The Big Fat Media Problem in Saudi

Its been an unsettling month for Saudi. The website ArabianBusiness.com probably bereft of any actual news, decided to trot out an old favourite, the usual sensationalist stories about how some extremist weirdos think the world will come to an end if Saudi Women drive. One particularly juicy quote: “Women driving would lead to more accidents. When women are in danger, they don’t know how to act. How are they going to deal with accidents?”

 

A great question. I’m sure that most of those accidents would be on purpose with Saudi women ramming into other male drivers just to prove a point.  Speaking of driving, the UAE will allow Saudi female drivers on the roads and apparently will be quite lenient when they break traffic rules.  At the other end of the scale; Kuwait has stated that it will not issue licences to Saudi women drivers out of respect to Saudi, unless they prove they have permission from their male guardians.

 

Read More

All at Tea - Charity lunch this Wednesday!


Every year, more than 10,000 ships with over 200,000 seafarers drop anchor off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. In the UAE, 99 percent of all the goods that are used are imported by ship, so life in the UAE is dependent on these seafarers. Without them, people and businesses would suffer.

Many of the seafarers onboard these ships do not get the opportunity to go ashore. Since the ships are up to 18 miles out, it is just too costly. As a result, it is common for them to go through long periods of isolation and loneliness, unable to communicate with family and friends at home. 

“The Mission to Seafarers” is a charitable organization that is committed to supporting the seafarers around the world. It was founded in England in 1856 and has been operating in the gulf since 1962.

The organization launched “The Angel Appeal” to build and equip a boat to support the seafarers. It survives ONLY ON DONATIONS. 

Join me on Wednesday afternoon for a charity lunch in support of The Angel Appeal http://solidariteaarabia.eventbrite.co.uk/ 

If you can’t make it in person, please donate whatever you can that will help make the seafarers lives better, clothes, books, electronics, etc

Contact either myself or Kellie Whitehead at kw@mamamediame.com 

The real reason we don’t see women entrepreneurs in the Middle East

” The gender stereotypes introduced in childhood are reinforced throughout our lives and become self-fulfilling prophesies. Most leadership positions are held by men, so women don’t expect to achieve them, and that becomes one of the reasons they don’t.” 

― Sheryl Sandberg, Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead

 

Status of women

Back in 2009, the World Survey on the Role of Women in Development report by ESCWA identified that the Arab woman is still incapable of being equal to men.  Noting, as these reports do, that increasing women’s participation would have positive implications on social and economic development.  Staggeringly, most women don’t even know their participation or legal rights, and therefore are unable to push for them.  In 2009 Lebanese women made up only 26% of the workforce, a whopping increase of 1% since 2000.

The 2009 report  also identified a 27% wage gap between male and female employees over the age of 30 in Lebanon and the continuing discrimination against unmarried women in terms of sick leave.  The report also notes that domestic violence further impedes women’s progress.

Read More

Landmark Group Ecommerce

Landmark Group represent some of the regions best known consumer brands.  They have been active for 4 years in the Digital Space.  14 websites are live and over half their traffic comes from iPADs.  Although they have only just got into the ecommerce space with www.landmarkshops.com they plan to bring the rest of their brands online.  

Their informational websites (and landmark shops) generate a cumulative 31m page views.  Although they haven’t broken down stats per site, the infographic has some interesting details

Read More

Tenancy rights in Dubai


The real estate law is now in favour of tenants.  The law of 2007 was amended in 2008 to further help tenants and I have put both relevant articles of the law below, as well as a link to the Dubai Government document. 

In summary, if the rental agreement is about to expire and you want to renew but the landlord doesn’t - the landlord must give you 12 months notice if he wants you to get out, by registered mail, or Notary public. 

Read More

Let’s never use the words Arab Spring again

Content is always a tricky issue in the Middle East. There’s not enough of it, there’s no copyright law, the economics aren’t right, and my personal favourite - there’s just too much fluff.  In this post I look at the reasons why the media and content industries have misunderstood the Arab Spring and as a result of most of the content being controlled, produced and monetized by brands, what the industry should do now. 

Read More

Food Startups and Connected Real Estate

 

 

Because we live in a delivery culture , most food startups will have to spend a lot on logistics.  This requires a large amount of capital and operating expenditure as companies source drivers, motobikes, fuel, insurance and more.  For international outfits like NKD Pizza – this doesn’t seem to be a problem, but for local newbies, eg Richys, it can be daunting. 

 

From the comments on their Facebook page, as well as feedback from my friends, Richys has a huge problem during lunchtimes between 12 – 3 on weekdays.  Many office workers in JLT where they are based and TECOM, Media and Internet City have heard about their delicious and healthy salads but just aren’t able to get their food in time.

 

Read More

Please sir, can i shop some more?



There’s one very good reason to shop online in this region, and thats because the markup on products here is astronomical. Even with the retail rates of Aramex’s B2C arm, Shop and Ship, it can still work out considerably cheaper.  A friend and I were looking at Varier Balans Chairs (amazing for sorting out your back issues whilst sitting at a computer all day) and found it would be at least 1000 dirhams cheaper getting it shipped over from the UK than it would be to have the Abu Dhabi importer bring them.  And might I add a good deal quicker too. 


image


Read More

Telecoms Consumer Marketing

I was in Lebanon during the mad rush that was on to “re register” mobile numbers in the UAE as per the TRA’s directive.  I didn’t receive any message but just to make sure when i got back i tweeted @dutweets to ask them if i needed to go and do it.  I had read some crazy reports about people queuing in long lines at the service centres in the mall only to be told they didn’t need to be there.  They replied asking if i had received a text i said no.  

A week later, I received a text saying I WOULD be required to re register but to watch this space for further details.  

Read More

Where is all the eye candy?

 

I’d like to complain about the lack of suitable eye candy for women in this city. Yes, as a woman in the middle east, I will never know the joy of having a cute pizza delivery guy, a strapping removals person, a foxy barista or chiseled telecom engineer come and install my home internet system.  When I shop from Ikea or Home Center, I won’t be able to gaze at the hardworking installation team, who may have to remove their shirts due to the heat, to reveal washboard abs and a pert behind.  If there was ever a fire, I’m probably not going to be swooning into the arms of my rescuer either.

 

Read More

How to avoid that weird smell your clothes have after washing


No the answer isn’t more fabric conditioner.  

I noticed that whatever I did to my clothes, the minute I got them out of the washing machine they didn’t smell quite right.  After a bit of investigating, several of my friends told me they experienced the same thing. 
 

In the UAE we have some strange “grey water” issues.  This isn’t anything the average consumer can do anything about.  But there are some tips that can help. Washing machines are constantly damp, dark and enclosed, perfect conditions for not so nice whiffs to develop. Mould/mildew can build up over time where there have been residues (residues from detergents and/or fabric conditioner provide food and moist conditions - ideal for bacteria to live on!).

Read More

How to do business with Lebanese (if you are a woman)

You will need:

1 x large bag (to carry all the names they will drop)

1 x gas mask (to be able to breathe through the clouds of cigar smoke)

1 x large pair of sunglasses (to hide your incredulity at some of the claims)

Unlimited - business cards which state not just your contact details but also the region you come from in Lebanon, your marital status and what your father does

Read More

Top