At first, the dance-act Faithless's new video seems pretty straightforward. To the sound of a thumping beat, a car drives through night-time streets. Dido breathily sings about Feelin' Good.
But look again, and you'll notice that the car appears a little too frequently - not for artistic, visual reasons, but because this video is the most shameless example of product placement for some time. It was paid for in full by Fiat, which is promoting its new Punto Evo model. The video won't be shown on the usual music channels, but in its entirety in a prime-time advert break during UK Big Brother.
A win-win situation? Faithless - currently without a record deal - get a big-budget video for free, broadcast to millions rather than to the niche market of a dance-music channel. Fiat - which admitted in The Independent it was "quite surprised" the band allowed the car to be used so heavily in the video - allies itself to a cool dance sound.
But do the public also gain from this? Art and commerce, it's generally understood, should steer well clear of one another. The moment an artist has to change her work because of the motivations of the people paying for it is the moment that artist sells out. So it's no surprise that Faithless's Sister Bliss has made pains to justify the band's actions.
"They want to sell cars, and we want to sell music," she says. "It doesn't mean our music has any branding on it; it's not crude like that." True, Dido isn't singing "Feelin' Good... in my Fiat."
These sorts of link-ups are becoming more and more prevalent, though. It's not difficult to see why: artists are finding that the traditional ways of funding - from benevolent record labels or CD sales - are dying out. Meanwhile, corporations grapple for visibility in an increasingly disparate, brand-heavy world.
It means, though, that some of the alliances are genuinely odd. Starbucks was, for a while, producing records by Paul McCartney and Elvis Costello right alongside pouring lattes. And perhaps you might expect an automotive company to sponsor a musician's European tour - there's a lot of travelling to do, after all. But would Shakira really drive from venue to venue in the Seat Ibiza hatchback that she endorsed? And did that really inspire Shakira's fans to buy a Seat?
None of these deals is as odd as the notion of Tesco making films, but in a few months' time, an adaptation of Jackie Collins's novel LA Connections will hit not cinemas, but Tesco stores. It will appear there, exclusively, as a straight-to-DVD release, fully funded by the world's third largest retailer.
One wonders what Tesco will really get out of Paris Connections (Collins' novel has been transposed to Paris Fashion Week). Apparently, there is no mention of the supermarket or strategic placement of its products anywhere in the film. The only requirement from Tesco bosses is that it's not, ahem, too steamy. Still, any trailer that ended with "Paris Connections, in supermarkets, now!" would be quite depressing.
Of course, cinema is often put to good use for product placement - the James Bond franchise is a serial offender, and actually makes something of a laughing stock of the companies involved. At least Tesco is simply providing the money and keeping its nose out of everything else.
Not so Eurostar. The high-speed passenger rail service stumped up the cash for Shane Meadows' black-and-white movie Somers Town (2008), a beautiful film about two teenage boys in London who dream of a day trip to Paris. So how would they get to the French capital? You've guessed it - via a particular international train company.
Somehow, Meadows managed to make an engaging, thoughtful movie rather than an advertorial for cross-channel rail services, although the moment the film shifts into colour (just as the boys get on the train) things get slightly ham-fisted. Meadows argued that he "never once thought about Eurostar" while making the film. But the reason it's difficult to believe him is that a crucial part of the plot centres on the very company that paid for it. The boys didn't decide to go on the ferry, after all.
Of course, like Faithless's experiences with the penny-pinching music industry, film finance is incredibly hard to come by. So if a company with spare money slopping around wants to back art with cash, then the chance should be grabbed at, shouldn't it?
Meadows was so well-regarded as a director after This Is England, he just about got away with Somers Town. The public let him off. But generally, the idea of art as an independent entity that somehow represents the feelings of our society - rather than our commercial system - is lost when artists take the corporate shilling. And sometimes, you wonder why they do. Fay Weldon was already a successful author and screenwriter before it was revealed she received £18,000 from Bulgari to mention the jeweller at least 12 times in her new book. Perhaps she was returning to her roots in advertising when she called it, er, The Bulgari Connection.
The troubled British pop band Keane were making tentative steps back into the public consciousness earlier this year with new single Stop for a Minute. It was actually a rather good song - but all anyone talked about was the appalling product placement for a well-known brand of lager in the video.
All of which makes one of the most famous hip-hop songs of all time - Run-DMC's My Adidas - seem rather quaint.
"My Adidas and me close as can be, we make a mean team my Adidas and me" might sound like the most flagrant musical advertorial in history, but it actually isn't. Joseph "DJ Run" Simmons and Darryl "DMC" McDaniels genuinely liked Adidas's clothes and sneakers, and decided to write a song about them.
Therein lies the crucial difference between Run-DMC and Faithless. Did Sister Bliss and Maxi Jazz approach Fiat because they really liked their hot hatchbacks? Of course not. The video features a car because Fiat paid them to make it.
So whether we like it or not, the culture we consume has an increasing, and insidious, commercial message. If, in five years' time, the music video as an interesting art form has been subsumed by barely disguised adverts for cars, soft drinks and mobile phones, Faithless will be hailed as trailblazers. But is that a legacy they will really be proud of?
Infobox
Western Region Asia Cup Qualifier, Al Amerat, Oman
The two finalists advance to the next stage of qualifying, in Malaysia in August
Results
UAE beat Iran by 10 wickets
Kuwait beat Saudi Arabia by eight wickets
Oman beat Bahrain by nine wickets
Qatar beat Maldives by 106 runs
Monday fixtures
UAE v Kuwait, Iran v Saudi Arabia, Oman v Qatar, Maldives v Bahrain
Rafael Nadal's record at the MWTC
2009 Finalist
2010 Champion
Jan 2011 Champion
Dec 2011 Semi-finalist
Dec 2012 Did not play
Dec 2013 Semi-finalist
2015 Semi-finalist
Jan 2016 Champion
Dec 2016 Champion
2017 Did not play
Banned items
Dubai Police has also issued a list of banned items at the ground on Sunday. These include:
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Political flags or banners
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Bikes, skateboards or scooters
LEAGUE CUP QUARTER-FINAL DRAW
Stoke City v Tottenham
Brentford v Newcastle United
Arsenal v Manchester City
Everton v Manchester United
All ties are to be played the week commencing December 21.
THE DETAILS
Solo: A Star Wars Story
Dir: Ron Howard
Starring: Alden Ehrenreich, Emilia Clarke, Woody Harrelson
3/5
More from Neighbourhood Watch
RACE CARD
6.30pm: Madjani Stakes Group 2 (PA) Dh97,500 (Dirt) 1,900m
7.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 1,400m
7.40pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 1,600m
8.15pm: Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 2,200m
8.50pm: Dubai Creek Mile Listed (TB) Dh132,500 (D) 1,600m
9.25pm: Conditions (TB) Dh120,000 (D) 1,900m
10pm: Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (D) 1,400m
FIXTURES
Monday, January 28
Iran v Japan, Hazza bin Zayed Stadium (6pm)
Tuesday, January 29
UAEv Qatar, Mohamed Bin Zayed Stadium (6pm)
Friday, February 1
Final, Zayed Sports City Stadium (6pm)
The Prison Letters of Nelson Mandela
Edited by Sahm Venter
Published by Liveright
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Result
Qualifier: Islamabad United beat Karachi Kings by eight wickets
Fixtures
Tuesday, Lahore: Eliminator 1 - Peshawar Zalmi v Quetta Gladiators
Wednesday, Lahore: Eliminator 2 – Karachi Kings v Winner of Eliminator 1
Sunday, Karachi: Final – Islamabad United v Winner of Eliminator 2
Indoor cricket World Cup:
Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23
UAE fixtures:
Men
Saturday, September 16 – 1.45pm, v New Zealand
Sunday, September 17 – 10.30am, v Australia; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Monday, September 18 – 2pm, v England; 7.15pm, v India
Tuesday, September 19 – 12.15pm, v Singapore; 5.30pm, v Sri Lanka
Thursday, September 21 – 2pm v Malaysia
Friday, September 22 – 3.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 3pm, grand final
Women
Saturday, September 16 – 5.15pm, v Australia
Sunday, September 17 – 2pm, v South Africa; 7.15pm, v New Zealand
Monday, September 18 – 5.30pm, v England
Tuesday, September 19 – 10.30am, v New Zealand; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Thursday, September 21 – 12.15pm, v Australia
Friday, September 22 – 1.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 1pm, grand final
MATCH INFO
Mumbai Indians 186-6 (20 ovs)
Kings XI Punjab 183-5 (20 ovs)
Mumbai Indians won by three runs
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sep 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
RESULTS: 2018 WORLD CUP QUALIFYING - EUROPE
Albania 0 Italy 1
Finland 2 Turkey 2
Macedonia 4 Liechtenstein
Iceland 2 Kosovo 0
Israel 0 Spain 1
Moldova 0 Austria 1
Serbia 1 Georgia 0
Ukraine 0 Croatia 2
Wales 0 Ireland 1
MATCH INFO
South Africa 66 (Tries: De Allende, Nkosi, Reinach (3), Gelant, Steyn, Brits, Willemse; Cons: Jantjies 8)
Canada 7 (Tries: Heaton; Cons: Nelson)
Christopher Robin
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Haley Atwell, Jim Cummings, Peter Capaldi
Three stars
Company%20Profile
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RESULTS
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,200m
Winner: Shafaf, Sam Hitchcott (jockey), Ahmed Al Mehairbi (trainer)
5,30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,200m
Winner: Noof KB, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: The President’s Cup Listed (TB) Dh380,000 1,400m
Winner: Taamol, Jim Crowley, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
6.30pm: The President’s Cup Group One (PA) Dh2,500,000 2,200m
Winner: Rmmas, Tadhg O’Shea, Jean de Roualle
7pm: Arabian Triple Crown Listed (PA) Dh230,000 1,600m
Winner: Ihtesham, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
7.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m
Winner: AF Mekhbat, Antonio Fresu, Ernst Oertel
Day 1, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Dimuth Karunaratne had batted with plenty of pluck, and no little skill, in getting to within seven runs of a first-day century. Then, while he ran what he thought was a comfortable single to mid-on, his batting partner Dinesh Chandimal opted to stay at home. The opener was run out by the length of the pitch.
Stat of the day - 1 One six was hit on Day 1. The boundary was only breached 18 times in total over the course of the 90 overs. When it did arrive, the lone six was a thing of beauty, as Niroshan Dickwella effortlessly clipped Mohammed Amir over the square-leg boundary.
The verdict Three wickets down at lunch, on a featherbed wicket having won the toss, and Sri Lanka’s fragile confidence must have been waning. Then Karunaratne and Chandimal's alliance of precisely 100 gave them a foothold in the match. Dickwella’s free-spirited strokeplay meant the Sri Lankans were handily placed at 227 for four at the close.
