The International Media Production Zone (IMPZ), a member of TECOM Investments, sponsored the GMR Effectiveness in Marketing Awards 2008 (GEMAS 2008), which were presented on 7 February at the Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai.

Hamad Al Huraiz, Executive Director - IMPZ, delivered the keynote address at the gala ceremony while Elham H. Abbas, Executive Director, Marketing and Corporate Affairs, TECOM Investments, presented the 'Best Integrated Campaign' award.

Representatives from TECOM Investments media clusters - Dubai Media City, International Media Production Zone and Dubai Studio City - attended the event that highlighted best practices and recognized excellence in the industry.

Set over 43 million sq. ft of land, IMPZ is the only free zone in the world, dedicated to the printing, publishing, packaging (3P) and graphic arts industries. It offers investors access to the finest media resources, cutting-edge technology and advanced production facilities.

Growth of the various media segments hinge on the excellence standards of the industry and the International Media Production Zone (IMPZ), a member of TECOM Investments, applies this yardstick to all projects, according to Hamad Al Huraiz, Executive Director of IMPZ.

Announcing the sponsorship of GMR Effectiveness in Marketing Awards (The GEMAS) 2008, Al Huraiz said: 'The awards' objective of recognizing marketing excellence concurs with our vision of creating a destination that excels in every aspect.

'At this year's GEMAS, IMPZ will also be sponsoring the 'Best Integrated Campaign' category. This award acknowledges outstanding works in the industry which have used at least four different types of media to launch their campaign.'

Elham H. Abbas, Executive Director, Marketing and Corporate Affairs, TECOM Investments, will present the 'Best Integrated Campaign' award. Hamad Al Huraiz will deliver the keynote address at the gala ceremony that will be held on 7 February at the Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai.

Al Huraiz added: 'IMPZ's support to GEMAS this year demonstrates our continuous commitment to excellence and our role to drive Dubai's status as a global media hub. We believe this vision can be achieved only if we strive to maintain our standards.'

The elite panel of GEMAS judges includes international and regional marketing practitioners and academics. The panellists select their own chairperson and decide their own criteria and methodology to choose winners. In each category, the judges select one 'Winner' and one entry as 'Highly Commended'. An overall Grand Prix champion is decided from the 11 category winners.

The categories include Best New Brand and Best New Product launch as well as Best Use of TV and Best Use of Print Media. The key to winning a GEMAS is clear and measurable objectives for the nominated activity and tangible and measurable results against those metrics.

Designed to serve printing, publishing, packaging and graphic arts companies, IMPZ is the first free zone of its kind in the region that caters to the industry's rapid growth.

Located close to the Al Maktoum International airport in Jebel Ali across an area of 43 million sq. ft, IMPZ offers investors access to the finest media resources, sophisticated technology and advanced production facilities, highlighting a pro-business environment in the midst of a unique production cluster.

Masar, the print arm of Arab Media Group, has won Gold at the second annual Dubai Print Awards, which included entrants from around the GCC region this year.

The company has been in operation since November 2007 in its new location at the International Media Production Zone (IMPZ), a member of TECOM Investments.

Masar currently prints leading newspaper titles such as Emirates Business 24/7, Emarat Al-Youm, Al Bayan, and Al Alam. With their fresh design and dynamic content, the publications have set high standards for newspapers in the UAE. Masar has implemented FM screening, the latest international print technology that generates premium quality.

Abdullatif Al Sayegh, CEO of the Arab Media Group (AMG), said: 'This award marks the beginning of our drive towards excellence. The recognition reaffirms our capacity to exceed readers' expectations, the credit for which goes to the entire Masar team that has made a convincing imprint on the industry.'

Faisal bin Haider, General Manager of Masar, said: 'Considering this was our first year in competition, we are very proud of the results, and will continue to apply the same rigorous attention to production quality when we open our commercial printing press at the IMPZ facility in March. The award will help further our goal to evolve as the largest print media organisation, servicing Europe and the GCC out of Dubai.'

Masar employs the most versatile mailroom systems for online insertion of advertising material and additional supplements. The system is fully automated, enabling publishers to receive their product on time and without human intervention.

The Masar commercial printing division will open in March at IMPZ, with the latest in sheet-fed and Commercial Web printing technology.

The International Media Production Zone (IMPZ), a member TECOM Investments, announced it will showcase the rapidly evolving UAE printing and packaging industry at Drupa, the world's largest print media fair to be held from 29 May-11 June, 2008, in Dusseldorf, Germany.

The participation at the leading international industry event was announced by Sindabad Al Mahaire, IMPZ Director of Business Development at Drupa's Global Preview Tour in Dubai. The Middle East's first free zone for the printing, publishing, packaging (3P) and graphic arts industries was the support sponsor of the event that was held on 4 December, and attended by representatives of leading Middle East brands.
The Drupa fair is held once every four years. The 2004 edition attracted 1,943 exhibitors from 50 countries, of which 1,178 comprised international exhibitors from large corporations, start-ups and small and medium enterprises.

Sindbad Al Mahaire, said: 'IMPZ recognises Drupa's vital contribution to the industry in providing information and hands-on analysis about cutting-edge printing technologies. At Drupa 2008, IMPZ will seek to strengthen ties with leaders from the global printing industry, while seeking advanced technologies of relevance to this region.

'Along with IMPZ, four key business partners will also be part of the 90 sq metre stand that will spotlight the IMPZ brand, while driving the offerings of its business partners to a global audience.'

The printing industry in the UAE is growing at 15 to 20 per cent annually and is currently worth around Dhs10bn, according to Shuaa Capital Research. At present, it includes 500 registered printing presses, of which most have embarked upon ambitious expansion plans. Forecasts indicate the sector will generate about US$ one trillion worth of business by 2008.

The growing importance of the Middle East industry, especially the UAE, will be featured by IMPZ at the leading event, while highlighting its strategic location at the crossroads of Asia, Europe and Africa, and its proximity to multiple markets.

Werner M.Dornscheidt, President and CEO of Messe Düsseldorf, said: 'These figures underline the leading global importance of Drupa as a fair that is truly representative of the printing and media industries.'

Messe Düsseldorf, organizers of the leading global print, media, publishing and converging technologies fair, will host revolutionary new technologies in the field of graphic art industry.

The event will showcase 'All-in' solutions, demonstrating the possibilities of integrating various new innovations in printing technology into a single, optimised total workflow chain.

IMPZ seeks to create a unique cluster environment for media production companies from across the industry value chain and from around the world to interact and collaborate effectively.

Drupa 2008 will boast the largest exhibition space since its inception 50 years ago, featuring 1,800 exhibitors over 170,000 square metres of net exhibition space.