Sony

Sony expects 15- 20% growth in MENA region

editor — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 23:51:16 -0800

Sony expects a 15% to 20% growth in its $180 million content creation business in the MENA region due to regional demand for cheaper motion picture equipment."Within our content creation business, we see growth in this region, on average over the last three or four years, of about 15 per cent per year," said Rob Sherman, the managing director for Sony Professional Solutions in the Middle East and Africa. "Next year, we see a lot of good projects coming in the content creation area. And we want to grow that."

Sony Professional Solutions, a unit of the Japanese electronics giant, says its content creation business in the MENA region is worth US$180 million per year.

Communications brands help consumers in the UAE and Saudi simplify their lives

editor — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 00:03:22 -0800

Consumers in the UAE and Saudi consider brands that help people to communicate as the backbone to taming complexity. This is one of the findings from global strategic branding firm Siegel+Gale’s second annual Global Brand Simplicity Index™, which surveyed more than 6,000 consumers across seven countries to uncover perceived points of complexity and simplicity in people’s lives.

Respondents ranked telecommunications/cell phones first among 25 industries in providing the simplest and most effective user experience. News-related media including print, online, broadcast and mobile outlets also hold a prominent place in the Global Brand Simplicity Index, finishing in the second spot on the industry list.

Internet search brands also rank among the industry leaders, with Google securing the top position overall for simplicity. Rising access to broadband and increased disposable income appears to have driven respondents to praise the power of simplicity in communications offerings from technology firms, saving them time and money, making their lives more efficient and opening up access to a wider world.

Leading the list of the top ten simplest brands in the Middle East are Google, McDonald’s Apple and Sony. Rounding out the top ten are Asharq Al-Awsat, Samsung and Mobily.

Health insurance and general insurance industries struggled, finishing in20th and 25th place, respectively—a result that is also reflected globally. The insurance industry’s complex processes and lack of clarity regarding coverage continue to frustrate consumers. Respondents voiced displeasure with insurers’ failures to offer clearly written policy documents and answer questions promptly and unambiguously.

The study revealed that people continue to not only demand simpler communications and interactions, but are also willing to pay for them. In addition, 72.8 percent of customers said they are more likely to recommend a brand that makes their customer experience simpler. For example, Middle East respondents said they are willing to pay an average of 6.1 percent more for improved shopping experiences, driven by the complexities of the region’s postal systems.

“Brands in the Middle East have much to gain if they can effectively streamline their communications and experiences for consumers,” said Philip Davies, President, EMEA. “Simplicity is a powerful tool that helps brands get into consumers’ heads faster, and stay there for longer, whilst building loyalty and trust.”

Across all industries, consumers in the UAE and Saudi are willing to pay between 4.8 and 7.2percent more for brands they believe offer the greatest degree of simplicity. This represents a Simplicity Premium™ the added value people would place on having a more simplified experience with brands in various industries.

Siegel+Gale used the survey results to develop the 2011 Global Brand Simplicity Index™, which generates a Simplicity Score™—a rating of each brand and its category on the elements of the simplicity methodology. Siegel+Gale defines simplicity as ease of understanding, transparency, caring, innovation and usefulness of communications as well as how complex typical interactions are in relation to industry peers.

'Google Music' is launched

editor — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 01:49:52 -0800

Google began selling digital music via 'Google Music' on Wednesday. The new Google service offers music streaming, a music store and social media features. The Google Music store, which has been incorporated into the Android app market, already has over 13 million songs available, thanks to deals with Universal Music, Sony and EMI.

However, the new music service has to advance quickly in order to compete with Apple's iTunes store. "They've got to get that catalog filled pretty quickly," said Mike McGuire, an analyst at industry research firm Gartner. "It's a launch, but it's kind of like a work-in-progress." Google Music is currently only available in the United States.

Mubadala Development Company becomes part owner of EMI Music

editor — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 23:46:23 -0800

UAE based Mubadala Development Company has become part owner of London-based EMI, which is being sold in pieces for $4.1 billion. Mubadala, alongside Sony, the Raine Group and the Blackstone Group, have aquired EMI's music publishing rights in a deal worth $2.2 billion. Meanwhile, Vivendi’s Universal Music Group are set to buy EMI’s recorded music rights for $1.9 billion.

Motorvision TV launches in the Middle East exclusively on OSN

editor — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 23:58:51 -0700

The whole world of automobility, from glistening luxury limousines to powerful super sports cars exciting and innovative cars with eco-friendly technology, the classic autos of today and tomorrow, new models fresh out of the showrooms and concept cars on the cutting edge between prototype and series production: Motorvision will show them all and, naturally in High Definition.

From the 10th of November 2011, coinciding with the opening of the Dubai Motor Show viewers across the Middle East and Africa will be able to watch the programming of the pay-TV channel Motorvision TV exclusively OSN, the region's leading Pay TV network. Broadcasting will be in the English language with some content sub-titled in Arabic.

"We are very pleased to be able to showcase Motorvision TV to our customers across the region. Motoring entertainment programming is hugely popular in this region and the premium programming line-up in high definition on Motorvision TV will have a great traction with our OSN subscribers. Motorvision TV is an intelligent, entertaining channel - a perfect match for us", says David Butorac, CEO of OSN.

Motorvision TV covers the entire spectrum of topics related to the auto and mobility with brilliant visual storytelling, in-depth documentary features, reportages, portraits and magazine shows as well as light-hearted lifestyle formats. Viewers fascinated by technology will be just as well served as fans of thrilling motor sport.

"Viewers in the United Arab Emirates share with those in German a common passion, both populations love elegant and fast cars. Since 2009 we have with Motorvision TV shared our enthusiasm with the German television audience. Now thanks to OSN we have the opportunity to deliver our hugely attractive programming to our friends in the Middle East", says head of Motorvision TV Jochen Kroehne.

Motorvision TV belongs to the Motorvision Media Group based in Munich, Germany. The program content is largely created by an in-house production company. For several decades Motorvision has worked very closely with the automobile industry and has built up an archive of around twenty thousand program hours in digital form. Motorvision also operates various internet portals including

the very successful www.motorvision.de website, packed with entertaining and informative reporting and featuring over three thousand video clips covering autos, motor sport and tuning. The

pay-TV channel Motorvision TV broadcasts in the German language territory (Germany, Austria and Switzerland) since July 2009 exclusively on the Sky Germany platform.

OSN is the ultimate destination for the widest choice of brand new premium Western, Arabic and Filipino entertainment in the Middle East and North Africa. OSN is the home of 90 channels filled with great value entertainment, offering viewers in the MENA region exclusive access to the latest blockbuster movies, top rated series, sports, documentaries, news, kid's entertainment, and live talk shows. The movie offering includes over a 100 movie premieres a month uncut and with no commercial breaks so viewers can watch movies the way they were meant to be watched.

OSN boasts the most comprehensive portfolio of exclusive rights from all the major studios including Warner Brothers, Paramount, Fox, Disney, Sony, MGM, Universal and DreamWorks and offers access to the worlds leading television brands including Disney channel, Sky News, Discovery Network and Nat Geo.

As the leader in innovation, OSN has changed the TV viewing experience in the region and brings viewers quality entertainment through 18 High Definition channels and currently is the only network offering a full HD bouquet of channels as well as 3D entertainment in the MENA. OSN was the first to launch the DVR, the OSN SHOWBOX HD, and the region's first VOD service, OSN on Demand offering viewers the opportunity to watch over 1000 movies and over 52 latest seasons of the top series over the year in full HD quality and Dolby Digital sound.

The OSN Platform is owned and operated by Panther Media Group; a company registered in DIFC and is owned by Orbit Group and KIPCO.

UBMS to take part at the InfoComm 2011 exhibition

editor — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 05:28:31 -0700

United Broadcast and Media Solutions (UBMS), a pro-video and broadcast equipment distributor in the Middle East and Africa will be taking part at the InfoComm 2011 exhibition showcasing the industry's marquee brands.

Product displays ranging from industry heavyweights like Sony, Redrock Micro, Ianiro, Sachtler, Lowel, Tiffen and many more, will be showcased under one roof at the exhibition that is to be held at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

A diverse range of lighting equipment from Ianiro and Lowel will be on display. Ianiro's Ice-2 which lays stress on the importance of reducing the energetic consumption, though keeping high standards in TV studio lighting, made the Ianiro range of "cool lights" ICE (Ianiro Cool Equipment) very popular. They are also particularly known for their quality to light up large areas evenly, these fluorescent soft lights are some of the most versatile fixtures for Studio applications.

From the world leader in location lighting, Lowel, the DV Creator 55 Kit will be on display. This Kit combines some of their most popular lights with accessories for increased versatility. Upgraded with the new Rifa eXchange System, quick changes of lamp head accessories never seemed faster.

The Sony NXCAM NEX-FS100PK, a Super 35mm camcorder that has been developed specifically for shooting truly stunning images at low cost. The high sensitivity, large format CMOS sensor is capable of producing full 1920 x 1080 progressive images with shallow depth of field similar to that of a film camera.

The VPL - HW30ES, another Sony product, is a 3D Projector that emits ultra high quality 3D images and is accessible at an affordable price. It comes with the unique Dynamic Lamp Control Technology which boosts the appropriate brightness when each of the 3D glasses shutter flicks back open thus providing optimal visual experience.

Another eye-catcher present, The Tiffen Steadicam series has been an invaluable, dynamic production tool in the industry. New generations of Steadicam Camera Stabilizing Systems have been comprehensively redesigned to unleash endless creative possibilities. Tiffen offers a complete line of state-of-the-art models to meet our film and video needs. The Tiffen Steadicam Merlin is sure to garner a lot of attention.

Amongst other brands, also joining UBMS at the exhibition is the famed, TVU Networks Corporation. TVU manufactures live mobile television broadcasting equipment and offers an Internet television broadcasting platform that uses P2P TV technology. TVU networks distributes software which allows users to broadcast content off "mms://" servers, and from computer disks. They have manufactured the TVUPack mobile broadcasting equipment. The TVUPack is a news gathering backpack that enables field reporters to transmit live HDTV signal to newsroom over 3G/4G, WiFi, WiMax, or BGAN networks, giving television crews satellite or microwave van functionality in a backpack.

Milos Ilic joins as Executive Creative Director, Cheil Worldwide MENA operations

editor — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 02:41:00 -0700

Cheil Worldwide MEA RHQ announces significant new creative leadership with the recruitment of Milos Ilic in the post of Executive Creative Director, Cheil Worldwide MENA. Milos’ appointment begins with immediate effect. He will report to Azmi Yafi, COO Cheil Worldwide MENA.

In making the announcement, Andrew Yi, President and CEO of Cheil Worldwide MEA says: “We’re delighted to have Milos join us to lead Cheil creatively. He brings us best-in-class creativity across the expanding channel landscape – both offline and online”.

“Milos is a great addition to an already exciting agency”, says Azmi Yafi. “We are a growing agency in a region where marketers are demanding genuine holistic solutions. We are looking to Milos to help us become that new kind of agency to provide those solutions, enabled by strong teams and by the many new technology tools available to creative".

Milos is an award winning creative director with a large number (around 250) of international awards (Cannes, One Show, New York Festival, Effie etc…) and work published in the Gunn report, Graphis annuals and other major industry publications. He was also teacher in residence at Miami ad school and on the advisory board of Moorpak Design College in Los Angeles. He has been on judging panels of a few international and regional award shows.

Milos’ experience runs the gamut in almost every brand category. Throughout his 18 years of experience, he has worked on the world’s most recognizable brands, some of which are Mars, Nissan, McDonald’s, General Motors, P&G, Sony, BMW, Johnson & Johnson, with various agencies in Europe and the Middle East including Saatchi & Saatchi, Burnett, DDB and for the last four years at TBWA in Dubai.

Commenting about joining Cheil Worldwide, Milos says: “At Cheil there is a clear and enticing willingness to radically change the existing model and move at a fast pace. There is an opportunity to be part of the formation of something great here that stems from the intrinsic innovative spirit that Cheil originates from.”

Facebook, LinkedIn, Kodak, GoNabit and Sony to speak at the Internet Show Middle East

editor — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 08:21:47 -0700

The Internet Show Middle East, presented by Yahoo! Maktoob, will include senior level speakers from facebook, Linkedin, Kodak, Sony, Du and Etisalat, who will all be giving their insights and tips into every area of internet related business.

The Internet Show is being held on 27-28th September 2011 at ADNEC, Abu Dhabi. It is the Middle East's best attended and biggest event for digital marketing and online business where the latest technology and hottest internet business solutions are highlighted.

With a growth in spending on digital media advertising by 45% in 2011 in the MENA region according to Google Inc - it is crucial for companies to be up to date with the newest technologies and have the opportunity to hear from those who are already delivering great ROI.

The 5 conference topics to be covered are Social Media, Cloud Computing, E-commerce & Payments, Digital Advertising and Content Management.

We have secured the biggest names from the biggest brands to come and talk about the biggest issues in the digital world: du, Kodak, facebook, LinkedIn, Cobone, Sony, Etisalat, Majid Al Futtaim, GoNabit, Souq,com, Abu Dhabi Government, Wee World, Vodafone, Mediastow, Dubizzle.com, Audi, Zain, Rotana Hotel, DHL Express, DUBAL, The Medinge Group, Pringo, Dubai International Airport, Chouradviser, Flip Media, Mashreq Bank, Dubai Duty Free, Starcom, Al Rajhi Bank, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank and many more.

Sony and Rotana produce first 3D arabic music video

editor — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 00:44:55 -0700

A landmark joint venture between the Rotana Audio Visual Group, a member of Rotana Holdings, and Sony Gulf, the leading consumer electronics brand, has provided Arabic audiences with the first 3D experience featuring a music video clip on Najwa Karam in her song 'Ma Fi Nom'.

The 3D music clip marks the beginning of the era of 3D production in the region. The hi-tech feat was pulled off with the assistance of three professional teams from the US and the UK. Additionally, the Lebanese W&P Production group undertook extensive research on 3D techniques to familiarize the Middle East crew with the breakthrough technology, including the sophisticated equipment and digital cameras that were used for the shoot.

Popular Lebanese singer Najwa Karam was chosen to feature in the clip for her distinct Arabic flavour with a contemporary twist that fits well with modern 3D technology. Her unique signature style is reflected throughout the video and enhanced with 3D technology. Filmed by director Walid Nassif, the song 'Ma Fi Nom' and particularly its drum beat present a novel music style, which accompanied by her sonorous voice provide the most compatible rendering to translate into a 3D platform.

The three-day shoot took place in Northern Lebanon at Nahr Ibrahim, in the Kesserwan area of Basateen Al Ossi, Jeita Grotto and the studio in Mansourieh, and has been one of the biggest production budgets in the Middle East.

Salem Al Hendi, President of Rotana, Mathew Mathai, General Manager, Marketing Communications, Sony Gulf and Mohammed Judeh, Manager, Sony Gulf, are the key members behind this first-ever 3D initiative. Clyde Desouza, a senior stereographic consultant in the region, provided 3D stereography consultation for the music video. The 3D version will premiere at the ABC Achrafieh theatre in Lebanon. The video clip will later be played in over 600 Sony outlet stores throughout the Arab world. The clip was also shot in 2D to enable Rotana TV viewers to watch it on their regular TV sets.

The video additionally features a solo by Abdelmalek Al Baljani from Morocco, a contestant from the Arab Got Talent reality show.

Gaming expenditure to exceed $74 Billion in 2011

editor — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 00:28:54 -0700

The gaming ecosystem is undergoing major technology and business model transitions that will last beyond 2015. Gartner, Inc. estimates that worldwide spending on the gaming ecosystem will exceed $74 billion in 2011, up 10.4 percent from 2010 spending of $67 billion. By 2015, spending will reach $112 billion.

Overall, Gartner estimates that the gaming software component will represent $44.7 billion in 2011, and it will continue to dominate the overall gaming market in the next five years as it absorbs almost two-thirds of consumers' gaming budgets.