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When Netflix reality show Dubai Bling debuted in 2022, it became a global sensation, garnering viewers across 51 countries. And it’s kept up the momentum: The show’s recently released third season racked up 18.6 million hours of viewing time in its first week alone. Dubai Bling, filmed in English and Arabic, is subtitled in 31 languages and dubbed in 5. The show has been part of a surge in Arabic content on Netflix attracting global viewership. Last springs Honeymoonish, an Arab-language rom-com from Kuwait, trended in the top 10 film list of 73 countries, amassing more than 22 million views. Danya Diva Dee Mohammed in Dubai Bling, Season 1 [Photo: Hyku Desesto/Netflix] Love Is Blind Habibi, the Arab adaptation of the hit reality show Love Is Blind, premiered on Netflix in October 2024 and ranked among the top 10 global non-English shows in 26 countries. Netflix’s commitment to showcasing stories from the Arab region has been a game changer for Arab filmmakers, according to Dubai Bling creator Mazen Laham. Though he had worked on multiple Arabic-language shows previously, they were local projects with nowhere near the scope of Netflixs viewership. As the streaming platform has invested in stories told in Arabic, it has given Arab-led projects global reach by dubbing them in multiple languages. [Before Netflix] we didn’t have the chance to show the world what content we can produce, Laham says. We were always producing for local platforms and channels. Nobody had the opportunity to see what we do. Netflixs targeted move Investing in original content from the Arab region is a strategic move for Netflix: The worlds fastest-growing population is in the Middle East and Africa. Arab-speaking countries have a combined population of more than 473 million people, and more than 55% of the people in the Middle East and North Africa are younger than 30. A young and growing population poses a lucrative viewership opportunity for Netflix. Nour El Haj in Love is Blind: Habibi [Photo: Netflix] Netflix has also launched several initiatives aimed at encouraging young creative talent from the Arab world, focusing especially on nurturing female filmmakers through financial grants and upskilling opportunities. Because She Created provides a platform for female creatives in the Arab world who are pioneering new paths in the film industry. As part of the Netflix Fund for Creative Equity, the initiative also offers a onetime grant of $250,000 to support female filmmakers in their creative endeavors. In July 2024, Netflix also launched the Saudi Female Future Filmmakers Program, an advanced mentoring initiative designed to identify the next generation of female talent in the Saudi film industry. Through these projects [Netflix is] automatically nurturing the industry. The more projects that we deliver to the industry, the better the industry will become, says Wael Abumansour, a Saudi producer with Telfaz11, the studio behind Netflix films such as AlKhallat+, The Matchmaker, and Naga. He adds that the demand for content from the Arab region is accelerating really fast, which makes it an exciting time to be an Arab filmmaker. Taking Arab content global Abumansour says the creative freedom that Netflix extends to showrunners and filmmakers allows them to explore diverse narratives and cultural themes. In 2024, the platform aired a diverse slate of shows and films from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Kuwait, and Jordan from both emerging and seasoned creatives from the region. Raneem Haitham (in pink) plays Farah in the second season of the Jordanian series AlRawabi School for Girls. [Photo: Courtesy of Netflix 2024] One of those emerging talents is Tima Shomali, the Jordanian writer-director of the teen drama AlRawabi School for Girls, one of Netflixs most successful series, garnering solid viewership in 43 countries. Shomali believes that Arab content has increasing appeal on streaming platforms because of its well-crafted scripts and characters who resonate with audiences. Tima Shomali created and directs the Jordanian teen drama AlRawabi School for Girls. [Photo: Courtesy of Netflix 2024] The most important thing in a story is writing root-worthy characterscharacters that people can relate with, sympathize with, Shomali says. AlRawabi connected with people regionally and internationally, because maybe a lot of people actually connected or saw themselves or someone they know in one of these characters. The hope is that Netflixs investment continues to pay off for Arab storytelling. It’s time for Arabic content to travel, Shomali says. We’ve always imported content from the West. And now it’s time for us to export our content.
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E-Commerce
If you are career-minded, you may think applying for a loftier position in another company is the best route. In fact half of millennials expect to leave their current company within a year. But it’s not always the right move. Advancing in your present company may be a smarter move. You already know the culture and the people. If you enjoy them, who is to say that you’d find something better elsewhere? Also, some companies reward loyalty. And why would you want to compete with hundreds of applicants in a chaotic job market? If you are staying, hone your strategy. Follow these five steps to boost your likelihood of advancing. 1. ASK FOR VISIBLE ASSIGNMENTS First, seek out high-profile assignments. You want to be seen as a go-getter. Do this, and your boss and other leaders in the firm will regard you as a creative, productive worker with aspirational goals. Im not talking about doing extra grunt work. I mean seizing opportunities to come up with innovative ideas and initiatives that impress others. Commit to projects that reach beyond your department. Youll open the door to new relationships with potential bosses in other departments. For example, you might lead a fundraising project, or help another executive with her presentation, or volunteer to speak at an International Womens Day event in your company. 2. BUILD YOUR NETWORK AT THE COMPANY It’s important to build your network within the firm. Youll meet and gain the favor of leaders who recognize your talent and initiative. That can lead to important new relationships with strategically placed individuals. Take part in activities where you can meet senior leaders. These include conferences, sports such as company golf tournaments, leadership forums, and training sessions. If there is someone in the company you admire and think youd like to work for, find a way to get onto their calendar. You might have a mutual interest. Or, you might invite them to speak to your team as a guest expert. Be creative in setting up that meeting. Once youve made that contact, broach the discussion about reporting to them. There might be an advertised position or not. Either way, if you want to work in that department go for it, set up a meeting, and prepare to pitch yourself. 3. PREPARE A STRONG PITCH If youre job hunting in your present company, it might seem like overkill to prepare for each encounter. But you must do soeven for conversations with people who may not have a job to offer you at the moment. They may be able to recommend you to others. Your preparation should include a résumé that is polished and geared to opportunities in the company. If someone has agreed to meet with you, youll also want to prepare speaking notes in the form of a well-crafted statement explaining what kind of position you are looking for and why you feel ready for it. And dont forget to write a thank-you note after the meeting. For guidelines on how to create a strong networking pitch, see the chapter on Pitching Yourself inside Your Company. in my book, The Job Seekers Script. Youll discover how to sell yourself within your present company. 4. DONT LET YOUR BOSS GET IN YOUR WAY Its important to get along with your boss. But dont let that person slow you down if you want to advance. A manager who praises your work may not want to see you move to another department. One woman I know had an opportunity to take a VP position elsewhere in the company. That would have been a big step forward since she was a director. But her boss pleaded dont go . . . I need you here. So, she stayed, and after a decade she is still a director. If you have a boss who encourages you to pursue next steps within the company, be thankful. But be wary of a bad boss who tries to block ascent. All the more reason to develop strong network ties that will allow you to get around that roadblock. 5. AVOID COMPLAINING ABOUT YOUR CURRENT ROLE As you have conversations with others and seek to move up the corporate ladder, never complain about your current position. A bad boss is, of course, only one reason for seeking a new position. There are many others. But if you are looking to move up because you are unhappy with your current manager or some other aspect of your job, keep that to yourself. No one wants to hire a complainer. They fear it might be a personality trait. Instead, focus on what you like about your present role, what you have learned from your boss, what a great team of professionals youve had the pleasure of working with. And then look ahead and share your excitement about moving to the next role, whatever it may be. That kind of self-portrayal will get you a potential job offer and it will help you build your career.
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E-Commerce
A $19 strawberry has broken the internet. Over the weekend, several content creators went viral with reviews of one very expensive berry, purchased from the upscale Los Angeles-based grocery chain Erewhon. Apparently its the best-tasting strawberry in the entire world, influencer Alyssa Antoci says in a video that has racked up more than 15 million views. It’s worth noting that Antoci appears to be a social media manager for Erewhon, and her family also owns the store. Wow. That is the best strawberry. Thats crazy, she adds. @alyssaantocii insane original sound – lyss Along with the $19 price tag, the berries from luxury Japanese fruit vendor Elly Amai are individually packaged, set on a small cushion inside a miniature plastic cloche for protectionexactly how one would expect such an expensive berry to be packaged. On its website, the company claims to sell only the “highest-quality fruits from Japans most celebrated farms.” Not everyone is impressed. People in L.A. are so gullible, one commenter wrote. If I dropped $20 on a strawberry, Id probably convince myself it was the best one Ive ever tasted too, wrote another. It does taste good but is it worth the $19? content creator @janemukbangs questioned in a TikTok video with 5.5 million views. (Spoiler alert: It wasnt.) @janemukbangs $19 strawberry from Erewhon #erewhon #foodtiktok #fyp #strawberries original sound – janemukbangs Whether people are willing to pay a premium for Japanese berries or its simply a case of clever marketing, this isnt the first time the celeb-loved L.A. grocery store has made headlines for its pricey products. This month, its a $19 strawberry; last year, it was a $32 bag of specialty ice. In a time when many are struggling to afford even basic groceries, its easy to see why a ridiculously expensive strawberry has rubbed some people the wrong way. Or, as one commenter theorized, Erewhon was 100% started by a group of uni students who wanted to run a social experiment on consumerism. They ended up accidentally creating a successful grocery so now they just watch and laugh.
Category:
E-Commerce
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