Product placement is becoming increasingly common on television stations in the Arab world. But should viewers be told when a can of soda pictured in their favourite soap opera is, in fact, an advertisement?
The UK has some of the strictest rules on product placement in the media but it has lifted a ban on the practice, allowing advertisers to pay for their goods to be seen on British TV.
But broadcasters must inform viewers when a programme contains product placement, by displaying the letter "p" in the corner of the screen at the start and end of a show.
We asked three regional media executives: Do we need similar regulation in the Middle East?
Lance de Masi, the president of the UAE chapter of the International Advertising Association: "My view is that the "p" isn't necessary neither in the UK nor anywhere else. Products would not be accepted for placement unless there were a conceptual marriage between the product [and] its positioning … As the integration should be so strong, I believe that it is folly to talk about 'alerting' consumers to the presence of products. About what else would one suggest that they be alerted?"
Mazen Hayek, the group director of PR and commercial at the MBC Group: "We would love to start walking before running in that area. It's still too early to talk about [product placement being] misleading. But we will look at it, especially if it is adopted by large multinational advertisers, regulatory bodies, and if it is also adopted by other broadcasters globally."
David Butorac, the chief executive of the Orbit Showtime Network: "I'm certainly not adverse to brand-funded content and product placement, but it needs to be done subtly and responsibly. It's recognised as a legitimate part of advertising. The UK rules were among the strictest in the world, and here there isn't that regulatory insistence. So it is not something that I'd anticipate being a requirement in this region."
bflanagan@thenational.ae
Fire and Fury
By Michael Wolff,
Henry Holt
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IF YOU GO
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How to tell if your child is being bullied at school
Sudden change in behaviour or displays higher levels of stress or anxiety
Shows signs of depression or isolation
Ability to sleep well diminishes
Academic performance begins to deteriorate
Changes in eating habits
Struggles to concentrate
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Begins to use language they do not normally use
Emergency phone numbers in the UAE
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE squad
Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind
Fixtures
Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE
Credits
Produced by: Colour Yellow Productions and Eros Now
Director: Mudassar Aziz
Cast: Sonakshi Sinha, Jimmy Sheirgill, Jassi Gill, Piyush Mishra, Diana Penty, Aparshakti Khurrana
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
SPECS
Engine: Two-litre four-cylinder turbo
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Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
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Kanguva
Director: Siva
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COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
The Florida Project
Director: Sean Baker
Starring: Bria Vinaite, Brooklynn Prince, Willem Dafoe
Four stars
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
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Three ways to limit your social media use
Clinical psychologist, Dr Saliha Afridi at The Lighthouse Arabia suggests three easy things you can do every day to cut back on the time you spend online.
1. Put the social media app in a folder on the second or third screen of your phone so it has to remain a conscious decision to open, rather than something your fingers gravitate towards without consideration.
2. Schedule a time to use social media instead of consistently throughout the day. I recommend setting aside certain times of the day or week when you upload pictures or share information.
3. Take a mental snapshot rather than a photo on your phone. Instead of sharing it with your social world, try to absorb the moment, connect with your feeling, experience the moment with all five of your senses. You will have a memory of that moment more vividly and for far longer than if you take a picture of it.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed
If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
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Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now