Jumeirah launches new video featuring US Open golf champion Rory McIlroy

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 11:44:56 GMT

Jumeirah, the Dubai-based luxury hotel company, has launched a new video that features professional golfer - and Jumeirah's global brand ambassador - Rory McIlroy at its Burj Al Arab hotel. The video also showcases the luxury Jumeirah skyscraper hotel in Dubai, which is a celebrated tourist destination for golfing enthusiasts.

The latest Burj Al Arab video shows the Northern Irish winner of the US Open, Rory McIlroy, enjoying some practise swings on the helipad of the iconic Dubai structure against a scenic backdrop of coastline and the Madinat Jumeirah resort.

The video not only presents Rory McIlroy's exceptional golf skills - the pro scores an effortless hole-in-one - but also showcases the iconic Burj Al Arab hotel and its unique coastal setting. From a bird's eye view, the video offers glimpses of the long stretch of white-sanded beach and crystal clear waters that sit on the doorstep of the Burj Al Arab.

The Burj Al Arab is frequently hailed as the most luxurious hotel in the world, and its distinctive exterior is one of the most photographed structures today. The impressive billowing sail-shaped Hotel in Dubai stands at 321 metres tall and dominates the city's skyline.

Guests to the hotel can check in to any of the 202 luxury hotel suites and indulge in unparalleled opulence. Each of the rooms is sumptuously decorated, with exquisite furnishings and inviting Jacuzzi baths.

Encapsulating all the grandeur of the Arabian Gulf, Burj Al Arab is known for its world-class customer service. From the moment guests arrive, round the clock butlers attend to their every need. From Rolls Royce chauffeuring and helicopter tours to indulgent spa treatments and state-of-the-art fitness facilities, Burj Al Arab offers visitors an experience of luxury unlike any other. In the evening, guests can relax and entertain in one of the many sophisticated bars and restaurants within the hotel.

About Jumeirah:
Jumeirah Group, the Dubai-based luxury hospitality company and a member of Dubai Holding, operates a world-class portfolio of hotels and resorts, including Hotels in London and a Hotel in New York.

Jumeirah's portfolio also includes: Burj Al Arab, Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Jumeirah Emirates Towers, Madinat Jumeirah, and Jumeirah Zabeel Saray; Jumeirah at Etihad Towers in Abu Dhabi; Jumeirah Carlton Tower and Jumeirah Lowndes Hotels in London; Jumeirah Essex House Hotel in New York; Jumeirah Himalayas Hotel in Shanghai; and Jumeirah Dhevanafushi and Jumeirah Vittaveli in the Maldives.

Jumeirah Group also runs the luxury serviced residences brand Jumeirah Living; the spa brand Talise; Jumeirah Restaurants; Wild Wadi Waterpark; The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management; and Sirius, its global loyalty programme.

PR contact:
Jumeirah Group Corporate Communications
Director of Corporate Communications
PO Box 73137
Dubai
United Arab Emirates
+971-4-373-0164
www.jumeirah.com

Valued Opinions highlights use of social media in online market research

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 11:56:11 GMT

Valued Opinions has uncovered the opportunities for online market research via the use social media.

The online market research industry has been exponentially growing over the past 10 years and companies recognise the need to gain opinions quicker in order to hold market position in an ever competitive environment. Online market research offers a faster, cheaper option to traditional forms of market research through paid online survey platforms such as Valued Opinions. As global internet penetration increases, an abundance of untapped opinions are available for the taking.

But the online market research industry is also evolving with the advent of the social media landscape. Social media networks are widespread throughout the web and offer those willing to listen with an abundance of extremely useful information. Coupled with paid survey sites such as Valued Opinions, social networks are helping Sir Tim Barnes Lee, inventor and Director of the World Wide Web Consortium, realise his dream. That is "to develop a pool of human knowledge, and human culture which would help collaborators in remote sites to share their ideas."

Through an online opinion poll conducted by online market research panel Valued Opinions, only 22% of all respondents in 5 countries have never given an opinion on products and services through social media web sites. Surprisingly, of those who answered "yes" to providing a review of the product or services they consume, very few (5%) are inclined to write a review based on a negative experience with their purchase.

Interestingly, when looking at the behaviours between a developed and developing country, there was also little difference in opinions between UK and Brazil, with 28% and 23% respectively answering yes to providing a review on social media sites, irrespective of satisfaction. With a wealth of information at their fingertips, consumers around the globe are evolving into advanced shoppers, giving reviews and sourcing information from like-minded netizens.

Word of mouth is increasingly becoming the main vehicle from which to base and influence purchasing decisions. As people continue to provide opinions on the products and services, the “pool of human knowledge” will continue to expand, providing companies with an additional avenue from which to conduct their research.

Advanced social listening tools are being used to filter, decipher, and analyse the amount of buzz being fed through the social universe. With online opinion polls, paid online surveys and online focus groups accounting for most of the market research turnover in 2009, the industry is set for continued growth in 2010. The only thing left to do is listen.

About Valued Opinions:
Valued Opinions is an online market research platform where members have the opportunity to earn rewards by participating in online surveys. Through various partnerships with popular retailers such as Amazon.com, Tesco and HMV, Valued Opinions provides its members with attractive rewards in exchange for completing online paid surveys.

The survey topics are tailored to their member’s preferences and can include anything from green issues to healthy living, fast food to slow trains, politicians to favourite film.

Made up of more than 2 million members globally, the Valued Opinions community provides market research companies with access to untapped opinions from a large database of consumers.

Hays advises professionals not to network their way out of a job

Tue, 16 Nov 2010 10:28:47 GMT

Hays, the leading global professional recruitment group, has revealed that while almost half of UK professionals use social networking sites regularly in a professional capacity, many are unconcerned about the potential implications their online presence may have for their careers. A new survey of 480 professionals conducted by Hays in September 2010 showed that 60% of those questioned are aware that employers use social media sites to research potential recruits but that 48% do not believe that their online profiles could have a negative impact on their careers.

Charles Logan, Director at Hays, said: "Failing to manage your online footprint is dangerous. The added competition for jobs means that candidates need to pull out all the stops to secure a new position. This requires showing a certain level of professionalism in any presence you may have both offline and online due to the increasing use of technology. In times like these jobseekers should be doing everything they can to ensure they are at an advantage, making sure nothing hinders their chance of securing a role."

Whilst managing what is said online is a must, candidates should not be put off using networking sites. The research suggests this is far from the case, with 37% of respondents saying they have increased their use over the last year. Professionals are also being strategic in their approach to online networking and many are taking advantage of sites linked to career-related groups and forums. These activities are particularly prevalent amongst candidates looking for jobs in marketing and other related professions.

Charles Logan added: "Our new survey suggests there is a real opportunity for UK professionals to use networking sites to help them get ahead in their career. However, it is important individuals chose where and who they network with wisely and understand what information is available about them online and who can view this – only then can they manage it effectively".

ENDS

About Hays:
Hays plc (the "Group") is the leading global professional recruiting group. The Group is the expert at recruiting qualified, professional and skilled people worldwide, being the market leader in the UK and Australia and one of the market leaders in Continental Europe. The Group operates across the private and public sectors, dealing in permanent positions, contract roles and temporary assignments including banking jobs, engineering jobs, property management jobs and admin jobs.

As at 30 June 2010, the Group employed 6,845 staff operating from 270 offices in 28 countries across 17 specialisms.

For the year ended 30 June 2010:
- the Group reported net fees of £557.7 million and operating profit of £80.5 million;
- the Group placed around 50,000 candidates into permanent jobs and around 180,000 people into temporary assignments;
- 26% of Group net fees were generated in Asia Pacific, 30% in Continental Europe & RoW and 44% in the United Kingdom & Ireland
- the temporary placement business represented 58% of net fees and the permanent placement business represented 42% of net fees;
- Hays operates in the following countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UAE and the United Kingdom.

The National Trust scoops award for best use of social media

Mon, 11 Oct 2010 10:24:09 GMT

The National Trust has announced its success at the 2010 Recruitment Business Awards, winning the award for best use of social media.

The National Trust's recruitment team had started searching for a new addition to their digital media team but their approach was not achieving the desired results. The team, along with their advertising partner ThirtyThree, hit on the idea of using a microsite dedicated to this vacancy.

The National Trust used this platform to share all the information that is usually seen in a traditional job advert. However, this was just one element as there were lots of added extras including information on the National Trust's commitment to digital investment, online access to its digital testing labs and a short film portraying the uniqueness of the National Trust's state-of-the-art office. The site, www.hungryfordigitalchange.co.uk, was then pushed out to the digital community.

Jenny Rettie, National Trust Recruitment Manager, said: "We're so proud of this innovative recruitment campaign and think it shows that the National Trust is changing and we're starting to shift perceptions of what it's really like to work here.

"It's all part of our move to engage with people in a variety of new and exciting ways. Latest research shows that 76 per cent of leaders hadn't ever thought of us as an employer, so getting our name out there as an employer by winning awards and competing with other large employer brands is great."

The annual Recruitment Business Awards ceremony, in association with The Daily Telegraph, took place at the Ramada Manchester Piccadilly at the end of September and was attended by recruitment consultancies and creative agencies that were nominated for an award as well as suppliers to the industry.

About the National Trust:
The National Trust is a charity with a love for preserving historic places and spaces across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. From former workers' cottages to the most iconic stately homes, and from mines and mills to theatres and inns, the stories of people and their heritage are at the heart of everything it does. The National Trust also offers days out in England, cycle rides UK, days out in Wales and volunteer holidays.

People of all ages, individuals, schools and communities, get involved each year with projects, events and working holidays and over 61,000 volunteers help to bring National Trust places alive for our 3.8 million members. Interested parties can find out more at www.nationaltrust.org.uk.

The National Trust is a registered charity no. 205846. Our registered office is Heelis, Kemble Drive, Swindon, Wiltshire SN2 2NA.

Women of the Year Awards goes digital with Revovler PR

Thu, 07 Oct 2010 15:55:13 GMT

Revolver, Scotland’s leading digitally-enabled PR agency, has congratulated the finalists of the 28th annual Vitalise Women of the Year Luncheon and Awards at Birmingham’s Hilton Metropole Hotel on 15th October 2010, who have been announced today.

Selected to develop a multi-faceted strategy designed to maximise the impact of the awards, Revolver placed fresh emphasis on communications via digital platforms and the introduction of a social media campaign. LinkedIn and Twitter were employed to engage with a wider online network of successful women in business and to encourage the development of business relationships on and offline in advance of the official awards ceremony.

These methods were also used to release information regarding the array of sponsors including, British Airways, Jaguar, Harvey Nichols, Barclays Wealth, Hilton Metropole Birmingham, SCC and The Challenge Factor.

“Probably the best kept secret outside of London, the Women of the Year Awards are one of the major landmarks on the Midlands’ calendar and this campaign was focused on spreading the word about a truly outstanding event. Working closely with the sponsors, a series of Digital PR techniques were applied to attract talented female business leaders and source nominations from the friends, colleagues and families of inspiring women, and we’re delighted with the response,” said Revolver Managing Director Iain S Bruce.

The Award recognises the contribution women make to our economy and celebrates female talent, ability and achievement. It aims to create role models for the future and inspires other women to achieve success in their respective fields. Previous winners of this prestigious award include Hilary Devey, Asha Khemka and Karren Brady, currently assisting Lord Sugar in his search for a new Apprentice.

Bruce added: “The Revolver team wish the finalists the very best of luck and every success for the future. There are some truly inspiring stories to be told about this year’s finalists and it has been a privilege to play a small part as the event’s PR agency.”

Sporting revolution starts at Sportpost.com

Wed, 24 Mar 2010 10:17:08 GMT

Sportpost.com launches Europe's first sports social media site.

Set to revolutionise the consumption of sports content globally, the pioneering new site encourages fans to 'share your sport with the world'. It combines videos, blogs, news and debates from the world of sport into one central location.

Uniquely, Sportpost.com also gives voice to the superstars of world sport, with exclusive deals to publish personal sports blogs from athletes including England rugby international James Haskell, Cheltenham challenger renowned jockey A.P. McCoy and England football star, West Ham striker Carlton Cole. Additionally, brands including Nike Football, Red Bull, Monster Energy, UFC, Laureus Sports and World Sport TV have already rushed to take advantage of its premium High Definition channels.

"Sportpost.com aims to be the world's premier sports social media site," said the Managing Director of Sportpost.com, Peter Janes. "The site is a fun, interactive alternative to traditional sports media and news sites. To date, fans have been on the sidelines looking in. They have never really had a voice or the ability to create and share sports content before. Being completely independent, we can work with all athletes, brand owners and media partners to give our users total access and choice. We are confident Sportpost.com will change sports consumption habits significantly."

The brainchild of three co-founders, Loughborough University alumni and sporting fanatics, Peter Janes (Managing Director), Paul Stewart (Sales Director) and Charlie Cooper (Technical and Design Director), Sportpost.com is expected to dramatically impact the way sports fans consume and share content in future.

David Brooks, Head of Digital Media, Red Bull said: "Red Bull is always looking for new and innovative ways for us to get our brand message and media in front of sports fans. Sportpost.com is such an exciting platform for us to hit our ideal target demographic and draw eyeballs to Red Bull's products and events."

Sportpost.com has been in development for more than 15 months and has now gone fully live for the first time. The original test site attracted over 800,000 unique users from over 200 countries, with the UK, USA, India, Brazil, Germany, Canada, China, the UAE and Russia featuring highest. Sportpost.com bridges the gap, giving brands and sports stars a smarter, more cost effective and targeted alternative to reaching passionate fans than the creation of their own websites or micro-sites. Testing demonstrated the site demographics to be male (over 90%) in the 18 - 40 age bracket (over 70%). The vast majority are ABC1 (over 70%), university educated (over 50%) and almost all have high disposable incomes.

Sportpost.com will be monetised via site advertising, joint promotions with channel partners and innovative partnerships with premium service providers such as the Ladbrokes-powered betting portal and Brightcove video platform. Within six months the site will be streaming live premium sports events from selected partners.

- ends -

About Sportpost.com:
Sportpost.com is a pioneering, independent sports social media site combining the best sports videos, blogs, sports news and sports forums into one central location. Set to revolutionise the consumption of content amongst sport fans globally, the site allows users to create, promote and share the best sports content under the mantra 'share your sport with the world'.

Bigmouthmedia and Econsultancy reveal companies plan increased social media spend in 2010

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 15:59:28 GMT

The Social Media and Online PR Report, published by Econsultancy in association with bigmouthmedia, has revealed that most companies are planning to invest more in social media next year but are struggling to find the time and resources to manage their activity.

The report is based on a survey of over 1,100 companies and agencies, and is the most comprehensive study of its kind around how companies are using online PR and social media for marketing and customer service.

The results showed that 86% of companies plan to spend more money on social media in 2010, and a further 13% are planning to keep the same level of budget. 54% cited their biggest barrier to better social media engagement was a lack of resources, with 90% of businesses stating that social media is taking up more time internally than a year ago.

"The growth of social media and online PR has been meteoric, but until now there have been very few hard facts available on precisely how UK business is using the new channel and what they're getting in return for their investment," said Phil Gripton, Managing Director of bigmouthmedia UK.

"These statistics - the most detailed yet available - show that while an increasing number of companies are embracing social media, many are struggling to effectively manage their engagement and are consequently failing to make the most of a potentially enormous opportunity."

The research found that many companies are experimenting with social media without yet reaping any measurable benefits. Only a quarter of companies said that they have gained "real, tangible value" from social media whereas 60% said they had gained "some benefit but nothing concrete". However, 52% of respondents who are heavily involved said they have gained real value, compared to only 13% of companies who "experimented but not done much".

Michelle Goodall, Econsultancy's social media and online PR consultant at Econsultancy, said: "Before they think about their strategy and the best tactics, companies need to go back to basics and think in detail about how online PR and social media can help them deliver against their business objectives.

"The reality is that most businesses understand how to listen, what to measure and where to engage but are struggling to define the value of engagement and reputation in social spaces."

There view of the benefits of Twitter is mixxed, with 31% of respondents saying there are "tremendous opportunities" available, but half reported their companies are "open-minded but not fully convinced about the value to the business".

The majority of organisations (62%) are using the micro-blogging site for publicising new content, with 54% using the channel for marketing or brand monitoring (47%). Only 27% of companies are using Twitter as a customer service tool for reacting to issues and inquiries, while 25% use Twitter as a customer feedback tool. 7% felt that Twitter is over-hyped and a fad.

About Econsultancy
Econsultancy is the leading source of independent advice and insight on digital marketing and e-commerce. Econsultancy reports, events, online resources and training programmes help a community of over 80,000 registered marketers make better decisions, build business cases, find the best suppliers, look smart in meetings and accelerate their careers.

About bigmouthmedia
Founded in 1997, bigmouthmedia is Europe's largest and most experienced independent digital marketing agency, rated the UK's #1 Search agency for SEO and PPC in the 2009 NMA Marketing Services Guide. Over the last 10 years bigmouthmedia has successfully built an innovative portfolio of integrated and standalone digital marketing products leveraged to

Bigmouthmedia and Econsultancy unveil UKs first Social Media & Online PR survey

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:57:24 GMT

Edinburgh, UK, November 10, 2009, Bigmouthmedia and Econsultancy will reveal the results of the UK's first extensive survey into the use of Social Media and Online PR at a specially convened industry summit later this month.

The results of the research, which will provide the most detailed data yet available on the extent to which UK companies have embraced social media, the methods of engagement currently employed and the value being derived from such activities, will be unveiled to an audience of invited delegates in London on November 25th. Organised by bigmouthmedia, the event will also see presentations from Facebook, Microsoft and Futurenet on the phenomenon's far-reaching impact upon the business world.

"The social media revolution has evolved from emerging trend to mainstream communications channel in a remarkably short space of time. Yet despite the increasing prominence of platforms like Twitter, until now there has been no solid data available on how companies are using it and the benefits they are deriving from the practice," said Leanne Rinning, Online PR Manager at bigmouthmedia.

"We are delighted to have partnered with Econsultancy on this research. The preliminary results are already in, and while some of the results may surprise the audience, I'm confident that our survey will cut through the hype and provide real insight into how to get the best out of this rapidly shifting channel."

Rinning, who will give a presentation on planning, executing and measuring online campaigns, will be joined on the day by Facebook's Josh Smith, who will speak on the impact of advertising on social networking platforms. Kate Box of Microsoft is scheduled to provide her take on how traditional digital and social media can work together, while Futurenet's Jessica Healy will also give an account of the publishing world's struggle to come to terms with the phenomenon.

"Social media is simply about listening and interacting with your customers, using channels that many staff will already be familiar with, such as Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Digg. It is in many ways about common sense, yet there is a lot of uncertainty in the business world about how to engage it," said Econsultancy Research Director Linus Gregoriadis.

"By engaging with customers you increase satisfaction, which is a proven way of generating repeat business and referrals. There are very few companies that wouldn't want to do that, and we believe that after attending this event, guests are going to leave with a much clearer view on how to go about it."

The event, which will take place at 76 Portland Place, London, will include lunch and networking drinks.

Notes to editors:
There are a few places available, but attendance will be strictly limited. Registration of interest can be done by contacting socialsummit@bigmouthmedia.com.

About bigmouthmedia
Founded in 1997, bigmouthmedia is Europe's largest independent digital marketing agency. With a team of over 200 staff located across 13 offices in 10 countries on 3 continents, the company maximises exposure for major brands online through a variety of fully integrated digital marketing channels: Search Engine Optimisation, PPC, Online Media Planning, affiliate marketing, Social Networking, Brand Monitoring, Online PR and Web Analytics. Bigmouthmedia also provides up to date daily digital marketing news to ensure clients are fully informed and aware of all industry developments.

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