Archive for April, 2006
Argentine soccer star Diego Maradona stars in a controversial TV commercial for Brazilian soda, Guarana Antarctica.
The commercial starts with the camera shooting members of the Brazil national team, one-by-one, as is typically done before a match … then guess who pops up in a Brazil national team shirt!
The idea is that he’s drank so much Brazilian beverage, it’s twisted his mind.
Surely, pure Argentine football supporters will be offended by this, after all Brazil is their most hated rival.
But it’s just another example of the football-crazed promotions we’ll be seeing in the run up to the 2006 World Cup.
Watch the commercial at YouTube.com.
April 30th, 2006
The Pixman is an indoor-outdoor screen media carried around by cool-looking Pix-Men …. it offers an overhead screen, complete with sound and sampling possibilities.
Originating in Canada some years ago, the Pixman is now available in many countries across the world, and has been in the Gulf for a few years (mainly Dubai)….. now it arrives in the Levant states, through the efforts of a Jordanian entrepreneur, Jawad Abbasi.
Pixman Levant held a launch event in Amman on Monday April 18, which will be followed in the coming months with launches in Syria and Lebanon.
So….. what do you think are the chances for such a new, eye-catching concept like this?
It should be interesting to see which clients use it… and how!
Check out the regional website, which links to the international Pixman site….. you’ll be surprised to see what men dressed in black, with a screen over their heads can do to market products!
Check ot the regional Pixman site for more.
April 16th, 2006
Reports suggest that the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) is pulling out of the Middle East, saying that “the market required extraordinary resources.”
It’s good news for BPA Worlwide who have been making in-roads into the Middle East.
So far, it seems ABC are pulling out of print audits, but not online audits which it pioneered in the region through its agreement with AMEInfo.com last year.
BPA have also, recently, entered the field of online audits in the Middle East, starting with Al Bawaba.com.
Here’s the BPA Worldwide website.
April 15th, 2006
Infinity TV are introducing a new reality show, promoting it as a Dubai-home-grown idea.
It’s called ‘Street Smarts’, will feature 16 young male and female Arab participants from across the region, who will win prize money of AED 10,000 a week and a grand prize of US$ 100,000.
Sounds interesting…. but what has Street Smarts got that will change the so far unfortunate story of reality TV in the Middle East?
First of all, it’s about “intellectually stimulating assignments” – surely that can be entertaining … hopefully!
Second of all, and most critically, “the 8 male and 8 female contestants will live together in Dubai throughout the duration of the show, with separate accommodation facilities for men and women.” – Oh…. that’s why it will have a longer run than the un-culturally sensitive and, therefore, unsuccessful Middle Eastern version of Big Brother… which was stopped by ‘public outrage’.
In any case, it’s worth another try at Arab-oriented, live-in reality TV.
Show host is Taleen Kirresh…. and the audience will vote for the winner through SMS.
Check it out at Infinity TV’s site.
April 12th, 2006
Brazillian football star Ronaldo has signed an endorsement agreement with BenQ.
A spokesman from BenQ said “Like our mobile phones, Ronaldo stands for the highest level of precision, maximum performance, superior quality and an exclusive lifestyle. Ronaldo embodies all the attributes of the BenQ-Siemens brand: He’s challenging, original, authentic, vibrant and joyful. ” 
Sounds corny, doesn’t it? Especially if you’ve watched some of Ronaldo’s recent performances!
BenQ has recently announced its sponsorship of Real Madrid’s team shirt, where Ronny plays now, but probably won’t be playing next year.
For more on BenQ.
April 7th, 2006
