FIFTY SHADES AND OTHER
GREY MATTERS
Jamie Dornan up, close and personal
fast and furious drive Welcome to a new age of luxury driving
MUM’S
THE WORD
Survey reveals what UK women most hate and love about being a mum
It’s all work for
mothers Research finds that working conditions of mothers of young children are in breach of EU Working Time Directive
Dreams
Take Wings Nine-year-old’s winning picture of her dream holiday on an aircraft
IPL Fever Begins!
Classy Couture
Fiona Clare’s bespoke creations
Affordable Royalty Aliazzo from Almaz Gems & Jewellery’s classy designs are wowing women
Fairytale Princess
I Pinco Pallino SS15 collection for lil ones
Riding High In conversation with Derek Less, Country Manager, Harley-Davidson, MENA
Various franchises are gearing up their act in terms of sponsorships and brand alignments
Beware of
burglars
Five tips to keep your home safe during summer holidays
June - 2015 Issue 4 £ 9.99
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Driving ahead in king-size cars! When it comes to my dream car - it has to be a mix between the spaciousness of an Audi, comfort of a BMW, the cool look of a Mercedes Benz, the luxury of a Lamborghini, the speed of a Ferrari with the price of a Ford! Can anyone tell me where I can get it? Now till I search for that one, let’s take a look at the luxury car market where a handful of carmakers are fuelling a new generation of interesting machines whose eye-popping price tags have widened the ultra-premium market. At the moment, unlike in decades past, the fastest-selling products in the auto business are also the ones that cost the most. And how can our celebrities be far behind when they drive their cars king-size! If Paris Hilton drives a pink Barbie-like Bentley GT Continental, Amitabh Bachchan owns a number of four wheelers. It’s a luxe car crazy season on the roads! The neat version of the Jamie Dornan story presents him as something of an overnight success, striding from the world of modelling straight into the role of a lifetime. His big break came as a cold-eyed villain in The Fall aired on BBC 9. And now the Fifty Shades of Grey actor has made a mark for himself in Hollywood. Ask any kid who the most beautiful person is in the world and pat comes the reply “Mother.” We have a survey which reveals what UK mothers love and hate most about being a mum. I think I know what I would hate the most - cleaning poop when my time comes! Fiona Clare’s stunning bespoke outfits have been designed for a loyal clientele, including royalty, for more than 25 years, from her studio in Battersea, South West London. It’s elegant and gorgeous. At the Dubai Mall, all the little girls were dressed as princesses for the launch of I Pinco Pallino girls only princess inspired SS15 party from the Italian fashion brand which appealed to both mamas and girlies. Aliazzo’s unique concept of jewellery at your doorstep has worked well in Bangalore, India and is making huge strides internationally too. It’s truly affordable royalty for you. I own a few classy pieces so I know. I have a cricketer husband who had a gala time this IPL season, changing loyalties daily to different teams which boasted his favourite players! He simply watched the matches daily at all odd hours irrespective of who won! Apart from cricket, the advertisers and franchises had a field day with sponsorship rates having risen 10-15% over last year, when the eight teams put together made just over Rs 250 crore from sponsorship. When it comes to women’s health most employers ignore an important phase that is menopause. We asked Dr Marilyn Glenville, the UK’s leading authority on women’s natural health and author of Natural Solutions to Menopause how the menopause affects women and what employers can do to support women going through the menopause. Being an avid traveler Morocco has always been somewhere on my list. We get you a glimpse of the lesser known but no place quite like Morocco’s religious and cultural capital Fes el Bali. Relationship is primary here and strangers welcomed. We have lots more for you … turn the pages to know. Raziqueh Hussain Editor-in-chief, Brands Today
The Team Gavin Jamie
Kate Hooper
Fiona James
Eva Morris
Jay Reddy
James Pringle Roger Moses
Edwin Martin Jim Cooper Kalpavi S
Address: Global Brands Publications Limited Unit 4 Vista Place Coy Pond Business PK Ingworth Road Poole, Dorset United Kingdom BH12 1JY
mail us at: editor@gbrandsmag.com, ads@gbrandsmag.com
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Brands Today gets you a
MINISTRY of BRANDS A F F A I R S
who are experts in all fields including branding, strategy and marketing
Doug Tucker Managing Director of Sales Commando, UK Branding is the most powerful way to show consumers what your business is about. Used correctly, branding will be the difference between gaining the edge over your competitors or not. Building robust relationships with customers encourages brand loyalty, and this is the case from the smallest sole traders to large international firms. Sales Commando provides world-class sales training to business to business, financial services and technology companies ranging from start-ups to blue chip enterprises, helping businesses to constantly drive up staff training standards to help build these lasting customer relationships. Successful branding allows companies to set themselves apart, create a niche market and target potential customers whilst motivating them to choose your organisation above others.
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Dave Crane Public Figure, Entrepreneur and Motivational Speaker Internet 3.0 has turned us all into social brands. We now have to control and influence 5 levels to succeed. Your internal image, your public PR, your actions, your tribe and your response to elements out of your control. It’s not enough to be visible on search engines, you have to be a brand leader, high achiever and industry expert creating a Wow’ EVERY single time. Your online profile is the new global currency and ignoring the new paradigm is as detrimental to your business as staying in bed.
Philip Letts CEO of blur Group, UK Brands need to set your heart on fire, just like your first love. Who wouldn’t fall for the simple beauty of Apple, the retro bravado of Piaggio or the soldier poet complexity of Guinness?
April Hobbs PR Director, Be Publicized, Dubai, UAE In a world where there is an open forum for everything, social media has transformed the rules of engagement for brands. When executed well, it has the ability to transcend anything that traditional marketing could have achieve. Twenty years ago it was all about “show and tell” sales promotion, now it is all about the customer experience and how you engage with your customers. Taken in the social context, both have the ability to either make or break brands.”
Brands also need to reach into your soul with rich backstories that bring a level of depth and humanity, just like your first love. Remember that “only Jack Daniels knows what old No7 means and we won’t be hearing from him soon.” Finally, it’s a rational head thing. Brands have to deliver their promise, just like your first love. Uber really is “everyone’s favourite driver.” Starbucks really do put their heart into coffee. Fold all these values together in one brand and you get my dog. She’s a beautiful (heart) Boerboel bred solely for defending the homesteads of South African settlers (soul) and now looks after me and my family (head).
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Welcome Contents FIFTY SHADES AND OTHER
GREY MATTERS
Page
09
fast and fuirous drive
Page
MUM’S
13
THE WORD
Page
It’s all work for
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mothers Page
23
Classy Couture Page
6
26
Affordable Royalty Page
29
Fairytale Princess Page
31
Dreams
Take Wings
Page
33
IPL Fever Begins! Page
34
Riding High Page
38
Beware of
burglars Page
Savings
39
&Investment Page
41
DIGITAL
SIGNAGE SPREE
Page
43
Something worth
smiling about. Page
45
‘NOT ON THE WORK RADAR’
Page
Giving Back is a way of Life
46
Page
49
Paw-fect Break Page
51
Never still and
never quiet Page
53
Desserts and more Page
57
Quiz
58 -it!
Page
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FIFTY SHADES AND OTHER
GREY MATTERS From serial killers to Christian Grey, Jamie Dornan isn’t afraid to plumb the depths of male depravity The most terrifying man on television is having a quick blast of his asthma pump. “Just when you thought he couldn’t get any cooler,” says Jamie Dornan with a smile, padding his way from the dressing room through to the studio for today’s photoshoot. Putting aside the incongruity of this image for a second, Dornan is a man who - at the moment at least - you wouldn’t begrudge a spot of anxious breathlessness. In less than 18 months he’s gone from a model and occasional actor mostly known for a series of monster Calvin Klein billboards - you know the ones: Eva Mendes, tiny briefs, liberal dousing of Crisp ’n Dry - to one of the most dropped names in Hollywood’s juice bars of power. He’s been nominated for a Bafta, appeared in acclaimed TV dramas and, the week we speak, he’ll finish work on a new Bradley Cooper comedy. He is very much on the brink. And so, of course, he’s utterly knackered. “It’s been a fun couple of years, but I’m due a break,” he says sleepily, when we eventually sit down for a chat. “I’ve got the next few weeks off and, mate, I’m going to enjoy that.” He’ll need to. The show that made his acting career will soon return, bringing more opportunities, far-flung film sets, awards show appearances.
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FALLING UPWARDS The neat version of the Jamie Dornan story presents him as something of an overnight success, striding from the world of modelling straight into the role of a lifetime. Of course, the truth is it wasn’t anywhere near that easy. Having acted since he was a schoolkid in Northern Ireland, Dornan’s two careers ran in tandem for a while, and his first major role came in 2006, playing a bewigged hunk in Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette. In the years that followed that breakthrough he fitfully attempted to bulk up his IMDb entry but, looking back at his wayward mid-twenties as a very settled 32-year-old, he admits his heart may not have been truly in it. There were disastrous auditions (“I once attempted a Geordie accent, having never practised it,” he says in his decidedly Belfast burr. “I had to just walk out”), and few breakthroughs. His big chance would come, surprisingly enough, not as a square-jawed hero, but as a cold-eyed villain. Allan Cubitt, the crime drama auteur behind Prime Suspect 2, had a vision for a murder investigation thriller where, for a change, the serial killer wasn’t the drooling loner in the overalls, but the good-looking family man and grief counsellor no one would suspect. Throw in an icily efficient detective-out-of-water, a grubby smear of Belfast police corruption, bubbling sexual politics, terrifyingly plausible home invasion scenes (plus the residual joy of spotting local Game Of Thrones actors in modern dress) and you had The Fall - one of the most electrifying, and audacious, new TV show concepts in recent years.
MURDER INC He did his homework, too, studying outwardly ‘normal’ real-life murderers such as Ted Bundy to a troubling degree. “I’m still carrying some aspects of it with me,” he says. “It always takes me a while, and it affects me. I’ve read a lot of horrific stuff.” How did he cope with having to go to those dark places on a daily basis? “I didn’t find it healthy to occupy that headspace at all times,” he admits. “Also, I have quite a lot of energy and find it hard to sit still, but I’d made a choice with Spector that he is very still. So between takes I had to run in circles, run around corridors, scream constantly. It was probably really irritating, because I was going a bit mental.” This primal off-camera approach clearly worked. The Fall was recommissioned for a second series - having ended on an agonising cliffhanger - amid reports that the show’s makers had filmed two different endings to hedge their bets. Dornan is quick to dismiss those rumours. “As if the BBC would fork out all that money for an alternative ending,” he chuckles. “It was a lie. I think certain people were disappointed with the ending, but the thing was, Allan went to the BBC and said he wanted 12 episodes, and they said, ‘We’ll give you five.’ Allan, who’s almost too intelligent for his own good, always knew that if the first five were received well, we’d get the chance to finish it off. Or keep it going.” Grumbles aside, that final episode afforded an opportunity - albeit via a slightly hokey villain vs hero phone conversation - for the two leads to actually have a proper scene together. And, while the upcoming second series finds Spector on the run after a botched kill, Dornan hints that this may not stand in the way of more scenes with the “incredibly talented, but surprisingly daft and childish” Anderson.
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GREY MATTER It’s here that we come to one of the stranger aspects of The Fall kicking off a spate of Dornan-mania. Despite his stubbly good looks, you’d think playing a twisted killer who preys on innocent single women would hurt his dream boat status. Not a bit of it. In fact, a brunette friend of mine, tongue only slightly in cheek, once proudly trilled about being “his type”. Has he found that playing a psychopath has, bafflingly, only increased his admirers? “It’s mad, but I don’t know if it’s about aesthetics,” he says, looking slightly embarrassed. “I think it’s just very clever writing, based on the layers he’s got and the moments we see in his personal life.” Late last year, after Charlie Hunnam abruptly left the role, Dornan was offered the chance to play Christian Grey in the film adaptation of EL James’s arsespanking juggernaut Fifty Shades Of Grey. He had lost out to Hunnam initially but, with cameras due to roll, he was hauled from the set of Channel 4 drama New Worlds for meetings in LA, and offered a second chance at the horndog with the helicopter.
“Usually with those things people say ‘Take your time’, but I didn’t really have a huge amount of time,” he laughs. “So you just call on the people that represent you and the people you love and collectively make a decision.” That mention of “people he loves” nods to the fact that his wife, musician and actor Amelia Warner, was heavily pregnant with their first child at the time, and probably not keen on uprooting to Vancouver so her husband could roll around on camera with Dakota Johnson. How did he package that one? “Well, my wife is a brilliant, hugely understanding person,” he says. “Plus, she was an actress for 10 years, so she’s aware of what it’s like. A lot of people would have had a fit at 30-something weeks pregnant, hearing, ‘Darling, we’re going to Vancouver this week for four months – we’re going to have a Canadian baby and I’m going to do a film where, for parts of it, I will be naked.’ That’s a tough pitch, but my wife is an incredible person.”
S&M SCHOOL For his part, despite the last-minute nature of his casting, Dornan threw himself into it as best he could. He read the book and, off his own back, employed the services of an S&M expert to show him the ropes (knots, chains, handcuffs). “It’s such a big part of the character that I wanted to know what I was doing,” he says with a smirk. “This guy came along with his submissive, I sat in the corner with a beer and watched. My driver was on the other side of the door, God knows what he thought.” I remind Dornan that the Fifty Shades trailer is the most watched of 2014, and he suddenly looks quite pained, perhaps reminded of its looming hugeness. What’s more, you sense some critics are already lacing up their jackboots for it (months after our interview, Dornan returns to Vancouver for reshoots, as the internet burbles with talk of disappointing test footage and absent chemistry between Dornan and Johnson). Dornan, it’s clear, has no regrets (“I’d have been mad not to do it,” he reasons) and is already looking to the future. There’s that Bradley Cooper film (a comedy in the world of elite chefs) and he keeps dropping hints about his role in The Fall, implausibly perhaps, having a life beyond this series (“If people want something, you want to give them it”), but more than that he wants to play golf, hang out with his daughter, see his wife. In fact, Warner is on her way to meet him now, leaving me time for just one more question. I blurt something about the increasing pressure on leading men to be absurdly ripped. Has he found it hard? Training, avoiding carbs, pints and other vices? “Erm, I haven’t given up anything,” he says. “My only vice is crisps, but I can get away with that. I’ve never really found myself out of shape.” And there I was starting to like him...
(By arrangement with www.shortlist.com)
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Welcome to a new age of luxury driving in which sales of Ferraris grow faster than Fords says
RAZIQUEH HUSSAIN In Switzerland’s annual convention of ultra-luxury car makers, Rolls-Royce, a brand dedicated to the driven, not the driver, unveiled a vehicle that had just two doors, an engine the size of a small Jacuzzi, and a transmission that pinged satellites in order to adjust to the road ahead. The Wraith, as it was called, had no space for a jar of drink. This was something strange. “We’re evolving,” says Eric Shepherd, president of Rolls-Royce North America, about the shift into a sportier model. “Take a 22-year-old guy who just sold his app company for $22 million. When he gets behind the wheel of a Wraith, he’s hooked.” Things have grown ever more extraordinary for the one percent on four wheels. The fancy cars seem to be multiplying and taking unexpected shapes. Bentley moved to build a sport utility vehicle in 2013, a decision matched by Rolls a little later. Ferrari brought out a 963-horsepower supercar with an electric motor, which has since been joined by an $840,000 Porsche with two electric motors. Orders and eager deposits have been pouring in. Thanks to a bullish economy and a burgeoning crop of multi-millionaires all over the world, the handful of carmakers catering to the very richest have finally started to figure out that they have been drastically underestimating demand for six- and seven-figure vehicles. That realisation has fueled a new generation of interesting machines whose eye-popping price tags have widened the ultra-premium market. At the moment, unlike in decades past, the fastest-selling products in the auto business are also the ones that cost the most.
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In the past five years, global registrations of the seven largest ultra-premium car brands–a group that also includes Aston Martin and Lamborghini–have surged by 154 per cent, far outpacing the 36 per cent gain in overall car sales worldwide. Much of the growth has come from Maserati and Porsche, two companies that sell many of their vehicles for less than $100,000. Even excluding those brands, however, the swanky car segment has swelled by 62 per cent since 2009. Rolls-Royce registrations have risen almost five-fold. Almost 10,000 new Bentleys cruised onto the streets last year, a 122 per cent increase over 2009, while Lamborghini rode a 50 per cent increase to pass the 2,000 vehicle mark. For a growing class of customers, even the highest priced products don’t have enough curb appeal if they come from a high-volume carmaker. “BMW has a broad range, but some people will find it’s not differentiated enough,” says Xavier Mosquet, head of the auto practice at Boston Consulting Group. Rolls-Royce, a brand owned by BMW, might command a fraction of the business of its corporate parent-but Rolls is also there to welcome those who feel compelled to trade up from a mere 7-series sedan. Meanwhile, much of the spoils from the boom in ultra-luxury sales are being split between Fiat Chrysler, which owns Ferrari and Maserati, and Volkswagen, which has Bentley, Lamborghini, and Porsche in its high-end garage. China, in particular, has been ripe for rich rides. The country’s share of the ultra-luxury car pie has swelled from 12 percent to 27 percent over the past five years, according to IHS. For Maserati and Rolls-Royce, China is now a larger market than all of Europe. Growth is also spreading across the rest of Asia and through the Middle East and Africa, regions where more people are hurdling over the $30 million mark faster than anywhere else, according to UBS and Wealth-X. It’s not unusual for such extras to drive the price of a Rolls above $600,000. “We fulfill our owners’ desire to spend their money creatively,” Shepherd says. “If it makes the car totally unique, it’s much more valuable to them.”
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Celebrities and their cars They are stars and they cannot do without their cars. Also one is never enough cause they live life and drive cars king size. From Ferraris to Maybachs to Veyrons, here are the famous personalities who drive the most expensive cars in tinsel town today.
Rapper Jay Z gets top rank on this list of celebrities who drive the most expensive cars in Hollywood with his Maybach Exelero. This should no longer come as a surprise, seeing that he is always included on the annual Forbes’ lists of the wealthiest people in the world. The first thing that a lot of people think when they see the $8,000,000 car is ‘Hey, it’s the bat mobile!’ Yes, it definitely is reminiscent of Batman’s trustworthy vehicle.
David Beckham is often seen cruising around the Beverly Hills area with his sons while driving his custom Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead. This magnificent beast, when he first bought it, cost him $407,000. However, it is now even more expensive with all the customisations that he had installed in it, like the wheels and the other accessories.
Paris Hilton, the heiress to the Hilton Hotels, bought herself a Christmas present in the form of a Bentley GT Continental. However, it was not just any ordinary Bentley. The socialite wanted her car to be so special that she placed an order for a diamond-encrusted dashboard worth $285,000. In reports, she said that she had always wanted a pink car after having owned a Barbie Corvette when she was a child.
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Jerry Seinfeld is famous for being an avid car collector and an extreme automobile enthusiast. He owns an impressive Porsche collection one of the largest in the world. Out of the 46 cars that he collected, the Porsche 959 is his focal piece. This model, one of the 337 that were manufactured, cost him $700,000.
The baadshah of Bollywood Shahrukh Khan has an enviable fleet of luxury cars. The list includes Mitsubishi Pajero, Audi, BMW and Rolls Royce.
Superstar Amitabh Bachchan is crazy about cars. He owns a number of four wheelers which ranges from BMW to Mercedes, Porsche, Rolls Royce and many more. He is owner of Rolls Royce Phantom, a gift to him by director Vidhu Vinod Chopra. He has other cars also like BMW 760Li, Porsche Cayman.
Salman Khan loves driving in style and owns a whole range of luxury cars including a silver gray BMW X6, Land Rover, a SUV and Audi R8. After the commercial success of his film Bodyguard, he was gifted an Audi Q7 from the company, as the car was extensively featured in the movie.
Owing to her successive hits, Alia Bhatt recently gifted herself a new Audi. Although she has owned and driven high-end cars in the past, this is the first time the young actress has bought a car from her own savings. She bought a grey Audi 6 and is very excited with her new ride.
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MUM’S
THE WORD
Survey reveals what UK women most hate and love about being a mum By Norman Harold As Mother’s Day approached, professional housekeeping service Bright & Beautiful revealed just what it is that British women love and hate about being a mum. The survey asked 1,450 women* to name the three worst and best things about being a mum in 2015. Coming in at the top of the most hated list, with 65 per cent of votes, is picking up toys and clothes followed closely by ironing, with 62 per cent naming it as one of their three least favourite jobs. The hours spent getting children ready for school are also a major source of irritation for mums, with sewing on name labels and making packed lunches coming high up the list with 41 per cent and 33 per cent respectively. The most popular choices in the ‘loved’ list focus very much on the emotional highpoints of being a parent and the calmer, more reflective times mums spend with their children. Cuddling comes in as the runaway favourite with 78 per cent, followed by 66 per cent who voted for watching your children learn new things as the second most enjoyable part of motherhood.
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WHAT WE HATE ABOUT BEING
Helping them with their homework
A MUM
7%
The school run
12%
Making packed lunches
33%
Having to watch children’s TV
School friends’ parties
27%
10% Wasting money on fad toys
Ironing
Getting them to eat healthy food
10%
31%
62%
Picking up toys clothes
Sewing on name labels
65%
WHAT WE LOVE ABOUT BEING
41%
Hearing that your children love you every day
A MUM3%
28%
Watching their children sleeping
Family days out where you Watching them learn new things
65%
14%
Going to the cinema
Reading favourite stories together
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are all together
The gifts and cards they make for you
19%
Holding hands with them
21% 7%
Seeing your children develop a relationship with your own parents
10%
55%
The survey was conducted by award winning domestic housekeeping franchise business Bright & Beautiful to mark Mother’s Day 2015 and highlights the growing number of roles and responsibilities that tend to fall to mums to complete every day, usually alongside their own full time job. Other hated tasks mentioned by mums in the poll include having to be the one to sort out arguments; getting children up in the morning; rationing gadget use and getting school projects in on time. Bright & Beautiful MD and mum of two Rachel Ray said, “There is absolutely no job in the world that compares to being a mum and the satisfaction and joy we get from being with our children is priceless. But I bet there is not a mum in this land that hasn’t cursed the sets of packed lunches that need to be made every day, kicked the ironing basket or shouted at the kids for leaving a trail of toys around the house! “90 per cent of mums now work outside the home and around half will sacrifice their family time at the weekend to sort the housework out**. When I became a mum I had to learn to play to my strengths and delegate the chores I hated and was bad at, such as ironing and tidying, so that I could spend time doing the things I was good at, like building up my business, and that I enjoy, such as having fun with my family. Sarah Reeves a mum of two from Buckinghamshire said, “When it comes to Mother’s Day I really don’t want flowers or chocolates - I’d much rather have a bit of time back for me, someone to clean my car, to sort the ironing out for a week or to chauffeur the kids round for the day! Nothing means as much as a homemade card or gift though and they remind you just how quickly they grow up and how precious the times are when they want to hold your hand, dance around the kitchen like a mad person or just cuddle up together. It’s the best job in the world, bar none, but it’d be nice to have a bit of time off occasionally!”
Rachel Ray was inspired to set up Bright & Beautiful when she was struggling to keep on top of the housework as a busy working mum. Working from home, Rachel started the business in 2007 with her first cleaning contract and now has over 50 franchises operating the ethical homecare business across the UK, employing over 300 people nationally and with a turnover of £3.5m. All of the franchises, which deliver professional cleaning, tidying, laundry and ironing services, are owned and run by women who wanted a career that would allow them to have a better work/ life balance. *Survey of 1450 women conducted on 6 March 2015 **Bright & Beautiful workingmums.co.uk poll – May 2014
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r r o f o f k r k r o o w w l l l a a s It’’s
s r e h t o m
Clintons research finds that working conditions of mothers of young children are in breach of EU Working Time Directive - By Steve Davis The number of hours each week that British mothers spend looking after their children would be in breach of the European Union’s Working Time Directive if this work were to be treated in the same way as paid employment, research by leading greeting card and gift retailer Clintons has revealed. The Working Time Directive states that employees should work no longer than 48 hours per week. Workers are also entitled to a rest period of eleven consecutive hours in every 24-hour day, a rest break every six hours of work; an uninterrupted rest period of 24 hours in every seven day week, and paid annual leave of at least four weeks every year. Employees who work night shifts have extra protection and cannot be asked to work more than eight hours in a 24-hour period. Baby experts recommend that a baby between the ages of 12-18 months should sleep for around 14 hours a day, meaning a parent is actively looking after their child for the remaining ten hours. Across a 7-day period, this comes to a minimum of 70 hours a week, exceeding the maximum limit of a 48-hour working week specified by Article 6 (b) of the Working Time Directive by a shocking 22 hours. On top of this 70-hour minimum, mothers also have several hours of ancillary work each day and are constantly “on call” to respond to any emergencies, meaning their actual rest period is often reduced to six hours a day.
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Of the 14 hours of sleep a baby should get each day, around three hours come in the form of daytime naps, and the remaining 11 hours come at night. Article 3 of the Working Time Directive states that workers are entitled to a “minimum daily rest period of 11 consecutive hours per 24-hour period” and therefore getting up in the middle of the night if the baby starts crying would be in breach of this rule. Looking after a baby for seven days a week is also in breach of Article 5 which specifies that “per each seven-day period, every worker is entitled to a minimum uninterrupted rest period of 24 hours plus the 11 hours’ daily rest referred to in Article 3.”
Article 7 of the 2003 EU directive states that “every worker is entitled to paid annual leave of at least four weeks.” A Clintons survey of babies found that 0 per cent of them had made provisions to fulfill this requirement. Tim Fairs, director at Clintons, said: “Mothers put in a huge amount of work, week in and week out, looking after their kids. Often this work goes completely unrewarded. Mothers’ Day is an opportunity to say thank you for everything mums do, but we shouldn’t wait for just one special day every year to acknowledge their hard work. We should celebrate mums every day of the year.” Introduced in 2003, the European Union’s Working Time Directive (2003/88/EC) gives workers within the EU certain rights relating to numbers of hours worked each week, annual holiday entitlement, rest breaks and days off. In the UK, workers have the option to work in excess of the 48 hours specified by the working time directive if they choose to, however this option does not apply to employees in all sectors. The statutory leave period in the UK is 5.6 weeks per year. Tim Fairs, added: “Many mothers - and fathers - work incredibly hard all year round and never have a day off. No matter how old you are, take a moment every Mothers’ Day to let your mum know how much you appreciate her.”
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Classy Couture Fiona Clare ensures her clients look and feel totally elegant and completely confident in her bespoke creations - By Christina Henslowe
Fiona Clare
has been designing stunning bespoke outfits for a loyal clientele, including royalty, for more than 25 years. From her studio in Battersea, South West London she offers a first class couture service and with her experienced eye and exceptional talent designs one-off creations or works with clients to adapt pieces from her current collection. She is a passionate designer and always ensures her clients look and feel totally elegant and completely confident. Brides Clare has been designing award-winning wedding dresses for over 25 years, from dramatic bespoke gowns with fulllength trains to elegant, more understated dresses with finely cut lines that enhance and flatter the figure. She personally looks after each bride and superbly cuts and fits every dress to perfection. Corsetry is one of her specialities and she uses this to give her brides an incredible shape so they look and feel utterly fabulous on their wedding day. Wedding dresses start from £4,200 Mother of the Bride or Groom She will also ensure the Brides’ and the Grooms’ mothers look and feel their absolute best on this important day. Fiona will work with them to create their ultimate look. She offers a couture service second to none and specialises in the intricacies of fine boning so will create the perfect fit. Coats and dresses start from £1,200 each and bespoke pieces from £1,800. Guests Clare produces clean, classic designs with a modern feel. She is an international expert and is very experienced in creating the perfect outfit for guests at weddings and formal events. She can create stunning outfits inspired by her latest collection or design one-off bespoke pieces for specific events. Coats and dresses start from £1,200 each and bespoke pieces from £1,800. The Evening As day turns to night Clare’s stunning long gowns and LBD’s are often the main attraction. The Honeymoon Her limited-edition elegant silk robes are perfect for taking on honeymoon to relax in. They are available in a range of Liberty prints and are truly luxurious. They come beautifully packaged and make very indulgent gifts. £295 each (including registered post in the UK).
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Affordable Royalty
Aliazzo from Almaz Gems & Jewellery, renowned for its classy designs which have been wowing women symbolises opulence, class and individuality at affordable prices
In the 1960s a new gem sparkled in the world of jewellery. Mir Mumtaz Hussain with his strong determination and clear vision set out on a fruitful journey of selling jewellery throughout India, the Gulf and Europe. He was the only founder of star rubies in India. Having built a strong reputation in the business, he opened retail showrooms first in Bangalore then throughout India. Decades later, carrying the crave for success in her genes, Almas Hussain Rizvi, followed the footsteps of her father Mir Ahmed Hussain and grandfather as she started training to acquire the family trade secrets. Combining the rich background of her ancestors, with her own innovative ideas she introduced a ground-breaking concept that marked the first milestone to limitless development. Instead of adorning the shelves of a high-end store, she brought affordable royalty to people’s homes. Her company Aliazzo from Almaz Gems & Jewellery, makes it easy for people to select beautiful pieces from the luxury of their homes. “Just give us a call and we’ll bring our stuff to your doorstep,” says the qualified Gemmologist and Diamond consultant from GII. This concept has started in Bangalore, India and is now gaining momentum in Dubai too. The jewellery brand has an array of stone studded silver jewellery that gives a gorgeous look like traditional as well as modern designs. The range varies from contemporary to purely aesthetic types. The stone-studded jewellery represents fine cuts and beautiful furnishings that reflect a perfect blend of creativity and style. The karigars (craftsmen) have mastered the various skills required to make these designs glamourous. Aliazzo is also one of the few exceptions to have the ability to customise your jewellery as per the customer’s requirement. Almas also deals in precious and semi-precious stones like diamonds, emerald, ruby and sapphires. The silver jewellery is a huge hit amongst ladies especially the young girls who love her unique earring and pendent designs. Some of her jewellery is also sourced from Bangkok and East Asia. The silver jewellery range varies from Rs 150-Rs 25,000. “When we say affordable royalty we actually mean it. Our jewellery is unique and almost everyone can afford it but what is different is that each piece is one-if-its-kind. The wearer will feel like a queen or princess without it actually pinching the pocket,” she adds. Carefully hand-picked and designed the brand’s best in class gems indulge you in a world of elegance and luxury. Reflect the inner you with Aliazzo that tailors the masterpieces to meet all your styles and occasions. You will also find a fantastic range of colour-stone studded jewellery here, which is very attractive and can add a great amount of grace on you. The best is it can be availed at a most affordable price. So at Almaz Gems & Jewellery all that glitters is called affordable royalty. Almas can be reached at +91 9886790473
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Fairytale Princess
I Pinco Pallino SS15 collection comprises delicate 3D embroideries and stunning prints on precious textiles for lil ones By Fizza Hassan Kamli April 20 marked the highly anticipated I Pinco Pallino girls only princess inspired SS15 party in the city’s sought-after The Dubai Mall. Heralded as the benchmark in Italian fashion for children, I Pinco Pallino continues to enchant with its stylish SS15 collection that appeals to both princesses and mothers alike. I Pinco Pallino hosted some of the region’s most influential mothers and daughters for a fairytale day of make-believe and magic to a land of castles and palaces. Guests sipped on pretty pink lemonade and enjoyed a range of fantasy delights fit for girls, including mini princess éclairs, meringue wand pops, marshmallow ballerinas, fruit wands as well as tiara cookies and cupcakes, all nestled on a bed of plush rose petals. No princess is really a princess without her crown. I Pinco Pallino treated little girls to an afternoon of flower tiara making of baby rose buds, followed by a mini fashion shoot where they posed in gifted tailormade puffy pink tutus. On departure pink balloons were presented to the very pleased attendees in thanks for joining I Pinco Pallino in their celebration. The SS15 collection comprises delicate 3D embroideries and stunning prints on precious textiles including muslin, lace-effect quilted cotton and broderie anglaise, lace and carpet-like bouclé fabrics in fresh creams,
greens and aqua greens or off-white colours. The Couture collection boasts unique handcrafts and fabrics such as lurex embroidered tulle, organdy, taffeta and silk jacquards. Vivid yellows, turquoises, oranges and fuchsia collide with soft powder pinks, beiges and off-white. The daily part of the collection caters to the new generation of mothers and their cutting edge lifestyle with a range of dresses, leggings and t-shirts featuring I Pinco Pallino iconic printed maxi bows, floral patterns, embroidered denim and girl’s portraits made of beads, which embellish piece-dyed gradation cotton, rib jersey, multi-layer silk georgette and piqué fabrics. Since I Pinco Pallino presented its first collection at Pitti Bimbo in Florence in 1980, the brand has become recognised for its meticulous attention to detail, high quality fabrics and ubiquitous beautiful craftsmanship. Season after season, I Pinco Pallino darling dresses, cardigans, tops and shoes enchant young girls and boys with looks that are perfectly sweet and glamourous.
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Pegasus Airlines wraps nine-year-old Ada’s winning picture of her dream holiday onto its newest aircraft, naming the aircraft after her, “Ada E”, as part of Pegasus’ “World’s Most Wonderful Gift” campaign By Amna Ceasar Turkey’s leading low-cost carrier Pegasus Airlines continues investing in its young and dynamic fleet with a one-of-its-kind exciting new addition. Keeping with Pegasus’ vision that “travelling is living life to the full”, Pegasus launched ‘The World’s Most Wonderful Gift’ painting competition in 2014 with the view that holidays are best illustrated by children’s boundless imagination. The Pegasus fleet’s newest aircraft has now been wrapped with the competition winner, Ada Eminağaoğlu’s “dream holiday” carrying her name, “Ada E” which was presented to the public at a special launch event. ‘The World’s Most Wonderful Gift’ campaign continues the Pegasus tradition of naming newly delivered aircraft after the youngest daughters of Pegasus employees. At the launch of Ada E., Pegasus Airlines Chairman Ali Sabancı said: “We have been injecting dynamism to Turkey’s aviation industry
since the very beginning and it has always been our mission to produce creative, pioneering and innovative campaigns. We also pay special attention to creating projects that involve our younger guests. It is my wish that Ada’s dream holiday will now inspire all our guests’ travels.” Ada Eminağaoğlu said: “I was very excited to find out that my painting was going to travel across the world on a plane. I am very happy and excited that now lots of people from all over the world will see my painting.” It took a team of 21 experts 5 days, working 8 hours a day to apply Ada’s painting onto the plane at Boeing’s Factory in Seattle. 230 litres of paint in 22 different colours were used to replicate Ada’s painting which measures 220.3 m². With the addition of Ada E., the Pegasus fleet is now 59-strong with an average age of 4.93 years. Pegasus flies to 91 destinations in 37 countries, 31 of which are in Turkey and 60 in the rest of the world.
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As the Pepsi Indian Premier League (IPL) fever rises yet again to grip the nation, various franchises are gearing up their act in terms of sponsorships and brand alignments - By Satrajit Sen
Together, the eight teams in the T20 league are estimated to mop up close to Rs 300 crore from kit deals - sponsorship on shirts, trousers and caps of players — with existing as well as some new sponsors this season. Media planners and industry sources say sponsorship rates have risen 10-15% over last year, when the eight teams put together made just over Rs 250 crore from sponsorship. In a related move, Magicbricks.com has come on board as an associate sponsor for the eighth season of IPL, alongside Pepsi. This is one of the big spot associations in the recent past for Magicbricks.com. Besides, some of the more popular teams are selling sponsorships at a premium even as their less popular counterparts plan to undersell their inventory. As Mint reports, franchises such as Mumbai Indians, Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings have closed deals at a 10% to 15% premium compared with last year, while some of the teams are struggling to find sponsors for team jerseys, kits and the like, and a few might even offer a 50% discount over last year, one of the buyers said. Etihad Airways and Jet Airways are the official airline partners and principal sponsors for the former IPL champions, Mumbai Indians (MI), for the 2015 season. It will be the second consecutive year that Etihad Airways and Jet Airways have partnered with the MI, which has become one of the largest sports brands in India and followed by millions of cricket fans around the world. Meanwhile, Aircel has announced its digital engagement initiatives for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) fans in line with its recent ‘Aircel 1+3’ offer especially for the technology-savvy youth. In this eighth edition of the IPL, Aircel, the sponsor of the CSK has extended its ‘Aircel 1+3 offer online and is giving fans a chance to win a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of meeting the CSK stars along with three friends for a group selfie and a golden chance to win ‘Toss with the Captain’. Fans can log on to www.aircel1plus3.com, a comprehensive and ultimate online battleground for all CSK supporters, where they will be guided through two contests- Super Fan and Super Friends. The microsite has been designed and created by Aircel’s digital agency Digitas Lbi. Anupam Vasudev, Chief Marketing Officer, Aircel, said, “Taking cognizance of India’s demographic dividend, Aircel is thrilled to launch its digital engagement initiatives. As a brand, we have always reached out to the youth, our key target segment in the manner most relevant for them. Aircel has a strong digital engagement strategy and now with our digital offerings for CSK, we want all CSK fans to celebrate cricket at its best and enjoy this sport like never before.” Besides, Rajasthan Royals started its 2015 campaign with 14 brands in the kitty. The franchise is seeing around 10% increase in sponsorship revenues this year, reports Business Standard. The lead sponsors of the team, Ultratech continues its association, as do Rupa, Kingfisher, Lawman and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS). CP PLUS, the global leader in advanced surveillance and security systems and solutions has come on board as the Principal Sponsor, Leading Arm Sponsor and Security Partner of Rajasthan Royals. Aditya Khemka, Managing Director, CP PLUS India, said, “IPL and our partnership with the formidable Rajasthan Royals is a great opportunity to reinstate our brand name in the minds of people. With both the prestigious brands coming together during the time of IPL, we are sure to attract more customers and build a strong credibility and reputation in the market thanks to the increased visibility throughout the season.”
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Other franchises like Mumbai Indians (MI) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) had a 10-12% increase in sponsorship revenues. Handset brand Gionee has replaced Nokia as principal sponsor for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). The firm clinched the three-year deal for Rs 54 crore, reports The HinduBusinessline. The phone maker, which has a 4% market share in the Indian mobile phone market, hopes the sponsorship help it double its market share to 8% in the Indian mobile space. “IPL is a cricketing carnival. We would like to take part in it. Presence of Shahrukh Khan (KKR) would further help our image. Under the sponsorship, Gionee brand would get a place on the player’s T-shirts and other vintage spots,” says, Arvind Vohra, CEO and Managing Director of Gionee India. Vohra also informed that the firm had also signed to sponsor Shillong Lajong, the popular football team. With sponsorship of cricket and football teams, the firm expects to gain foothold in the eastern and north-eastern markets. As it plans to sell 50% more mobile phones (to 60 lakhs from 40 lakhs) this year, it has increased its marketing investments from Rs 132 crore to Rs 225 crore. About 23% of the 40 phones are feature phones that contribute 9% to the turnover. Besides, Sansui has joined hands for the second consecutive year as the official sponsor of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Sansui’s logo appeared on the back of KKR jerseys. Amitabh Tiwari, COO, Sansui said, “I am delighted to announce our partnership with the champion team of IPL 2014 - Kolkata Knight Riders, for the second consecutive year. Team KKR is a trendsetter and the pioneer of the most iconic sports leagues in the world. Thus, we find great potential in associating with them. Besides, sports is the only genre other than news, which in spite of being time bound has an intense viewership. Our partnership with KKR provides us an ideal platform to not only engage with our discerning customers but also bring the best to
our viewers with our premium product range. We wish the team good luck for their journey in IPL 8 and hope that they continue their winning streak.” Mumbai Indians, for instance, has again signed sponsors like Eithad and Jet Airways while consumer electronics firm Videocon has come on board for the third season in a row, and is one of the principal sponsors for the team. Etihad has renewed its deal with the team for a three-year lock-in period. Apparel firm Raymond, and KS KamaSutra range of deodorants has also decided to extend its association with the Delhi Daredevils franchise. Similarly, Huawei India has announced the extension of their partnership with the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for - three seasons of the Indian Premier League. The Huawei logo featured on the front of the RCB jersey as a principal sponsor. Huawei, first associated with RCB in IPL 2014, will also have substantial branding exposure at RCB’s home ground - the Chinnaswamy Stadium, along with in-stadium promotional rights. In addition to this, Huawei and RCB will also launch a series of joint marketing initiatives to engage with their respective consumers and fans across India. Cai Liqun, CEO, Huawei India, said, “We are extremely excited to strengthen this relationship with Royal Challengers Bangalore. As a long-term commitment towards the game and the team we have entered into an association for three years starting 2015. The game of cricket in India cuts across demographic barriers and connects masses. With this association, we aim to create a strong resonance for the brand Huawei as it paves its way to become brand of masses.” Like most other seasons, this year is also seeing repeat sponsors with a clutch of e-commerce brands and new advertisers coming on board. Interestingly, e-commerce brands are opting for ad spots on television to reach out to the masses instead of choosing team sponsorships and are expected to spend heavily this year (By arrangement with AdAge India)
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THE WORLD IS SPINNING ALL AROUND YOU.
THE EARTH STILL HAS GRASS. THERE’S A STORM OVER EVERY HORIZON.
SEA BREEZE STILL CALMS.
BORDERS ARE BEING REDRAWN EVERYWHERE.
JOURNEYS STILL LEAD TO DISCOVERIES. THE WORLD IS FULL OF STRANGERS.
A SMILE STILL MAKES A FRIENDSHIP. RIDE ON.
© H-D® 2014. Harley®, Harley-Davidson® and the Bar & Shield™ logo are among the trademarks of H-D® Michigan, LLC.
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Riding High
We get up, close and personal with Derek Less, Country Manager, Harley-Davidson Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
What special efforts did you make to make Harley so popular in the MENA region? Are there any specific activities that are done differently in this region in order to promote growth?
What are you planning to accomplish in the coming year? We will continue to work across all aspects of the brand, to make sure customer experience is the Number 1 priority. Is there any new bike on the anvil from HD?
For Harley-Davidson across the globe, not just in MENA, it is all about giving the customer an exceptional retail experience wherever he or she may come into contact with the brand, whether it is on social media, at our events or at our dealership.
Early in 2015, we launch the Street 750, which is a completely new family in the Harley-Davidson line-up. We expect this bike to attract a new customer into the family as the bike is targeted at young urban adults.
As a rider yourself, what advice would you give riders to get the best out of the HD experience? For Harley-Davidson it is all about freedom to do whatever your personal preference is. Some riders like to join our group rides, some prefer to ride alone. There is something for everyone. My advice to any rider, is just to enjoy their machine, they will know what part of the Harley-Davidson experience is appealing to them HD has a lot of female fan following in the MENA region, why is that? Are you surprised?
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We are always evaluating expansion opportunities, as our goal is to bring the Harley-Davidson customer experience to where our customers are located. What changes are you expected to bring about this year? We will see new and exciting developments around how we interact with our customers on all fronts, and customers will see these positive changes during the course of 2015. Any dreams (unfulfilled or which have come true) that you have seen for HD?
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No this is not surprising, Harley-Davidson appeals to females for the same reason as males, to express individuality, to enjoy the freedom of the road. It is also a family-oriented brand so everyone in the family is drawn to it.
What are your expansion plans?
Each bike we sell every day is someone’s lifelong dreamed being fulfilled. That is why it is such joy workings for this company – very few companies where you can say you fulfill people’s dreams every day.
Beware of
burglars
Five tips to keep your home safe during summer holidays Almost eight out of 10 burglars scour social media to find ‘empty’ homes during the summer holidays, according to UK security experts. Every year during the winter and the dark nights the level of burglaries increases, but many burglars rely on householders taking their eye off the ball when the clocks have gone forward and the warmer weather is here in summer. In 2014 during the warmer months there were more than 200,000 burglaries in the UK (source: ukcrimestats.com). And experts from leading UK home security company eSafes.co.uk have highlighted the two reasons why.
Stephen Wylde, eSafes spokesman, said: “Firstly more people leave their windows and back doors open on sunny days which thieves take advantage of. “Secondly, and most importantly, as people take their annual summer holidays at this time of year thieves are preying on the empty houses left behind. “Brits are much more aware of the threats during the darker winter months but clearly feel more relaxed about home security during the summer. And it is this relaxation of security that burglars rely on. “So to combat this problem we have pulled together 5 simple steps to help people protect their home while they’re away soaking up the sun.”
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Enlist a neighbour or family member. One of the best deterrents is to ask your neighbour or a family member to come around and do every day things like move your post, put your bins out and park a car on your driveway. All these little things will put a burglar off who may have been monitoring your home.
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Stephen Wylde added: “An increasing number of us use social media and, clearly, we want to share our holiday experiences with friends and families. Our advice though, is to be careful about it and wait until you’re home from the beach before you do so.”
Don’t tell the world your home is empty. It can be tempting to post a cheeky selfie at the airport or on the beach to show your friends you’re off on your holidays. However 78% of thieves use social media to find empty houses (source: mediabistro.com) so we’d always advise that you resist posting status updates like this to Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Lock all windows and doors. Locking the front and back door is something we all do but can you honestly say that you regularly lock your windows too? 25% of break-ins occur via a window so they need to be locked. Time to remember where you put all those little window keys and start using them!
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Make the house appear lived in. If you get newspapers or milk delivered then cancel them during your holiday as a build-up is just like erecting a sign that says “no one is home” which will attract burglars. Also if you’ve got timers for your lights then we recommend using these as well to make the house appear occupied.
Keep valuables in a safe place. It might surprise you to hear that 51% of people don’t keep their valuables somewhere secure (source: confused.com) with 13% still keeping items in a sock drawer aka a burglars favourite place. If you have a safe make sure you use it to store all your valuables, keys, paperwork and cash in.
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Savings
&
Investment
Independent 2015 Star Ratings help consumers make better financial decisions
the detailed, robust methodology underpinning them - and to access the Ratings, visit:
Defaqto has launched the 2015 Star Ratings, which assess the quality and comprehensiveness of the features and benefits financial products such as insurance and protection policies, current accounts, credit cards and investment products offer.
Star Ratings defaqto.com/star-ratings
To help consumers see at a glance where a product sits in the market, Star Ratings give each a rating of 1 to 5. Defaqto independently rates products across more than 60 categories, including: General insurance (including home, motor and pet insurance) Life and protection (including critical illness, income protection, mortgage PPI and private medical insurance) Self-Invested Personal Pension Plans (SIPPs) Investments (including bonds and platforms) To find out more about Defaqto Star Ratings - including
Brian Brown, Head of Insight and Consulting (Banking and General Insurance), says: “At Defaqto we believe that consumers should base their financial decisions on more than just the price of financial products. People should think about what they need and then buy a product that meets their requirements. It can have serious consequences when, for example, you take out an insurance policy and find that you’re not covered when you’re in an emergency. “Star Ratings help consumers see, at a glance, where a product sits in the market based on the comprehensiveness of features and benefits offered. For each product or insurance policy we assess between 40 and 100 features or benefits as well as the terms and conditions. Importantly, we rate products, not the providers, across more than 60 categories. Our Ratings are completely independent and unbiased and we never knowingly exclude a product.”
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DIGITAL
SIGNAGE SPREE British technology to “fundamentally change” the marketing opportunities across Westfield shopping centres in Australia By Joseph Sinclare Esprit Digital, Britain’s leading manufacturer of digital out of home displays, and Scentre Group, owners and operators of Westfield shopping centres in Australasia, have announced the launch of a bespoke digital signage network worth over AUS $20m that according to Bill Burton, General Manager of Scentre Group BrandSpace, “will fundamentally change the way brands can maximise the Westfield retail marketing environment.” The Scentre Group deal is the latest international success story for Esprit Digital, a privately owned company which has been commissioned to design, manufacture, install and fully maintain the network of 1340 LCD displays across Westfield’s 39 Australian sites. The network is expected to reach 550 million shopping visits a year, and drive energy and sales to 12,700 retail destinations. This is the largest international deployment undertaken by a UK Digital Signage manufacturer. The agreement follows the success of Esprit’s collaboration with Westfield in the UK, in which the company designed, built and maintains over 400 LCD displays across the Olympic Stratford City and White City sites. The digital network comprising of singled and double sided, floor mounted advertising pods will run on Esprit’s ground breaking proprietary hardware and software technologies. The project was completed from order to build in twelve weeks, inside a period that included Christmas and Chinese New Year. The pods were installed by a team working round the clock inside of three weeks. Peter Livesey, Esprit Digital’s Managing Director, says: “What the Esprit Digital team has achieved with this project has surely never been done before. To install just under 900 units of this complexity in so many locations across a continent the size of Australia in three weeks is nothing short of a miracle.” Peter Livesey continued: “In one fell swoop we have essentially converted Australia’s premier retail environments from a traditional paper-based advertising network to a digital one - amazing!” General Manager of Scentre Group BrandSpace, Bill Burton said: “The Westfield SmartScreen Network will fundamentally change the way brands can maximise the Westfield retail marketing environment. It gives them a level of quality, national scale, control and digital flexibility that they have been waiting for, enabling digital efficiency and effectiveness never before seen in Australian retail. “The vision of BrandSpace is to connect brand and advertising partners with our 550 million shopping visits a year, and drive energy and sales to our 12,700 retail destinations.”
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Something worth
smiling about. For that full Hollywood smile head to SameDay Dental Clinic in Dubai - By Lorraine Rich
Looking for a smile Makeover? In todays, one chance for a good first impression world, how you feel about your teeth can really affect your confidence and self-esteem. Luckily SameDay Dental Clinic in Dubai Health Care City is on hand to deal with any of your teeth imperfections, teeth whitening, vaneers, and dental implants for that full Hollywood smile that can be achieved all in the same day.
SameDay Dental implants Clinic is a highly specialised, state of the art clinic and the only clinic of its kind offering same day treatment in the whole of the Middle East. Patients are treated by highly specialised and experienced dental professionals using non-invasive techniques which means that now you can avoid painful, time consuming and costly bone grafting procedures. It therefore offers patients a real solution for those with busy lives the opportunity to get teeth replaced in the same day. After having treated thousands of patients over the last 17 years in Europe, these SameDay Dental specialists have brought there award winning service to Dubai. Same Day Dental adapted the pioneering techniques of the late Professor PI Branemark, (the Swedish founder of dental implantology) perfecting and honing their techniques over time to bring the same day service as it is today. Obtaining the recognition as being one of only 13 such clinics in the world. Equipped with the latest technological dental equipment, including their highly prized state of the art laboratory – the only one of its kind in the region and 3 Day Bone CAT scanner it is possible to treat patients with extractions, dental implants and fixed teeth that can easily and comfortably be secured all in the same day. “It’s amazing really but people still think that it cannot be done. We spend every day convincing people that it is in fact possible and then showing that it can be done. When they see the results they are simply amazed and cannot stop smiling” says Dr Petros.
The SameDay treatment protocol means that patients can have their implants and teeth all place in the same day, usually within hours, as opposed to conventional mainstream treatment where the implants are loaded three to four months later. The clinic is well stocked with all materials required so no waiting is required and the well documented SameDay Implant technique means that implants can therefore be loaded immediately. Letting patients literally walk away with brand new teeth and designer smile. The success rate for this treatment is a highly reliable 98 per cent. Patients get a 10 year guarantee for their SameDay Implants so they are covered for replacements if required at no extra cost. And all they need to do then is to ensure that they see dentist regularly for normal maintenance and cleaning. Emotional dentistry techniques harnesses state-of-the-art digital software that can literally recreate a digital version of your smile to show you how you would look before and after treatment. You will be amazed to see how the changes to your digital image literally transform your face before your very eyes. The result is a look that takes a year off your real age, ultra-natural finish that brings balance and symmetry to your face. SameDay Dental Clinic welcomes all kinds of patients: Diabetic, cardiac, post traumatic, osteoporotic as well as heavy smokers are all eligible for the treatment. They can benefit from the SameDay implant service without any impact on their general health. The clinic extends every comfort to ensure patients are fully relaxed and comfortable during the procedure, even allowing for visitors if the patient requires. It allows for a very pleasant dental experience. SameDay also welcomes patients who are visitors to the region and may be on holiday and want to take advantage of their award winning same day service without interrupting the vacation. Patients have even more to smile about with various promotional offers and easy payment options making it even easier to get the smile you have always dreamed of and to make the improvements in your teeth that you have put off for so long.
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‘NOT ON THE WORK RADAR’ Thousands of British female employees forced out of the workplace by employers failing to recognize important life stage - By Sandra Robert
In today’s modern world where employers recognise key life stages including pregnancy, bereavement and child-birth, it seems there is one remaining natural life event that is being grossly ignored… the menopause! A new government report written by Dr Ros Altmann calls for greater support for workers going through the menopause. Dr Altmann, Business Champion for Older Workers, who advises the government on ways to keep older people in the work-force, says employers are failing older women by ignoring ‘the last taboo’. The report calls for more support for women going through this significant life stage and states a lack of support is forcing some women out of their jobs. Dr Altmann says women ‘are being performancemanaged out of their jobs. Dr Altman states the menopause ‘is not on the work radar. Pregnancy is, childbirth is, bereavement is but [menopausal women] get no support in the workplace.’ We asked Dr Marilyn Glenville, the UK’s leading authority on women’s natural health and author of Natural Solutions to Menopause how the menopause affects women and what employers can do to support women going through the menopause. “The news that women are being forced out of the workplace because employers are ignoring the impact of the menopause is shocking. The menopause is just a transition in a woman’s life and if given good advice this transition can be comfortable and easy. Women can now live 30 to 50 years past the menopause and they want to live that with a good quality of life.”
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“If women are told how to cope and manage this stage in their lives, then they can be very productive and efficient at work. They have the experience and maturity to do their jobs well and can be very valuable assets to a company. The menopause should be ‘on the work radar’ because it not only helps women feel well and healthy at this time in their lives, but also helps the company retain and utilise the valuable experience of productive and efficient women.” How long can the menopause last and what are the symptoms? The average age in the UK is 51 but the menopause can start as early as 40 or as late in life as 55. The menopause typically lasts for about 7 years, but some women can experience symptoms for up to 14 years. Common symptoms can include; hot flushes, night sweats, irritability, declining libido, osteoporosis, weight gain, depression, lack of energy, ageing skin, hair loss, vaginal dryness, mood swings.
How common is it for you to see women complaining of menopausal symptoms in your clinics? It is very common for me to see women complaining of symptoms around this time in their lives. Of course, the women that are sailing through the menopause don’t need help and so I am usually only seeing those who do. There are some women though who come into my clinic where the menopause has been easy but they are concerned about their future health and want to stay healthy and mentally sharp, with good bone health and energy so they want to work on prevention.
Do you think it would be hard for these women to approach their employers about symptoms and possible support, given the current climate? I think it would be very hard and embarrassing for the women where the menopause is affecting them to talk to them employers about this, especially if the employer is a man. For many women this stage is a very clear signal that they are getting older and would be worried about talking about the symptoms as this may imply that they are not coping with the job and are not so productive or efficient. I think they would be worried about losing their job or being made redundant if they spoke out.
What sorts of initiatives and support could employers introduce to make it easier for women to manage their symptoms and stay in full time employment? I think it would be brilliant if employers could bring in someone like myself to give a ‘training’ day for women on how to cope with the menopause. This information day should be open to all women in the company, no matter what their age, because if they are given good advice earlier on and prepare for the menopause then they can move through this transition easily and comfortably. It would be of value to the women definitely but also to the employers as they will then be keeping a valuable member of staff who wants to stay in full time employment who is healthy, productive and efficient. And with the renewed general health will come less absenteeism across the board for these women.
Dr Marilyn Glenville has joined forces with luxury health spa Champneys in Tring, to deliver a series of women’s wellbeing weekends. These very special one and two day retreats are led by Dr Glenville herself and offer natural solutions and insight into four significant female issues; Fat Around The Middle, Digestion and IBS, Menopause and Fertility. Each retreat includes full use of all facilities, nutritious meals and a thalassotherapy session. Dr Marilyn Glenville PhD is the UK’s leading nutritionist specialising in women’s health. Dr Glenville is the Former President of the Food and Health Forum at the Royal Society of Medicine and the author of a number of internationally best-selling books including ‘Overcoming PMS the Natural Way’, ‘The Natural Health Bible for Women’ and ‘Fat around the Middle’ Dr Glenville runs a number of clinics in London, Kent and Ireland. If you are interested in a consultation, you can contact Dr Glenville’s clinic on 01892 515905 or by email: health@marilynglenville.com
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Giving
Back is a way ofLife Key to Hope Campaign to help women and children in Delhi through Meher & Riddhima’s stunning outfits By Amy Sachar
Meher & Riddhima has once again teamed up with the inspiring Harmony House to create some stunning pieces and help a worthy cause at the same time. Located just outside of Delhi, India, where women and children can visit and feel safe, Harmony House offers free education, food, medication, hygiene facilities and social services to women and children living in the nearby slums. The non-profit community centre relies 100 per cent on kind donations and contributions to operate, something that is a constant strain on the charity.
This year, Meher & Riddhima have designed a beautiful Key Dress and Key Top, made of pure silk Crepe de Chine with embroidered keys and Swarovski crystals. Available in five vibrant colours, this collection is inspired by the concept of owning the key to someone’s heart. By creating and selling this line, the fashion house hopes to get into someone’s heart and help these vulnerable women and children. For as little as US$ 3 a day, one child can be provided with three meals, a day-care shelter, taught vocational skills, given clothes and assisted in their education. 25 per cent of the sale amount of every item goes to Harmony House, so get your Key to Hope piece now and feel inspired by the work of this amazing charity.
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Paw-fect Break Pamper your pooch with a dog-friendly holiday By Rebecca Francis
To celebrate this year’s Crufts most Londoners took their furry friends on their dream holiday, without any need for a pet passport. Leading UK property rental company, holidaycottages. co.uk, offers more than 1,100 dog friendly properties across the UK for the paw-fect break. Holidaying with pets needn’t mean sacrificing luxury. The stunning One Hope Cottage in Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire, is ideal for a couple’s break - that wouldn’t be complete without the pet dog. Sleeping two people and one dog, the stylish property that combines traditional cottage with modern interior seamlessly is located one of the most picturesque villages in the North Cotswolds - the Cotswold Way passes through and is perfect for a long walk. Complete with romantic woodburner and an enclosed garden where the dog can explore, seven nights at the five star One Hope Cottage costs from £835 plus £20 per dog. If your pet pooch loves nothing more than enjoying the sea breeze in its ears and running along a sandy beach, head to the five star Harbour Beach in Ilfracombe, North Devon. Perfect for
a family break, the Grade II listed cottage sleeps up to four people and allows up to two dogs. Just a stone’s throw from the picture postcard harbour, the property offers unrivalled views across the harbour taking in Damien Hirst’s striking statue Verity and out to sea. Damien Hirst fans can also enjoy freshly caught fish at his restaurant in the town. Families (and the pet dogs) will love playing on the nearby beaches and exploring the secluded coves. Seven nights at Harbour beach costs from £650 plus £20 per dog. Dogs will love chasing Frisbees and balls in the fully enclosed garden at Bryn Barcud in Devil’s Bridge, West Wales. Up to two dogs are allowed to stay at the property, which is ideally situated for enjoying long country walks. The hillside cottage sleeps up to six people and offers stunning views over the tranquil Cwmystwyth valley. Visitors can also take advantage of the proximity to the picturesque Devil’s Bridge, known for its pretty nature trail and stunning waterfalls and the Rheidol steam train for a trip to Aberystwyth. Seven nights at Harbour beach costs from £565 plus £20 per dog.
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Never still and
never quiet
No place quite like Morocco’s religious and cultural capital Fes el Bali. The streets can be less than a metre wide and the area is believed to be the largest car free urban area in the world by population RODERICK FIELD takes you there... From the first white light of the day to the hazy thickening dusk, people with heads held straight, are moving with purpose and urgency.
football, passing the ball between passing cars. This is where the tarmac turns to cobbles and leaves the automotive twenty first century firmly outside the wall and its Moorish arches.
Some are carried swiftly by skates or mopeds, all ages ride bicycles, and a Berber strolls along the pavement on his grand white horse.
Here is truly a portal in time and space. On the inside, it feels a lot like Dickens, dirty and dark, sinister yet compelling. In the gloom the most vibrant colours glow, on fruit or linen, yellow slippers, hanging pastel bras and rainbows of leather, sequins and silks.
Packs of children are manoeuvered and cajoled by djellaba clad women. Over at the bus stop, a small boy throws cartwheels as a scooter carrying three, a toddler held firm between her windswept parents, buzzes past leaving blue smoke hanging in its wake.
Hammered copper and tin catch the sly shafts of light in the mostly sunless maze. The walls are sad and robust, like the elders, like old oaks. So much has happened within the weave of twisting turning paths and alleys.
The movement is swift and graceful, the sounds more gruff and violent.
All human life is here, babies are born, men and women fall in love, people and animals live and die.
A still head is stone They say here that a still head is a stone – dead. There is no saying for a silent head for those living here have never encountered such a thing.
Everyone is going somewhere Inside and outside the medina, Fes is a place where day and night, everyone is going somewhere. Nothing that can be done standing still, can’t be done better in determined forward motion. Within the labyrinthine medina, voices warp and echo from somewhere within the nine thousand passages, haunting as the ancient ghosts of this medieval city.
At Babrcif, the medina gates, sits the transport terminus, daily awash with taxis and buses, mopeds, carts, donkeys, street vendors, cats and chaos. People are swallowed or spilt to the brim of the dusty Square, as locals drink coffee and smoke outside the cafés. This is the border between old and older Boys are climbing gates and walking, arms spread, on precarious walltops under the blinding noonday sun. And at midnight amongst the charcoaled giblet sellers, there are shouts of young men playing
In the corners and doorways, and from wooden shuttered booths like caves in the crumbling white stone of the buildings, voices chatter and swarm. Frantic arms gesticulate, rising defiantly above the din to be heard. It is less of a market than a throbbing ants nest, an intense hum of activity.
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Hustling lads hovering like wasps At each turn, the experienced hustling lads hover like wasps around the sweet mint tea of tourist euros offering hammam or manger or hashish, anything for a price and always negotiable. To every stallholder you are my friend or my brudder, and this very special service or deal you are wanting, is for you and only you and one time only, right here, right now. And a barrow passes, its wheel buzzing loudly at the mudguard as all are forced to the wall to let it pass. Warmth that is more than just the North African climate can be felt in the narrow shady lanes that amble and twist and yet there is always a tremor of invisible menace. Cool guys sit in twos or threes, talking sport and watching girls whilst selling cigarettes from a cardboard box. Holy men count beads, still and absorbed on doorsteps and filthy tortoiseshell cats, all skin and ribs, forage hungrily amongst the refuse. Women greet women and men greet men, with kisses on both cheeks. Never the genders shall kiss. Despite the seedy Arab sexiness, these Moroccans are almost prim, almost innocent. Here women keep house and men work Surrounded proudly by second hand shoes or primary coloured ladies outfits (sic), fluttering like newly hanged cadavers on the whitewashed walls, leathered market traders make eye contact. Dark Arabic women look demure and don’t. Children smile and say, ‘bonjour’, and not all of them ask for money. The rooftops are a safe retreat, though the web continues in the sky with turnings and connections from roof terrace to roof terrace. There are cushions and rugs and endless cloudless space above, the sun blazes harsh and fierce. In every direction there are satellite dishes, carpets hanging, laundry and tiny ant people about their business. From high up, the medina almost seems to make some sense. Cockerels cry out intermittently against the rhythmic hammering of constant repair and renewal, the basin of the medina repeating each knock and tap. A dog is ever barking. Gossip is endemic, the grapevine fast and thorough; they know you’re coming before you do in an everlasting soap opera with regional variations… live! An air of perpetual transaction The staccato give and take between sun baked people from sprawling families, familiar with God and good fresh food, hard lives and many opinions.
Hypnotic, repellent and magnetic People here are not so busy arguing with their place in the scheme of things; they are mostly working, sleeping, praying and reproducing.
Rooted deep in the Moroccan psyche, pulses a deep and ancient calmness born from connection to each other, their common needs and a solidly pragmatic approach to survival.
This quiet, insistent continuity is palpable in the fabric of Fes, the structure of the medina is too tight, too set to permit much sudden change… and it is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The land here is wet and fertile, more mouth watering than an oasis; it’s a huge larder at the top of the Sahara Desert.
Fes el Bali is a hard place to arrive in, hypnotic, repellent and magnetic. The air is finer here and warm, the atmosphere rapid and intoxicating.
This is why Fes is here, it is needed Relationship is primary here and strangers welcomed. The way of life for communities, occupying different regions of the medina (with its sixteen miles of perimeter wall) each with its own mosque, home bakery and fountain, has not changed over the past millennium.
It calls for alertness, and rewards with the minutiae of cameos, unfolding action and a slightly increased pulse. There are always more surprises. It bewitches and entrances before it exhausts; there is nowhere like it. And so it is harder still to leave behind, for in the heart and mind of any traveller, a part feels just like Fes Medina.
FACTS Morocco Morocco is a popular tourist destination in North Africa with Rabat as its capital. The famous Casablanca is the largest city with a population of 3 million plus. The country looks across the Strait of Gibraltar to Spain and has an Atlantic Ocean coastline reaching into the Mediterranean Sea. Morocco is bordered by Algeria to the East and Mauritania to the South.
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Fes el Bali Fes, for a brief ten years of the twelfth century, was the world’s largest city. Straddling the banks of the Fes River, it still wears the confidence of that history; a solid physical rootedness behind the mountains that keep the Sahara at bay. The Berber is the indigenous people, Muslims with their own language, coming down from the Atlas Mountains to settle in the valley that is Fes. The Arabs came in the ninth century and the French in the nineteenth and Arabic and French are spoken and interwoven. Once at the centre of 17th century Morocco, Fes was a major trading post of the Barbary Coast. Historically Fes is a city of refugees, one of the oldest mixed cultures anywhere with tolerance, and equality and everyone is trying hard to survive here. Fresh food in abundance The mix is good for the food, abundant produce and farming feed the million or so residents of the city. There are fresh crunchy salads and charcoaled meat or simple bread, with boiled egg, tuna, onion and chilli sauce, made fresh for fifty pence. Food is respected and valued, little is discarded and everything has a use. It is eaten attentively and served as to a special guest; with gilded plates and silver trays and chilli sauce, cardamom carrots and shredded radish, with humility and perhaps because good hospitality is a tenet of Islamic law. What to do The Karaouine Mosque The Karaouine Mosque is at the heart of the Medina. It was founded in 859 to offer education and religious safety to the constant flow of settlers. Nowadays it is a library, university and mosque still receiving Muslims. Zaouia Moulay Idriss II Regarded as a sacred place, this shrine marks the tomb of Moroccan ruler, Moulay Idriss II, who founded the city of Fes in 810. He is the patron saint of the city and a visit to the shrine is considered lucky for visitors and travellers. Souk Dabbaghin’s tanneries Within the Medina, take a look at the sprawling, stinking tanneries turning out wildly coloured leather goods in an equally wide range of qualities.
It is a remarkable spectacle, the intensity of labour is humbling as you stand and look over the ants’ nest of constant activity. Staying in Fes Accommodation options are varied. I would recommend staying at one of the fantastic Rhiads (very reasonable rates) where you will be treated like an honoured guest. Guided tours If you want to explore the city you will need a good guide to navigate through the miles of Medina passageways. Use common sense - any of the bigger hotels will be able to recommend a safe and competent guide. Getting to Fes Saïss Airport serves the city with some direct European flights and interconnects with Casablanca.
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Desserts and more
Business Bay, Dubai, gets a little sweeter with the launch of well-loved patisserie By Abdullah Mahmoud
The Pastry Chef and a team of experts who have been working with Pâtisserie Salé Sucré since its inception work around the clock to ensure every morning that the store’s shelves are replenished with delectable delicacies ready to be scooped up in their pristine boxes for celebratory occasions, leisurely afternoon teas, after school treats or exquisite dinner party offerings. Opening its first branch outside Egypt the brand is proud to announce that it has spread its crumbs to the heart of Dubai, UAE. Nestled in none other than Business Bay’s thriving Avenue Mall, the store promises an array of freshly baked high quality pastries and desserts to be shared at every occasion. Since its conception in 1999, Salé Sucré Pâtisserie has become a respected and firm favourite household name of Egypt’s most elite and humble. The 17 stores peppered across Cairo and Alexandria supply an unrivalled selection of delights using only the finest ingredients sourced from across the world promising consistency and quality, and this Dubai addition is no exception. Osama Heikal, Managing Partner at Salé Sucré Pâtisserie, explains, “After our success in Egypt, we expanded into the UAE with a vision to become one of the leading pâtisserie brands across the Middle East. Our Dubai branch continues to uphold our commitment to provide a diverse product range suitable for any occasion or celebration, guaranteed freshness and competitive prices to ensure our customers can truly indulge.” The 60sqm store in Dubai offers customers Oriental favourites and over 30 mouth-watering cake temptations. The Mono Portion boasts an array of éclairs and tartlets ideal for those toothsome cravings. For a touch of panache, opt for all-the-rage Verrines presented in charming glass pots or the beautifully packaged Macaroons that come in 10 delicious flavours. For groups or sharing en famille, both the Minis and Petit Four are crowd pleasers with their bitesize treats. On top of this, Salé Sucré Pâtisserie offers bespoke cakes tailored to any occasion and fashioned by skilled cake decorators who hand draw and hand sculpt icing into whatever design you desire, whether it be for a child’s birthday party, corporate event or a wedding cake.
Sample Menu
Cake •
Caramel Mousse Gâteau Salted-butter caramel mousse enrobed in a caramel glaze and dark chocolate swirls
•
Charlotte Strawberry Gâteau Layers of light vanilla cake filled with light whipping cream, crowned with whipped cream icing and strawberries, and lined with home baked ladyfinger
• •
Verrine •
Profiterole Verrine Light layers of profiterole, whipped cream and chocolate
Doberge Chocolate Mousse Gâteau Layers of genoise cake and butter cream, topped with a sinfully rich chocolate glaze
•
Le Craquant Verrine
Crunchy layers of cream, caramelised sugar and crisp almonds
Forêt Noire Gâteau Layers of chocolate sponge, black jammy cherries, light cream, topped with chocolate shavings
• Macaroons
Mono Portion •
Raspberry Tartlet Fluted edged sweet pastry crust topped with luscious pastry cream and fresh fruit
•
Mille-feuille Gâteau Boasting puff pastry layered with sumptuous sweet vanilla custard
• Mini Assorted Gâteau Soiree, Mousse Soiree, Fruit Tartlet
Hazelnut, Passion Fruit, Raspberry Yoghurt
Petit Four • Sableé
Rich sweet pastry flavoured with vanilla & chocolate
Oriental Sweets • Basbousa Semolina soaked in rose water sugar syrup topped with fresh crushed hazelnuts or pistachios
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-it! Brands and Logos are meant to be distinctive identities that help to quickly recognise and distinguish companies/products. A Brand is the name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that can help identify one product distinctly from other similar or different product by different owners. How well do you know the logos that you see everywhere around you? Test your logo IQ with this quiz.
IDENTIFY THE LOGOS
8. Nestle
7. Jonnie Walker
2. Lufthansa
1. Qatar Airways
9. Hermes 3. Thai Airways
10. Fendi 4. British Airways
5. Walt Disney
6. Unilever
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