paris, FranceTel: +(33) 01 47 66 46 00Fax: +(33) 01 43 80 73 62Lebanon:Beirut, LebanonTel: +(961) 1 202 369Fax: +(961) 1 202 369

PUBLISHED BY: Medialeader FZ/MediaquestCorp FZEurope:S.C.C Arabies, 18 rue de Varize75016 Paris, FranceTel: +(33) 01 47 66 46 00Fax: +(33) 01 43 80 73 62

CO-CEO Alexandre Hawari CO-CEO Julien Hawari CFO Abdul Rahman Siddiqui Managing Director Ayman HaydarGeneral Manager Simon O’HerlihyCreative Director Aziz KamelDistribution & Subscription Director JP Nair, [email protected] Manager Joumana Haddad, [email protected] GM Tarek Abu Hamzy, [email protected], Tel: +966 1 4194061Lebanon GM Nathalie Bontems, [email protected], Tel: +961 1 492801North Africa GM Adil Abdel, Wahab, [email protected], Tel: +213 661 562 660France Sales Director Manuel Dias, [email protected], Tel: +33 1 4766 46 00

MediaquestCorp.Dubai Media CityAl Thuraya Tower 2, 24th FloorUnited Arab EmiratesTel: +(971) 4 391 0760Fax: +(971) 4 390 8737www.mediaquestcorp.com

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NEWS

MENA Mediaquest Corp., pub-lisher of GMR, has launched the iPad version of Trends – a first in the region. Founded in 1998, the monthly Arab affairs title, with an audited circulation of 50,000, is avail-able on iTunes.

“At $5.99 a month, this rep-resents excellent value, which is almost the same price as the print edition, but now accessible worldwide,” said

Alexandre Hawari, co-CEO of Mediaquest Corp.

“Mediaquest is at the cutting-edge of new media. It would

be wrong of us to ignore the popularity of the iPad in the region and appetite for content through new technology. What’s more, the iPad version of Trends will carry advertising that should be particularly appeal-ing to those who want access to high-tech readers on the go,” said co-CEO Julien Hawari.

Mediaquest will add more titles on mobile and iPad in the coming months.

MENA Malt beverage Bavaria has enlisted Carat to help position the non-alcoholic drink as a premium import-ed brand.

Bavaria grabbed the global spotlight during the World Cup when it hijacked the Neth-erlands versus Denmark match, planting a group of female

spectators all wearing orange into the crowd. (Please see page 40, Ambush Marketing.)

Carat says the Dutch-based brand, already popular in Iran, aims to reach consum-ers in the wider MENA region and plans to roll out a re-gional TV and OOH campaign, hoping to capitalise on the

consumer preference for malted beverages in many parts of the Middle East.

“It was a tight pitch process, but we feel Carat delivered with its strategic thinking and complete un-derstanding of the business and target market,” said Vera Sellink, brand manager.

Regional first for Trends magazine

Bavaria beverages appoints Carat ME

Monthly spearheads Mediaquest’s mobile app expansion.Middle East Juice brand Rani Float has been given a new look in line with its plans for further expansion outside the GCC region.

The brand will see an in-creased presence in countries such as Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Syria, India and Pakistan, as Rani maker Aujan indus-tries tries to meet its goal of $1 billion in annual sales by the end of 2012.

“The new design is an expression of a brand that is moving from a regional name to gaining widespread international exposure,” said Ahmed Shaboury, head of brands, Aujan Industries.

A full 360-degree market-ing campaign, developed with Face to Face, will support the Rani Float re-launch this month and in-cludes outdoor advertising and activation.

Since its launch in Saudi Arabia in 1982, Rani has reported double-digit growth year-on-year and become one of Aujan’s flag-ship brands.

New-look Rani to float beyond GCC

The American University of Beirut (AUB) and Nestlé have launched a localised version of the Nestlé Healthy Kids Global Programme, Ajyal Salima.

The initiative promotes better eating hab-its and a more active lifestyle among nine- to 11-year-olds. The collaboration covers a three-year project by AUB financed by the Nestlé Healthy Kids Nutrition Research Fund.

AUB says the percentage of overweight six- to 19-year-olds in Lebanon has risen from 20 per cent in 1997 to 35 per cent in 2008, with a doubling in obesity rates.

Present at the signing were Nestlé Mid-dle East chairman & CEO Yves Manghardt and the AUB’s Dr Peter Dorman, Dr Ahmad Dallal and Dr Nahla Hwalla.

CLOSER ENCOUNTERS

Chunky: New look initiates global plans

Trend setter: iPad debut for title

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NEWS

MENA Tim Baker, formerly GM of MCN-owned Initiative, who left the company late last year, has set up a new digital ideas agency.

Baker has partnered with Oussama Jamal – formerly COO of MCN Media – to form Hug Digital.

The agency will provide clients with creative digital ideas covering mobile, social media, online and production.

Based in Dubai’s Media City, Hug’s clients to date include Flash Entertainment, Apple and Lacnor, along with a number of multina-

tionals that Baker declined to specify.

For Flash, the agency has developed a UGC portal covering music, culture and art.

“I could see the huge po-tential of this region, wheth-er it’s from client demand or consumers, which are forcing brands to catch up quickly or lose market share,” Baker told GMR.

Baker has also linked up with Cairo-based Digital Republic as part of its part-ner network. Strategy and ideas are developed from Dubai and content is produced in Cairo.

“Egypt is our digital kitch-en,” he said.

Resources in Egypt are cost-effective and high qual-ity, Baker added.

UAE The Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) is strength-ning its digital and social media marketing strategies to reach a wider audience this year.

Two core elements were revamped this year: the web-site and free mobile app, called DIFF on the Go. While Dubaifilmfest.com has a new booking engine, the mobile app is coming out of its test year with more functionali-ties, including a secure pay-ment platform for tickets and greater service. It’s now avail-able in Symbian, BlackBerry, Android and iPhone platforms.

“We have made significant strides in digital every year for the past few years, jump-starting our Facebook, Twit-

ter, YouTube and Photo-bucket presence, refining our own domains and boost-ing our mobile campaign with our first mobile app. We are even more excited about our roll-out this year,” said Mahsa Motamedi, director of marketing and sponsorship, DIFF.

Similar developments are under way, with Leo Burnett as its creative agency and Asda’a for PR. Currently, DIFF has more than 3,900 follow-ers on Twitter and 4,300 fans on Facebook.

Scheduled for December 12-19, this year’s event has the tagline ‘Open Your World’.

As focus turns to more digital elements, Motamedi tells GMR that the budget is unchanged and DIFF will continue to use traditional media, primarily print and audio-visual platforms.

On a regional level, DIFF recently partnered with the Cairo Film Connection, Screen Institute Beirut and Beirut-DC, providing a “financial incubating fund of $10,000 for Beirut DC’s Documen-tary Course”.

DIFF has also signed with film governing conglomerate Capital Regions for Cinema, extending its reach to key European markets such as France, Germany, Italy and Spain, and potentially build-ing new collaborative ventures.

Baker embraces new digital initiative

Nearly 4,000 followers on Twitter and 4,300 fans on Facebook line up for festival.

Open arms: Tim Baker

Centre stage: Mahsa Motamedi

Social media to take the spotlight at DIFF 2010

Swiss watch brand Rado has opened its first stand-alone boutique in Iran. A part of the Swatch Group, Rado opens the monobrand store in collabora-tion with Kish Behin Trading, Rado president Roland Streule told GMR. Rado hopes to “strengthen its presence in Iran and improve brand awareness, distribution and proximity to cli-ents”. A campaign supports the launch, covering OOH, print and instore activation.

TIMELY MOVE


NEWS

UAE A social media company that “happens to sell pizza” has chosen the UAE for its global headquarters.

The franchise brand N_K_DPizza is due to open its first store outside its native US in Dubai Marina by year-end. This first global contract was awarded to Dubai-based op-erator and former Jones Lang LaSallle executive Ian Ohan.

A second UAE store is slat-ed for Dubai Studio City.

Starting its franchise op-erations in 2009, the firm is hoping for a bigger slice of the $44 billion global pizza delivery sector, partly through its plans to open more than 50 stores across the region within the next seven years.

It has more than 350 units under development in the US

and is on track to have up to 500 stores under contract glo-bally by the end of the year.

N_K_DPizza has an active website and blog, as well as Twitter and Faceboook ac-counts, posting discussions on regional food and lifestyle.

“Being fully aligned with the tenets of social media – dialogue, reciprocity, authen-

ticity, and a willingness to listen and learn – we find out immediately what people think of us,” Robbie Vitrano, co-founder and chief brand ar-chitect, told GMR.

Community outreach, da-tabase marketing, direct pro-motion and events are also in the works and designed for its social media community.

Originally named NAKED-Pizza (a reference to its in-gredients being free of various additives), the brand was changed to N_K_DPizza when it planned to open in the UAE.

“We chose the name N_K_D as a cultural gesture of respect. It doesn’t change the important parts about who we are, what we believe, what we do, our mission or premise of value in any way,” Vitrano said.

Middle East Anayou.com, a trilingual mobile and web platform, has launched in beta version.

Available in Arabic, Eng-lish and French, the official launch date is yet to be confirmed.

A product of the du Media lab, a division of the UAE teleco, the site is designed for the MENA region, offering content, applications and games, as well as access to social networks, entertainment, sports, two-way phone sync and a 2GB cloud storage space, called the “Vault”.

The blend of Arabic ‘ana’ (me) and English (you) in the name reflects the core premise of the platform as a place for both personal “ana” digital services and for engaging with communities, brands and the rest of the world, “you”.

“In recognising the dig-ital world as a positive driv-ing force in people’s lives, we acknowledge that the people of Arabia deserve more from the internet than what is presently offered,” du CEO Osman Sultan said.

Anayou.com is available on mobile, web and soon TV.

The site is built in partnership with several content, media, and technology providers, including Rotana, Getmo Arabia, Eurosport, MBC, Ac-centure, Funambol, Hungama, and gaming company F4.

Seigel+Gale created the brand identity. TBWA\RAAD is looking after the branding and advertising, while Ketch-um RAAD handles PR.

There are 344 million Ara-bic speakers globally and Arabic is the seventh most popular web language, but less than one per cent of online content uses it.

Firm eyes greater pizza the actionSocial media company chooses UAE as global headquarters

Listening and learning: Robbie Vitrano

Trilingual site opens for ‘digital Arabia’

Qatar The Organising Com-mittee of Asian Cup Qatar 2011 is working with the O2 Network to roll out its adver-tising, interactive and brand-ing campaign throughout the Middle East.

Six other agencies were originally invited to pitch, said O2. The marketing budg-et is undisclosed.

An official mascot and a mega clock, which will count down the last 100 days before the start of the finals, are also planned.

A website has already launched along with an ad campaign for ticket purchase. The site is expected to sell more than 500,000 tickets before the January 2011 start date.

“The campaign focuses on activation rather than tradi-tional media and some are planned for December,” Mo-hammed Johmani, CEO and founder, O2 Network, told GMR.

The agency is tasked with digital and creative work, media buying and guerilla marketing in local hotels, public transport and OOH.

Qatar lines up for Asian Cup

Kick-off: Asian Cup 2011 plans under way

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WORLD NEWS

Global Jung von Matt Hamburg is the highest ranked agency in EMEA, according to the Cannes Lions Report 2010.

With three gongs, Wieden X+ Kennedy Portland is the most awarded agency in North America; Leo Burnett Sydney is number one in Asia Pacific, and AlmapBBDO takes first place in Latin America, says the second annual review to be published by Cannes Lions organisers.

The US and the UK stay in first and second place respec-tively as the most awarded nations. Brazil and Germany move into joint third place.

New York, meanwhile, usurps London to become the world’s most creative city, while Eu-ropean independent agencies continue to dominate with Jung von Matt coming top.

For the first time the report identifies individual success, with Brazilian Luiz Sanches named highest-ranked crea-tive director and André Kassu as top copywriter. Both are from São Paulo’s AlmapBBDO.

Kieran Antill of Leo Burnett Sydney is the top-placed art

director, while V. Scott Bal-cerek and Kris Belman of Caviar LA take joint first place in the list of directors.

The report provides official rankings of agencies by cat-egory, regions, countries and cities based on their perform-ance at the Cannes Lions.

India MEC India has bagged two new accounts.

The agency’s entertainment and sports unit, MEC Access, has won the IP business of ABSIL, a Times Group com-pany, to advise ABS on the best platforms for its IP assets. The media agency will also buy these platforms on behalf of the client.

MEC Access launched as a specialist division of MEC in 2008. Since then it has managed relationships with Citi-IPL sponsorship, Nivea- Femina Miss India partnership, HDFC Standard Life Spell Bee

activation and Honda Stunner activation, among others.

In other news, wealth man-agement firm The ASK Group has named MEC as media partner for all its businesses.

Commenting on the move, Salil Vaidya, head of market-ing for ASK, said: “Given the challenges we face in reach-ing our prospects, who are some of India’s richest individuals and families, we needed a partner who could also offer unconventional and media neutral customer engagement solutions.”

“The company has aggres-sive growth plans and we look forward to adding value through our unique active engagement approach,” said, Manjiri Kamat, GM, MEC Mumbai.

NY takes lion’s share of Cannes awards

Two new account wins for MEC India

Wieden+Kennedy Portland come out on top with three gongsJapan Dentsu Inc is creating a new “marketing cloud” to support the process for all its clients.

The agency is partnering with its IT systems subsidiary, Information Services Interna-tional-Dentsu Ltd (ISID), and Salesforce.com Co Ltd, the Japanese branch of US com-pany Salesforce.com Inc (SFDC), to create the service.

Dentsu has worked with SFDC and ISID to construct cloud-computing systems on an unprecedented scale for several large projects, the group says.

By leveraging cloud com-puting, the service will en-able smooth data integration management at each stage of the marketing process (prod-uct development, production, logistics/distribution, promo-tion/sales, verification/anal-ysis and after-sales service) that, until now, had been dif-ficult to integrate.

The marketing dashboard function will enable all the data to be viewed in real time on a single screen, while the 2/2 uploading of Dentsu’s proprietary tools and database to the cloud will support faster and more effective marketing of client busi-nesses, Dentsu says.

Designed to facilitate man-agement of marketing ac-tivities, from the planning of business operations and introduction of systems to implementation of operations, this “cloud” will link the marketing process to sales and CRM.

Silver lining for Dentsu’s clients

Roaring success: Second Lions report aggregated awards tallies

Forward-thinking: Manjiri Kamat

November 2010 Gulf Marketing Review 19

US Teenagers in the US (13 to 17 years) send or receive 3,339 texts a month, more than six for every hour they are awake – an eight per cent rise over 2009, says research from The Nielsen Company. Teen males also outpace other male age groups, sending and receiving an average of 2,539 texts.

Texting is the main reason for choosing a phone for 43 per cent of teens, which is why QWERTY is the first thing they consider.

Texting is also regarded as easier and faster than talking. The majority of teens – 78 per cent – recognise the conven-ience of SMS, considering it easier – 22 per cent – and faster – 20 per cent – than

calls. Voice activity, therefore, has dropped by 14 per cent among teens, who average 646 minutes of talking time a month.

The main area of growth is data usage, with 94 per cent of subscribers self-identified as advanced data consumers using their mobiles for mes-saging, the internet and gam-ing. Teen usage rose from 14

MB to 62 MB compared to Q2 2009. Much of this is by males who are more gadget-savvy than females, using 75 MB of data Vs 17 MB. Females use about 53 MB compared to 11 MB a year ago.

Neilsen analysed usage among 60,000 mobile subscrib-ers, plus data from 3,000 teens, from April to June 2010.

Australia Tourism Australia is partnering with YouTube to support the second YouTube Symphony Orchestra, which travels to the country next year. The news follows the 2009 event that saw 90 mu-sicians from 30 countries play in New York’s Carnegie Hall, attracting 25 million views from 226 countries.

“Tourism Australia is lead-ing the way in digital market-ing to promote Australia around the world as a travel destina-tion and this partnership is a perfect fit with our activi-ties,” said Andrew McEvoy, MD Tourism Australia.

“While TV, print and cin-ema advertising remain im-

portant, our organisation has long been at the forefront in promoting Australian holidays in the digital space – and we continue to explore new op-portunities for taking our tourism message to the world.”

The tourism body will sup-port the initiative through its global PR activities such

as the international media hosting and visiting opinion leader programmes.

This month sees the YouTube Symphony Orchestra 2011 auditions being held.

A panel of experts from orchestras around the world will select the semi finalists. The YouTube community adds its votes online in December, and the finalists will be selected in January.

The event culminates in rehearsals and master class-es at the Sydney Opera House next March. The highlight will be a performance by conductor Michael Tilson Thomas, which will be streamed live globally.

Word on the street: Teen texting is up

Oz tourism orchestrates YouTube promo

Important message: QWERTY is a major factor in the teen purchase decision

Right note: Tourism Australia links up

with the YouTube Symphony Orchestra

France JC Decaux has launched poster recognition technol-ogy in its native France through an exclusive partnership with French mobile tag platform developer Telequid.

Called U-snap, the app lets the public download images onto their iPhones and offers brands direct digital access to consumers, Decaux says.

Users can download the app for free from the Apple Store to photo the poster. They are then re-directed to the advertiser’s content – trailers,

new product information or discount vouchers, for exam-ple. Users will also receive updates about current inter-active campaigns as soon as the app goes live.

The launch was backed by an internet and mobile web ad campaign and emails aimed at iPhone users, a Facebook page, the u-snap.net web page, plus a competition offering holidays, iPads and MP3 play-ers. Eventually, U-snap will be extended to Android or Windows and will be avail-able internationally.

According to newspaper La Tribune, clients include Orange, Lancome and Chupa Chups.

JC Decaux snaps up OOH poster app

WORLD NEWS

Seventy-eight per cent prefer messaging to talking, study says

User friendly: Outdoor poster apps


WORLD NEWS

Chile The 33 pairs of $180 sunglasses donated to the Chilean miners have turned into a product-placement goldmine for makers Oakley.

The $6,300 gesture by the firm generated $41 million in equivalent advertising time, according to research for CNBC network by spon-sorship evaluation firm Front Row Analytics.

The bespectacled miners emerged following 69 days 625 metres underground.

Eric Smallwood, VP project management, told CNBC that the research measured live coverage, recaps and a rough estimate of the audience watching around the world.

Broken down by country, Oakley got the most exposure in China ($11.7 million), fol-lowed by the US ($6.4 million) and the UK ($898,000). Chile

came fourth with $703,000. The optics firm also became a hot topic on Twitter.

Other firms wanting a slice of the action included Apple.

CEO Steve Jobs sent each miner an iPod, while Greek mining firm Elmin offered Mediterranean holidays, said to include stopovers to

watch Real Madrid and Manchester United.

Not all donors benefited, however. A Chilean sushi company was allegedly forced to apologise for exploiting the men’s plight when it offered them free meals for a whole year – only if they survived.

Singapore Supermarket chain FairPrice is planning to ex-pand its halal offerings by introducing more halal cor-ners in its stores.

The Singapore-based ma-jor multiple currently offers more than 20 products, including instant noodles, chocolates and biscuits, and has recently listed the Brunei Halal brand range of products.

FairPrice’s Halal corners are certified by MUIS – the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore.

“We intend to expand the number of halal corners in our stores; we certainly want to work with as many sup-

pliers as possible to bring in more halal products,” said a company spokesperson.

The chain courted contro-versy in 2007 when a picture of its pork products with MUIS certification was posted online, according to Halal.com.

The chain lodged a police complaint alleging tamper-ing of its products.

Under the country’s strict laws an abuser of halal MUIS certification can face a $10,000 fine, a 12-month jail sentence or both.

Oakley’s product placement goldmine

Fairer deal for Singapore’s halal buyers

Optics company extracts $41 million in equivalent ad timeGlobal The soft drinks sector was hit hard by the econom-ic crisis, managing only three per cent growth in 2009, almost half that of 2006/2007, says a Euromonitor study.

More than half of the world’s spend on soft drinks is in mature markets such as North America and Western Europe, the report says. Further growth

in these regions, however, often cannibalises existing brands, therefore expansion into new markets is vital.

The study also found that consumers are no longer willing to pay extra for health benefits. A clear message of value-added elements such as natural sweeteners will be needed to help justify premium prices.

Last year’s purchases by PepsiCo and Coca-Cola of their domestic bottlers should help position them for long-term growth, but Japanese com-panies and other competitors are expanding at a faster rate.

Drinks such as fruit/veg-etable juice and RTD tea, however, are viewed as healthy and could offset flat growth in core categories during the next five years, especially in China, the study adds.

Harder times for soft drinks sector

Visionary: Oakley upstages all other brand donors

Wider range: FairPrice ups halal choice

Clutching at straws: Falling levels

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AT THE TIME of writing official attendance figures from the third annual Saudi Media Show held in Riyadh last month were unavailable, but early indications are that it surpassed last year’s 1,500.

The two-day event hosted an array exhibitors, many of whom chose it as a platform from which to launch services or products.

One such was UAE-based news portal Eye of Dubai, there to announce the debut of Eye of Riyadh.

The portal focusing on Saudi Arabia was beta-tested during the summer. Abdullah Al Harbi, CEO of both Eye of Dubai and Eye of Riyadh, told GMR the new site will meet the growing interest in Saudi Arabia from beyond the Gulf.

“The site is up-and-running in both English and Arabic. The reception that it has received so far is excellent, both from visitors and the Saudi government, and businesses inside the country,” Al Harbi said.

“We’re working to sponsor and pub-licise events inside the country. We’ve already had a strong response. Until now

there were no other means to see all the events in Riyadh in one place. We now offer that.”

With 80 per cent of Saudis under the age of 25 online, there was “no stopping the move into digital media,” Al Harbi said.

Executives from Riyadh-based media firm Think Media were on hand to exhibit their new range of multi-touch products. The firm claims to be the only provider of multi-touch tables, screens and walls in the country.

“People are seeing the ‘wow’ effect with these multi-touch devices,” said Amr Sadek, business development manager,

Think Media. “We’re already working with a number of companies, some in the government and others in the teleco sector, to introduce these products into the market.”

Think Media can develop tailored applications for screens, as well as run CRM software on devices.

And, while the firm is already working with corporates, Sadek thinks it may be some time before the technology enters the retail sector.

“There’s strong interest being shown by retailers at the moment, but high prices are an issue. Still, there are few other marketing channels that get consumers so engaged as a touch-screen display.”

Regional PR agency Headline, mean-while, has opened a second office in Saudi Arabia. The agency, whose Saudi head office is in Jeddah, recently set up shop in Riyadh following several client wins. It predicts 2011 will be a year of strong growth for the country’s communications sector.

Feras Al-Maddah, executive director of Headline, spearheaded the media cam-

Alex Malouf reports back from the third Saudi Media Show in Riyadh.SAUDI’S SHOW TIME

NEWS PLUS

Online: Eye of Riyadh’s Abdullah Al Harbi

LOOKING TO 2011

Head-to-head: Phi’s

Salim Alghamdi

High quality: The best video production firms

operating in Saudi Arabia have always been

European, says Mypro CEO Tarek Othman (right)

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NEWS PLUS

paign for the launch of the country’s road safety system. He believes PR growth in Saudi has been, and will continue to be, driven by government bodies rather than the private sector.

“We’re receiving more enquiries from governmental bodies – be it ministries, universities or any other official organi-sations. They’re looking to do structured communication campaigns.”

Although optimistic about 2011, Al-Maddah believes there is a vast misunderstanding surrounding the PR discipline itself.

“We are still seeing this link between advertising and editorial. In addition, the media are still being provided with advertorial material rather than real news,” he said.

Riyadh-based Phi Communications cel-ebrated its first anniversary at the show with a raft of client wins.

The agency has in the past year dou-bled its headcount to 12 and built a client roster that includes Kingdom Holding, Tang and Al Issa. According to account

director Salim Alghamdi, Phi is now going head-to-head in pitches with established multinational agencies.

“This year we won a number of clients and the momentum has picked up. We won Al Issa following a pitch with TBWA and Promoseven. With Tang, we flew to Dubai and provided creative that was very unorthodox, but which appealed to the client,” he said.

“We’ve continued to maintain our emphasis on small- to mid-size firms. If we believe in a company’s abilities we will go with them. Many smaller firms cannot afford large agencies. However, we are not looking to grow too quickly, and if we can’t do something then we will tell the client no.

“The past 12 months have proved that the days of networks being able to charge clients high fees are over.

“People have moved away from global names as they were being overcharged. With the financial crisis people are looking for value for money, and that’s where we come in,” Alghamdi said.

One Saudi-based agency that specialises in sporting events is urging the industry to embrace similar activities.

Riyadh-based Heights, which promotes and organises the Hail Rally in Saudi Ara-bia, claims few activities are as popular or powerful as sports.

“Our biggest events in Saudi Arabia are sporting-related,” said executive Yusuf Al-Maklief. “They’re not only being watched in Saudi Arabia, but outside as well. We’re looking to expand events such as the Hail Rally to other countries.”

By promoting a national event with en-dorsements from the International Union of Cars, Hail has attracted rally drivers from around the world.

Al-Maklief said: “As an industry we can do much more to promote our customers through sports. We see this as a major growth area over the coming years.”

Heights, which has offices in Jeddah and Riyadh, also works with Saudi-based firms such as STC.

The agency recently organised the first National Forum for Saudi Ladies.

Video production agency Mypro was also at the show to emphasise the need for quality video production.

The agency, which was founded five years ago and has worked with compa-nies such as Al Marai and Saudi Telecom, believes standards in the video industry in Saudi Arabia need to be raised.

“We often talk to companies that think they simply have to throw money at a video project and that’s it. There are so many firms in Saudi that don’t have the skills to execute video production,” said Mypro CEO Tarek Othman.

Othman and his partner, Loai Ke-lani, have worked in the production industry for 15 years on documenta-ries, films, television programmes and corporate identity projects.

“The best video production firms operat-ing in the country have been European. We’re hoping to set the benchmark in terms of a Saudi-run and Saudi-based video agency that will give clients value for money, while also understanding the local culture,” Othman said. n

On the up: Headline’s Feras Al-Maddah (centre) predicts strong growth for Saudi’s PR sector

People have moved away from global names, as they were being overcharged.

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Soaps and dramas stole the spotlight from music and movies during the Holy Month, study says.

RAMADAN RATINGS

CONSUMERS’ ACTIVITIES saw a major shift during Ramadan due to flexible and shorter working hours.

The average time spent watching TV increased significantly during the Holy Month, with dramas, sitcoms, soaps and religious programmes all enjoying high ratings.

Movies, music and sports chan-nels, however, fared badly. Even news programmes were slightly affected.

Total ad spend for newspapers and television grew to $2.1 billion from $1.58 billion, a rise of 34 per cent. This was driven by increased spend on Pan Arab, Kuwait and Egyptian TV.

The Pan Arab, GCC and Levant regions posted a significant gain of 42 per cent

spending on television, buoyed by a 49 per cent rise in spending on Pan Arab media.

Newspaper and TV spend rose 34 per cent across the three markets, while it went up 49 per cent in the Pan Arab region. (Note: We define Pan Arab media as titles that have significant reach in two or more markets.)

Having crossed $1.8 billion, Pan Arab media constituted about 77 per cent of television spend as advertis-ers focused on multiple markets rather than targeting specific areas through local channels.

Pan Arab newspaper spend remained virtually unchanged with a modest gain of two per cent, but TV spend

increased by nearly 42 per cent. Pan Arab TV media spend hit $1.42 billion during Ramadan, up 49 per cent from last year. It now accounts for 77 per cent of the regional TV spend.

Egypt continued its upward trajec-tory following a surge of nearly 168 per cent during H1, rising 26 per cent for TV during Ramadan.

In Kuwait, TV made robust gains of 56 per cent during the month.

Pan Arab media became increasingly focused. Advertisers targeted Egypt and Saudi Arabia proportionately as per their population.

Telecom brands were the most ad-vertised sector in the region, with five brands appearing in the top-10 list

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of advertised brands. The top five advertised brands were Etisalat Egypt, Mobinil, Zain, Chevrolet and 57357 Hospital.

Food and beverages gained 77 per cent to become the second most advertised sector. Government organi-sations were third. The same pattern followed TV, but in newspapers the top advertised sectors were govern-ment, malls and retails stores, followed by automobiles.

Egypt Egypt replaced the UAE as the biggest ad market in the region in H1, buoyed by a 168 per cent surge in TV spend compared to Ramadan 2009.

The country will most likely emerge as the top spending advertising market in 2010 as TV spend surpassed $141 million, up 26 per cent over Ramadan

2009. The region’s TV spend was up 16 per cent over the same period.

The top five most advertised pro-grammes all had a Pan Arab reach and raked in more than $50 million each. These were: Sheekh Al Arab Al Hamam, Aayza Atjawaz, Zohra Wa Azwagha Al Khamsa, Bab Al Hara 5 and Al Aaar.

Al Jamaa, watched mostly by house-wives as per PARC’s Egypt TV Ramadan tracking survey, was the most adver-tised programme. The spend for this programme alone exceeded $20 million. It was followed closely by Zohra Wa Azwagha Al Khamsa at $19 million. Dawam Alhal was third with nearly $9.3 million.

The top three sectors by spend in Egypt were government communication, utilities and food and beverages. Waqfa Masriya was the region’s most advertised brand in 2010, ranking first on Egyptian TV

spend. Etisalat Egypt and Banque Misr ranked second and third respectively on Egypt TV. A number of advertisers preferred Pan Arab media to reach the Egyptian market.

Pan Arab TV gained 49 per cent this Ramadan to attain a total spend of $1.4 billion and the region’s spending on television crossed $1.8 billion for the month.

More stations and advertisers are tar-geting Egypt than ever before, with ads on main stations such as MBC Group and Rotana. It is likely, therefore, that ads in Pan Arab media will be directed at large markets on programmes with mass appeal.

Saudi ArabiaThe Saudi market was affected by the 2009 downturn. It posted a five per cent drop overall and 6.5 per cent fall during Ramadan 2009, but recovered in H1 2010 to gain nine per cent compared to the same period last year.

The market witnessed a robust growth of 39 per cent in TV spend compared to the previous year. The average growth during Ramadan was five per cent. Newspapers, which constitute an 80 per cent share among major media, gained only three per cent compared to Ramadan 2009. The country is also increasingly being targeted via Pan Arab media. Local channels con-tributed only four per cent of the media type share.

The government, with a 21 per cent market share in advertising, was the top spending sector in the market.

Malls and retail stores gained 21 per cent over last Ramadan and were the second biggest ad spenders in the region.

Financial services reversed their decline of 73 per cent during Ramadan by posting an 87 per cent growth. Most of the sectors were in the black, with the exception of publishing media and real estate.

The top five spenders in Saudi Arabia during Ramadan were Zain, STC, Al Ber Charity, Sony and Ford.

Egypt is continuing its upward trajectory following a surge of nearly 168 per cent…

Mass appeal: Bab Al Hara 5 is one of the top five advertised programmes with a Pan Arab reach

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The market, in all likelihood, will attain double-digit growth in 2010, but main advertisers with brands spread across the region will also use Pan Arab media to achieve better regional reach.

UAETV spend on local UAE channels reached $36 million, a four per cent growth.

Spend in daily newspapers – $74 million – fell 10 per cent since Ramadan coincided with school holidays. Some dailies stopped publishing, switched to online or reduced publishing frequency during the month.

Government and malls were the big-gest spenders in local papers and TV during Ramadan. The third biggest was automotive. The top three most adver-tised sectors during Ramadan on TV were government, shopping malls and publishing media.

The top five most advertised pro-grammes across UAE channels were Shaabeyat Cartoon 5, Al Ghafa, Ma Asaab Al Kalam, Al Shara, and Lamasat Nafseya.

The top five most advertised brands across local newspapers were du, Etis-alat, Carrefour, Sony and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank.

Spend for newspapers and TV reached $110 million, which was more in line with Ramadan 2007 when it was nearly $107 million.

In Ramadan 2008 spend rose 75 per cent, but Ramadan 2009 plummeted by 38 per cent. This year Ramadan saw a six per cent decline, although as the trends indicate the last quarter of 2010 is likely to see positive growth. n

The views expressed are those of the author, and not necessarily those of PARC.

INS IGHTS

Shaharyar Umarproduct managerPan Arab Research Centre, UAE

Jewellery and watches

Travel and tourism

Festival and entertainment

Food and beverages

Publishing/TV/radio

Financial services

Communications

Publishing/press

Real estate

Professional services

Automotive

Shopping malls

Govt.organisation

Total TV & newspaper

-100 -50 0 50 100 150 200 250

74

88

149

216

6

114

186

4263

141

38

29Variant 08 vs 07Variant 09 vs 08Variant 10 vs 0920

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60-29

91

36

34

36

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8

6

-1

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-38

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-6

9

RAMADAN KEY SECTORS PERCENTAGE CHANGE

TELEVISION AND NEWSPAPER SPEND DURING RAMADAN 201066%

2%5%

8%1%4%8%5%1%

Pan Arab

Qatar

UAE

Egypt

Jordan

Saudi Arabia

Kuwait

Lebanon

Oman

Note: The ad spend is calculated on the media rate cards and does not account for incentives and discounts that advertisers may avail from media owners.

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BMW, Kinetic Ball teaser and EWS-WW, Heroes of the UAECREATIVE VIEW

Steve Houghexecutive creative directorMemac Ogilvy Dubai

Kinetic BallThis teaser is very BMW in its DNA in that it portrays a high-tech world of shiny objects – in this case using tiny silver balls to create a sculpture in the shape of a car.

It’s fresh and compelling and a good way to deliver the message. It’s well executed and stylish. I feel it achieved the consumer promise of the ‘ultimate driving machine’.

The teaser creates a halo effect for the rest of the line up, too, and you certainly get ‘dynamics’ from it – but not ‘joy’. Were we supposed to?

Moving forward, it will be inter-esting to see how BMW manages to talk about these two aspects. The campaign is very good, but not mould-breaking.

Heroes of the UAEThis campaign is aimed at mums and children and I can imagine that, placed in the relevant media platform, it will be attention-grabbing, well received and make the point.

It’s well thought through, well crafted and charming. It’s nice to see a cam-paign that tries to get under the skin of the issues and understands who it’s talking to.

It’s also proof that you can make a point about the environment without

shocking people into getting the message across – although personally I prefer ads that do.

It won’t win any awards, but it was never designed to. That said, it should work well.

Rohit Aroraplanning directorTeam Y&R, Dubai

Kinetic BallWhile it refreshes the memories by reminding us of Honda’s Cog com-mercial, it is a great piece of art and is hard to believe it’s created with-out CGI. It’s subtle, beautiful and, more importantly, does great for the brand.

CRIT IQUE

Client: BMW Agency: Art+Com, Berlin


• As a teaser did it create anticipation and desire? Yes.

• Did it earn media for itself? Yes.• Does it live up to the consumer promise

of ‘sheer driving pleasure’/‘joy’? Yes.• Does it support the brand platform of

‘ultimate driving machine’/‘driving dynamics’ (which people still remem-ber rationally)? Yes.

• Does it enthuse with its creative flair and unexpectedness such as their Hourglass installation for the 7 Series, the biggest billboard in Russia or the expression of joy? Yes.

• Does it create a halo effect (as an innovator brand) for the entire line up? Yes.

• Is it brand-coherent? Yes.• Is it a good campaign? Hell, yeah.

Heroes of the UAE What I like about this campaign is the part-by-part approach to addressing the issue of sustainability, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.

Sustainability could mean different things to different people and most of it being right – from planting trees to using plastic sensibly.

With programmes at corporate, aca-demic and individual level, it looks to touch many issues within respective control. The online and offline are well integrated in that regard.

Strategically, the message that it’s “every child’s right” nicely taps into the fact parents care about what will happen to their children in the future.

The print is cute, clean and has the vanilla factor. But does it make me stand up and change my ways? Not quite. Did the speech by then 12-year-old Severn Suzuki at the UN Earth Summit 1992 move people? Yes.

While I understand the tone is too strong, the Eco-Agents (Children’s Envi-ronmental Organisation) campaign had a similar approach, but they balanced it

with the tagline: “We’re not angry, just very, very disappointed.” This could be a good inspiration.

Overall, it appears genuine, is educa-tional and participative, and these are the key ingredients to green marketing. n

ROHIT ARORA

Kinetic BallHeroes of the UAE.

STEVE HOUGH

Kinetic BallHeroes of the UAE.

Client: EWS and WWF Agency: Touchpoints Consulting and Communications, Dubai


Islamic banking is not just a belief-based pathway, it also makes perfect marketing sense, writes Ehtesham Shahid.

FAITH IN FINANCE

WHAT IS THE difference if your shari’ah-financed car purchase amounts to the same monthly installment as your col-league’s conventional finance for the same vehicle? Ask a shari’ah finance expert and a spirited defence will come your way. Here is one such explanation.

From a shari’ah perspective, when conventional banks lend, they take the money back in the form of interest and money ends up being on either side. But if a car is financed the shari’ah way, the sum is not given as a loan. Instead, the funding institution buys it and sells it to the customer on Mu-rabaha (purchase and sale agreement) basis and the customer pays back in stipulated time.

Again, what is the difference? “The equity must be invested and should not be given as a loan. In other words, it should not be loan capital, but risk capital. So the bank is taking the risk and investing equity to get a return,” says Sohail Zubairi, CEO of Dar Al Sharia Legal and Financial Consultancy, a sub-sidiary of Dubai Islamic Bank.

Zubairi lists several “don’ts” from a shari’ah finance perspective: Do not trade in debts and risks; do not buy and sell guarantees; do not put the transaction odds heavily against one party; do not carry out transactions in prohibited goods; do not trample on the rights of other human beings for the sake of wealth; and, do not be rigid and exploitative with fellow human beings if they are in trouble.

There is a list of “dos” as well. Apply money in trading, rather than lending; use money as risk capital instead of loan capital; trade in permitted goods, commodities, assets and services; share the risk in a transaction; accommodate delays in payments by your debtors in

DOS AND DON’TS

Right way: Dar Al Sharia CEO Sohail Zubairi

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case of genuine circumstances; and help the poor by way of zakat.

Alongside the social orientation, it all boils down to the teachings of the Qur’an, which defines usury or inter-est (riba in Arabic) as “predetermined monetary gain on funds given as loan”, and hence forbids it. Instead of riba, Islamic finance practises the concept of sharing profits and losses, as opposed to transferring them.

In other words, the emphasis is on treating money simply as a medium of exchange, and not as a commodity. It is this essential difference in the mode of finance that is driving one of the world’s fastest-growing economic sectors, com-prising more than 400 institutions with assets under management in excess of $1 trillion.

Geographically, the beginning of Islamic banking can be traced back to the Middle East, but the practice has blossomed into a worldwide phenomenon. Malaysia is recog-nised as an Islamic banking hub for the East, while other major financial centres such as London, Singapore and Hong Kong are also entering business partnerships with Middle Eastern financial institutions.

Today, shari’ah finance institutions operate in more than 75 countries.

Downturn aftermathGlobal financial meltdown notwith-standing, Islamic banks have contin-ued to grow in prominence and size in recent years. According to a study published in August by Asian Banker Research, the world’s 100 largest full-fledged Islamic banks ranked by assets held more than $580 billion in 2008, a 66 per cent increase from the $350 billion held the previous year.

This is especially significant consid-ering the state of conventional finance industry across the world.

Rushdi Siddiqui, global head of Islamic finance at Thomson Reuters, says this subprime-induced financial crisis

has sidelined many of the “captains of capitalism”.

“This presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to present Islamic finance not as a piecemeal, faith-based pathway, but as a holistic solution to asset-based/backed financing and investing in the real economy that contributes to real growth and development, and away from financial engineering,” he says.

According to Siddiqui, the need of the hour is to inform CFOs of Fortune 500 companies, sovereigns and municipalities that sukuks (bonds compliant with Islamic law) can be a possible option for raising capital or refinancing.

Not surprisingly, it turns out that – ac-cording to a Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services report – issuance of sukuks touched $9.3 billion in the first seven months of

2009 compared to $11.1 billion during the same period in 2008.

“The medium-term outlook for the sukuk market remains positive, in our view, given the strong pipeline – with sukuks announced or being talked about in the market estimated at around $50 billion – and efforts to resolve the ma-jor difficulties impeding sukuk market development,” says S&P credit analyst Mohamed Damak.

But it will be wrong to assume that everything about shari’ah finance is going great guns and that it isn’t faced with challenges of its own.

To start there are limited Islamic sec-ondary markets as well as an unlimited variety of shari’ah interpretations that can lead to confusion. Then there are concerns over a slow or stagnant devel-opment of Islamic financial instruments.

Fair exchange: The beginning of Islamic banking can be traced to the Middle East, but it is now practised worldwide

…the emphasis is on treating money simply as a medium of exchange and not as a commodity…

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Growing in prominence: Today there are shari’ah finance institutions operating in more than 75 countries

…the world’s 100 largest full-fledged Islamic banks ranked by assets held more than $580 billion in 2008…

Eye on the pieHowever, with all the signs of a bright future, businesses large and small are making a beeline to market products and services the shari’ah way, cutting across different sectors.

Consider the recent launch by Interna-tional Bank of Qatar (IBQ) of Al Yusr Car Murabaha, a shari’ah-compliant financing product, which offers flexible repayment tenures, without any requirements for salary transfer or guarantor.

“The growing range of shari’ah- compliant financing products from Al Yusr Islamic banking service will not only pro-vide customers with favourable financing options, but also enable them to achieve their short- and long-term financing goals, while positively impacting the development of a sophisticated financing infrastructure in the state of Qatar,” says Hassan Al Mulla, head of IBQ’s Islamic Banking.

Saudi Arabia’s National Commercial Bank (NCB) went a step further, launching a shari’ah-compliant Visa Platinum Credit Card with two separate loyalty schemes – Bonus (cash back) and Amyali (air miles). This partnership is truly unique because it is also a coming together of the two financial worlds – conventional and shari’ah-compliant.

For Adel Al Howar, the senior executive vice-president and head of consumer finance sector at NCB, it means access to the outside world.

“The card will provide our custom-ers access to the most recognised and reliable electronic payment network in the world, which complements our focus on providing the best services to our customers,” he says.

Elsewhere in New York, the Dow Jones Indexes, a leading global index provider, last year announced that Argentina, Colombia, Croatia, Lebanon, Mauritius, Nigeria, Peru, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Tunisia and Ukraine would be added to the Dow Jones Islamic Market Index universe, taking the total number of countries in the index from 57 to 68.

In Dubai, with an eye on the exponentially growing demand for shari’ah-compliant financial instruments, Mashreq Capital launched the Badr Al-Islami Income Fund in partnership with Badr Al-Islami, the Islamic banking division of Mashreq. The fund is one of the first regional Islamic fixed-income funds with the stated objective of generating long-term returns in the seven per cent range without excessive volatility.

For businesses of all hues, shari’ah finance presents an opportunity… irrespective of belief. n

HALAL L I FE

FRESH OFFERING

Sophisticated: Hassan Al Mulla,Head of IBQ Islamic Banking

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Qatar’s Barwa Bank thought twice before it launched its new campaign – but it proved a hit.

RIGHT ON THE MONEY

HALAL L I FE

LAUNCHED IN 2008, Qatar-based Barwa Bank started amid financial uncertainty. But rather than seeing it as a hindrance, the Shari’ah-compliant bank believed it was the ideal time.

“We launched at the right time, without any baggage [from the global recession],” says Hussain Fakhri, head of marketing and communications, Barwa Bank.

The bank is positioning itself as a “modern Shari’ah-compliant bank”, targeting 25 to 45 year olds – across all denominations.

“We’ve purposely left out the word ‘Islamic’ because we want to be about inclusion,” Fakhri says.

One of its latest marketing efforts offers a humorous take on banking;

regional and Shari’ah-compliant banks usually adopt a more sombre tone.

Working with Kuwait-based creative agency P&A, Barwa Bank launched its $1.5 million campaign at the end of Ramadan.

Focusing on lapses in customer serv-ice, the campaign focuses on a client who, in each episode, tries to use a service or product. His attempts end unsuccessfully – but in a humorous way.

Featuring the tagline “If you think all banks are the same…think again,” it aired through four TVCs. The campaign was also rolled out in cinemas, print and outdoor.

Barwa Bank has a YouTube page, which has garnered more than 1,200 views since it became operational in

August, and an internet banking facility that goes live this month. The Barwa Bank is also opening what Fakhri describes as “a new concept branch” in December.

“It is designed to be a new way of banking. It will answer needs for transparency in banking as well as accessibility and ease of use,” Fakhri says.

This upbeat approach to Shari’ah- compliant banking is also translated into the bank’s corporate ID. The six colours of its logo are designed to appeal to a “young, vibrant”audience.

“We are a Shari’ah-compliant bank, but we’re not a religious institution, we are a business. We want to compete on a global level and as such send a message of inclusion,” Fakhri says.

“We believe that Shari’ah banking is ethical banking,” he adds, citing that the next level of communication will be heavily focused on educating consum-ers about Islamic finance. This phase is slated for next year.

Operating under the Barwa Group umbrella, the bank has also recently acquired Qatar-based investment and financial services companies The First Investor, The First Leasing and The First Finance.

“These acquisitions have transitioned the company into a ‘bank group’ and not just simply a bank,” Fakhri adds.

Currently focusing on the Qatar market, Barwa Bank is also looking to grow across the region and into emerging markets.

Branches outside of Qatar are expected to announce expansion plans in the first half of 2011. n

Upbeat approach: Positioning itself as modern and Shari’ah-compliant, Barwa Bank used humour in its campaign


As the region pushes further into the global sports events sector, a clever battle plan is needed to slay the ambitions of ambush marketers.

SIEGE MENTALITY

WE’VE ALL HEARD the story and seen the pictures. During the game between The Netherlands and Denmark at this sum-mer’s 2010 World Cup in South Africa, 36 young women stripped in unison to reveal matching orange dresses in sup-port of the Dutch. Minutes later, they were evicted from the stadium, taken to police headquarters and threatened with criminal charges.

The reason? The orange dresses are the trademark of Dutch company Bavaria Brewery, which set up the stunt as an ambush marketing ploy for free publicity. Fifa’s exaggerated reaction gave the brewery its two minutes of fame, as the media leapt on the event while helpfully providing definitions of ambush marketing in the bargain.

One question, however, was ignored in the scramble that ensued – was it all worth it?

Free for all?Ambush marketing is mostly defined as any instance where a company or brand associates itself with, suggests a connec-tion to, or launches a marketing initiative around an event, without having to pay a sponsorship fee to organisers.

While any event is susceptible to ambush marketing, large-scale sport-ing events, such as the Olympics and World Cup, are principal victims due to the TV coverage they attract.

Nike is one of the biggest ambush market-ers. At the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, the sporting-apparel giant saved $50 million in sponsorship that Reebok had shelled out and instead bought Nike billboard advertising across the city, handed out Nike flags to spectators and set up a mammoth ‘Nike Village’ overlooking the stadium. Evaluations showed most of the public thought Nike was the official sponsor.

It struck again at this year’s World Cup. Adidas reputedly paid some $170 million as official Fifa partner while Nike ran an ad campaign called ‘Write the Future’, starring Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney. The viral video spread, achiev-ing 20 million views on YouTube alone.

The Nielsen Company reported that in the month leading up to the World Cup, Nike was mentioned online twice as much as Adidas, despite the latter being the official partner.

Obviously, the Nike ads did the job in ambushing the World Cup.

Other examples show even more creativity. At the 2009 British Open golf championship, Hugo Boss arranged for a giant sailboat with its logo to patrol the waters surrounding the course; at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996, British sprinter Linford Christie wore contact lenses that prominently displayed Puma logos.

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Fifa turned an inconsequential, cosmetic ambush into the biggest sponsorship story.

Game plan: Major sporting events are particularly vulnerable to ambush marketing

The sheer volume of opportunities available for ambush marketing has seen it take countless forms over the years, from staged protests with brand-ed banners to branded buses offering free transportation around venues. The activity can be small – handing out event memorabilia such as T-shirts and whistles for use inside stadiums, or paying for a branded blimp to fly over the crowds, as Pepsi did at the 1996 Cricket World Cup.

Tough to control The phenomenon, however, poses a huge threat to event organisers, as it depreci-ates the value of their multi-million-dollar sponsorship packages. This could drive down their value in the long run, severely affecting financial resources available for sporting events.

Ambush marketing – true to its name – can be launched at any time from any direction, making legislation to control it difficult.

To protect its sponsors, Fifa has created a Rights Protection Program (RPP) team to monitor brands and patrol the streets of host cities to find unauthorised activ-ity. The RPP has reported a remarkable rise in the number of infringement deals in the past two decades, rising from 258 infringements across 39 countries at the Fifa World Cup USA in 1994, to 3,300 cases across 94 countries in Germany 2006.

Another form of legislation calls for the event to be categorised as a ‘protected event’, meaning that any allusion to it for commercial gain is strictly prohibited.

In Germany, ambush marketing can fall under the Unfair Competition Code, while in the US, the Lanham Act states that if the company can prove its competitor was misleading consumers to believe something not true, then it could be prosecuted.

The vague nature of the legislations, however, means that event organisers are turning to host governments to help them in the clampdown.

In the lead-up to the Doha Asian Games in 2006, the organising committee left no room for argument when it joined forces with the government to appoint a task force including Doha Police, customs officers and the judiciary to stamp out ambush marketing. A ground-breaking law was passed that punished violators with jail sentences of up to two years, as well as fines of up to $27,500.

The organising committee of London’s 2012 Olympics has trodden a similar path, with the London Olympics Bill allowing organisers to grant licences to sponsors to use specific words, images and logos. Any company using similar combinations can be fined up to $31,000. They have, furthermore, bought up all outdoor advertising space within a certain radius of the games, to ensure that only official sponsors advertise in the vicinity.

Can it be stopped?While passing increasingly stringent laws to protect sponsors may ap-pease multinational companies, it can have the opposite effect of amplifying ambush activity.

Kim Skildum-Reid, author of The Am-bush Marketing Toolkit, says legislation simply doesn’t work.

“IP infringement is illegal and has been around longer than ambush marketing. All anti-ambush legislation does is cast the net wider for IP infringement – adding a few dozen more words or phrases that ambushers can’t use,” Skildum-Reid says.

In the case of Bavarian Brewery, Skildum-Reid feels Fifa shot itself in the foot. “Fifa turned an inconsequential, cosmetic ambush into the biggest spon-sorship story of the World Cup,” she says.

“Instead of realising that 36 pretty girls sitting together in orange dresses are not going to harm the sponsor, and rolling their eyes at a lame attempt to ambush the World Cup with a low-impact, first-generation visibility grab, Fifa ejected the women, arrested the ringleaders, and made Bavaria Beer and its models a global phenomenon.”


Raising the bar: Ambush marketers cannot infiltrate an event if the official sponsorship is well planned and executed

All anti-ambush legislation does is cast the net wider for IP infringement…

So what is the most effective way to combat ambush marketing? Skildum-Reid believes attack is the best form of defence.

“Ambush marketing is just a form of guerilla marketing,” she says. “In this case, it exploits deficiencies in the sponsor’s leverage programme to create market-ing value for a brand. The solution is to leverage your sponsorship as thoroughly as possible, by ensuring your brand is a natural match, focusing on the experience of the event and adding value through small, meaningful benefits that demon-strate your understanding of your target markets. Sponsor well and there is no room for ambush.”

Laying siegeIn the Gulf, the concept is not lost on local sporting events. But despite the GCC hosting some of the world’s biggest sporting events, including the Fifa World Youth Cup 2003, Fifa Club World Cup 2009 and 2010, Doha Asian Games 2006, a host of annual tennis and horse racing events, there is little ambush activity.

Sinead El Sibai, manager of events, advertising and media relations at Dubai Duty Free, has been involved in the organisation of Dubai Tennis Open since its inception in 1993. She has not yet seen any attempts by ambush market-ers to capitalise on the event’s success.

“I cannot recall any real attempt at ambush marketing,” El Sibai says. “We do keep quite a tight control over the sponsorship benefits for our sponsors, all of whom would be very quick to point out if any third-party company was trying to encroach on their sponsorship rights.

“The only time I remember having any problem was when a new sports publica-tion tried to distribute their magazine at the stadium, positioning it as the ‘official magazine’. But once it was spotted and we spoke to the publisher, they pulled their magazine immediately,” she says.

However, El Sibai does not see this as a lack of creativity on the part of market-ers, but as a positive cultural etiquette. “I believe it highlights a good aspect

of marketing in this region, which is the fact that boundaries are respected.”

What next?As the GCC achieves further prominence in the sporting world through its sponsorship reach, as shown by Emirates airline and Etihad Airways, and its event capabili-ties, as demonstrated by Qatar’s brave World Cup 2022 bid, it is natural that it will soon feel the effects of ambushers. If the Gulf learns from the lessons of other organising committees and regulators, it will see that excessive reaction will only give it a bad name and ambush marketers the leverage they aim for.

More important will be the GCC’s abil-ity to help sponsors maximise benefits by allowing them to leverage them in engaging and relevant ways that create memorable brand-related experiences for event participants, thus freezing out opportunities for ambush.

Vimto-branded contact lenses? It might just happen. n

Jamal Al Mawed senior account manager, d’pr Dubai

MARKET ING

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COVER STORY

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Branded applications are all the rage, but that doesn’t mean they are without their challenges.

‘APPY NOW?

SMARTPHONES ARE the future of mobile. Of that, there is no doubt. The fact that more than 250,000 ‘smart’ devices are being sold and activated worldwide every day is testament to that fact. Apps are also fast becoming a way of life for businesses, agencies and brands. It took Apple just nine months to deliver one billion app downloads. A little more than 13 months later, more than five billion apps had been downloaded to iPhones and iPod Touches worldwide.

However, despite the cheerleading that accompanies each new Android, Nokia or iPhone announcement, there is a significant risk factor. According to Josh Bernoff of Forrester Research: “Ever since Beta versus VHS, we’ve been in an environment where if you made the wrong choice, you ended up behind. That’s still true. You’re going to be making a bet, and if you make the wrong bet, you might regret it later.”

For brands, agencies and companies, the investment required to take an application from idea to cross-platform success can be considerable. To give you some idea of why this is – con-sider just some of the platforms that you can now develop apps for: iPhone, iPad, Nokia (Symbian and Maemo), Android, Samsung Bada, Palm Web OS, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile 7 and Windows Mobile.

When you consider that each operating system and app will likely require indi-vidual design and development, you can see where costs can start to skyrocket.

Alongside this is the danger that the expensive app will merely be a transitory plaything on a user’s handset. Borrell Ass-sociates, a US-based research company, recently reported that despite half a million apps being downloaded every hour, the average user only has 22 apps on their phone. More worrying for agencies and brands is the fact that only five per cent of those apps are still on a user’s phone after six months.

Smartphone applications can be hugely successful vehicles, however, for driving user engagement and deepen-ing brand knowledge. Carmakers have been particularly quick to capitalise on this new market – engaging in both bespoke application development and application sponsorship.

Development: Grow’s Barry Flaherty

IN TOUCH

Basics first: Narain Jashanmal of JNC


On the up: A recent report says half a million apps are downloaded every hour

… 100 engaged users are more important than 1,000 downloads…

Jeri Ward, GM of marketing and strategy for Audi in America, says her brand’s demographic is the iPad and iPhone generation. “We know our owners and potential buyers are tech-savvy, connected individuals. What better device could we use to showcase our spirit of innovation,” she says.

Audi has launched several innova-tive apps to showcase its cars, and re-cently did a deal with the UK’s Daily Telegraph newspaper to sponsor its iPad application, which is now given away to users for free – a move that many believe may be the best way forward for brands that want a more lasting app-based relationship with their consumers.

In this region, smartphone ownership is high. New devices such as the iPhone 4, iPad and newer Android phones command premium prices in shops across Beirut, Dubai and Riyadh. However, the pace of app development has not yet matched the appetite for smartphones.

Barry Flaherty, director of interna-tional business development at Doha-based agency grow, says agencies are sometimes to blame for this lack of regional innovation.

“I am sure there are many brands with apps in development, but it’s slow,” he says. “Most of the innovation in the GCC is coming from Abu Dhabi or Dubai, such as Flip Media who have success-fully published two apps (Naviflix and Mumbaikar). However, most brands look to their agencies for blue-sky thinking and innovation, but these agencies tend to lean heavily towards selling simple

websites, media buying and print pro-duction. The joined-up story of weaving digital marketing, search, social media and mobile apps with clear measurability is still lacking.”

He sounds a note of optimism, though. “There are some noises about empowering the universities to become more involved in the development with SDKs (software development kit). Wireless innovation centres and knowledge clusters such as Abu Dhabi’s TwoFour54 will help drive knowledge transfer and increase the pace of app development,” Flaherty says.

“Brands such as Qatar Airways have finally launched their own app, built by aviation specialists mobiqa.com, so the green shoots of development are there. Museums are also leading the mobile charge for local-ised apps to drive the number of visitors and quality of the experience.”

Narain Jashanmal, GM – NPP and Books at the Jashanmal National Com-pany, also suggests that agencies could do a lot more for their clients in this app-centric world.

“For those who aren’t confused and who are making the decision to use digital marketing as a communications channel,

COVER STORY

GROWTH PATH

Optimistic:

Samer Hamze, MD of

International Nomads

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the next challenge is to cut through the hype and nonsense their ad agencies try to sell them,” Jashanmal says.

“To give an example: an ad agency would rather build a flash micro site that’s totally search-engine unfriendly, and then set up a managed Facebook fan page, than take the less glamorous but more efficient and cost-effective route of crafting specific Facebook and Google ads that send traffic to a simple lead-generating landing page.”

“Why? Because the client is likely to realise pretty quickly that he can manage the latter themselves while the former looks like it requires a much higher level of expertise. To apply my previous point to apps, I think most companies need to address the traditional web basics first, then look at what type of apps can add value to both them and their customers,” Jashanmal adds.

He also noted one regional innovator and an opportunity that many overlook.

“In terms of brands leading the way Aramex is one that comes to mind. It’s always been pretty forward thinking and has recently released a simple iPhone app that shows drop-off locations and allows one to track packages in transit. Where there is scope in our region is in the B2B app sector. Both iPhone and Android handsets are underrated enterprise devices, an area in which Windows Mobile (up to version 6.5) has traditionally excelled. There’s plenty of scope for using these devices for data collection, transaction management, inventory management and so on,” Jashanmal says.

Samer Hamze, MD of International Nomads, a Saudi agency that specialises in digital marketing and advertising, echoes Jashanmal’s concerns. “We have found a lot of verbal interest, but

very few actually jump on board,” he tells GMR.

“The key words are growing markets and it feels as if no one will make a seri-ous move until their competitors start in on the game.

“Without a doubt, mobile applications are the way of the future for many of the service providers in the Saudi market which, to be fair, in the last year has been very welcoming of digital media. But, to be honest, there are steps before they get to a mobile application, and that’s a well planned and effective online presence,” he says.

“No one is leading the way yet, but I’d say it will be telecos, banking or retail that will make the breakthrough. Localisation is a huge issue. Obviously Arabic is right to left, so you can imagine what this can cause, if you’re translat-ing an app.”

When created, designed and developed well – in a way that ties in the app with the brand or with a specific campaign – there is no doubt that mobile apps can be hugely successful marketing tools. To

…free apps are seven times more likely to be downloaded than paid apps…

COVER STORY

Right message. Mobile apps can be hugely successful marketing tools when created, designed and developed well


give some idea of just how successful, consider that Barclays bank had nearly 10 million downloads of its ‘Waterslide’ app, which tied-in with a recent TV campaign in the UK.

Paul Troy, head of advertising and sponsorship at Barclaycard, notes its cross-platform appeal.

“This is a first in financial services. The Waterslide ads on TV and online engaged millions and the app gives people the opportunity to go on an imaginary waterslide themselves,” he says.

Other success stories include Zippo’s lighter app, which was downloaded more than six million times; the Audi Driv-ing Challenge, which generated more than 4.5 million downloads; and Bank of America’s mobile banking app, boast-ing more than three million downloads. It becomes obvious that the mix of so-called ‘gimmick’ apps, designed to be fleeting and transitory, and useful apps that have a greater connection with the brand and its activities, is significant.

Choosing the right type of applica-tion for a brand is key. Considering a free app versus a paid app is another hurdle. Research by Pinch Media has shown that free apps are seven times more likely to be downloaded than paid apps. And consider carefully the metrics for success. Ed Kaczmarkek, director of innovation for Kraft Foods Inc, says: “100 engaged users are more important than 1,000 downloads.”

While there are still pitfalls in the whole area of branded applications, the opportunities are great. Barclays’ Waterslide has translated into 650,000 hours of brand engagement. Kraft says 90 per cent of people who use its apps go on to register on its website, while Audi has noted half a million referrals to the A4’s mobile site.

The ultimate challenge for brands in this part of the world, and others, is to create applications that are useful, relevant, fun and engaging. Then there’s just the small matter of figuring out what platform to release them on... n

BUT NOT EVERYONE’S ‘APPY…

Apple may be leading the way in smartphone and tablet innovation as well as dominating the app marketplace, but one of its more recent ventures has shown signs of weakness.

The iAd platform – announced in April – spearheaded Apple’s foray into the world of mobile advertising. During the presentation at which he announced iAd, Apple CEO Steve Jobs demonstrated an interactive ad for Toy Story 3 and announced a slew of launch partners for iAd including Disney, Unilever and Nissan. Each company was paying a mini-mum $1 million for its participation.

But, impressive as the iAd platform is, it has been dogged by problems. Apple has adopted a stringent approval process, meaning only it can create the ads. What’s more, only Apple can approve the creative, meaning that everything has to be cleared by the notoriously picky Jobs.

In August, Chanel announced it had abandoned plans to launch an ad campaign on the iPhone – the iPad version of iAd will roll out later in the year. At around the same time The Wall Street Journal published an article suggesting that Apple’s control of the ad-making process and the timelines required were frustrating many advertisers.

It seems Chanel was not the only one of Apple’s 17 iAd launch partners to feel these frustrations. Last month adidas announced that it was pulling an estimated $10 million campaign from iAds. Insiders suggested that Apple’s ‘control freak’ tendencies cost them a lot of money when it rejected the adidas creative concept three times.

That said, however, it’s worth noting that Nissan – which has managed to get a campaign running on iAds – reports that it “has driven exceptional results to date” and that the tap-through rate on an iAd is five times higher than the click-through rate of Nissan’s standard online Leaf campaign.


IT’S TAKEN a long time to get to this point. In fact it’s taken more than two years of arranging, re-arranging and postponing indefinitely before I eventually manage to squeeze into the crammed diary of Will Brockbank, marketing director, Kellogg’s Med/Middle East.

And it’s not for want of trying on the part of the highly amiable, jocular, 31-year-old Brit. It’s just that he spends most of his life suspended at 30,000 feet, jetting among the 50-plus countries spanning Africa, the Mediterranean and the Middle East, for which he is responsible.

His frenetic travel schedule has largely been the reason behind our many thwarted attempts to meet. Except, that is, the last time. For just when we thought we’d finally nailed it I got an urgent, out-of-hours call from his PR agency, Manning Selvage & Lee, informing me that our interview had been cancelled.

Brockbank, it turned out, was in in-tensive care. A fervent rugby player – he

plays centre for the Dubai Dragons – he had been badly injured during a match and nearly lost an eye.

Fast forward a few months when a large dose of good fortune and some highly effective reconstructive surgery see him make a full recovery. Thank-fully. So, when we do finally meet, I find him fighting fit and still slaying for the Dragons.

A player for some 25 years, he is more than capable of tackling any challenges that come his way… a trait he will need to deploy as much off the field as on it if the news from Kellogg’s HQ in Battle Creek, Michigan, is anything to go by.

It’s now barely six months since the world’s largest cereal-maker woke up to the alarming news that a foul smell was emanating from its cereal boxes.

This was followed by reports of nausea and vomiting among five US consum-ers. Twenty-eight million boxes were immediate recalled.

PROF ILE

Reshaping the deeply ingrained breakfast habits of Arab consumers is the ultimate goal for Will Brockbank, rugby loving marketing chief of Kellogg’s Med/Middle East. Siobhan Adams reports.

THE GMR PROFILE

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WILL BROCKBANK

Born: UK, 1979 Marital status: Engaged to be married February 2011Qualifications: Commerce with Span-ish – University of Birmingham and Al-cala de Henares, MadridHobbies: Wakeboarding, skiing and rugbyFirst job: Brand manager-Gallaher Ltd. (UK tobacco company, now JTI)Career high: Being part of the team that brought the “Special K Challenge” to the Middle East, delivering a 12 per cent incremental share in its first yearCareer low: Selling cigarettes to inde-pendent shopkeepers from the back of a car as part of graduate training in the UKFantasy job: Owning and running a vineyard or marketing director for the International Rugby Board



And with the group’s Q2 profits down 15 per cent compared to the same period in 2009, from $354 million to $302 mil-lion, 2010 has not been the most carefree in Kellogg’s 104-year history.

None of this fazes Brockbank, however. His territories may only account for 1.2 per cent of the group’s total global busi-ness, but the 26 million kilos of cereals (30 SKUs) and snacks (15 SKUs) he shifts each year generates a not insignificant $150 million.

And, despite the much vaunted Great Expat Exodus of ‘09, which threatened to decimate premium-branded FMCGs in supermarkets across the UAE, his sales are growing.

“We’ve actually had a really good year,” he tells me when we finally catch up in his Dubai HQ office. “It was a good 2009 and 2010 in the UAE. The UAE, as a cat-egory, is still growing at nine per cent. We haven’t seen the impact we thought

we would because of the expected expat exodus. It’s held really firm.”

He’s expecting to finish the year with a 10 per cent growth in the UAE alone. His other markets are also growing at a double-digit rate.

The UAE, in fact, constitutes some 35 per cent business of ME/Med which, highly unusually, is the same in Saudi Arabia.

“Most FMCG companies will tell you that Saudi Arabia is 50 per cent of their business, followed by the other markets. For us, Saudi and the UAE have the same weighting. We sell the same volume in a market with four million people as we do in one with 29 million people,” Brock-bank says.

Western expats in this part of the world are a relatively easy target for the top-50 global brand. Not Arabs, however, whose deeply ingrained breakfast habits rarely embrace processed food, no matter how ‘healthy’ and ‘fortified’ it may be.

So battling for an invite to a traditional Arabic breakfast table, laden with fresh salad, foul, cheese and labneh, is one that Kellogg’s is having to tackle from all sides.

“Our biggest challenge is to increase our penetration just in the breakfast occasion,” Brockbank tells me. “Arab con-sumers have got such a huge breadth of choices at breakfast that cereal doesn’t currently feature.”

Penetration in Saudi Arabia, for example, is at a respectable 40 per cent, but growth is coming from increased frequency and weighted purchase from consumers who already buy into the category.

“What we are not managing to do,” Brockbank says, “is grow that penetration base, so that consumers who already buy cereal buy into it for breakfast and actu-ally increase their cereal consumption.”

On the upside, TNS data points to healthy sales among Saudi nationals, but less among expat Arabs.

“Our penetration with locals is just as good in Saudi Arabia, but we need to get it higher,” Brockbank says.

And it isn’t just the conventional Arabic breakfast food that confounds Kellogg’s.

PROF ILE

Comic relief: a UGC digital campaign for children brought a standard on-pack promotion to life, says Brockbank

s

…Arab consumers have such a huge breadth of choices that cereal doesn’t feature.

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“One of the biggest issues we have in Saudi Arabia is that we [cereals] are called tesali, Arabic for fun food for kids,” he continues. It’s an association that puts his products firmly within the snacking occasion, not breakfast.

“They almost see it as being something that is quick and easy to prepare to give to kids as a treat on the odd occasion rather than being a nutritious start to the day,” he adds.

Well, don’t they have a point? I counter. Wouldn’t most mums opt for fresh tomato and cheese over Coco Pops? Especially, I say, when public awareness cam-paigns are continually bombarding them with polemic warnings on the dangers of childhood obesity, diabetes and heart disease? (Even as I write, a press release about a UAE health and fitness survey by Zarca Interactive arrives in my inbox. Some 61 per cent of respondents in the UAE define themselves as obese or overweight, it states.)

“One of the things we are really trying to do is educate mums and families into why it isn’t just fun food for kids and why it’s a more nourishing and wholesome

meal for the family and a good way to start the day,” he says.

Education campaigns around nutri-tional functionality underpin the group’s communications platform and accounts for a sizeable chunk of the annual $15 to $20 million marketing budget Brockbank has spent in the past three years.

“For example, when we talk about Coco Pops we talk about the vitamins, minerals and iron which will improve the start of the day for any child,” he says.

A close relationship with the Arab Centre of Nutrition – which officially endorses Kellogg’s Corn Flakes – also helps inform

the communications strategy. In fact, one of the issues unearthed by the centre is that Saudi children often skip breakfast altogether, having their first meal of the day at around 11am.

“What we are really saying is that this very quick, simple-to-prepare meal is a great start to the day for kids, and certainly helps them perform,” Brockbank says.

But surely there is mileage within the snacking segment, especially with portion-controlled packs or a quick bite after school? Kellogg’s, naturally, is way ahead of me there and has already flirted with the non-breakfast occasion.

“We do provide portion packs,” he says “but a lot are bought precisely because the actual average weighted consumption is so low.”

He goes on to explain that smaller for-mats are a good entry-level proposition in low-penetration markets. “A lot of our developing markets have grown volume through smaller trial packs,” Brockbank says, but adds that all this is, in reality, a secondary concern.

“One of the things we’ve tried to make sure of during the past five years is that we do breakfast, we’re good at breakfast and that’s where we should really stay. And, while we understand that there is a big breakfast culture in the Arab world, what we should be trying to do is increase our penetration in that occasion rather

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Breakfast at Tesali: Cereals are often perceived as a children’s treat among adult consumers and not breakfast food

PROF ILE

Ideal match: Branded content has become a key communications plank following Special K’s guest appearance on MBC’s Perfect Bride last year

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Colourful range: Kellogg’s has a vast array of category segments from Ready to Eat cereals, Family, Children, Adults and Shape Management

than just playing around the fringes in other opportunities.”

Mums and kids, however, are not the only route to breakfast. The universal pre-occupation of slimming among women holds just as much weight, if not more, in the Arab world.

The famed Two Week Challenge – lose two kilos in two weeks by replacing two daily meals with a bowl of Special K – has proved hugely successful in the GCC and Levant, although the application for the individual territories is, of course, very different.

Engaging the UAE and Lebanon markets was relatively easy where adaptions or localisation of the ‘Get Ready for Summer’ and ‘New Year Challenge’ campaigns were more culturally acceptable.

Clearly, however, shooting for the ideal bikini or Little Black Dress figure is not going to work as well in Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar, much less in Saudi Arabia. Preliminary research, however, had showed that the weight-loss promise certainly clicked with Arab women.

“They understood how it worked and were enthusiastic to try it, but what we didn’t understand was the best trigger to talk to them about doing it,” Brockbank says.

Cue the company’s global insight research tool, Traps and Triggers, created to provide a deeper understanding of the motivators to diet.

“When we did some research, we found that weddings were a huge trigger in Saudi, and not just their own weddings, but in-vites to other people’s.”

Weddings, it transpired, were the ideal opportunity for 20- to 30-year-old women to promote themselves before the moth-ers of prospective grooms. Apparently, the length they will go to to look their best knows no bounds, Brockbank says.

“They were talking about drinking vin-egar, wrapping themselves up in cling film, soup diets, celery diets and all these crazy things before weddings.”

To say that women were engaged by both the localised global versions is a cringe-worthy, predictable cliché, but valid nonetheless.

“In the UAE we grew 10 per cent in 2008, which was the first year we ran it. We grew five percentage points in Saudi Arabia and in Lebanon we retook leader-ship in the Shape Management Segment, growing 10 percentage points value share.”

Kellogg’s I should point out, has an astonishing array of segments, ranging from RTEC – Ready to Eat Cereals; Family (Corn Flakes); Children (sub-segmented into chocolate and pre-sweets such as Frosties and Fruit Loops); Adults, mainly mueslies, but encompassing the ‘young adult indul-gence segment (see GMR October News for Tresor launch.) and, finally, Shape Management. “They are very much Kel-logg’s segmentations which we’ve asked Nielsen to apply,” he reveals.

Families or Corn Flakes account for 60 per cent of regional business, unlike the rest of the world where they are much less except, again, in the UAE.

“If you look at somewhere like the UK, the balance would be 10 per cent volume in Corn Flakes and 40 per cent Special K. In Saudi it’s 60 per cent Corn Flakes.”

In the UAE there is a more even split – roughly 30 per cent each for Family, Shape Management and Children.

“So there are big differences across the regional markets.”

…we sell the same volume in a market with four million as we do in one with 29 million…

PROF ILEs


PROF ILE

That must make campaign and media planning rather complex, I suggest.

Our discussion then veers off into media planning. He tells me that along with boosting its activation activity the company is also reworking the owned, bought and earned model.

“What we’ve tried to do, certainly for 2010, is make sure we’ve got a much high-er level of integration among the three, essentially trying to drive owned and earned much harder,” Brockbank says.

He cites Coco Pops. Back in 2007 – and for eons before that if my memory serves – Coco Pops used to include the free toy figurine in the pack with a puzzle on the back of the box (how old am I?).

“And that would simply sit on the shelf. We’d talk about it instore and that was it. We’d sell about 10 per cent more.”

This year, however, it’s different. The latest regional on-pack campaign sported a CD allowing kids to create their own comic.

“So, instead of just having the packs sit on the shelf letting consumers find out about it, we created a TVC to tell them about it. We created a website where they could download new versions of that comic and upload their versions onto the website.”

The children could also vote for their favourite UGC comics and upload them to social networking sites where others could read them.

“So, all of a sudden you go from having a flat promotion on shelf to a promotion that lives not only on shelf but on TV and online, and drives con-sumers to interact.”

He adds that children in the Middle East are particularly tech savvy. The company’s Arabic site has 100,000 unique visitors, with the majority of them from Saudi. The English one garnered 5,000.

Last year Kellogg’s Group announced that 10 per cent of its 2010 budget would be spent online. At the time Brockbank had reservations that he could do this in the Middle East, I remind him.

“My concern then was around consum-ers interacting to the extent that we hear when we go to those conferences where it’s always ‘The internet is the next best thing since sliced bread.’”

Brockbank is yet to get to 10 per cent, but he’s more than halfway there with six per cent of total working media devoted to online.

“We just had such great experiences with it this year, particularly understand-ing kids and the things that can really add value for them,” he says.

But, adds Brockbank, Kellogg’s as a com-pany has always been “a real traditional media buyer.” The largest chunk of spend is still spent on Pan Arab TV, although radio in the UAE is effective for reaching dispa-rate audiences, while outdoor is always a winner in Lebanon, he adds.

Branded content has become another key communications plank following the success of Special K’s guest appearance on MBC’s Perfect Bride last year and, more recently, Greece’s Top Model.

But Brockbank cautions it has to be relevant. “You can’t crowbar stuff in just because you like the programme,” he says.

But whichever medium he and media agency Carat decide upon, the main quest for 2011 will be to “better understand how we can do that with local Arabic-speaking adult consumers.”

Our interview concludes with Brock-bank preparing to go to the – you guessed it – airport.

Only this time it’s not for work. He’s accompanying his fiancée Rebecca on a trip to London to find her wedding dress.

I’m guessing this is one bride-to-be who won’t be drinking vinegar or wrapping herself in cling film.

AGENCY ROSTER

Media: Carat ME (European and regional)Creative and digital: Leo Burnett, Dubai PR: Manning Selvage & Lee (project basis)

COMPANY CREDS

With 2009 sales of $12.5 billion, The Kellogg Company was founded in 1906 in Battle Creek, Michigan, and is the world’s leading producer of cereal and a leading producer of convenience foods.

The company’s brands include Kellogg’s, Keebler, Pop-Tarts, Eggo, Cheez-It, Club, Nutri-Grain, Rice Krispies, Special K, All-Bran, Mini-Wheats, Morningstar Farms, Famous Amos, Ready Crust, Kashi and Tresor.

Kellogg products are made in 18 countries and marketed in more than 180. Kellogg’s opened a local representative office to service the Middle East region in

April 1999.


Agencies’ complaints about the pitching process in the region are well known. But are they really that downtrodden? Or just divas?

LIFE’S A PITCH

THERE ARE too many pitches. And too many agencies are involved in those pitches, grumbles the region’s marketing agencies. Just check out last month’s GMR to see how strongly agencies feel about this: There should be some financial incentive for putting in all those man hours from our most creative, brilliant people and showing you our most creative, brilliant work, which you reject but then steal. There has to be a better way…they say.

Clients, it turns out, have issues too. Not just with proposed changes, but with the existing model. Top of their gripe list? Agencies are a bit, well, dishonest when it comes to those first meetings. It’s a problem with which Alex Andarakis, founder and managing director of Andarakis Advisory Services (AAS), is familiar.

Andarakis is a client-side veteran of several leading global and regional brands – including Lipton, Aujan’s Barbican, Emaar and Al Islami – who now runs his own

strategy and marketing advisory service. “At the initial pitch, a lot of agencies bring in their senior, highly experienced people – and that’s the only time you ever see them,” he says.

“From a client’s perspective, if the sen-ior guy’s going to be at the pitch, then the senior guy has to be on the business. The first question I ask is: ‘Is this the team that I’m going to see every time I have a major communication or media requirement? If not, then get me that team.’”

This may be one solution to the stress apparently being caused by pitching so often: Stop making the same people do all the pitches. But supposing agencies clean up their acts, do clients think their oft-repeated complaints are valid?

Thomas Lundgren, founder of home furnishings store The One, in Dubai, has first-hand experience of invoking agen-cies’ wrath. In 2007, he staged an ‘open pitch’ for The One’s creative account,

inviting numerous agencies along to a “Thomas Lundgren Breakfast Show”, and telling them that if they wanted to pitch they had to record a song for The One – in just 24 hours.

“I can’t understand why that was con-troversial,” Lundgren says. “I thought the agencies would find it fun. There were complaints that too many agencies were involved, but it’s a free world. They knew how many agencies were there. Just make a choice.”

Lundgren believes that as long as the client is transparent about the process, agencies can make up their own mind. Preferably without moaning.

“From an agency perspective, I have sympathy,” he says. “There probably are too many pitches. But you can avoid that, as an incumbent, if you deliver on what you promised up-front. Then your client’s never going to go to pitch.”

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voidable. Lundgren says: “The movement of people from one company to another – which happens a lot in this region – is another reason why clients are quite happy to change who they’re working with. Let’s say I’m at Emaar and I’m working with Agency X. If I go somewhere else, I’d want to work with the same people.”

Andarakis suggests that a process such as Lundgren’s – involving too many agencies – reflects badly on the client. “I honestly believe that if you have more than three agencies involved in a pitch, then you don’t know what you want,” he says.

Forgiving though he is, Andarakis is unequivocal when asked about agencies’ suggestions that they should be paid for pitching. “As a client, I would never, ever, pay for a pitch. It’s a cost of doing busi-ness for an agency,” he says.

If agencies are to be paid for pitching, then one of two criteria must surely be

met. Either they’d better be a really good agency, or everyone must charge. There are problems with both these factors. First, agencies in this region – brace yourselves for a shock – aren’t that good. Secondly, as Lundgren points out, it seems unlikely that all agencies would adhere to the rule.

“If Coke says ‘We’re not paying you to pitch,’ do you think no one is going to pitch for Coke?” he says. “Of course

they would. If you have an account that people really want, they will do anything to get it.”

Lundgren understands that agencies have a reason to want to protect their ideas from unscrupulous clients, though.

“There are clients here, I’m sure, who steal ideas,” he says. “That’s probably what agencies are most afraid of. You can’t sue, the legal process would take 244 years, and you probably wouldn’t win anyway. But maybe something else would work.”

He suggests that an agency could ask for a refundable deposit. “Maybe say that if clients want you to pitch, they have to pay X amount. If they pick you, they get that money back, if they don’t, you keep the money, but they’re allowed to use any ideas you present,” Lundgren says.

Ultimately, Lundgren says it’s a case of supply and demand. “If you were an agency that everybody wanted, you could charge. Then it’s the client’s choice whether they want you. But you’ve got to have something to offer that no one else can,” he says.

Both Andarakis and Lundgren insist the client’s in charge. It’s their business, so they can invite whom they wish, when they wish. The pitching status quo, it seems, is unlikely to change. But, according to Lundgren, that doesn’t necessarily mean clients will always have their own way.

“It’s like a romantic relationship,” he says. “Let’s say you get a new girlfriend every year, or every month. Girls, if they have any sense, will eventually say: ‘I don’t want anything to do with this guy, he’s an asshole.’ And it should be the same with clients and agencies.”

In other words, if agencies are annoyed with clients who keep throwing pitches, they just shouldn’t participate.

“If you have problems with the process, you should have the balls to do some-thing about it. Otherwise, agencies are just prostituting themselves,” Lundgren adds. “You can’t sit there and say, ‘Clients should only do this every two years and then throw yourself at Pepsi or Coke or any other big brand that comes along.” n

If Coke says, ‘We’re not paying you to pitch,’ do you think no one is going to pitch for Coke?

Same old song: Would agencies require a global brand to pay for a pitch?

‘Won’t pay’: AAS’ Alex Andarakis

IN CHARGE

Controversial: The One’s Thomas Lundgren


WE’VE ALL heard it before: Social media is a great platform to engage consumers and increase brand value. So, instead of boring you to death with another discussion on how consumers are increasingly using social networks and how important it is for brands to exist on these platforms – blah, blah, blah – I’ll jump to the real question: How can a corporation make use of the unstoppable force of social media?

Here are six dos and don’ts you need to be doing – and not doing – to win with social media.

Setting your strategyDo: Know your audienceLinkedIn. Twitter. Facebook. YouTube. Flickr. Digg. StumbleUpon. Scribd. Meta-Cafe. NetVibes. There seems to be an

endless number of social networks, many of them quite successful. The first thing that a marketer needs to do is establish which social networks his or her consumers are using. There is very little point in a shipping company building a huge profile on Facebook if its target audience is more likely to be on Xing or LinkedIn.

Do: Keep communication meaningful Always remember why your prospect or consumer is using different social media platforms. Users are often on social media sites to see and be seen, to connect with friends or just keep in touch. They are unlikely to want to be inundated with blatant advertising.

To create “brand ambassadors” out of these consumers, you need to speak

the relevant language and be very, very patient.

If it suits your brand and the platform they prefer, try to engage us-ers with fun. If “fun” is very far from your brand values, you can be informa-tive and provide relevant and interest-ing information that you know your audience would appreciate. Be at their convenience – remember, you’re in their world now.

Do: Supplement search strategyWeb search advertising is extremely im-portant, not only for driving traffic, but also for retaining brand dominance. Bear in mind, however, that search advertising is common fare for most companies now, and even though positioning counts for a lot, consumers still rely on the most

The dos and don’ts of social media marketing – or how not to annoy consumers too much.

STICKING POINTS

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old-fashioned marketing weapon of all: word of mouth.

To an extent, I don’t care how many times I clicked on your ad and went to your website to hear you wax lyrical about how great you are; if I hear from a friend that your competitor is better, I’m going to put a lot of faith in that. Make sure you exist on all the social media channels that your consumers are on; not only can they build a stronger relationship with you, they can be your brand ambassadors on their network as well.

In short, search places keep you up there and allow you to be found, but real relationships can be built through connections made via social media.

Do: Monitor, monitor, monitorFinally, remember that the maintenance of your social media profile is not a nine-to-five job. Conversations about your brand, or at least your product or service, will happen at all times, whether you are there to hear or not. If you’re there, you at least give yourself a chance to be part of that conversation, and firefight if needed. A great analogy I once heard was: “How does Batman sleep at night?” In short, there will always be conversations to be had, and fires to be put out. So devote as many resources as you can at all times.

The don’tsDon’t: Unsolicited = BadAgain, you need to think why your con-sumer is on a particular site. It’s OK to connect to a user on LinkedIn, even if you don’t know them, if you are trying to create a business link or perhaps offer them a job. It is not OK to connect to strangers on Facebook to tell them why they should buy your magazine or come to your store.

Don’t: Social media sites are not a dumping ground for your press releasesUse your profile to have dynamic conversa-tions with your prospects or consumers. Remember that your community manager, or whoever is speaking on your behalf,

is speaking with the brand-values hat on, and that every interaction could potentially be make or break.

Do not bore consumers with your latest wonderful piece of PR. Listen to what they are saying and respond to them personally. Remember, it’s better to create one new strong bond with a consumer every day than drive away 100 bored customers.

The good, the bad and the uglyNow that doesn’t sound too hard, does it? Here are three examples of companies that have had varying experiences with social media.

The goodThis campaign did what I like best: It made me laugh while discovering more about something I’m interested in.

‘Hiroshi and Osamu’ is a wonder-fully thought-out initiative by Chev-rolet. Supremely simple in concept, the tongue-in-cheek factor, as well as excellent execution, ensured that the campaign was a great success.

The basic story is that Kenshin, a high-ranking official in the Japanese auto industry, sends two loyal employees — Hiroshi and Osamu — to the Middle East to find out why Chevrolet cars are outselling Japanese ones.

Their findings ultimately focused on the main strengths of the Ameri-can behemoth: Low ownership cost, peace-of-mind, safety, quality, reliability and durability. Although the campaign was launched across multiple media, the litmus test of its success was the incredible virality and interactivity of its Facebook profile. It attracted more

Driving force: Chevrolet’s ‘Hiroshi and Osamu’ campaign proved a success

It is not OK to connect to strangers on Facebook to tell them why they should buy your magazine or come to your store.

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than 24,000 fans – and is still grow-ing – and received a huge amount of positive press.

The lesson: The Facebook page was manned at all times, all questions were answered, and the theme – a humorous look at an important buying decision – remained true throughout.

The badIn the spirit of chivalry, I cannot bring myself to talk badly about another organisation in the region – and I do want to keep this one regional – so I’m going to talk about my own company, Bayt.com. Don’t be so surprised. We’re not perfect, you know.

Basically, we were so keen to start engaging our users on social media sites that we jumped into a dialogue with them before having a really solid strategy. The result? For a long time our Twitter and Facebook accounts were ef-fectively a live stream of the latest content on Bayt.com. What value was there when users could just visit Bayt and get the same content? Well, not much, really.

Then we decided to turn the tables round and “do” social media right. We got rid of the automated RSS feeds littering our Twitter microposts

and the automated job postings on Face-book. We started listening to conversa-tions happening on social media sites and targeting relevant jobs to the people who were actually looking for them. We decided to start sharing our office cul-ture on Facebook by posting pictures of birthdays at Bayt and football games that our employees took part in (and lost, I might add).

I’m happy to say that we now have a much more dynamic approach, and we keep our social media profiles manned at all times, to make sure conversations are taking place no matter what time of the day.

The lesson: It’s not enough to just “be there”. We all need to ensure that we put as much effort into creating a unique presence on social media sites as we would if we had a group of our most important customers visiting our offices.

The uglyAs some of you may know, there was a very public race between actor Ashton Kutcher and CNN. Kutcher challenged CNN to see who would be the first to reach one million Twitter followers.

I don’t know – and don’t really care – who won that race. I’m not even going to bother to research it for the purposes of this article. What I do know, though, is that they both achieved the million mark and plenty more, but what did CNN really gain? Credibility?

If the endgame was just getting more followers, then job done. But the grey area here is quality over quantity: Should a network such as CNN get involved in what can be described as a publicity stunt? You decide.

The lesson: Know your objectives before you start. If the objective for CNN was to gain one million Twitter followers no matter what the methods, then it was a success. But the reason I placed it in ‘The ugly’ department is because many would argue that how CNN got there would ultimately erode the brand as a trusted news provider. I would love to hear your views on this. I’m undecided. n

MEDIA

Ali Sinaeihead of online advertising Bayt.com

Follow the leader? Did the CNN/Ashton Kutcher race to gain one million Twitter followers do much to enhance the news channel’s core brand values, asks Sinaei

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The consumer is back in the driving seat, leaving the auto industry having to adapt its sales methods to generate sales.

TAKING CONTROL

NOT MANY YEARS ago the automotive world was a very different place. Back then, cars would drop from the heavens, ricochet-ing off dealership forecourts and onto the driveways of the masses.

Cars would be snapped up as soon as they arrived; the Middle East provided a modern-day gold rush with auto rich-es at stake. Forget bankers, it was car salesmen who were lucking out with good times and big order books.

Now, after two years of recession, the car industry, like so many other sectors, has been forced to adapt its methods and increase efficiency. Gone are the days of credit currency falling like ripe fruit from trees. Gone too is the first-come, first-served model at dealerships, with customers tussling for stock.

“Today it’s all about delighting the customer,” says Audi Middle East’s Jeff Mannering. He is referring to the overall customer experience, from welcoming visi-tors to five-star showrooms to importing the best products and providing a high standard of after-sales service.

“I believe there is a whole lot of people out here who are not loyal to brands, and if you can really focus on your customer and really build your brand awareness, and have a strong desire to get there, you can do it,” he says.

While no manufacturer will admit this on the record, many of their dealerships are new to the idea of delighting customers after a sale, even though this is now their prime battleground. This even applies to the top end of the market.

“We needed to see an improvement in the customer experience, so now we are renovating our Dubai showroom,” says Pietro Innocenti, general manager of Ferrari MEA.

“We are currently focusing on the way we provide services so that we can strengthen our organisation after the recession,” he says.

But in the Middle East, the popular category is the biggest battleground, despite the roads here appearing full of top-line machinery.

“The recession has taught us that our clients are our main asset,” says Peugeot

Middle East’s GM Jamal Sahl. “This is why the brand has been working very hard in order to please the existing cus-tomers and attract new ones.”

In Saudi Arabia, General Motors’ local partner, Universal Motor Agencies (UMA), this year revealed a $40 million plan to expand its customer service facilities.

“UMA is being more accessible to its customers and providing them with a more complete range of services, han-dled by highly-trained professionals,” says Walid Telmesani, the firm’s COO.

It seems that any improvements in dealer performance this year will be time-ly. This follows the results of a YouGov Siraj survey in June this year, which showed a lack of approval for dealership service across the UAE and Saudi Arabia. The findings revealed that only 55 per cent of car owners choose to regularly service their cars at authorised dealer workshops. n

Behind the wheel: The recession has forced dealerships to improve the showroom experience

Improvement: Ferrari MENA’s Pietro Innocenti

SHIFTING FOCUS

High standard: Jeff Mannering, Audi’s regional chief

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German premium brands are well on the road to complete recovery.GAINING PACE

“THE ECONOMY is volatile and all com-panies, no matter how big or small, need to have vision, a strong plan and financial security to weather turbulent and challenging times,” says BMW’s Phil Horton, on what he has learnt from the recession. His paymasters were lucky. Unlike some of his transatlantic rivals, Munich had funds in reserve to sit out the tough times.

Bitter rival Audi was also in a good posi-tion. With a strong range and the backing of the supremely wealthy Volkswagen, Audi had a safe harbour to weather the worst of the storm. It also allowed the carmaker to stay true to its name.

“One thing Audi does not do is dis-count our brand,” says Jeff Mannering, the Ingolstadt carmaker’s regional chief.

“We have a great brand and great products, and this always puts us in a strong position, no matter what chal-lenges are presented.”

Mannering was alluding to the many manufacturers that have turned to in-centivising their products to shift stock surpluses and maintain sales levels. Over-stock has been a real issue for many importers given the scale and speed of the slump. Mercedes, for instance, found that its first course of action was to reduce its inventory level.

“We worked very hard with our distributors across the region to help them initially reduce stocks and now sell more cars with the introduction of special editions across all segments,”

says Franz Bernthaler, Mercedes’ marketing chief.

“We have learnt from this recession that you can never be too complacent. The climate can change very quickly.”

Interesting times lie ahead for The Big Three of Germany’s Deep South. For generations they have been known as the car industry’s innovators⎯in terms of product and gadgetry,⎯and now they will need to gather all their wiles to fend off the growing challenge from the Far East on their traditional turf of the sports saloon.

The Teutonic Three, along with Anglo-Indian manufacturer Jaguar, agree that consumer demands are evolving.

“Our customers are now far more savvy than they used to be and their buying requirements are increasingly more sophisticated,” Bernthaler says. “How-ever, in this part of the world, they still want to ‘do a deal’ and it is the best price or nothing.”

BMW finds that its typical customer varies from country to country within the region, and so it is important for the carmaker to conduct a wide range of research to find who it is dealing with.

“This research is used across various areas of our business, from the design to the development of our cars, to the way in which we market our company and our different brands,” Horton says.

Robin Colgan, Jaguar Land Rover’s regional chief, adds that one of the greatest customer trends is towards increased personalisation.

“Our customers want to and have the ability to specify and build a vehicle that will be quite unique,” he says.

It seems that this is part of the public’s reaction to the recession, through which they have become accustomed to getting the best and the most for their money. n


Smooth run: a ‘best price’ mentality prevails

CUSTOMER SATISFACTION

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But not all automakers are convinced it’s the way forward.ONLINE IS KEY

WHILE MOST automakers have started using online media to convey their messages – even the luxury segment is using the internet – some still have reservations.

“We all know online is the way to go,” says Ian Gorsuch, McLaren Automotive’s regional CEO. “The way internet has spread over the past decade is the best proof that online outlets are taking on the future.”

This is already the case for brands such as Peugeot. According to Jamal Sahl, general manager, Peugeot Middle East, “Online is a great medium that has already taken a significant share of marketing strategies.”

For a few luxury brands, however, the mass marketing afforded by online advertising holds less appeal.

“Online communication and, more spe-cifically, new technologies will be used by many companies,” says Maserati CEO Umberto Cini. “However, we will remain focused on one-to-one relationships with our customers.”

Expanding its online offerings, General Motors Arabia is advertising available vacant

digital positions. Digital manager Sayed Abu Diwan says: “It’s definitely interesting when it comes to digital marketing. We wanted to communicate with our custom-ers in a proper way… with one voice.”

For exclusive brands, the value of online marketing is clear. “Online marketing is already an integral part of our market-ing efforts,” says Deesch Papke, MD of Porsche MEA. Porsche’s Facebook page has attracted more than 730,000 people and thousands visit its YouTube channel each time a new post is uploaded.

Competition has now moved into the cyber-sphere. The key, says BMW’s regional MD, Phil Horton, who is responsible for the Mini brand, is “to ensure that online communication is different and engaging”.

“We have seen the effect online marketing has had on the world, particularly among the younger target audience, and we are all aware that this area will become even more widely accepted as a communications channel and more and more businesses will find ways to use it,” he adds.

For Bentley, the line between social media and personal relationships is to be navigated carefully. “As our owner-demographic moves towards a younger and more affluent customer, we are seeking more ways to engage through e-media,” says Chris Buxton, Bentley’s regional chief. “That being said, Bentley has always been proud of our ability to offer a very personal approach. There must be a bal-ance in the way we communicate in the future to ensure that this is maintained.”

Jaguar Land Rover’s Robin Colgan says the role of the web will grow in the premium segment, but the industry will continue to struggle with it.

“We keep throwing traditional creative executions at new media, and the results are poor because we no longer have a captive audience that can’t avoid viewing our adverts,” Colgan says.

“Understanding the prerequisite to engage, entertain and educate our audience is proving to be a hard-earned lesson, but we’ll get there.”

And even though Mercedes has its own digital communications staff, the company’s regional sales and marketing director, Franz Bernthaler, is reticent. “Online is increasingly important, but it will never take over from traditional media or showroom visits and face-to-face selling,” he says. n

Engaging: BMW’s Phil Horton

DRIVING FORCES

Online: McLaren Automotive’s Ian Gorsuch

Attention-grabbing: Online communication is particularly effective among younger consumers


Auto companies make more moves towards eco-friendly motoring.GREEN LIGHT

THE ENVIRONMENT continued to dominate the 2010 agenda for carmakers. By now, the most significant ones have joined the march towards greener motoring, and either implemented new strategies or ex-panded existing ones. The race is now on to see which one can produce the best environment-friendly automobiles.

Several premium companies already claim to be leaders in the green field. Porsche CEO Deesch Papke says: “We are not following, but are the trendsetters in this regard.” Porsche claims to be the first of many premium manufacturers, includ-ing Mercedes, Lexus and BMW, to launch a hybrid car in Europe.

In its present state, hybrid technology is ill-suited to power many luxury automobiles. The weight of a Bentley or Rolls-Royce can prove too much for a hybrid engine, while for makers of lighter vehicles such as McLaren Automotive, they simply do not yield the requisite level of performance.

Consequently, McLaren Automotive has adopted a different strategy. “We have the lowest emissions in our sector,” says CEO

Ian Gorsuch. “If you look at CO2 emissions per horsepower, we are lower than any car on the market, including hybrids.”

Lamborghini has taken the same focus and plans to reduce CO2 emissions by 35 per cent by 2015. The Italian firm, which was the first from that coun-try to obtain certification through the European environmental standard, has “a fully integrated environmental strategy based on both production process and product innovations”, according to CEO Stephen Winkelmann.

Several manufacturers have also under-taken to clean-up production facilities.

BMW, which for six consecutive years has been named the world’s most sustainable automaker by the Dow Jones Sustainabil-ity Index World, plans to reduce energy, water and sewage consumption, and solvent emissions by 30 per cent by 2012.

BMW is currently at the forefront of the auto-enviro movement. So far, the com-pany says it has reduced fleet emissions more than any other car manufacturer, without compromising on performance.

The new BMW 7 Series is set to be the most fuel-efficient vehicle in its class, despite being more powerful than its predecessor. This, says Philip Horton, MD, “proves that sustainability and driving performance can go hand-in-hand”.

As the green movement quickly acceler-ates, it is not clear if customers will be willing to make the compromise. Most carmakers, such as Jaguar Land Rover, gesture towards an emerging market for energy-efficient vehicles. According to regional director Robin Colgan, “Custom-ers are demanding that we take definitive action to address this issue.”

The call for greener vehicles is grow-ing. Papke says: “With fuel prices [in the Gulf region] being lower than in the European and US market, the demand is not as high.”

Frank Bernthaler, director of Mercedes, which last year became the first to in-troduce a luxury hybrid into the region, says: “With low petrol pricing, the vast majority will continue to be happy with their big V8 engines for years to come.” n


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Adaptation through flexibility is helping luxury sector weather the crisis.ADDED EXTRAS

FOR MANY luxury carmakers, the recession has reinforced the value of flexibility. Top-end brands seem to be looking for the right balance to build on the varying impacts of the global downturn.

Since the recession, Maserati has also looked at providing what it terms “additional peace-of-mind services”, in other words “incentives”, offering insurance, extended warranties and maintenance plans.

“The customer doesn’t want to worry about these factors,” says the company’s regional chief executive, Umberto Cini. “He or she just wants to buy the car and enjoy it.”

Lamborghini has placed a similar em-phasis on adaptability, and combined consumer choice with it. “Since the recession, we have put the highest flex-ibility and best cost-efficiency schemes available into place,” says Stephan Winkelmann, Lamborghini’s president and chief executive.

“We also remain committed to intro-ducing a new model every year. Much of our strength comes from product devel-opment and concentrating on growing developing markets.”

Bentley has translated flexibility into looking at its production run to maintain exclusivity, a USP during a period when it would otherwise be tempting to sell surplus stock.

“We constantly monitor the individual market performance of our cars and other

factors and adjust production and distri-bution accordingly,” says Chris Buxton, Bentley’s regional director. “Our mantra of building one less car than what demand dictates remains.”

The company has found that new mod-els, especially sports cars, tend to perform better in the current market.

“Looking at the high-luxury sec-tor in general, we are in line with the overall market trend and have successfully reduced our stock levels ahead of our new model launches this year,” Buxton adds.

Ian Gorsuch, regional director of McLaren Automotive, a new entrant to the luxury segment with the promise of a first high-performance sports car early next year, has been looking closely at how the segment has been faring of late.

“Those who looked after their custom-ers best before the recession have come out best,” he says. “As with all luxury products, it is about winning over buyers’ emotions. In the next decade this will be done with credibility, with an authenticity to what you do.”

Finally, there are manufacturers who have been able to enjoy the luxury of ignoring the recession. Asked how the market has changed after two difficult years, Koenigsegg’s regional boss, Andreas Petre, says: “It hasn’t changed very much for us because we only produce 20 cars per year and sell mostly to royal families around the GCC.”

Petre also has some radical views com-pared to his competitors. He is the only industry expert to predict massive growth over the next year; says online advertising will take over completely from conven-tional forms (or any at all in a segment that rarely advertises); and insists shorter model lifespans of three to four years will become the norm. n


Peace of mind: Maserati’s Umberto Cini

EXECUTIVE MOTORING

Constant adjustment: Bentley’s Chris Buxton

Taking cover: Carmakers are offering additional product and service enhancements


Carmakers begin to change focus as East puts pedal to the metal.CROSS ROADS

“LOOKING AT the auto market, there is cur-rently a strong trend towards the East,” says Deesch Papke of Porsche. “Without a doubt a market such as China is report-ing record sales, and I am sure we will continue to see this trend over the next few years.”

Europe and America have always enjoyed automotive superiority over the rest of the world but, patriotism aside, Western manufacturers are jumping for joy at the prospect of a rising East.

“It’s not only the Far East that is growing rapidly. The Middle East, India and Africa are also expanding, showing potential,” Papke says.

Once you get into a market, you must know how to target customers. Sales territories under “Middle East and Africa” are as varied as they are large. How do manufacturers define their typical customers?

Papke says: “There is no such thing as an ordinary customer, especially in this part of the world. Thus our com-munication is neutral with regard to approaching anyone.”

Mercedes, on the other hand, finds it tough to generalise because it caters to a wider demographic. “I think it is now harder than ever to define the typical Mercedes-Benz customer because of the different segments we cater to and the vast product line-up we offer,” says Frank Bernthaler, director of sales and marketing.

“However, we are seeing a shift to a younger demographic with the success of our C-Class, and expect this to continue as we explore more entry-level segments in the next few years.”

Jaguar Land Rover tends to think about its customers “in terms of ‘mindset’ rather

than simply age or income”, says Robin Colgan, regional MD.

“For example, Jaguar customers tend to be very individualistic and independent minded…while Range Rover customers are comfortable in the city and the desert and have a healthy respect for heritage and tradition.”

BMW bases its knowledge on cold, hard research. “It is possible for BMW Group to define our typical customers as we regu-larly conduct research around the world to gain insights into their demographics and lifestyles,” says Phil Horton, regional MD.

Conversely, Ferrari sees that while intelligence is essential, the variety of markets within the Middle East necessitates improvements in this field.

“Lebanon is very different from Saudi Arabia, so we have our sources for gathering intelligence,” says Pietro Innocenti, Ferrari regional chief. “But I have to admit that this is an area we are looking to improve on: to create reliable information. It’s then a matter of putting all this information together to have a solid market intelligence to drive your business.” n


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Neutral: Porsche’s Deesch Papke

CONSUMER-CENTRIC

Exploratory: Mercedes-Benz’s Frank Bernthaler

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EVEN THOUGH Saudi Arabia fared pretty well in the immediate aftermath of the economic crisis, it still suffered in the long run. With banks in the country and all over the MEA region tightening their loan policies, and consumers becoming more cautious in their spending, Drive

Dentsu shares insights and emerging trends within the auto sector.

Car sales in Saudi have dropped 11 per cent in comparison to 2008. Given that more than 45 per cent of purchases are dependent on credit, dealers, manu-facturers and consumers have had to

face with the harsh reality of the cur-rent market. Gradually, this has created caution in spending.

To be able to understand and predict how the auto market will turn out in a country, one must analyse trends and conditions in surrounding nations. The world is getting smaller, and influences, much like people, travel overseas.

As the global economic crisis led to a drop in oil prices, loan rejections went up six-fold – from five per cent to 30 per cent – while the real-estate market crashed. All this is reflected on the UAE market.

While the UAE may not be a huge factor to the Saudi economy, residents in the country have started approaching decisions with much more precaution anyway. They have become aware of developments in neighbouring countries such as the UAE and fear the same thing will happen with them. Consequently, they are acting with caution, much like others in the rest of the region.

In comparison to the UAE, Turkey and South Africa, the automotive market in Saudi has fared pretty well. Last year, Turkey experienced its lowest vehicle sales in five years, with a 9.4 per cent decline. The country that is truly suffering, however, is South Africa, which witnessed a 22.4 per cent decline in sales.

Even though Saudi Arabia’s decline is 11 per cent – in comparison to Tur-key’s 9.4 – the kingdom is the largest importer of cars in the Middle East and has a steady used-car market. So Saudi Arabia can rebound quicker than most countries.

Already there is a growing trend in sales in the country. According to research, car loans will soon return to normal

The kingdom proved more resilient than its neighbours, although relevant auto ads could have improved performance all round.

SELLING IN SAUDI


Shifting gears: Auto ads are mostly imported and often do not relate to regional consumers



and increase from being more than 45 per cent of car purchases to more than 70 per cent.

As of now, though, consumer confidence is still down and most are looking for alternative purchases as they cut back on spending. Preference on models has shifted as a result. The superstar SUV is no longer the celebrity, for example. Smaller, fuel-efficient cars are becoming more popular.

This change in consumer preference will be fruitful to the region as new business will find itself settling in Saudi Arabia

and surrounding countries, especially the Asian auto firms who are well known for their quality compact cars. These cars will find a new demographic of consumers as well, with 28 per cent of them falling under the 16-to-31 age range.

Alternative trends are also emerging. Consumers are considering renting cars. Instead of buying and worrying about maintenance, consumers feel better off leasing vehicles.

With these new trends, the world must realise that each industry affects the other and that it’s time to work to-

gether. Teamwork leads to revolution and change.

A hidden treasure that no one knows about is an item that practically does not exist. I say this to emphasise that if cars need to be sold, they need to be heard of. If people hear about cars and respond, sales will increase along with consumer confidence.

To hear about a car, you need to ad-vertise it. To ensure response to that advertisement, you need to know who you’re talking to, which is why all this research is essential for other industries – specifically advertising industry. Every professional will agree: auto sales would have fared much better had auto-adver-tising hit its target.

For example, most auto ads are im-ported from global ones. This makes it harder for consumers to make a con-nection with the brand. They may be familiar with the car but may not be able to relate to the ad.

Also, the ads are missing their target, which is the youth. Maybe the youth aren’t given enough credit because their age is mistaken for lack of influence and effect. One of the biggest purchasing factors is credit, and since it’s difficult to get that, consumers respond to ads that fill that need – the need to save, the need to afford.

Drive has launched local ad campaigns for Toyota, so consumers can finally feel someone is talking to them; that someone actually knows them.

The campaign has a human and emo-tional element, as opposed to ads that simply show a car being driven. It’s im-portant to know the market before trying to sell it. Experience breeds wisdom, and research breeds credibility. It’s vital to have both. n

Consumer confidence is still down and most are looking for alternative purchases as they cut back on spending.

Tarek Al-JundiPR consultantDrive Dentsu, Beirut

Driving lessons: Localised versions of international campaigns don’t always engage



Tactical promotions and TV are keeping auto advertising buoyant. WHEELER DEALERS

IN LINE with the resurgence in consumer confidence in most Middle East markets, the auto category rebounded with an in-crease of almost 50 per cent in media ad spend for January to September 2010, compared to the same period last year.

The sector is now second in overall media spend in 2010 to date compared to the fourth quarter of 2009. This is backed with a 12 per cent year-on-year increase for the wider Gulf sales. Egypt saw the biggest gain, up 33 per cent YOY, according to the Egyptian Automobile Manufacturers Association (source: BMI).

The premium luxury segment also saw significant impetus in sales.

The Pan Arab market took the lion’s share. It was also the main beneficiary with a 122 per cent gain over last year.


Burt Reynoldsassociate media director, Magna, Dubai

CountryDealer Jan-Sep 09

Corporate Jan-Sep 09

DealerJan-Sep 10

CorporateJan-Sep 10

Dealer 09-10 Var%

Corporate 09-10 Var %

Pan Arab 18,738 86,151 26,281 206,490 140% 240%Egypt 30,766 6,110 58,234 6,654 189% 109%UAE 30,001 22,540 41,060 21,705 137% 96%KSA 40,080 8,038 42,439 15,192 106% 189%Lebanon 700 41,126 907 34,887 130% 85%Kuwait 16,596 17,260 15,413 18,455 93% 107%Oman 7,294 1,585 10,381 2,448 142% 154%Qatar 8,471 492 7,724 97 91% 20%Bahrain 4,093 857 5,949 451 145% 53%Jordan 1,238 4,100 2,426 3,106 196% 76%Syria 1,813 2,031 2,414 2,700 133% 133%Pan Asian 0 1,766 50 3,355 - 190%Totals 159,791 192,056 213,278 315,541 133% 164%

DEALER/CORPORATE SPLITS BY MARKET (000 US$)

Other increases came from Egypt, Oman and Syria.

The dominance of TV is significant, especially in Egypt and most of the Le-vant. The exception is the GCC where newspapers lead, primarily due to tacti-cal campaigns that tend to be heavily dealer-supported. Interestingly, in 2010 the ‘cars’ category is number two in print and TV across the region.

The past four months accounted for 40 per cent of spend. There was a surge in August due to Ramadan and allied tactical offers. We expect another surge this month and next, when 2011 models arrive. Dealers delayed promoting new models from September, possibly to deplete the inventory.

While most corporate spend was on TV, this year saw the medium get a

boost with an unprecedented 240 per cent rise over the same period last year.

On the other hand, with the exception of Kuwait and Qatar, most local markets saw a triple-digit increase by the dealers, mainly due to the tactical ‘bundling’ offers by dealers and dealer-backed financing and after-sales service assurances.

In terms of a messaging strategy we see an increased focus on ‘passenger’ cars, ie saloons, while spend on ‘four-wheel drives’ and communication of the entire ‘range’ has reduced.

The consolidation in spend is evident, with the top 10 brands accounting for nearly 75 per cent. Again, their focus is distinct with brands such as Chevrolet, Kia, Hyundai and Ford being the major spend-ers in all media types, with the exception of magazines, in which the premium car segment has nearly 33 per cent.

As per BMI the projection for MENA is a 6.7 per cent sales increase in 2010. This acceleration is due to innovation in terms of new models, promotional marketing and the potential of hitherto untapped growth markets such as Egypt (with an average penetration of only 8.9 per cent car per household (Source: Euromonitor), which will ensure the category maintains its momentum in the years to come. n

Note: Ad spend is based on monitored advertising and is calculated on the media rate cards. It does not reflect incentives and discounts that advertisers/MBUs may avail from media owners. All monitored data is sourced from IPSOS-Stat.

Source: IPSOS, 2010

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In Saudi Arabia motorcycles are overtaking cars when it comes to online searches, while pre-used dominates in the UAE.

DEALS ON WHEELS

LAST YEAR it was all about the number of cars left stranded at Dubai airport. Like many industries, automotive was hit hard during the recession. This year, with so many cars in the market, it’s all about good deals, with ‘used cars’, ‘second-hand cars’ and ‘used auto sales’ among the most searched for phrases in the UAE.

What is surprising, considering the credit crunch, is that luxury brands such as Lexus and Porsche were in the top 10, proving that times are not tough for everyone.

The biggest surprise for our research team, however, was that their brand websites did not make the top 10. This doesn’t mean they do not rank first for their own brand name, simply that, on average, they do not rank well across a number of car-related keywords.

Perhaps this is something for the official branded pre-used car dealer-

ships to take note of because it is a significant missed opportunity. The sites that did rank well on Google.ae were mainly regarding second-hand classified ads.

In Saudi Arabia it was a slightly dif-ferent scenario. Among the Arabic top 10, search queries were more generically related. And, as we have seen so often in Saudi, the content that ranks high is always in forums and blogs. What this means for automotive marketers looking to raise their brand profile in the kingdom is that they must be more conscious of social media optimisa-tion, in other words not only develop-ing more social media-led marketing, but the optimisation of their social media content so that it ranks well in search engines.

What was interesting was that the Jeddah Bikers website ranked so high for car-related keywords, which to me

proves the importance of Arabic con-tent, as the site was both in English and Arabic.

The fact a website for a motorbike club should perform so well for car-related phrases highlights the opportunity available for auto-branded sites. This is especially true for those looking to use car-related keywords to perform well with the minimum of SEO in a market that is still in its infancy when it comes to search tactics.

It would seem that traffic is there, but marketers are not. Until top brands realise the missed opportunity, other websites will be driving off into the sunset on two wheels instead of four. n

Lee Mancini head of SekariDubai


TOP 10 SEARCH RESULTS GOOGLE.AE (GLOBAL) TOP 10 SEARCH RESULTS GOOGLE.AE (GLOBAL)

TOP 10 SEARCH RESULTS – SAUDI ARABIA# Keyword (UAE) Keyword (KSA)

1 Car Cars2 Cars Sale of cars3 Used cars Haraj cars4 Second-hand cars Cars 20105 Used autos Cars sale6 Used auto sales Cars for sale7 Lexus Car for sale8 Porsche Cars 20099 Suzuki Car prices10 Cars for sale Location of autos

# Coverage Average rank Domain

1 80% 7.75 en.wikipedia.org2 80% 29.19 drivearabia.com3 65% 21.77 autodealer.ae4 65% 28.31 datadubai.com5 60% 8.00 autotraderuae.com6 60% 12.08 uae-autos.com7 60% 16.58 imdb.com8 60% 25.50 autos.yahoo.com9 55% 5.45 autosouk.com10 55% 8.27 emirates-ads.ae

# Coverage Average rank Domain

1 80.95% 9.94 assayyarat.com2 57.14% 15.75 carsdir.com3 52.38% 16.27 alqaly.com4 52.38% 24.09 jeddahbikers.com5 47.62% 25.30 forum.al-wlid.com6 42.86% 1.44 sayaraat.com7 42.86% 17.33 mstami.com8 42.86% 17.44 3arabiyat.net9 42.86% 23.33 alhnuf.com10 42.86% 24.22 ejabat.google.comSearch Engine Results Pages (SERPS) Research conducted on Google.ae. Top 10 keywords with the most

amount of searches last month based on local results from Google.AE and Google.com.sa. All of the Saudi Arabia keywords were originally recorded in Arabic and then translated.

Performance data based on Google.ae. Results show the top 10 performing websites which on average have the highest rank and the most rankings coverage in top 10 positions for all top 10 keypharases in natural search results in Google.ae and below on google.com.sa

TOP 10 KEYWORDS TOP 10 SEARCH RESULTS – UAE

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The UAE’s auto sector is certainly gaining momentum judging by the level and quality of recent press coverage.

RALLYING MOOD

FOLLOWING THE slowdown in 2009, the GCC’s auto market is expected to regain traction this year due to economic recovery, improved confidence and ease of credit, says Business Monitor International (BMI).

Nonetheless, credit remains tight, and caution is the watchword for many inves-tors. BMI projected vehicle sales to grow by 8.5 per cent to 352,913 units in 2010, slightly below 2008 levels, but a good recovery from 2009. Auto finance in the UAE has eased, but it is not flowing as freely as the positive economic outlook and banking results might suggest. Many banks have tightened their lending terms to avoid non-performing loans, so recovery is not as strong as it could have been.

A recent study from Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry indicated a rebound in auto exports to the UAE, which rose in early 2010. The trend is expected to continue towards the end of the year.

Earlier, the global financial crisis had negatively affected capital formation and consumer spending on durable goods. One of the hardest hit was the auto sec-tor, as reflected by the bankruptcy of US

giant General Motors (GM) and the cut in production at other auto firms.

It was only in the latter part of 2009 that plans to beef up inventories began to materialise, focusing on the production of more fuel-efficient and small car models.

The study said exports of the leading suppliers of vehicles to the UAE started to pick up in early 2010. Compared to the record high in 2008, Japan’s exports declined by 64 per cent in 2009 and saw a monthly fall of 20 per cent in January 2010. The following month, however, a reversal in trend by five per cent was seen, which was followed by a substantial monthly growth of 71 per cent in March.

The UAE sees increasing competition. Toyota Motors has traditionally been a market leader in the Middle East, even in the more affluent Gulf countries, where it generates around 6.5 per cent of its total sales. However, the firm may be losing its edge, with rivals gaining on it.

Arabian Automobiles Company, the ex-clusive dealer for Nissan Motor, Infiniti and Renault, sold 25,204 units, up 18 per cent year-on-year, and generated a record

turnover of AED2.5 billion. ($681 million). The distributor was aiming for a 25 per cent market share in the UAE by the end of 2010, which would put its annual sales at more than 80,000 units.

Media commentWe had a look at 26 auto brands in the Q3 2010 UAE media, a total of 3,595 clip-pings (Audi, BMW, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Ferrari, Fiat, Ford, Honda, Hummer, Hyundai, Kia, Lexus, Mercedes, Mit-subishi, Nissan, Opel, Peugot, Porsche, Renault, Rolls-Royce, Saab, Suzuki, Toyota, Volkswagen and Volvo).

Toyota achieved the highest volume of coverage in July, August and September followed by BMW in July and September. Ford came third in July and September and second in August. Hummer and Saab’s media presence was barely discernible with a total number of clippings a month ranging from three to 11 only.

In terms of NCS (Newspaper Coverage Size), measured in CC, Toyota took the lead in July and August. However, BMW was ahead in September with 14K cc. Nissan’s third rank in September coincided with a rise in its UAE sales in the last period.

As for the Magazine Coverage Size (MCS) measured in pages, BMW took the lead in July with 83.6 pages, followed by Mercedes with 62 and Porsche with 52.3. August saw Mercedes take the lead, followed by Audi and BMW. In September, BMW was again in front, followed by Porsche and Audi. It is worth noting BMW’s large number of pages in the month relative to other auto makers (124.13).

In terms of OTS, Toyota had the lead in all three months of Q3. BMW ranked second in July and September, while Mercedes was second in August. Volkswagen was third.

SECTOR ANALYSIS

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RALLYING MOOD Volume of CoverageNCS (Newspaper Coverage Size)

MCS (Magazine Coverage Size)

OTS (Opportunities To See)

JULY 2010Porsche 72 7,012 52.32 7,323,550Peugot 44 2,626 2.63 8,309,771Lexus 77 6,331 8.44 8,879,625Chrysler 53 4,713 3 9,183,600Renault 67 4,517 23.71 9,310,300Fiat 55 4,437 17.7 9,490,055Mercedes-Benz 93 9,257 62.01 9,670,353Honda 96 7,058 13.69 11,828,123Daimler 81 6,111 0.35 13,582,825Nissan 117 7,808 11.83 13,768,685AUGUST 2010Lexus 61 6,105 16.44 5,281,361Mercedes-Benz 68 4,864 76.33 5,817,907Renault 44 3,137 13.21 6,080,634Chevrolet 55 5,649 6.5 6,139,050Mitsubishi 48 3,477 9.74 6,269,712Chrysler 49 7,101 0 6,751,230Volvo 52 4,787 7.38 6,781,493Audi 85 4,279 47.68 8,136,300Hyundai 54 5,552 0.32 8,307,338Honda 97 9,703 6.09 11,292,872

SEPTEMBER 2010Mitsubishi 47 3,408 1.54 6,384,737Chevrolet 50 3,928 5.82 6,574,830Kia 54 2,381 7.79 6,621,517Chrysler 33 3,154 0.68 6,676,813Honda 67 5,614 17.76 7,254,339Fiat 38 3,110 0.36 7,918,788Mercedes-Benz 80 6,457 34.31 9,667,771Renault 83 9,159 13.26 10,570,211Ferrari 107 8,537 17.03 11,041,298Hyundai 93 6,116 4.12 11,149,155

Content analysisThe messages for the various auto brands varied in Q3. While most of the brands featured numerous messages regarding new launches, showrooms, promotions, deals and reviews, BMW, Porsche and Mercedes featured a number of interviews, events participation and competition news. There were, however, some clippings with negative messages, such as poor financial perform-ance, drop in stock prices, drop in sales or auto recalls.

ConclusionComparing September 2009 coverage with September 2010, it is interesting

to note that most of the auto brands – including BMW, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Honda, Mercedes, Mitsubishi, Renault and Toyota – experienced a drop in media coverage numbers (volume of coverage, NCS, MCS and OTS).However, Ferrari and Nissan saw an increase in media coverage.

It seems 2009 was a year with high hopes of bouncing back. Market research reviews were mixed. The increase in coverage in September 2009, not only in numbers but in variety and frequency of positive messages, was an effort by the brands to rally following the financial crisis.

This year reports are more optimistic, with the early months indicating healthy growth. It may not be the time for auto brands to reduce their PR, at least until they reach pre-2009 levels, as the race is now on. Nissan and Hyundai are showing signs of growth, both in terms of market share and media coverage. Competition is likely to get tougher in the media. n

Source: Mediastow, July-September 2010

Hisham Elzubeirresearch director Mediastow, Dubai


The slowdown in regional auto ad spend is beginning to reverse.PULLING AHEAD

THE AUTO sector has weathered the recent storms affecting high oil prices, the eco-nomic downturn, and tightening of bank loans and recalls. It emerged stronger in 2010 as it spent $314 million in regional monitored media in the first half of this year, compared to $252 million in H1 2009.

The sector has reversed its downslide of nine per cent in 2009 by reporting accelerated growth of 25 per cent across the region for the same period, while Pan Arab media, which contributes 36 per cent of the total regional spend, gained 71 per cent compared to the previous half.

The GCC has 43 per cent of the regional market share. The remainder comes from the Levant. Saudi Arabia, which is the top spending auto market in the region, consolidated its position by increasing the spend by 31 per cent in H1 2010.

Egypt followed with 26 per cent, while the UAE registered a growth of six per cent during the period to retain third place.

The growth was not uniform across the region as some markets were in the red.

Kuwait’s spending plummeted by 15 per cent while Lebanon’s tumbled by 18 per cent in H1 2010. Qatar also witnessed an 11 per cent decline for the same period.

The auto sector followed the regional trend of shifting spending from news-paper to TV. TV spend is now 41 per cent across all major media type for the first half of 2010, up from 33 per cent in 2009.

Print found the conditions challeng-ing. Newspaper spend declined from 53 per cent to 45 per cent, with magazines falling from nine per cent to seven per cent in H1 2010.

General Motors (GM) replaced Toyota as the region’s top advertiser in the sec-tor. The American company increased spending by 3.5 times in H1 2010, placing Chevrolet at the top with $42 million.

GM spent more on Cadillac this year, but placed less emphasis on GMC as well as corporate advertising. Nissan doubled its spend in 2010 and ranked second, while Toyota slipped to third position with a single-digit decline in spending.

The spend on Nissan included Infiniti. Hyundai and Kia shared the next two spots in the league of top spenders.

The outlook for the sector is bright and can be substantiated by the purchase intention ranging from 15 per cent to 19 per cent across major markets, namely Saudi Arabia and the UAE respectively, according to the latest TGI Survey by Parc.

The sector spent nearly 70 per cent more during Ramadan this year on TV and newspapers compared to 2009. Go-ing by this trend, the sector is likely to surpass the highs of 2008 spending and will register a robust growth over 2009.

The ad spend is calculated on the media rate cards and does not account for incentives and discounts that advertisers may avail from media owners. n

Shaharyar Umarproduct managerPan Arab Research Centre, UAE


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SECTOR ANALYSIS

CATEGORY: AUTOMOTIVE - ARAB ADVERTISING MARKETS - 2010

MARKETS RANKING & MEDIA SPLIT (000 US$)

Rank Market Name & Abbreviation

Television Newspapers Magazines Radio Outdoor Cinema

2008 2010%Var’n

YTD 2010%Var’n

YTD 2010%Var’n

YTD 2010%Var’n

YTD 2010%Var’n

YTD 2010%Var’n

YTD 2010%Var’n

YTD2009

1 Pan Arab Media PAN 74,239 66,655 113,843 71 103,840 81 26 -89 9,977 11 0 0 0 - - -2 Kingdom of Saudi Arabia KSA 40,145 37,119 48,752 31 562 -43 37,458 18 1,883 22 135 -69 8,714 281 0 -3 Egypt EGY 43,559 36,695 45,075 23 7,391 859 28,331 9 2,555 1 1,238 -1 5,560 -10 0 -4 United Arab Emirates UAE 37,327 33,993 36,140 6 1,360 -35 30,092 13 3,142 13 306 -65 1,017 -14 223 -395 Kuwait KWT 23,902 28,765 24,538 -15 3,026 -54 18,954 -1 2,384 -6 174 -47 0 -100 0 -6 Lebanon LEB 12,983 17,034 13,952 -18 10,543 -18 1,940 -5 888 25 35 -93 546 -40 0 -7 Qatar QTR 10,177 12,178 10,812 -11 0 -100 9,241 -16 719 -23 31 41 821 263 08 Oman OMN 9,246 8,476 10,199 20 1,738 74 8,185 16 276 -12 0 0 -100 0 - -9 Jordan JOR 2,949 3,552 4,040 14 19 36 3,859 14 162 3 0 0 -100 0 - -10 Bahrain BAH 3,323 3,569 3,618 1 0 -100 2,759 0 732 -1 18 -54 96 4700 13 11711 Other Markets** OTH 4,143 4,144 3,506 -15 936 5 1,841 -22 576 14 153 -61 0 0 - -

Total All Markets 261,993 252,180 314,475 25 129,415 56 142,686 8 23,294 7 2,090 -46 16,754 53 236 -36

SPLIT BY PRODUCTS – 2010GCC & Levant Markets Pan Arab Media GCC Markets Levant Markets

Passenger cars Passenger cars Passenger cars Passenger carsCar dealers Petroleum Co. Car dealers Corporate advert

Road vehicles range Corporate advert Road vehicles range Four-wheel-driveOthers Others Others OthersFour-wheel-drive Four-wheel-drive Four-wheel-drive Car dealersCorporate advert Lubrication oil Corporate advert Road vehicles range

36%

14%

23%

9%6%

12%8%

7%

6%

9%

28%42%35% 26%

6%15%

1%6%

12%

TOP BRANDS – ALL MEDIA (000 US$) – 2010

Rank1234567891011121314151617181920

BrandChevrolet Hyundai Nissan Toyota Kia Ford BMW Cadillac Castrol Lexus Renault Mazda Infiniti Mercedes Mitsubishi Honda Audi Qatar Petroleum Suzuki Volkswagen

Value42,29524,85523,43820,88420,06016,41911,8467,6716,6406,4015,4615,0225,0094,7294,3954,1613,7953,5893,4763,463

Rank1234567891011121314151617181920

BrandChevrolet Hyundai Kia Ford Nissan Castrol Cadillac BMW Toyota Qatar Petroleum Qafac Hankook Renault Land Rover Mercedes Lexus Range Rover Mazda Audi Suzuki

Value22,26913,67312,7229,4096,6285,7105,2414,9624,0683,0672,7142,2372,0511,5951,4671,3781,2061,0571,000

849

Rank1234567891011121314151617181920

BrandChevrolet Nissan Hyundai Toyota Kia Ford BMW Cadillac Castrol Lexus Infiniti Mazda Mitsubishi Honda Qatar Petroleum Audi Porsche Mercedes Renault Volkswagen

Value30,95121,44520,26817,97016,85815,54410,1757,1596,6075,4324,5694,0073,9613,6563,5893,3023,2843,2513,1922,929

Rank1234567891011121314151617181920

BrandChevrolet Hyundai Kia Toyota Renault Suzuki Nissan Al Masreya BMW Speranza Rymco Mercedes Skoda Daihatsu Jeep Mazda Lexus Mobil Ford Opel

Value11,3444,5873,2022,9142,2692,0201,9931,9341,6711,6201,4981,4781,3321,3171,1421,015

969927875857

GCC & LEVANT PAN ARAB MEDIA GCC LEVANT

Sour

ce: P

ARC

MILLIONS US$314 +25%

Ranking of Markets & Media Split (000US$) Category split by market100%

75%

50%

25%

0%Total

314475GCC

249456LEV

65019PAN

113843KSA

48752EGY

45075UAE

36140KWT

24538LEB

13952QTR

10812OMN

10199JOR4040

OTH3506

BAH3618

Television Newspapers Magazines Outdoor CinemaRadio

Pan ArabKSAEgyptUAEKuwaitLebanonQatarOmanJordanBahrainOthers

16%

36%12%

8%

14%

4%4%3%

1%1%

1%

**Other markets: Combined - Syria, Yemen & Arasian

42%

10%

8%15%

13%12%


Product & AbbreviationMedia Split %

2008 2010%Var’nY10/09 TV NP MG RD OD CN2009 Sh%

Passenger cars (PSC) 90,110 84,506 113,756 36 35 46 40 10 0 4 0Four-wheel-drive (4WD) 50,978 57,367 73,254 23 28 45 42 10 0 2 0Road vehicles range (RVR) 28,526 31,830 35,694 11 12 9 82 2 1 5 0Car dealers (CRD) 32,453 33,380 25,271 8 -24 17 75 2 1 4 0Corporate advertising (CPA) 8,854 11,475 22,518 7 96 72 16 1 1 10 0Others (OTH) 51,072 33,622 43,982 14 31 46 33 8 1 12 0Total/Average 261,993 252,180 314,475 100 25 41 45 7 1 5 0

CATEGORY: AUTOMOTIVE – AGCC, LEVANT, PAN ARAB & ARASIAN MEDIA MARKETADVERTISING EXPENDITURE FOR TOP PRODUCTS (000 US$) 2008 – 2010 (JAN - JUL) MILLIONS US$314 +25%

Media 2008 2009 2010 Var'n %Value Sh% Value Sh% Value Sh% 2009/2010

Television 82,032 31 82,758 33 129,415 41 56Newspaper 134,595 51 132,508 53 142,686 45 8Magazine 24,791 9 21,701 9 23,294 7 7Radio 4,591 2 3,872 2 2,090 1 -46Outdoor 15,271 6 10,972 4 16,754 5 53Cinema 713 0 369 0 236 0 -36Total 261,993 100 252,180 100 314,475 100 25

OVERALL MEDIA SPLIT ANALYSIS (000 US$)

MONTHLY SPEND ANALYSIS (MILLIONS US$) 2008 – 2010

2010 Media Split %

Overall Media Split 2008 – 2010 Total Category – Media Split %

Product Growth 2008 - 2010 (000 US$)

0% 20% 40%

PSC120000

100000

80000

60000

40000

20000

0

4WD

RVR

CRD

CPA

OTH

16000014000012000010000080000600004000020000

02008 2009 2010

60% 80% 100% PSC 4WD RVR CRD CPA OTH

Television Newspapers MagazinesOutdoor CinemaRadio

Television Newspapers MagazinesOutdoor CinemaRadio Television Newspapers Magazines Outdoor

2010 2009 2008

Month 2008 2009 2010 Var’n % Y10/09Jan 36 37 42 14Feb 34 40 40 0Mar 45 46 47 2Apr 46 43 51 17May 47 43 62 43Jun 54 42 73 73Total 262 252 314 25

41%

1%5%

8%45%

Television Top SpendersRank Brand 2010

1 Chevrolet 29,6072 Hyundai 15,5183 Kia 12,8354 Ford 9,0455 Nissan 6,9616 Toyota 6,1697 Castrol 5,9408 Cadillac 5,4909 BMW 4,27910 Qatar Petroleum 3,061

Newspapers Top SpendersRank Brand 2010

1 Toyota 12,2752 Nissan 11,1423 Chevrolet 10,4984 Hyundai 7,6505 Kia 5,9506 Ford 5,9257 BMW 4,9428 Mitsubishi 4,1879 Lexus 3,51810 Honda 3,214

Magazines Top SpendersRank Brand 2010

1 BMW 1,9442 Audi 1,8923 Porsche 1,4444 Mercedes 1,4185 Chevrolet 1,2656 Ford 1,1147 Hyundai 9728 Toyota 9639 Kia 73810 Nissan 654

Radio Top SpendersRank Brand 2010

1 Toyota 2622 Chevrolet 1833 Hyundai 1344 Kia 1315 Maxxis 836 Daihatsu 727 Mahindra 638 Nissan 569 Mobil 5510 Al Mulla 52

Outdoor Top SpendersRank Brand 2010

1 Nissan 4,6252 Toyota 1,2023 Chevrolet 7424 Fuchs 7385 BMW 6456 Hyundai 5817 Mobil 4968 Petromin 4929 Kahrama 47510 Kia 406

Top Brands Y2010 (000 US$)

(000 US$ - Semi Logarithmic)

9080706050403020100

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun

2010 2009 2008

Sour

ce: P

ARC

*P

leas

e no

te fi

gure

s th

roug

hout

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sec

tion

are

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How to apply to jobs on Bayt.comHow

1 . Visit our website at www.bayt.com2 . If you are a new visitor, click on ‘Post a CV’ to create your Bayt.com CV3 . Enter the job reference in the Search box on the homepage. Example, enter JB1234564 . When you view the job posting, click on “Apply to this job” and attach your Bayt.com CV.

Your CV will go directly to the employer

and they will contact you

if you fit their job requirements

UAE

HEAD OF MARKETINGND & AssociatesQuali�cation: Degree in Business AdministrationExperience: 5+ years ExperienceSkills: Strong analytical skills Excellent brand management skills Strong interpersonal Job Reference:JB1572133

MARKETING EXECUTIVE Marriott Vacation Club InternationalQuali�cation: Degree in MarketingExperience: 2+ years ExperienceSkills: Excellent communication skills Strong analytical skills Strong command of EnglishJob Reference:JB1568293

SENIOR MARKETING ASSISTANTAbu Dhabi UniversityQuali�cation: Degree in MarketingExperience: 0-2 years ExperienceSkills: Excellent analytical skills Excellent command of English & Arabic Strong time management skillsJob Reference:JB1574842

BRAND MANAGEMENT OFFICERDaman-National Health Insurance CompanyQuali�cation: Degree in MarketingExperience: 5 - 8 years ExperienceSkills: Proficient in MS-Office Excellent command of English & Arabic Strong experience in a similar roleJob Reference:JB1556560

MARKETING MANAGERIIR Middle EastQuali�cation: Degree in relevant disciplineExperience: 5 - 7 years ExperienceSkills: Effective negotiation skills Strong decision making skills Creative thinking skills

Job Reference:JB1521016

SAUDI ARABIA

MARKETING MANAGERSAB HoldingQuali�cation: Degree in Marketing Experience: 5+ years ExperienceSkills: Proficient in MS-Office Strong interpersonal skills Excellent communication skillsJob Reference:JB1511023

CATEGORY MANAGER Kuwait food company ( Americana )Quali�cation: Degree in relevant disciplineExperience: 5+ years ExperienceSkills: Strong command of English Excellent leadership skills Excellent analytical skillsJob Reference:JB1278916

MARKETING SPECIALISTE-Government ProgramQuali�cation: Degree in MarketingExperience: 3+ years ExperienceSkills: Strong command of English Strong computer skills Strong interpersonal skillsJob Reference:JB1136931

MARKETING MANAGERFlawless ConsultingQuali�cation: Degree in Business AdministrationExperience: 3 - 5 years ExperienceSkills: Excellent command of English & Arabic Excellent presentation skills Strong analytical skillsJob Reference:JB1570613

MARKETING MANAGERSEDCOQuali�cation: Degree in relevant disciplineExperience: 5+ years ExperienceSkills: Strong technical marketing skills Strong sales skills Strong negotiation skillsJob Reference:JB1573796

KUWAIT

BRAND MANAGERAli Abdulwahab Sons & CoQuali�cation: Degree in Business ManagementExperience: 2+ years ExperienceSkills: Experience in a similar role Strong leadership skills Strong command of English & ArabicJob Reference:JB1571753

MARKETING MANAGERAl Thekair Trading & Contracting Co. W.L.LQuali�cation: Degree in Marketing ManagementExperience: 5+ year ExperienceSkills: Proficient in MS-Office Good communication skills Excellent command of English & ArabicJob Reference:JB1566743

MARKETING MANAGERCinnabon, SBC& Schlotzsky's Kuwait GroupQuali�cation: Masters in MarketingExperience: 5+ years ExperienceSkills: Excellent command of English & Arabic Strong communication skills Proficient in MS-OfficeJob Reference:JB1562556

MARKETING OFFICERSpecialist Oilfield Services Co.Quali�cation: Degree in relevant disciplineExperience: 5+ years ExperienceSkills: Proficient in MS-Office Excellent marketing skills Strong communication skillsJob Reference:JB1345738

BRAND MANAGERAli Abdulwahab Sons & CoQuali�cation: Degree in Business ManagementExperience: 2+ years ExperienceSkills: Excellent command of English Strong communication skills Excellent management skillsJob Reference:JB1543319

OTHERS

MARKET RESEARCH LEADERThe Nielsen Company (Philippines)Quali�cation: Degree in relevant disciplineExperience: 8+ years ExperienceSkills: Strong organizational skills Strong analytical skills Strong computer skillsJob Reference:JB1573855

MARKETING ACCOUNT MANAGERSADDA Marketing & Business Solutions(Jordan)Quali�cation: Degree in relevant disciplineExperience: 4+ year ExperienceSkills: Excellent communication skills Strong interpersonal skills Proficient in MS-OfficeJob Reference:JB1550615

RESEARCH DIRECTORTNS (Egypt)Quali�cation: Degree in relevant disciplineExperience: 8+ years ExperienceSkills: Strong negotiation skills Good presentation skills Excellent communication skillsJob Reference:JB1481375

BRAND MANAGERRetail Group (Lebanon)Quali�cation: Degree in Marketing Experience: 3+ years ExperienceSkills: Proficient in MS-Office Strong motivational skills Excellent communication skillsJob Reference:JB1573504

MARKETING MANAGERCopyTech (Lebanon)Quali�cation: Degree in MarketingExperience: 2+ years ExperienceSkills: Strong negotiation skills Strong analytical skills Excellent communication skills Job Reference:JB1573818

How to apply to jobs on Bayt.comHow

1 . Visit our website at www.bayt.com2 . If you are a new visitor, click on ‘Post a CV’ to create your Bayt.com CV3 . Enter the job reference in the Search box on the homepage. Example, enter JB1234564 . When you view the job posting, click on “Apply to this job” and attach your Bayt.com CV.

Your CV will go directly to the employer

and they will contact you

if you fit their job requirements

UAE

HEAD OF MARKETINGND & AssociatesQuali�cation: Degree in Business AdministrationExperience: 5+ years ExperienceSkills: Strong analytical skills Excellent brand management skills Strong interpersonal Job Reference:JB1572133

MARKETING EXECUTIVE Marriott Vacation Club InternationalQuali�cation: Degree in MarketingExperience: 2+ years ExperienceSkills: Excellent communication skills Strong analytical skills Strong command of EnglishJob Reference:JB1568293

SENIOR MARKETING ASSISTANTAbu Dhabi UniversityQuali�cation: Degree in MarketingExperience: 0-2 years ExperienceSkills: Excellent analytical skills Excellent command of English & Arabic Strong time management skillsJob Reference:JB1574842

BRAND MANAGEMENT OFFICERDaman-National Health Insurance CompanyQuali�cation: Degree in MarketingExperience: 5 - 8 years ExperienceSkills: Proficient in MS-Office Excellent command of English & Arabic Strong experience in a similar roleJob Reference:JB1556560

MARKETING MANAGERIIR Middle EastQuali�cation: Degree in relevant disciplineExperience: 5 - 7 years ExperienceSkills: Effective negotiation skills Strong decision making skills Creative thinking skills

Job Reference:JB1521016

SAUDI ARABIA

MARKETING MANAGERSAB HoldingQuali�cation: Degree in Marketing Experience: 5+ years ExperienceSkills: Proficient in MS-Office Strong interpersonal skills Excellent communication skillsJob Reference:JB1511023

CATEGORY MANAGER Kuwait food company ( Americana )Quali�cation: Degree in relevant disciplineExperience: 5+ years ExperienceSkills: Strong command of English Excellent leadership skills Excellent analytical skillsJob Reference:JB1278916

MARKETING SPECIALISTE-Government ProgramQuali�cation: Degree in MarketingExperience: 3+ years ExperienceSkills: Strong command of English Strong computer skills Strong interpersonal skillsJob Reference:JB1136931

MARKETING MANAGERFlawless ConsultingQuali�cation: Degree in Business AdministrationExperience: 3 - 5 years ExperienceSkills: Excellent command of English & Arabic Excellent presentation skills Strong analytical skillsJob Reference:JB1570613

MARKETING MANAGERSEDCOQuali�cation: Degree in relevant disciplineExperience: 5+ years ExperienceSkills: Strong technical marketing skills Strong sales skills Strong negotiation skillsJob Reference:JB1573796

KUWAIT

BRAND MANAGERAli Abdulwahab Sons & CoQuali�cation: Degree in Business ManagementExperience: 2+ years ExperienceSkills: Experience in a similar role Strong leadership skills Strong command of English & ArabicJob Reference:JB1571753

MARKETING MANAGERAl Thekair Trading & Contracting Co. W.L.LQuali�cation: Degree in Marketing ManagementExperience: 5+ year ExperienceSkills: Proficient in MS-Office Good communication skills Excellent command of English & ArabicJob Reference:JB1566743

MARKETING MANAGERCinnabon, SBC& Schlotzsky's Kuwait GroupQuali�cation: Masters in MarketingExperience: 5+ years ExperienceSkills: Excellent command of English & Arabic Strong communication skills Proficient in MS-OfficeJob Reference:JB1562556

MARKETING OFFICERSpecialist Oilfield Services Co.Quali�cation: Degree in relevant disciplineExperience: 5+ years ExperienceSkills: Proficient in MS-Office Excellent marketing skills Strong communication skillsJob Reference:JB1345738

BRAND MANAGERAli Abdulwahab Sons & CoQuali�cation: Degree in Business ManagementExperience: 2+ years ExperienceSkills: Excellent command of English Strong communication skills Excellent management skillsJob Reference:JB1543319

OTHERS

MARKET RESEARCH LEADERThe Nielsen Company (Philippines)Quali�cation: Degree in relevant disciplineExperience: 8+ years ExperienceSkills: Strong organizational skills Strong analytical skills Strong computer skillsJob Reference:JB1573855

MARKETING ACCOUNT MANAGERSADDA Marketing & Business Solutions(Jordan)Quali�cation: Degree in relevant disciplineExperience: 4+ year ExperienceSkills: Excellent communication skills Strong interpersonal skills Proficient in MS-OfficeJob Reference:JB1550615

RESEARCH DIRECTORTNS (Egypt)Quali�cation: Degree in relevant disciplineExperience: 8+ years ExperienceSkills: Strong negotiation skills Good presentation skills Excellent communication skillsJob Reference:JB1481375

BRAND MANAGERRetail Group (Lebanon)Quali�cation: Degree in Marketing Experience: 3+ years ExperienceSkills: Proficient in MS-Office Strong motivational skills Excellent communication skillsJob Reference:JB1573504

MARKETING MANAGERCopyTech (Lebanon)Quali�cation: Degree in MarketingExperience: 2+ years ExperienceSkills: Strong negotiation skills Strong analytical skills Excellent communication skills Job Reference:JB1573818


November2010 GCC Cards SummitVeritas EventsDate: November 1-3Venue: Mövenpick Hotel, BahrainT: +973 3672 1700F: +973 3886 1456W: gulfcardssummit.com

The Middle East Online Trading Summit & Awards 2010Arabcom GroupDate: November 9 and 10Venue: Jumeirah Emirates Towers HotelT: +971 4 321 1164W: meotsummit.com

Bahrain International Property ExhibitionBahrain Society of EngineersDate: November 11-13Venue: Bahrain Inter Exh & Convention CtrT: +973 178110724W: bipex.org

Abu Dhabi Chequered Flag BallUrban EventsDate: November 12Venue: Intercontinental Abu DhabiT: +971 4 445 6842W: chequeredflagball.com

The World in 2011Economist ConferencesDate: November 22Location: Beach Rotana, Abu DhabiT: +44 (0)207 576 8550F: +44 (0)207 576 8534W: mea.economistconfe-rences.com

The Changing Dynamics of Retail Leasing MgmtMECSC

Date: November 22 and 23Venue: BurJuman Arjaan by Rotana, Dubai, UAET: +971 4 3597909W: mecsc.org

2nd Annual Women in LeadershipNasebaDate: November 23 and 24Location: Abu DhabiT: +971 4 367 1376W: wilforum.com

Jordan Motorshow 2010IFP ExpoDate: November 2-6Venue: Amman Exhibitions ParkT: +961 5 959111F: +961 5 959888W: ifpexpo.com

Diyafa 2010 (5th Intl Hotel, Restaurant and Food Exhibition)IFP ExpoDate: November 9-11Venue: Doha Exhibitions CentreT: +961 5 959111F: +961 5 959888W: ifpexpo.com

Holiday & Travel Show – Sehaya 2010Al Hader Exhibitions & ConferencesDate: November 11-13Venue: Adnec, Abu DhabiT: +971 2 6222733F: +971 2 6222754W: sehaya2010.al-hader.com

Iraq Medicare 2010IFP ExpoDate: Nov 29-Dec 2Venue: Erbil International Fair GroundT: +961 5 959111F: +961 5 959888W: ifpexpo.com

DIARY

The GEMAS effie Mena Awards were launched to recognise and encourage effectiveness in marketing campaigns industry across the region.

They combine the regional marketing effectiveness awards – the GMR Effectiveness in Marketing Awards (GEMAS) – and the internationally renowned Effies.

In 2009 the GEMAS and the Effies joined forces as the GEMAS effie Mena Awards.

The initiative brings a broader international dimension to the GEMAS and marketing in the Middle East, while launching the Effies into one of the most dynamic, emerging markets in the world.

More than anything, the GEMAS effie Mena Awards mark a major milestone in the history of marketing in the Middle East as the sector rapidly matures to take its rightful place on the global stage.

The glittering awards presentation ceremony takes place on November 4, 2010, at the Joharah Ballroom, Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai.

We look forward to welcoming you there.

GEMAS effie Mena Awards 2010Venue: Madinat Jumeirah, DubaiDate: November 4Contact: JP Nair, [email protected]: +971 4 3910760

GMR EVENTS

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© 2010 Research In Motion Limited. All rights reserved. BlackBerry®, RIM®, Research In Motion® and related trademarks, names and logos are the property of Research In Motion Limited and are registered and/or used in the U.S. and countries around the world.

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Documents

GMR | Nov 2010