Farrukh Naeem's Page

Zeid Nasser, a good friend and founder of AdBlog Arabia and MediaMe, asked me some good questions about the state of advertising in the UAE and the Middle East for an interview he’s been wanting since we first met in Dubai. He’s asked me what challenges copywriters face in the Middle East. How do Beirut and [...]

Dubai Lynx Awards have passed and I have blogged about the exciting bits, before and after the awards. But my blog’s readers want more. The Dubai Lynx website has so much coverage this time, with shortlisted ads up there too open for anyone to lookup, I felt putting up the winners here was unnecessary. But then, everyone loves pictures - and I do [...]

A hot and creative advertising agency based in Dubai, with a wall full of creative awards and a regional and multinational presence is looking for a full time English copywriter to join them immediately. You need to have a stunning portfolio of ads across all media, and be an expert in BTL. Long copy should come [...]

Winners of the 2nd Dubai Lynx Awards were announced on 2 April in Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre on 2 April 2008. The Dubai Lynx Awards ceremony was part of the 1st Dubai International Advertising Festival attended by over 1500 guests from over 17 countries. A total of 180 Dubai Lynx trophies including Gold, Bronze and [...]

Dubai Lynx Awards announced 40 winners in the Outdoor category, which had a large number of entries this year, following just next to the Print category. Here are the pictures of the Gold and Grand Prix winners of Dubai Lynx Awards in Outdoor… Dubai Lynx Awards 2008 Gold and Grand Prix winners pictures - Outdoor Category FP7 [...]

On Day 1 of Dubai Lynx Awards and the Dubai International Advertising Festival, I was most interested in listening to the surprise session by Steve Harrison (not on the first released festival schedule but in the recent Dubai Lynx email notifications and updated schedule). Steve has been described by Campaign magazine as “the greatest direct marketing [...]

The first ever Dubai International Advertising Festival and the 2nd Dubai Lynx Awards started off well on Monday, 31 March 2008. Two things most looked forward to on this day were the shortlist of Print, Outdoor, Media and Direct categories and the chance to listen to David Droga - the first seminar after the inauguration of the festival by the Crown [...]

One of the most creative advertising agency networks in the world is looking for a creative visualiser cum designer for its Abu Dhabi office. You need to be passionate about BTL stuff. Everything from brochures and leaflets to website design and emailers. The ideal candidate would be young and hungry to prove that BTL has as much [...]

The 2nd Dubai Lynx Awards, part of the 1st Dubai International Advertising Festival to be held in Dubai, UAE, have received more than 2000 entries this year. The awards for creative excellence in the Middle East have grown by around 20% by number of entries. 17 countries in the region are competing for the coveted Dubai Lynx [...]

Clear anti-dandruff shampoo had a brilliant press ad in OK! Middle East’s 21 February edition (Issue 158). As you can see, the advertising agency has creatively used a doublespread-format to show hair parting. The headline is in the form of little white letters spread across the hair. It reads ‘keep it clear’. If this hasn’t been done before, [...]

Ikon Advertising published a good press magazine ad ‘Jill and Jack’ on the occasion of Women’s Day on the back page of Khaleej Times weekend. The headline/visual is a handwritten scribble in the centre of the layout: Jill and Jack went up the hill. The payoff is: Tomorrow, on Women’s Day, let’s put women first. This ad is for Ikon’s [...]

The Dubai International Advertising Festival is based around the theme ’Learn to Win‘. And in line with that central theme, professionals and students from the advertising industry will have a chance to not just be inspired by award winning ads from the region and around the world, but also by the seminars and workshops that will be [...]

The 2nd Dubai Lynx Awards Ceremony will honour the Advertising Person of the Year with a trophy at the first Dubai International Advertising Festival on 2 April 2008. This announcement was made at a press conference held by the organisers yesterday in Dubai Media City. The Advertising Person of the Year Award will be given to [...]

Advertising agencies in the UAE and abroad are gearing up to bid for the opportunity to advertise in the Dubai Metro project, Hamed Al Sewerky of Emirates Business has reported today. With thousands of commuters expected to travel daily in Dubai Metro, the potential for brands to have a captive audience is immense. Tenders and bids could be up for [...]

If you’re a senior English copywriter, senior Arabic copywriter or a senior Arabic PR professional looking for an exciting project in the UAE, here’s an opportunity. A web auction portal based in the UAE is looking for the above positions. Needless to say, you need to be good at your language, creative not literal. And you [...]

Dubai Lynx Awards are back with a bang, this time with the first ever Dubai Advertising Festival. Jury members of the 2nd Dubai Lynx Awards honouring advertising creative excellence across the Middle East and North Africa have been announced by the Cannes Lions, the organisers of the landmark event. 30 top professionals from creative and media, experts [...]

Wishing all the readers of the Advertising, Marketing and Creativity in the UAE blog a very happy Eid. Prayers and best wishes for a successful year ahead… Copy/photograph: Farrukh Naeem (Copywriter in UAE)

For any freelance writer in Oman, I’d like to share a good opportunity. One of the leading business publications in the Gulf region is looking for a freelance correspondent in Oman. Here’s what they are looking for:   Experience working for a business title necessary Marketing experience preferred Ability to meet tight deadlines Experience and knowledge of the Oman market essential Contacts across sectors very desirable The [...]

It’s every creative’s dream to engage the consumer on more than one level. And TV used to be THE medium to talk, sing, dance and flirt with the consumer better than print or radio. But it always costs a bomb for a brand to get a few seconds on TV. YouTube has changed that. Audio-visual advertising isn’t about [...]

Abu Dhabi based real estate brand Sorouh unveiled the world’s biggest poster in Dubai yesterday at a press conference held at Hyatt Regency Hotel from where one can get a glimpse of the record-breaking site on the ground.   The poster covers 20,000 square metres! The poster is a part of Sorouh Faces - a corporate citizenship campaign [...]