Category: Entertainment – Art, Culture, theatre, film

Earth Of One Eight Set to Revolutionize Retail Landscape in Middle East Region with Immersive Customer Experiences

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Innovative 9m x 3m walk-in pod with abstract geometric face, aims to capture imagination of retailers, customers with latest technology analytics

Futuristic concept aligns with Smart Dubai 2021 initiative to transform Dubai into a futuristic destination

In a bid to bring customers up close and personal to their favorite retail brands and allow them to engage with the brands in insightful and fun ways, Earth Of One Eight (EOO8), an innovative new age hybrid retail concept, today announced its Middle East launch, starting with Dubai. The new age retail concept aligns seamlessly with the ambitious Smart Dubai 2021 initiative that aims to transform Dubai into a futuristic, world-leading destination city where government transactions are 100 percent digitalized and the people are among the happiest in the world. E008 is set to offer smart brand retail solutions to brands with the aim to create luxury retail experiences.

Earth Of One Eight is an 9m x 3m walk-in mobile pod with an abstract geometric face that offers brands the opportunity and flexibility to connect with and immerse themselves in communities to dramatically increase awareness and brand recall. Retailers can showcase their products in the interior of the pod in a frictionless ambiance.

The hybrid retail concept seamlessly blends online and offline retail experiences and enables brands to boost the elusive aspect of ‘audience delight’ that is largely absent in the prevailing hard-sell retail landscape. EOO8 elevates the retail experience and is able to track data for brands such as walk-ins, interests, and products testing, among others.

Speaking on the radical retail development, Fareda Ali, Founder of EOO8, explained her vision: “I have always been fascinated by the traditional trailer truck concept that brings exclusive brands into town to give the local community some exotic retail experiences. Earth Of One Eight was born through putting a sophisticated spin on this idea and introducing technology into the mix. In many ways, Earth Of One Eight is a nostalgic ode to the bygone age of one-on-one retail – when retail was a more intimate and intuitive experience.

“With this game-changing pod, we hope to transform the way retail is consumed in the region. Manufactured right here in the UAE, and ensuring a frictionless approach, the breakthrough pods can be leased by retailers’ keen to understand what their customers think about their brand through introducing immersive experiences. EOO8 can also help test waters ahead of the launch of new products in the region, or simply assist in gauging the market penetration achieved. With the efforts to realize Smart Dubai 2021 gaining momentum and given the scaling up of digitalization during the pandemic, I believe technology is here to stay in all aspects of our life – and will particularly transform the retail scene.”

For the very first time in the region, through leveraging cutting-edge technology such as a magic mirror, touch sensors, augmented reality, holograms, social media filters, motion mapping, and projection mapping, EOO8 offers retailers and brands clear analytics on their customers’ preferences and interests captured through their engagement with the brand. This learning can significantly inform brand positioning and lead to greater flexibility and personalization in promoting the brand from one community to the next.

Fareda Ali added: “Retail today is so much more than just buying and selling – it has the ability to inform, educate, create awareness and connect like never before. Imagine how much simpler your life would be if you knew exactly what your target customer is seeking and are able to meet this need without any confusion. We envision EOO8 appealing to the high-end luxury retailers who are not afraid to experiment with this revolutionary urban trend. Customers are already rejecting two-dimensional hard-core selling that is pushed at them purely for monetary gain. This user-friendly interface offers them enriching and memorable experiences that will make a world of difference.”

Currently targeting the retail sector, EOO8 has its sights set on other industries in the future based on demand. EOO8 has for its overarching goal the objective of extending novel ways of brand engagement and customer delight through redefining personalized, seamless, efficient, and impactful experiences at every touchpoint.

Dubai Based Singer, Zakeer Hussain with Artist name Zak Zorro Releases new Music Video

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Zakeer Hussain Known as “Zak Zorro” has released another Music Video titled “Teri Yaad Mey” shot fully in Dubai, a song dedicated to people in love with a social Message. The song is about the endless memory of love and separation.  The song conveys love after separation and how beautiful memories continue haunting about the person we love and it has an inspiring social message about Karma.

All the cast in the song are locally based in Dubai. Jumana Khan is a well-known Social Media influencer and Sagar Midda works in the Fashion Industry while Soniya Rana is a fashion model. All the performers portray their characters beautifully to translate the feel of the song.

The Song Produced by Dubai based Production House Icon Art Production. Dubai Film and TV Commission facilitated the shooting permit, Fnajeen restaurant hosted the shoot with other locations on Sheikh Zayed Road, Dar hamad Fashion Boutique by Hamad Al Falamarzi, Meydan Bridge “Auto Deals” car showroom and a luxurious penthouse.

Zak Zorro Produced the song in collaboration with Atif Ali well known music director & lyricist. The Music Video produced in Dubai UAE which was Directed by Waqqas Qadri Sheikh, cinematography by Mark Hobson.

The PoP song Teri Yaad Mey music video released on 20th November 2020.

The new song is released on ZakZorro YouTube Channel and promoted worldwide.

Live Facebook musical evening with Soundcore by Anker tonight features Vocalist and Guitarist Fahmil Khan

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fahmil

Soundcore by Anker Innovations will be presenting a ‘Musical Evening by Fahmil Khan’, lead Vocalist and Guitarist of the ‘On the Rocks’ band live on Facebook on Thursday, 11th June from 9pm onwards.

Tune in to hear a rendition of songs from the 90s, Bollywood retros, Sufi, Pop and contemporary songs to usher in the weekend.

Faraz Mehdi, Regional Sales Head at Anker Innovations MEA said, “Soundcore is committed to bringing premium audio to the people. This includes its series of Liberty true wireless earbuds, its Spirit series of sports headsets and several iconic indoor and outdoor Bluetooth speakers such as the Flare, Icon, Infini, Motion and Rave. It is the perfect companion to wind down end of the week.”

The Musical evening will be hosted on the Anker Middle East page on Facebook. Music lovers can log on https://www.facebook.com/events/558795394794813/ for the live event.

Khalidiyah Mall to host Lulu Hypermarket’s Paws & Tails Pet Carnival

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The Grill & Chill event will be held on 7thDecember, 4pm

Khalidiyah Mall

Khalidiyah Mall is the Abu Dhabi venue for Lulu Hypermarket’s Paw’s & Tails pet carnival which will feature a Grill & Chill event on December 7thfrom 4pm.

The event will have food stalls, Agility show & contest, online competitions, vet behaviorists, pet groomers and sitters, walkers & trainers, raffle draws, pet food & accessories, pet adoption and live music bands.

MayankM Pal, Mall Manager at Khalidiyah Mall said,“Khalidiyah Mall embraces the change of the season that is perfect for outdoor events. Our customers will be able to take part in barbecue competitions, food sampling and get attractive discounts on BBQ and outdoor products from Lulu Hypermarket.”

Khalidiyah Mall is located at the nerve centre offering patrons three levels of elegantly laid out outlets ranging from fashion to furnishing and cosmetics to consumer electronics. The mall’s multicultural food court offers an intriguing array of international cuisine, alongside a number of cafes, restaurants plus an amusement centre with arcade games, a cinema and a bowling alley.

“Joe Koueik” performs at Al Wahda Mall

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Al Wahda Mall visitors enjoyed a musical evening with Lebanese Music sensation Joe Koueik while enjoying a wide range of entertainment and activities for kids and adults during the long weekend.

Mr. Navaneeth Sudhakaran, General Manager, Al Wahda Mall said, “It has been a fun experience having Joe Koueik entertain our guests last night. We wish everyone a wonderful National Day with fun celebrations and thank them for spending the holidays with us at Al Wahda Mall.”

Musician Joe Koueik adds, “Al Wahda Mall audience proved to be a fun crowd and I thoroughly enjoyed performing to the responsive and dynamic music lovers of the UAE. I look forward to an equally entertaining performance again at the mall.”

Residents can also enjoy Al Wahda’s sprawling multi-cuisine food court with over 50 F&B outlets to treat every palate, sports venues, an enticing multi-cuisine food court, a decadent nine-screen multiplex cinema and over 350 stores to shop from.

Memorable arcade games at Al Wahda Mall until October 26th 2019

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Old favourites highlighted during ‘Games and Tech’ week

The very first ‘Games & Tech Week’ is currently attracting gaming enthusiasts in Al Wahda Mall, powered by a jam-packed list of memorable arcade games until October 26th 2019.

Located on the first-floor of Al Wahda Mall extension, thrill seeking mall visitors will find an entertainment hub with retro gaming machines and experiential arcade zones. Old favourites to indulge in include Street Fighter Zero, Space Invaders Dx, Pacman, Sonic the Hedgehog, Frogger, Donkey Kong and Mario Bros.

Mr. Navaneeth Sudhakaran, General Manager, Al Wahda Mall said, “Visitors to Al Wahda Mall can get introduced to different arcade games and go down memory lane with their favourite games from the past as well as get a fresh perspective on the thriving gaming and tech industry. We look forward to welcoming our customers to try these games out.”

The Games and Tech event is part of an activation by The Department of Culture and Tourism that brings gamers to experience fun, immersive and educational games together.

Mazyad Mall attracts shoppers with mega savings and entertainment events

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Shoppers to enjoy arts and crafts, roaming acts and mega savings

Over summer, shoppers at Mazyad Mall Abu Dhabi can enjoy amazing deals, enjoy entertainment activities and win big with the ‘Mall Millionaire’ campaign that offers shoppers a chance to win AED 50,000/- weekly until 3 August 2019 with a mega prize of 1 million at the end of the summer sales.

Sineesh Vaikkattil, Mazyad Mall Manager said, “We look forward to welcoming patrons during our events in August especially as we have outlets catering to shoppers for Eid clothes and gifts. An added value is the opportunity to win big with the ‘Mall Millionaire’ promotion where shoppers who spend AED200/- can present their receipts to the customer service and enter the competition.”

In addition, the mall will have various entertainment and roaming acts over the summer as well as art and craft activities from the 5th to the 6th of August 2019.

The Mazyad Mall retailers will also have special sales for Eid and back to school promotions offering shoppers great deals and savings and a reason to splurge across a wide range of fashion items along with sporting goods, toys, cosmetics, jewellery, books, home furnishing, hypermarket and electronics.

 

Icon Art Production and Latin Soul Dubai bring Tango World Champions live performance to Dubai Marine Beach Resort & Spa

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Icon Art Production (IAP) together with Latin Soul Dubai and venue partners Dubai Marine Beach Resort & Spa bring to UAE the first ever Hyperion Ensemble’s Dubai Concert.  The event will also featureTango World Champions live performance at Dubai Marine Beach Resort & Spa on 21stMarch 2019 from 7.30pm to 2am the next day.

Dubai Marine Beach Resort is known historically for hosting the best Latin events in the city and this will be no different. There will be live tango performances by well-known dancers in the Tango dance circuit to enthrall the audience.

For the first time, the Tango Orchestra HYPERION ENSAMBLE and the Buenos Aires Tango Mundial World Champions 2018 (Dmitry & Sagdiana) will perform in a night to remember! The concert will be held under the stars with an open-air dance floor and six hours of nonstop dancing, in the beautiful venue of Dubai Marine Beach Resort & Spa.

The evening’s attractions also include a Tango show, gala drinks, raffle draws, gift vouchers, DJS and an open dance floor for dance lovers looking to spend a musical night out.

 

Celebrate the beautiful culture of Oman with Atana Hotels

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Atana Shereen Shabnam

For ultimate relaxation, Oman is the best place to head out to in the Middle East – from here in Dubai, it usually takes me a minimum of 6 hours to get Muscat so going to Musandam or Khasab is even faster. I love Khasab and Musandam as it reminds me of the tranquility back in Fiji and now I have more reasons to enjoy peace weekends with the new Atana Hotels in the area.

Travellers will be delighted to know that Atana Hotels will operate in Oman, focusing on traditional Omani hospitality at an international standard, in the Governorate of Musandam, Khasab, Oman. With two diverse hotels, Atana offers a gateway to the delights of the Musandam peninsula for families and adventure-seekers and a window into the diverse culture and traditions of the community.

Guests at Atana Hotels will find that the culture of Oman, interwoven with contemporary elements is celebrated from the design and layout of the buildings, clustered around a courtyard and ‘oasis’, to the Omani flavours in the restaurant, enhanced by the cultural activities on offer in the hotels.

Enjoying colourful landscapes, spanning green mountains to azure seas; its welcoming people and their communities, Atana Hotels supports local initiatives and the community in a variety of ways.

Newly introduced for 2016 are weekly cultural nights at Atana Musandam, featuring Omani artists and musicians showcasing their work with an Oud player and local ladies demonstrating the preparation of traditional Omani desserts, with the opportunity for guests to sample the unique flavours as well as learn how to prepare the recipes handed down through generations.

Toiletries provided in the rooms and suites are sourced and produced in Oman by Al Husn Toiletries, and the laundry bags are hand-crafted by local women from the Khasab Women’s Association, supporting the colourful textile cottage industry which is still very much part of the local community.

For added ambience, Omani’s in traditional dress light torches around the courtyard at sunset, guests can relax over coffee and dates whilst listening to the performance of an oud player, indulge in henna painting and breathe in the scented aromas of the bakhour (perfumed incense) spread around the courtyard to greet the starry nights of the region.

 

Egypt Tourist Authority Launches New Campaign

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ETA-Arab Campaign - Red Sea Riviera 1

I love travelling to Egypt and some of my most memorable holidays have been in Assawan, Luxor, Horgada, Sharm Al Sheikh and of course Cairo. My favourite will always be the Nile cruise though. To drive more people to experience the charm of the beautiful, history laden nation, the Egypt Tourism Authority (ETA) has unveiled a new campaign titled “This is Egypt” (#thisisegypt),

In a change from previous ETA campaigns, #thisisegypt will be digitally-led, focusing on peer-to-peer advocacy and under-pinned by digital media spend, whilst traditional advertising methods will form a secondary promotional level.

Targetting the Arabic traveller from the Middle East region, #thisisegypt will harness the power of digital in a region where internet penetration is 5.8% higher at 48.1% than the world average* and social media sites such as Facebook play a significant role in 88%** of internet users’ daily lives.

The campaign focuses on personalising the Egyptian experience by encouraging the wider Arab audience to consider the variety of holiday which can be enjoyed in Egypt from a vibrant city break in Alexandria or Cairo to luxury beach getaway in Hurghada or Sharm El Sheikh. The campaign will highlight past-times which particularly resonate with an Arabic audience from shopping and dining to enjoying luxury accommodation and exciting nightlife.

ETA-Arab Campaign - Cairo

The campaign will highlight Egypt’s touristic destinations into four main geographic attractions: the Nile Valley, the Red Sea Riviera, the White Mediterranean and the Western Desert. The four destinations will be promoted across different audiences and seasons based on each of the targeted markets’ unique attraction points.

The hashtag, #thisisegypt, originally began as a grass-roots movement developed by Egyptians, but now will be adopted and refined by the ETA to boost tourism by portraying an experiential and authentic image of the country to the world.

The three-year campaign will focus on attracting and engaging diverse audiences, with a focus on millennials*** who are driven by personal experience, passion and adventure. Recent studies have shown that millennials take a higher number of trips annually compared to other age groups, driven by the aforementioned factors. Millennials also have the highest level of influence in their respective communities, which indirectly affects the travel decisions of their peers – upon which this campaign heavily relies.

The campaign comes as Egypt continues to work around the clock to enhance safety and security procedures to ensure the well-being of all travellers. The country recently passed an assessment by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) with inspectors from Russian, Dutch, Emirati and Italian airlines, and is also collaborating with delegations from the United Kingdom, Germany and Russia to implement the strongest security measures possible. As it launches the #thisisegypt campaign, Egypt has pledged to do all that is possible to provide all visitors – internal and external – with a safe and enjoyable experience in the country.