Saturday, July 01, 2006

Association - Marketing, Direct Marketing, whatever

One of my biggest worries these past 2 years, and what was majorly touched upon by Ian Dewar, Andy Owen and others, is the very conspicuous absence of a Marketing and/ or Direct Marketing Association here in Dubai. I'm not even going to bother talking about the region because that's waters that shouldn't be disturbed right now. Certain advertising mafiosi may get rubbed the wrong way and we could end up with quite a debacle of an association. A good (or bad) example is the real estate industry here. How many associations, bodies and groups are there anyway!

Dubai desperately needs a Marketing Association run by marketing people who will cater to the marketing industry for the betterment of marketing in Dubai.

There! I've said it. Let no one read anything between the lines and be very sure about the fact that nowhere have I mentioned advertising. That's another blog point which will see the light of pixel at another time and date.

After my first stint in a marketing department in Dubai, I applied for jobs in places for the position of a marketing executive. Needless to say, all I ever got in replies were positions in sales. In more than 10 occasions the people interviewing me were clueless as to the difference between the two industries and what irked me most was that in some cases they were CEOs.

With all the hoohah being thrown about by the Government of Dubai on wanted to hire people who hold the right qualifications or experience, I don't see anything being done about this. Last year there was a man who asked me for an appointment to present me the printing solutions his company has to offer. When I met him, his business card said Head of Marketing. When the meeting was over, he confirmed my suspicion that he was hired as a sales executive with the title given by the Chairman to help him secure meetings!

Sheikh Mohammed, Association! Please!

3 Comments:

Blogger Ian said...

Well done Anthony...keep your blog up and keep pressing for an Emirates DMA.

2:20 pm

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi Anthony

Good blog...keep it going and don't forget, I'm normally in town every 4 weeks. I'll help with the Gulf DMA whenever I can...

11:05 am

 
Blogger Anthony Permal said...

Thanks Andy, Ian.

DMA in Dubai...lets see!

5:59 pm

 

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