tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655889105820772060.post7938013304293573510..comments2023-10-17T16:44:08.588+03:00Comments on Fake Plastic Souks: The Du FailAlexanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14141884153180374138noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655889105820772060.post-30624503775626867122009-05-26T07:38:57.101+03:002009-05-26T07:38:57.101+03:00See, I took this as a great opportunity to actuall...See, I took this as a great opportunity to actually post some feedback to Du that might benefit us - the two questions I've submitted are 'Would you consider purchasing a mobile data package if it was priced as cheaply as anywhere else in the world' and 'Do you think broadband prices should be reduced in line with international pricing tariffs'. Maybe if everyone blitzed them for it, Du would work out they'd actually make more money by offering cheaper stuff.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655889105820772060.post-66955634917435373392009-05-20T01:05:35.173+03:002009-05-20T01:05:35.173+03:00Sadly (happily if I'm honest) I've nothing to do w...Sadly (happily if I'm honest) I've nothing to do with Leo or the little agency that actually did these online pieces for du. That would have been a great barb if I were though. Shame.<br /><br />And thank my lucky stars for said lack of association since I'd hate to be in their (Leo's, du's, whoever's responsible's) shoes right about now as they're rightfully taking a good whupping for their second lame attempt at "out of the box" thinking in the online marketing arena.<br /><br />Yes, they've stubbornly broken the do-not-deceive rule twice now (surely bolts of lightning are bound to strike down from the heavens the third time around). <br /><br />But apart from that are they really so much more inept (and deserving of wrath) than any of the other players trying to work the same digital media block?<br /><br />Yes, du is amusingly neo-imbecilic in their latest tamperings with "online social media networking marketing viral campaigns with a twiter logo stuck on top for extra sure-cred" but at least they're trying to do something different (and providing lots of entertainment in the process).<br /><br />No Cannes Lion for them then (or even a Lynx) but shouldn't we at least be giving then a C+ for their brave attempts to err from the utter stagnation that is the norm, espcially given their apparent lack of fear when it comes to running the risk of repeatedly looking stupid?<br /><br />Fair enough though - mediocrity is often synonymous with par for the course in Dubai anyways if we're being honest so what's the harm of tossing a few barbs here and there when somebody dips a little too far below par?<br /><br />Still, it strikes me as quite cheeky then when a few random cowpokes in the home town 'digistocracy' try to claim a level of authority on the subject of digital marketing sufficient to write snarky articles in Ad Nation and pose for photoshoots beside 'visionary' spots on digital marketing in Campaign magazine without actually possessing a proven record themselves of being somewhat competent in the ever-so-important area of delivering "web 2.0" goodness for their own big name clients.<br /><br />Looking at the agencies in town I can count on one hand the number who actually have (bonus points for active) blogs, facebook pages or corporate twitter accounts, let alone use them effectively. Ergo - we're a little long on veneer and a little short on substance here if we're being perfectly straight.<br /><br />It follows then that, given precious little documentary evidence of homegrown 'web 2.0 savviness', the industry leaders themselves don't really have a much better clue of how to engage consumers in the digital age any better than the unfortunate bruised egos at du do (no pun intended - honest). <br /><br />Engaging people, talking to them and respecting them online is hard enough I suppose - it may actually keep a somewhat endowed mind occupied for a good few nights planning a half decent campaign - but there's nothing much to crow about in that safe, time tested and true world of slick microsites, banner ads and online games to chuck blindly at the "online component" box in the media plan. <br /><br />When you speak of "finding new, refreshing ways of bringing consumers and brands together in a peer-peer dialogue" though, well, that's so romantic that the very words nearly bring a tear to my eye. <br /><br />If you ever see such a thing, please do blog and twitter it to bits. It'd be great to have a reason to not smirk at every single article in the local ad-press with any of the words "online", "digital" or "web" in it.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12071675957534053024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655889105820772060.post-76637219223562691702009-05-19T20:12:00.000+03:002009-05-19T20:12:00.000+03:00WhoIs - how's life at Leo Burnett?
Look, you have...WhoIs - how's life at Leo Burnett?<br /><br />Look, you have to understand this. It's not about campaigns, or virals or finding new ways to subvert people's perceptions.<br /><br />It's about engaging people, talking to them, respecting them. It's about finding new, refreshing ways of bringing consumers and brands together in a peer-peer dialogue.<br /><br />The trouble you've got is that those people are smarter consumers than before - they're not an 'agency elite', they're <I>consumers</I>. People. You. Me. The guy next door with the BMW, barbecue, wife and two kids but an opinion, too.<br /><br />If consumers don't like what you're doing, the approach isn't to shout 'well, can't you do better?' at them! It's to sit back and wonder where you've been going wrong to alienate them...<br /><br />But please don't blame them for being <I>smart</I> consumers who've worked out what you're up to when you've been dishonest!Alexanderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14141884153180374138noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655889105820772060.post-13804302881310051062009-05-19T18:22:00.000+03:002009-05-19T18:22:00.000+03:00Choosing the "Smart People Choice" approach, alway...Choosing the "Smart People Choice" approach, always fails, people don't want to be tagged as stupid if they are not using the smart people tools. <br />Plus social networking marketing is not gonna work here for the time being, been tried and failed using youtube, facebook and twitter. I don't remember any good online campaigns lately, except maybe the Escada beach party if my memory serves me. But then again they had free champaign there :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655889105820772060.post-25107904448741968932009-05-19T17:41:00.000+03:002009-05-19T17:41:00.000+03:00Some good points to be sure but whenever this topi...Some good points to be sure but whenever this topic comes up all I see is the mutually back-slappeing self proclaimed agency elite at work again.<br /><br />Is there anybody actually doing better, proven-to-be-successful social/viral campaigns in the region who might actually claim some degree of credibility on the subject terms of having done a better campaign?<br /><br />I'd love to know.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12071675957534053024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655889105820772060.post-19495796329250790592009-05-19T11:59:00.000+03:002009-05-19T11:59:00.000+03:00hence why i never added them on twitter and FB.
O...hence why i never added them on twitter and FB.<br /><br />On the other hand, I did add InterconDFC and the the other sister hotel. they have a pretty decent campaign and loads of competitions thru twitter. which is better.Emhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01267643422775549142noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655889105820772060.post-45266554410290337292009-05-19T11:37:00.000+03:002009-05-19T11:37:00.000+03:00Kinan, would you by any chance work for a well kno...Kinan, would you by any chance work for a well known telco?<br /><br />Just wondering...Alexanderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14141884153180374138noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655889105820772060.post-52121015713779436062009-05-19T11:11:00.000+03:002009-05-19T11:11:00.000+03:00I believe that du is trying to break away from eti...I believe that du is trying to break away from etisalat's "I am the monarch" approach, but being with the people as you said.<br /><br />Still, their biggest selling point is that they charge by the second, and since everyone agrees that's a good thing, they should focus on what really matters next - coverage!KJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00594501161073415313noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655889105820772060.post-55524891337566172002009-05-19T09:32:00.000+03:002009-05-19T09:32:00.000+03:00I just posted the question, "Is Du better than Eti...I just posted the question, "Is Du better than Etisalat?" Chances of that making the list?Maustynnoreply@blogger.com