UAECreatives Magazine Issue 1, September 2023

of their own destiny in the Emirates

inside

“Everyone is a Creative”: Open creative project from Google

UAE Consumer Insights

How I used Generative AI apps to ideate for advertising campaigns Featured UAE Creative Weird Tales and adventures in freelancing

Dear Reader,

Welcome to the first edition of the UAE Creatives magazine.

UAECreatives.com was first conceived in 2006 as a blog. It recorded all the creative advertising campaigns going on in the United Arab Emirates during the years 2006-2008.

In 2020, it evolved into a UAE based creative professionals and entrepreneurs community fostered by UAE’s business-friendly ecosystem.

This magazine is the next natural step in the evolution of UAE Creatives.

We aim to bring you valuable UAE market and consumer insights, interviews with entrepreneurs and creative professionals, articles from professionals in the industry along with useful apps and web services and job opportunities etc.

We would love to have your feedback. You can email it to feedback@ uaecreatives.com

Sincerely

Umesh Ponnusamy Editor + Creative Team feedback@ uaecreatives .com

Pick of the Month

At UAECreatives, we believe creativity is an inherent trait of the human species. That’s why we have chosen

GOOGLE’S “OPEN CREATIVE PROJECT REPORT”

as the pick of the month for this issue.

Read the full report: https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/intl/en-145/ future-of-marketing/creativity/future-ofcreativity/

uae consumer insights

UAE household wealth stood at $1.2 trillion in 2022

Wealth per adult in the UAE at the end of 2022 $152,556, global report reveals

Link: https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/uae-householdwealth-stood-at-1-2-trillion-in-2022

Key Takeaway: The report stressed that the UAE hosts a disproportionate number of wealthy expatriate entrepreneurs, some of whom relocated after the global financial crisis. This trend has accentuated over the past year due to global uncertainties spurred by the Russian attack on Ukraine. According to estimates, around 4,500 high networth individuals will flock to the UAE, mainly Dubai, this year to make the country their home.

uae consumer insights

Connected omnichannelintelligence, strategies reshape GCC retail

Omnichannel strategy must strive for consistent experiences and service efficiency, says top official Link: https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/connectedintelligence-omnichannel-strategies-reshape-gcc-retail Key Takeaway: GCC is undergoing visible socio-cultural shifts, especially in terms of women’s workforce participation and their increasing spending power. Concurrently, millennials and Gen-Z — a sizable majority in the region — are gradually increasing their share in retail spending, thereby influencing the sector’s strategic direction. Those customer segments are digital natives with a profound awareness of various market offerings, price points, and value propositions. By virtue of their awareness and digital dexterity, these segments tend to harbour distinctive shopping preferences. So, they expect brands to personalise their engagement with them.

The latest UAE market research report from Gfk (Growth from Knowledge - supposed to be the largest German market research company founded in 1938) was reported extensively in all the major news channels. A few excerpts of the report from AlArabiya.net:

4According to the study, the primary concerns among UAE consumers include:

Global climate change or global warming

27% of the respondents

25% of the respondents

22% of the respondents

Read the full coverage of this report in the different news channels: AlArabiya.net

KhaleejTImes.com

uae consumer insights

47% of the respondents reported engaging in daily or frequent exercise to maintain their fitness, indicating opportunities for business in health and well-being sector

51% of the respondents indicated engaging in non-grocery shopping atleast once a week, underscoring the significance of retail experiences beyond essential purchases.

33% of the respondents reported viewing live sports events on TV or through various streaming services, apps, or online platforms on a daily or frequent basis. This presents an opportunity for businesses in the sports and entertainment sectors to engage with consumers through digital platforms.

31% of the respondents expressed a preference for purchasing second-hand items instead of new ones, while 38 percent reported switching from name brands to less expensive alternatives. These findings suggest a growing trend of cost-consciousness and sustainability awareness among UAE consumers, encouraging companies to consider alternative business models and eco-friendly practices.

uae consumer insights Shopping habits change in summer

By Dana Moukhallati, Editor at LinkedIn News

As the seasons shift, people’s shopping habits also change. The summer season may present retailers with some challenges, but it can also be an opportunity to enhance business. Many people prefer indoor activities and flock to air-conditioned malls, while others tend to shop for only essentials before travel, retail experts say. Another big shift to note during this period is parents’ shopping priorities. One of the main priorities is the “back to school spending [which] starts mid-summer for those organized enough and runs on until the end of August,” says Máire Morris, a fashion and retail business consultant. https://www.linkedin.com/news/story/shoppinghabits-change-in-summer-6367722/

UAE Creative

I used to work as a director and promo producer at UAE Television, Ajman. However, when they closed the TV channel, I initially faced difficulty finding a job with companies citing me as overqualified. Fortunately, I got an opportunity to teach Adobe InDesign at Zabeel International Institute of Management and Technology. This software is essential for publishers, and my teaching expanded to include Adobe After Effects and other graphics software. Having expertise in 3D modeling and animation from working on four animated English films in India, I started a career teaching 3D animation and modeling.

In the UAE, the demand for entertainmentbased 3D cartoon character animation is picking up but the focus is primarily on architectural visualization for interior and building design. To reach more students, I taught at various institutes like Zabeel, Cybermodo, and Optimizer. However, constant travel became cumbersome, so I decided to teach from a single location. That›s when I joined Rolla Academy in Bur Dubai. With the arrival of the pandemic, conducting face-to-face classes became challenging, so I shifted to teaching online. This led to the establishment of Dhrona Design Academy, where I offer online courses in graphic software, 3D modeling, animation, video editing, and interior design. The positive response from my previous students and others motivated me to pursue this path further.

Samy, a training consultant to institutes and also conducts design software and skills training courses through his Dhrona Design Academy.

UAE Creative

Samy, a training consultant to institutes and also conducts design software and skills training courses through his Dhrona Design Academy.

My experience has been very positive, especially with online classes. I always begin with a demo class, and every aspiring student who attends the demo ends up registering for the course. They complete the course successfully, and I provide them with a free certificate. If they wish to obtain a government-issued certificate, we apply to the Ministry of Education on their behalf, and within 7 working days, they receive the certificate.

Additionally, I can arrange vendor certificates for specific software if students pass an online test with the vendor. This has resulted in a good response from students, especially those seeking job opportunities. To assist them further, I offer job placement assistance through HR workshop groups and business network connections.

One unique aspect of my courses is that I record and share lesson videos with students. This way, they find the content more useful and feel comfortable with the learning process. Word of mouth spreads due to this user-friendly approach, resulting in a consistently positive response from students.

UAE Creative

Samy, a training consultant to institutes and also conducts design software and skills training courses through his Dhrona Design Academy.

The day begins at 9 o›clock with classes running for 2 hours each. Some classes are conducted in batches, while others are one-on-one sessions. During these classes, I record every session and provide the students with video lessons afterward. Additionally, I offer industrial practice where students work on design projects to deliver to clients by the end of the course.

Due to accommodating international students, some classes extend beyond the regular hours. For example, students from the UAE who are studying in London attend classes in the evening for subjects like animation and 2D animation.

I am primarily an artist with a background in Visual Communication, which I studied at the College of Arts and Events. Aside from that, I am also involved in video production. I create corporate films, product explainers, and animated films. I have my own set of cameras and equipment to produce videos, which I deliver to my clients.

UAE Creative

My suggestion for aspiring entrepreneurs is to conduct extensive market research to understand the demand and requirements. This step is crucial before starting or developing a business. By thoroughly understanding customer needs, you can modify your operations and delivery to meet their expectations and ensure customer satisfaction.

At Dhrona Design Academy, many students come with the goal of finding a job. Some are told that completing specific courses will guarantee them employment, often in fields like graphic designing. When working with such students, I take the time to sit down, discuss their aspirations, and evaluate their learning abilities. It›s important to manage their expectations and clarify that a 24-hour course does not mean it can be completed in one day. Within a two-hour session, we cover a lot of information, including various techniques and software tools. There›s a need to allow time for practice and understanding before moving on to the next session.

Typically, a 24-hour course would require around 12 days of online classes, not just one day. Ensuring complete clarity and explaining the process in detail to customers before starting classes is vital to avoid any issues. By following this approach, classes run smoothly, and customers are satisfied. It›s essential to address any concerns before starting the course.

Samy, a training consultant to institutes and also conducts design software and skills training courses through his Dhrona Design Academy.

of the month

DAVID ALEXANDER founder of David & William Advertising

AN ENTREPRENEUR FORGED BY THE TRAVAILS OF TIME

Alex, a Fine Arts degree holder and a talented artist who made his foray into the advertising industry in 1991 is today the founder of David & William in

Do you own a small independent agency and would like to tell us your story? Contact us at features

@uaecreatives .com

Dubai offering creative services to clients like ADIB etc. His journey saw him working in major advertising agencies in India and Dubai before he established David & William in 2019. A gentle and soft-spoken person, yet very cautious and level-headed in decision making, his design and branding work for major clients is a testimony to his success.

UAE Entrepreneur of the month

DAVID ALEXANDER founder of David & William Advertising

Weird Tales & Adventures in Freelancing

THE STRANGE CASE OF THE VANISHING CLIENT

Being a freelance artist and portrait painter, I’ve created portrait paintings for numerous customers. There were always some funny incidents and situations I used to encounter during this line of work. One such case was from a rich tourist from Afghanistan

who was spending some time in the UAE, some rich kid. He had fallen in love with an Austrian girl when he had been touring Austria. He wanted to send her a silent message through Facebook. So he hired me to do 3 portraits of his flame. He paid me USD 600 in

Francis

Weird Tales & Adventures in Freelancing

advance. I bought the materials and started the work. Suddenly there was no communication from him and he just disappeared. Then I got worried and went to the exchange to check if the $$ were real or fake. It was real : )

Remy Francis

As a Creative Content Strategist | Content Creation Consultant across any industry one can name I keep my passions hands-on taking pleasure in personally making and holding a unique blend of skills in animation, illustration, business dispute resolution writing, legal letter communication, articlewriting and an author and publisher of over 60 books.

Website: https://rembrandz. com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin. com/in/remyfrancis/

the IT help guy

OBSTACLES IN INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY

No matter what industry we are in, innovation of technology is essential for our business growth to stay ahead of the competition and meet the needs of our clients and customers. Therefore, what are the obstacles that can hinder innovation? Here’s a point form view.

Gerard Perera

Fear of failure. We sometimes are reluctant to take a risk to try a new idea even if it is a good one because of the fear of making a mistake or being laughed at. What if it may turn out to be an unsuccessful project? We may not want to start the process itself, let alone present it to our investors. Some people are naturally resistant to change, which can increase stress levels and difficulty in focusing to implement new ideas and technologies..

Lack of resources. Inventing new tech is expensive when accounting for time, money, and manpower. If the resources required to do the project is a far reach and also the funding is not affordable it can be a discouragement. This puts us at a competitive disadvantage, over our competitors who can invest and bring new products and services to market faster. Lack of collaboration. Innovation requires people from different departments or teams to work together. When employees don’t work together or do not have a shared understanding of the goal, they are less likely to share

information, ideas, and resources which can lead to duplication of efforts, wasted time, and missed opportunities, hiring more people to complete a project and be difficult to collaborate effectively resulting in delays, misunderstandings, and ultimately failure of the project. Also, not being part of the team can make them less likely to stay engaged and motivated. This can lead to low morale, which can further reduce productivity.

Lack of leadership. Innovation needs to be supported by higher levels of management like CEOs and CTOs. If senior leaders are not committed to innovation, it is unlikely that it will be successful if there are leaders that do not create a healthy culture of innovation and progress where employees feel supported and encouraged to take risks. They need to provide the resources and funding necessary to succeed. Diversity in the workplace can contribute to healthy new perspectives and ideas.

Hindered by regulation. Govt. and Corporate rigidity and inflexible bureaucratic regulations can be a brick wall to innovation by making it too difficult or expensive to bring new products and services to the marketplace. When it is unclear what the regulations are, or when they are constantly changing, it can be difficult for businesses to innovate. This is because they may be unsure whether their new products or services will comply with the regulations, and reluctant to invest in innovation fearing they will not be able to recover their investment.

Lack of focus. Some businesses try to be innovative in too many areas, which can spread their resources too thin and make it difficult to achieve success in any single area. Not being clear on priorities can easily deplete resources on projects not aligned with its strategic goals. Innovation is essential for businesses and organizations that want to stay ahead of the competitive curve and meet the needs of their customers. By understanding obstacles and challenges to innovation

and taking steps to overcome them, businesses can create a culture of innovation that will help them succeed in the long run. Despite these obstacles, there are several things that businesses and organizations can do to promote innovation such as partnering with other organizations to share resources and expertise.

Gerard Perera

A Consultant & Systems

Integration

Designer

at WITECON, With his knowledge and experience working in the field of Electronics Engineering for over 30 years, he does visualization, planning, and implementation of digital technology projects including enterprise automation, IT Infrastructure designing, Security, for global corporate clients in Telecommunications, Digital Media (Broadcasting), Financial institutions, Academic Institutions, Petroleum, and Construction.

Website: www.witecon.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin. com/in/gerardperera/

How I used

Generative AI Apps to ideate for advertising campaigns

Generative AI Text to Image tools can be very useful to generate visual ideas for your advertising or social media campaigns. Here are a few examples of how I used Leonardo.ai and Bing (both free tools)

Umesh Ponnusamy started his career as an advertising copywriter and later spent a couple of decades in Web Content and Digital Experience management. He still moonlights as a copywriter and is available for writing gigs. He can be contacted at umeshp.com@gmail.com

Portfolio: www.umeshp.com

Ponnusamy

PROMPT: A woman soaring through the air on a zipline, her face lit up with joy and anticipation as she looks directly into the camera.

For a campaign pitch for a UAE client, I tried Leonardo.ai for the first time. Leonardo.ai were giving a trial run of their Alchemy algorithm free for a week and the results were quite good and useful for the idea presentation.

PROMPT: A skydiver or a lady tandem jumping looking into a mobile phone with Palm Jumeirah below.

PROMPT:

A woman soaring through the air on a zipline, her face lit up with joy and anticipation as she looks into a mobile phone.

PROMPT:

A man scuba diving underwater looking into a mobile

PROMPT: A couple or family camping in the desert looking into their mobile phone.

PROMPT: A couple or family camping in the desert in front of a camp fire, the night sky is filled with stars, realistic style.

For an advertising campaign pitch for Canon Service Centre, the message to be communicated was “Out of the world service and care”. Though the visual idea didn’t get through the first round with the agency, it was nevertheless exciting images generated which could’ve further been modified by a designer. Bing.com/creator

PROMPT: A canon camera floating in space above the earth and 3 astronauts are repairing the camera

PROMPT:

Canon camera floating in space above the Earth and being repaired by 3 astronauts

PROMPT: A canon scanner floating in space above the earth and 3 astronauts are repairing the scanner

Was asked by a client to also give image suggestions for a long blog article on hoodies featuring around 27 different types of hoodies. I tried both Leonardo.ai and Bing and they generated quite a variety of images as required.

Leonardo.ai

PROMPT:

Afro-american fashion model wearing a Bamboo

Hoodie

photorealistic

Leonardo.ai

PROMPT: Modal Hoodie

Bing.com/creator

PROMPT:

Afro-american model wearing a Spandex Hoodie photo-realistic

Bing.com/ creator

PROMPT: Acrylic Blend

Hoodie

UAE creatives directory

Abdul Aziz

Listing Category: Animators, Interaction Designers, Product Designers, UI Designers, UX Designers

Portfolio Site: Portfolio • LinkedIn: LinkedIn

David Alexander Director, David & William Advertising Agency, Dubai, UAE

Art Directors, Creative Directors, Founders

Portfolio Site: Company • LinkedIn: Linkedin

Gerard – The IT Help Guy

Listing Category: Entrepreneurs, Founders, IT Support, Project Managers, Technologist

Portfolio Site: The IT help guy

LinkedIn: LinkedIn

Jacob John

Listing Category: Animation and Gaming Assets Development, Cartoonists, Character Design, Illustrators, Storyboard Illustrators

Portfolio Site: Portfolio • LinkedIn: LinkedIn

UAE creatives directory

Muhammad Shahbaz

Listing Category: Developers, Frontend Developers, UI Designers

LinkedIn: LinkedIn

Muthusankar Rajapather

Listing Category: Art Directors, Artists, Graphic Designers

Portfolio Site: Portfolio • LinkedIn: LinkedIn

Palanisamy Arcot Loganathan

Listing Category: 3D Modeling, Animators, Creative Directors, Photographers, Software Training

Portfolio Site: Instagram LinkedIn: LinkedIn

Remy Francis Creation Strategist | Augmented Artist |

Illustration, Animation Direction |

Entrepreneur and Publisher

Portfolio Site: Portfolio • LinkedIn: LinkedIn

Book Brain

Pickings from a Business or Creative Thinking book

Jane Portman is the founder of Userlist.com - an email marketing platform for B2B SaaS companies. She also runs UIBreakfast.com, a podcast on UI/UX product development, marketing and consulting. She’s giving away digital versions of her books for free. Should be useful for UX professionals and consultants.

Your Productized Consulting Guide: NOW FREE

Want to get started with productized consulting? This step-by-step guide will teach you how to craft an irresistible offer, overcome typical client objections, write the perfect sales page, protect your business, and strategically plan your entire productized consulting line.

The UI Audit: NOW FREE

Want to design web applications that are actually useful to people? This concise, hands-on book will teach you how to adopt a simple, strategic approach to UI/UX design — from product strategy to each individual screen.

Thoughts of the Titans:

Quotes from the latest blog posts of Geniuses

Seth Godin

Famous

Internet marketer

The wrong question is, “our project isn’t catching on, how do we promote it better?” The right question is a little more nuanced and far more important, “We’re seeking to make a change in part of the world. How do we find the right people and tell them the right (true) story that helps them get to where they’re going –and that they’ll tell to their peers?”

Read the full blog post

Roy H. Williams

Author of the famous Wizard of Ads books

Data is a snapshot of reality expressed in numbers in a database or on a spreadsheet. Data is the logic of the rational, sequential, deductive reasoning left hemisphere of your brain. Intuition is a snapshot of reality expressed in similes, metaphors, and instincts. It is the logic of the wordless, patternfinding right hemisphere of your brain. Data can be gathered and processed by the latest and greatest AI, artificial intelligence. Intuition is gathered and processed by the original AI, actual intelligence. One uses chips and processors. The other uses neurons and synapses. Read the full blog post

UAE Web of Life:

Latest UAE-centred Apps and Web Services

TIGERPAY.APP

23 June 2023, Dubai: Indian expat launches fintech app to ease payment collections for SMEs in the region

With the support of friends and family, he raised 250,000$ in the first round of funding. An Indian expat in Dubai has launched a payment app that is gaining popularity in the fintech industry in the UAE. Prabh Singh, the co-founder and CEO of TigerPay, bid farewell to his promising career and set out on an entrepreneurial journey by entering the technology sector because he believed in the UAE›s vision for technological advancements.

“TigerPay offers a convenient payment experience for merchants, allowing them to accept in-person card payments directly from their smartphones, eliminating the need for bulky hardware POS terminals or external devices,” said Singh. “Within just two months of its launch, the app has attracted over 500 merchants without extensive marketing efforts,” he added.

Read full article:

KhaleejTimes.com

UAE Web of Life:

Latest UAE-centred Apps and Web Services

VAULTWEALTH.COM

22 Jun 2023

UAE’s first digitally-enabled private wealth management platform, Vault, to redefine investment practices in the region

Vault, the pioneering private wealth management platform backed by global venture capital firm Outliers VC, is set to revolutionize investment practices in the UAE through its state-of-the-art digital platform.

Read the full article: GulfToday.ae

SYLAB (Support your local area business)

Ramees Koroth

Managing Director, Vibe Education

Dubai

Ramees, after working for over a decade in Training and Digital Channels Management in a large corporate company in the UAE, decided to shape his destiny with his own hands and started out as an entrepreneur with Vibe Education (VibeEdu.com), a training institute offering a multitude of UK National Diploma courses to international students and also corporate training. He has successfully expanded the scope of their operations and will be soon moving to larger offices in Expo City.

Connect with him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ rameeskoroth/

We believe in supporting local businesses and entrepreneurs. We welcome you to tell us your story and we’d love to feature you, just contact us at features@uaecreatives.com.