REGIONAL NEWS
Showtime seals
NEWS IN BRIEF
Start Creative
revamps
MGM movie deal
MBC.net
DUBAI Branding agency
Start Creative has re-
Local network gets exclusive rights to show films from the Metro Goldwyn Mayer stable
freshed MBC’s web portal
and online identity. The
By PAUL McLENNAN forward to exploring other free-to-air broadcaster’s
MENA Pay-TV network Show- opportunities with the stu- site, MBC.net, has also
time has signed an exclusive dio,” he adds. been given a new logo. Am-
agreement with Metro Gold- Chris Ottinger, execu- mar Bakkar, head of new
wyn Mayer to show the stu- tive vice president of MGM media at MBC Group, says,
dio’s movies for the next five Worldwide Television, says, “MBC.net plans to be
years. “We believe the ‘Show On the biggest entertainment
The deal means films such Demand’ platform will be a portal in the region. It’s only
as Quantum of Solace, Rocky tremendous asset in gaining natural to make its brand
Balboa and Lions for Lambs exposure for MGM’s films and identity stronger.”
will be made available in and growing our global VOD
the region on the Showtime business model.”
network. It also forms MGM MGM boasts 205 Academy
Saberi appeal
Worldwide Television’s first Awards and is credited as
to be heard
video-on-demand (VOD) having the world’s largest li-
partnership. brary of modern films. IRAN Jailed US-Iranian
“MGM’s brand and diverse Showtime will show the reporter Roxana Saberi
selection of popular feature first of its MGM movies in veal that later this year, Show- other tie-ins with heavy- has reportedly ended a
films will enrich our custom- June, when it premiers the time will broadcast the entire weight studios including two-week hunger strike
ers’ experience,” says Marc- two latest James Bond films James Bond back catalogue, Sony, Disney, Universal and ahead of her appeal
Antoine d’Halluin, president in the 007 franchise, Casino comprising 22 movies. Dreamworks. It also has ar- which is due to be heard
and chief executive officer of Royale and Quantum of Sol- As well as the MGM deal, rangements with several local on Tuesday. The 32-year-
Showtime Arabia. “We look ace. Media Week can also re- Showtime has a number of and international producers. old, who had worked for
the BBC and Fox News,
was given an eight-year
Danone
drink
Auditing for Arabic mags
sentence for spying. Iran
denies Saberi was ever on
a hunger strike.
MIDDLE EAST BPA auditing is to begin on
gets AYA
two popular Arabic titles published by Du-
redesign
bai-based United Group International (UGI),
extending the sales monitoring service fur-
ther into Arabic-language magazines.
MIDDLE EAST Communica- UGI has submitted Layalina, a society mag-
tions agency AYA has won an azine, and Marie Claire Arabic, a franchised
account to redesign the pack- women’s title, for the BPA Worldwide service,
aging for a nutrition drink which will be conducted in the UAE and Ku-
by Danone. AYA is creating wait—along with Bahrain for Layalina.
bright, colourful labels to Other publishers in the region are thinking
appear on the babies’ drink of following suit. Al Arabia Press and Media
called Bebelac. general manager Sami Al Ayouei says, “We
Malls get the
The agency says its team are not auditing at present, but we should be
had to “navigate between the starting soon. Eventually we will be moving
2PURE touch
requirements of global brand- in that direction as many people are moving DUBAI Branding agency
ing and the cultural needs that way.” 2PURE will revamp the
and regulatory environment Burjuman website and
of the MENA region”. design a new site for
The new look Bebelac
TMH scores two branding wins
Reef Mall. Rudolf Jabre
was launched with a below- (pictured), 2PURE’s CEO,
the-line campaign and the ABU DHABI/OMAN Brand in Q3 this year, is a partnership says, “We are revamping
product is being distributed management consultant TMH between Shangri-La Asia Lim- Burjuman’s online pres-
throughout May. has been commissioned to work ited and the Al Jaber Group. ence, including search-
“Our team has a healthcare on material for Oman’s National Meanwhile, TMH has also engine optimisation and
background, so dealing with Mining Company and the new been appointed to refresh the full content manage-
regulatory challenges is sec- Traders Hotel Abu Dhabi. stationery, menu covers, guest brand identity of the National ment. We will manage
ond nature to us,” says Fadi The agency will design all welcome folders, leaflets and Mining Company—the first the website so it will be a
Abu Ghali, managing direc- of the hotel’s below-the-line even the pillow menus. Traders private sector copper mining 360-degree account.”
tor of AYA. printed material including Hotel Abu Dhabi, due to open firm in Oman.
04 / 10 MAY 2009
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