AdBlogArabia launches MediaSouq.com - the place to be for Middle East creatives!

Found this in my RSS feeds now!

Do take a look around! Looks promising. http://www.mediasouq.com

From their blog:

"...It is a project I’ve been working on for several months; and is a first-of-its-kind platform for advertising and media professionals in the Middle East to present their work, opinions and themselves to a wide regional and international community.

It’s all Do-It-Yourself, presented in a Web 2.0 format and quite simple...."

Everyone can help preserve the environment - Interesting campaign!

Came across this very interesting campaign in my RSS feeds through Digg.com. Though it is non-UAE, it communicates a urgent message that is universal. By a strange coincidence, for the past week or so, we had also started a practice of ensuring all switches at home and work were off when not in use. Enjoy the ads!

Campaign Media Planning Awards 2006

The Campaign Media Planning Awards 2006 has now closed for entries.
Click here to view the shortlist of nominees.

Upside down - do readers frown?

David Ogilvy on Advertising" contains section with a lot of donts on the use of twisted and upside down elements in an ad. Ogilvy frowned upon anything that would require a reader to do any additional task in trying to comprehend an ad. The ones below for example feature upside down visuals. The topsy-turvy visuals in the Microsoft Flight Simulator ad goes well with the idea. But does the HSBC visual work?


7 Days, 19 Oct 06



KT, 1 Nov 06

UAE Advertising related posts on other UAE blogs

1) Designer Woke's 'How to create a Ramadan ad in 4 easy steps

Campaign ME also ran an article on Ramadan ads.

For a change - Creative advertisements from around the world

Came across these links in my RSS reader, thought I'd post them here as they were advertising related:

1) Creative Advertisements Around The World

http://www.hemmy.net/2006/10/15/creative-advertisements-around-the-world/

A UAE Media Analysis Blog

A UAE blog critically analysing news channels and media in the UAE...informative read!

http://dxbsumo.wordpress.com/

TheOne Furniture Store - Misleading Advertising? - Disappointed customers

The One dhs10 sale leaves readers upset
http://www.7days.ae/2006/10/01/the-one-dhs10-sale-leaves-readers-upset.html

In reference to your article on page 21 of Friday, I would also like to add that it was just an exaggeration as the items which were for dhs10 were only tiny little stuff like candles, table mats, etc. as compared to such a huge store which boasts of a professional boss. I too took time just to see if I can buy some stuff. It was such a shame as many people whom I saw at the store in Jumeriah were disappointed and were cursing at the car park after being disappointed by this fooling message.

If they say they are doing a sale, the items they are talking about going to be brought in the next couple of weeks should have been put into the sale already. Unless they want us to wait till almost the end of the sale? In which case they should change the dates advertised. I dont understand their logic! Any practical person’s clarification?

Disappointed
DUBAI

Mad Michelle, who barged into the front of the entrance of The One from her air-conditioned car, to stand by her husband who waited like the rest of us in the heat, you really made a show of yourself yesterday. The poor attendants helplessly gave in to your screeching as you climbed on top of your piece of furniture like a pirate claiming his spoils. I wondered if you even bothered to really see the look of confusion and terror in the one attendant you were aiming at, as I lost my own eye-candy while you got yours. So now I know, the next time I visit The One for their promotion, I’ll fling myself onto the furniture in a blind rage and never let go so to demand attention and eventual submission from the sales attendant who never looked at me once while my own prize was taken right from under me. Cheers!

Comfortably Numb
DUBAI


I don’t call nine dirhams off the deal of a decade
http://www.7days.ae/2006/10/02/i-dont-call-nine-dirhams-off-the-deal-of-a-decade.html

Re: The One’s sale. Most of the items which were on the dhs10 list were originally only just dhs19. Did anyone else notice that? Now, if you are calling that a "deal of the decade", isn’t that an exaggeration?

Disappointed
Dubai

[Portfolio of the Week] Yvan C. Goudard, Associate Creative Director - Now in Dubai

Yvan C. Goudard, who has finished a stint in Promoseven, Jeddah is now in Dubai. He writes in:

"I finished my contract with promoseven Jeddah as Associate CreativeDirector and have now relocated in Dubai where I am looking for a similar position. My profile and portfolio are online at the following URL: www.yvan.tk.

Feel free to consult it extensively and please allow a couple ofminutes for the website to load as a few videos make it a bit long.

Agencies in Dubai who could use his talents, do contact him:

Email : yvancg@gmail.com
Mobile : 754 2690

Freej - Emarat Al Youm (arabic version of Emirates Today)

The Arabic version of Emirates Today - Emarat Al Youm (24 Sep 06) was encased in a very colourful and glossy sleeve, advertising Freej.

"FREEJ; the Middle East's first 3D animated series is the brainchild of Mohammed Saeed Harib who also directs the fifteen standalone episodes of fifteen minutes each, launching this September on national television. FREEJ is the tale of four old national women living in a secluded neighborhood in modern day Dubai..."

Looks like it is being sponsored by DU, Etisalat's first competitor in the recently liberalised telecom market in the UAE.


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UAE Advertising related posts in other blogs

Web Technophile & Podcaster Saleh, an avid Communicate magazine reader, elicits a positive response from Communicate magazine when he critically analyses their website features:
http://dot1ne.com/article/communicate-but-why

Print Ad Watch - Gulf News and Khaleej Times - 16Aug06

This is my first post of the first batch of ads that I snapped yesterday from Gulf News and Khaleej Times. The following are the ads that seemingly had good art-direction or copy or an idea behind them or were just news worthy. Please feel free to add your comments, information and your take on the ads:

Al Ghurair City (shopping mall) gets into the spirit of the Dubai Summer Surprises and hosts cartoon events...nice art direction.

- Gulf News (GN), 16/08/06

49ers - a popular pub in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, advertises their wild west themed nights using the famous western movie classic title 'The Magnificient Seven' - (a movie I enjoyed as a kid, maybe that's why it caught my attention) as the hook in the headline. Strangely, the subhead or bodycopy doesn't explain the headline further - or am I missing something? 'Freebies' in the bodycopy is spelt 'free-bees' or is that the original spelling? - GN, 16/08/06


VLCC Slimming Centre advertises using a lifestyle insight. July-August - peak summer in the UAE, are the official vacation months among the white-collar community. And when they get back, the waist line does show! - Khaleej Times (KT), City Times (tabloid supplement) 16/08/06



Tanmiyat - UAE property developers have a very good creative campaign running themed 'Legendary builders' or something like that. This ad seems to be the next level of the campaign. The first level of the campaign had ads featuring Romans and Greeks - legendary builders building modern buildings...neatly art directed. Since a picture is worth a thousand words, I'll try to post the first batch of ads of the campaign to give you the actual idea. - KT, 16/08/06

Shamiana - a popular Indian cuisine outlet at foodcourts in all the major malls in the UAE, advertises their promotion using a visual pun. A side note - Hotbrands International, the chain that owns Shamiana, according to yesterday's Gulf News had pledged a day's earnings from all their Shamiana outlets for the Lebanese war victims. They had donated upto Dhs.57,000/-....way to go! - KT, 16/08/06

Nissan Service appointment - now just a phone call away....nice visual metaphor!
- GN, 16/08/06

McDonald's is one of those rare MNC fast-food chains in the UAE, that has learnt to tailor its offerings according to the market. My budget conscious spouse and I jus' love em!- GN, 16/08/06



Maxtor digital storage and hard disk manufacturers - good idea? - GN, 16/08/06



Premier Motors - Abu Dhab's new Land Rover dealer and After Sales provider. That's the Abu Dhabi skyline in the rear view mirror. - GN, 16/08/06

Hyundai is asking you not to postpone important events in your life due to budget constraints. Car loans with the first 4 months free (the cut marks on the image are entirely my fault...the reason why I started using a digicam to capture the ads) - GN, 16/08/06


Khaleej Times runs an ad by the Dubai Government, for the Lebanese war victims - help Heal Lebanon - . KT, 16/08/06

Dubai Islamic Bank is on a database building spree for their auto loans - a half page ad with a response form. - GN, 16/08/06


Deira City Centre advertises their Dubai Summer Surprise participation. - GN, 16/08/06

Berlitz uses a cartoon illustration to advertise their language courses in the Business section of Gulf News. - GN Business, 16/08/06

Thought I would include this one as it was news worthy. Concept LLC apologises to the Govt. of India and its people for running an ad that was deemed to be in bad taste, using the colours of the Indian flag in the Gulf News India Supplement on Aug 15, 06. - GN, 16/08/06

I haven't seen this ad yet and am trying to source it. If anyone can scan and email it to me - advaitin@gmail.com, I'll include it here with due credits.