Here's Campaign ME's luxury ‘Work' picks for 2025
This May, Campaign Middle East released its Luxury Issue, spotlighting how marketers and advertisers are redefining value, storytelling and consumer connection across high-end categories.
Here's a round-up of campaigns within luxury category from the region this past year, featuring work from Jumeirah, Raffles Hotels & Resorts, Bvlgari, Bentley and Jimmy Choo.
Jumeirah: Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab
The launch campaign for Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab intended to position the resort at the centre of cultural conversation. The campaign's key objective was to elevate and redefine guest expectations of luxury hospitality into one that transcended tradition to create an experience that was deeply personal, sensorial and emotionally resonant.
Leveraging a comprehensive 360-degree marketing mix, the campaign was strategically executed across a mix of high-impact channels, targeted platforms and premium placements, including social media, digital and programmatic platforms, luxury fashion, lifestyle and travel print publications, as well as targeted OOH including airport lounges and private jet terminals.
Raffles Hotels & Resorts: The Butler Did It
This campaign from the luxury hotel brand offers a playful twist on the classic 'whodunnit' narrative. The campaign's narrative is themed around the ability of Raffles butlers to anticipate guests' every need – before they even think to ask.
Launched in video and still picture formats, the campaign was rolled out globally across print, digital video, digital display, and paid social partnerships. As the brand grows globally, with debuts in Jaipur, London, Boston and Bahrain, the new international campaign is an invitation to guests to enter Raffles' world of elegance and enchanted glamour.
Bvlgari: Journeys of Ramadan
This Ramadan campaign from Bvlgari brought themes of rebirth, resilience and reflection to life through the work of three remarkable Middle Eastern artists. Each film was a dialogue between tradition and evolution, memory and transformation, told through light, movement and a refined visual aesthetic.
The project took three months, with more than 15 people working full-time. To reflect the luxury house's Serpenti collection, Bvlgari abstracted motifs into natural symbols from the region – the desert rose, the wadi, and the setting sun – allowing the campaign to stay true to the essence of Serpenti while ensuring it remained culturally respectful.
Bentley: Bentayga EWB Mulliner
Bentley released three creative videos promoting the automotive brand's luxury SUV, the Bentayga EWB Mulliner. Created in collaboration with Al Habtoor Motors, the official UAE dealer of Bentley, the videos detail the different features of what the brand dubs as 'the most luxurious SUV in the world'.
The videos feature the SUV against iconic UAE backdrops and landscapes in a modern, dynamic and playful way.
Jimmy Choo: Summer Campaign
This out-of-home campaign from Jimmy Choo ran for nearly a month from June to July 2024, leveraging high-impact advertising spaces. It explicitly targeted screens near Downtown Dubai en route to Dubai Mall and Umm Suqeim Road, making it an effective drive-to-store campaign for the brand.
Displayed across BackLite's Digital Icons network, the campaign was able to deliver approximately 45 million impressions.
To view the print version of the luxury 'Work' section, check out page 47 here.
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Campaign ME
2 days ago
- Campaign ME
Here's Campaign ME's luxury ‘Work' picks for 2025
This May, Campaign Middle East released its Luxury Issue, spotlighting how marketers and advertisers are redefining value, storytelling and consumer connection across high-end categories. Here's a round-up of campaigns within luxury category from the region this past year, featuring work from Jumeirah, Raffles Hotels & Resorts, Bvlgari, Bentley and Jimmy Choo. Jumeirah: Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab The launch campaign for Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab intended to position the resort at the centre of cultural conversation. The campaign's key objective was to elevate and redefine guest expectations of luxury hospitality into one that transcended tradition to create an experience that was deeply personal, sensorial and emotionally resonant. Leveraging a comprehensive 360-degree marketing mix, the campaign was strategically executed across a mix of high-impact channels, targeted platforms and premium placements, including social media, digital and programmatic platforms, luxury fashion, lifestyle and travel print publications, as well as targeted OOH including airport lounges and private jet terminals. Raffles Hotels & Resorts: The Butler Did It This campaign from the luxury hotel brand offers a playful twist on the classic 'whodunnit' narrative. The campaign's narrative is themed around the ability of Raffles butlers to anticipate guests' every need – before they even think to ask. Launched in video and still picture formats, the campaign was rolled out globally across print, digital video, digital display, and paid social partnerships. As the brand grows globally, with debuts in Jaipur, London, Boston and Bahrain, the new international campaign is an invitation to guests to enter Raffles' world of elegance and enchanted glamour. Bvlgari: Journeys of Ramadan This Ramadan campaign from Bvlgari brought themes of rebirth, resilience and reflection to life through the work of three remarkable Middle Eastern artists. Each film was a dialogue between tradition and evolution, memory and transformation, told through light, movement and a refined visual aesthetic. The project took three months, with more than 15 people working full-time. To reflect the luxury house's Serpenti collection, Bvlgari abstracted motifs into natural symbols from the region – the desert rose, the wadi, and the setting sun – allowing the campaign to stay true to the essence of Serpenti while ensuring it remained culturally respectful. Bentley: Bentayga EWB Mulliner Bentley released three creative videos promoting the automotive brand's luxury SUV, the Bentayga EWB Mulliner. Created in collaboration with Al Habtoor Motors, the official UAE dealer of Bentley, the videos detail the different features of what the brand dubs as 'the most luxurious SUV in the world'. The videos feature the SUV against iconic UAE backdrops and landscapes in a modern, dynamic and playful way. Jimmy Choo: Summer Campaign This out-of-home campaign from Jimmy Choo ran for nearly a month from June to July 2024, leveraging high-impact advertising spaces. It explicitly targeted screens near Downtown Dubai en route to Dubai Mall and Umm Suqeim Road, making it an effective drive-to-store campaign for the brand. Displayed across BackLite's Digital Icons network, the campaign was able to deliver approximately 45 million impressions. To view the print version of the luxury 'Work' section, check out page 47 here.
Khaleej Times
2 days ago
- Khaleej Times
Car review: Bentley's Continental GT Speed Hybrid commands serious road presence
Bentley ranks high among automotive nobility. Once a racing marque with notable victories, it later merged with Rolls-Royce before being reborn. Since its acquisition by the VW Group, it has thrived, thanks to the Continental GT, which blends charismatic styling, strong performance, and enduring craftsmanship. Now in its fourth generation, we were invited to experience the art of 'fine driving' in the exclusive Bentley Continental GT Speed Hybrid First Edition — and here's what went down. DESIGN & AESTHETICS Bentley calls this an all-new generation, but it feels more like a visual facelift — and that's alright. Why fix what isn't broken? Since its 2003 debut as a hunky-yet-elegant grand tourer, it has grown slimmer and more athletic with each generation. Still, at 4,895mm in length and 1,966mm in width, it commands serious road presence. Its face features single headlamps inspired by the limited-run Bacalar — the first of their kind since the 1950s — slit by an LED strip. The rest is all grille and air intakes, purposeful but not aggressive. The body, sculpted from superformed aluminium, is pinched with precise creases to create a muscular-but-restrained form, while the massive 22-inch directional turbine wheels make it look like a concept car come to life, and over them is a graceful fastback roofline. The only flaw is the overly stretched oval tail lamps on an otherwise perfectly executed rear design. Still, without a shadow of doubt, this is one of the most beautiful, artfully designed coupés — and perhaps the finest extrusion of human imagination. Adding to the luxury experience are colourful animated puddle lamps that project the Bentley emblem onto the ground and effortless soft-closing doors. Inside, the cabin feels as rich as it looks — blending masculine architecture that uses structured elements with feminine touches through the finest materials, some found in luxury handbags. Eye-grabbing highlights include 3D diamond-stitched leather upholstery, real stainless steel circular air vents with organ pulls, and a Bentley 'B' on the brake pedal — showcasing Bentley's staggering attention to detail. Modern tech includes a customisable instrument display and a 12.3-inch touchscreen backed by physical buttons for essentials like radio, phone, and navigation. The party piece, though, is the rotating display, which elegantly flips between the touchscreen, three analogue gauges, and unbroken dashboard veneer. As for gripes, the plastic centre console piece would feel more in place finished in wood or glass; and the steering column could use just an inch more extension for an ideal driving position. And there's no graceful way to enter the rear cabin, but your pride is salvaged in knowing you're stepping into a Bentley. POWERTRAIN & PERFORMANCE The smooth twin-turbo 6.0-litre W12 has now been relegated to history. This new hybrid version retains the twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 and adds a 190 PS electric motor, delivering nearly 800 hp and 1,000 Nm of torque — enough to pull an 18-wheeler. It starts silently in electric vehicle (EV) mode, with a claimed 81km range, and glides like a limousine unless provoked. It also claims to reach 859km before the tank empties out, which may be closer to 650km in the real world. One can top up the 25.9 kWh battery in 2h45m with an 11 kW charger, or 8h30m via a household socket. In Sport mode, the V8 burble awakens, and with launch control activated, it hurls itself from a standstill to 100kmph in just 3.1 seconds with no drama, tyre smoke, or rear-end shimmy, thanks to all-wheel drive traction. And you'll love the satisfying crackles between shifts. For something that weighs 2,459kg, this car is unbelievably fast, which is a thought sure to upend the scientific mind. The air suspension with twin-valve dampers offers a composed ride — more refined than a 911, more involving than a Rolls-Royce Spectre. Electronic all-wheel steering aids manoeuvrability with an 11.3-metre turning radius, while the electronic limited-slip differential and massive tyres ensure confidence-inspiring cornering. And it comes with some of the largest production brakes, too. Without a shadow of doubt, this is one of the most beautiful, artfully designed coupés — and perhaps the finest extrusion of human imagination" FEATURES & FUNCTIONALITY The 260-litre boot is sizeable for a coupe and fits the mandatory golf bag, but the spare tyre and charging cables reduce it to grocery-bag capacity. The standard 650W 10-speaker audio is home-theatre loud, but our test car's 2,200W 18-speaker Naim system delivers orchestral-quality sound, though Bluetooth playback was occasionally distorted. The car's wireless Android Auto worked seamlessly for navigation and apps. You can also say 'Hey Bentley' to access various functions, though the system is sluggish and doesn't support UAE points of interest. Thankfully, handwritten input, though slow, worked. Also, the wireless phone charger is a tad inaccessible, being in the centre cubby. Keeping you cool is an excellent air conditioning system aided by seat ventilation and enhanced air ionisation. Safety features include advanced emergency braking, swerve and turn assist, adaptive cruise control, lane guidance, and a 3D surround-view camera — though lane-keeping assist occasionally wandered. VERDICT The 2025 Bentley Continental GT Speed is timeless beauty manifested as a two-door coupe. It features a cossetting cabin crafted from exotic materials — a designer's playground that speaks to the moneyed elite. The electric drive and air suspension deliver a soft and silent refinement, while the ability to instantly summon all 800 horses through brilliant engineering turns this grand tourer into a mad, but still refined, sports car. Minor faults can be swept under the rug, unless you're opting for long-haul staycations with friends and luggage. GOOD: Gorgeous bodywork; exquisite materials; superfluous power and comfort; 81km pure electric range BAD: Steering column could use more adjustment; limited trunk space; cramped rear seats; pricey SPECIFICATIONS Body type — 2+2-seater; 2-door premium high-performance luxury coupe Engine — Front-engine; twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 + e-motor w/ 25.9 kWh battery; all-wheel drive Transmission — 8-speed DCT (automated manual) Peak output — 782 PS (system total); 600 PS @ 6,000 rpm (ICE) + 190 PS (e-motor) - 1,000 Nm (system total); 800 Nm @ 2,000 - 4,500 rpm + 450 Nm (e-motor) 0 to 100kmph — 3.2 seconds (claimed) Top speed — 335kmph (drag limited; claimed) Price — Starting at Dh1,750,000 approx. EDITOR'S RATING - 8.5/10 stars
Harpers Bazaar Arabia
30-05-2025
- Harpers Bazaar Arabia
Carmen Bsaibes Is The Bazaar Arabia June 2025 Issue Cover Star
What does 'Having It All' really mean? Carmen Bsaibes opens up about motherhood, stepping back, and stepping forward with grace, grit and a new sense of purpose 'Your priorities shift, but at the same time you manage to do everything, altogether.' Showing up for work 60 days after giving birth is challenge enough, but doing so photo-ready, at a time when women are arguably at their most vulnerable – both physically and mentally – shows the strength, professionalism, and confidence of acclaimed Lebanese actor Carmen Bsaibes. Speaking a couple of weeks later, Carmen smiles, comfortably ensconced in her Beirut base, when she admits, 'I managed it, but my head was everywhere. I don't know how I managed it.' And although she makes quick decisions – like taking on her latest role filming a special appearance in an Egyptian movie – by 'not overthinking things,' the process of adjustment has not been as seamless as it looks. And it did look effortless; after all, this was the woman who stunned in a red sheath dress at the Bvlgari Calla launch in Paris, just weeks before welcoming baby Andrea into her life. 'When I got offered the role, I got excited about it. It's something really cool,' she tells us. 'But I was a bit nervous about the whole situation. It's all very different for me, being a new mother – I wondered, 'How will I manage everything?' But then I thought, all my friends and the women around me work – whatever their job is, they all do work. So, I told myself, I'm going to do it. I will not overthink it. I think everything is possible workwise. That's how it happened.' Travelling back and forth to different locations has always been an intrinsic part of the Eugenie Nights star's life, so her current routine is no different. Except she now has an entourage with her to help out on babysitting duties while she is on set. 'I manage a lot of things at the same time. There are lots of logistics. But my family is flexible. I have help.' She is visibly excited when she says, 'I'm back on track. I'm back to the film set,' firmly putting her short maternity leave behind her. Carmen, 35, shrugs when asked if there was pressure – from both the industry and fans – to return from her hiatus quickly. 'I didn't feel the pressure. My fans were so excited for me to come back. I always see on social media how excited they are. They were happy for me when I was pregnant, when I had a baby. And they are happy and excited for me to come back to work, but I didn't feel the pressure from people or society or the industry – not at all – because, honestly, that is not my personality. I'm someone who's very focused on myself. I don't compare or look outside at what's happening. I know what my trajectory is and what my path is career wise. But between me and myself, I was ready. I felt I was ready, physically and mentally, to go back to work. And that is what happened.' Perhaps this decision was partly based on the fact that Carmen took an extended – somewhat forced – sabbatical from work during her pregnancy. 'I finished filming my last series, Look of Love, in April [2024]. I had a long nine-month break,' she recalls. 'I did red carpets and events, but I wasn't filming. To be honest I wasn't capable of filming anyways during my first trimester because it was a hard pregnancy for me. The first four months were hard so it was impossible for me to work.' Ironically that was how she managed to keep her pregnancy under wraps until she was ready to share the news with the world last September, via a poignant Instagram post which referenced hardships fellow mothers were going through due to the conflict in the region. 'I thought I would work through the first few months of my pregnancy but I just couldn't. I didn't go out. I stayed home and rested. So, no one noticed!' Carmen last graced our cover three years ago at a pivotal time in her career, wrapping up the third – and final – season of her career-defining series Bride of Beirut. Since then, she has made sure to diversify the roles she's taken on, imbuing characters with her trademark dramatic flair. But she'll always be identified with that role. 'People really loved that series. Sometimes I don't get called Carmen in the streets. They shout, Bride of Beirut!' When we last spoke, her deep love for her craft was evident. And that dedication hasn't wavered. 'I take a lot of time to read and dig deep into the script; this is the phase that is sacred for me. So, whenever I'm on a project, I like to read the script over and over again. I start to imagine her tics, her style, the way she talks, she walks, everything. And then I try to get inspired by people around me that might look like this character, that might have the same personality as this character. I observe a lot – that's part of being an actress, the journey. I think an actor is an observer. I get impressed and mesmerised by someone who's in front of me. Whenever I am on a job, I observe, I remember people that are similar to this character, and then I start overdoing it and trying stuff, but I always keep space for imagination and improvisation on set. I like things to be organic.' 'My main passion is acting, being on set,' she tells us, while we discuss whether stepping back was ever an option. In a world where everyone is striving to become famous for fame's sake, that was never her goal, given she guards her private life fiercely. But there are aspects of being in the limelight that she revels in. When discussing the fashion world, and dressing for appearances she admits, 'This is the part where I breathe. I enjoy shooting couture and jewellery. The glamorous side of our job is a lot of fun. You get to show a different side of your personality, your feminine side. I really enjoy it.' The key, she insists is to have balance, both personally and professionally. Control what you can, but don't be adamant to sticking to things that require adapting. 'My dreams are quite clear. I have a general idea of what I like to do, and what I want to do. But I don't plan a lot for the future. I don't put a plan in place and stick to it. I'm not the kind of person who would tell you, 'I will be doing this next year.' I like to follow my instinct. I like to be surprised by the future. So, I try to have a balance.' She warms to the theme of balance when talking about the profound change a child can have on one's life. Musing over whether you can actually have it all, she insists, 'I cannot say you don't sacrifice and you won't compromise, that's for sure. It's inevitable. But at the same time, you can have it all – but you will be sacrificing and compromising.' She adds, 'Life with a child is different. You think about her all the time. Her priorities are now more important than yours. So, you will be sacrificing in a way, and making compromises, but it is a choice you willingly make.' There was never even a thought of stepping away from her profession though. 'I wouldn't consider it,' she says vehemently. 'My ambitions are clear, I have a lot of dreams, and I'm passionate about my job. I know that I will keep on doing what I love. But at the same time, I know that when I need a break, I can take a break. This happened last year. I got pregnant, I took a break. It's not easy. When you are in a project, you're overloaded, you have intensive working hours, you film a lot, you're into a character. It could be complex. So sometimes for four months, five months, it's quite intensive. After projects like these, you have to take a break, so it's all in the balance.' Carmen is known for wanting to gatekeep her personal life, so how did her new arrival impact that decision, given how invested fans were about this new chapter in her life? 'I think it's going to be the same as I've always been. I am private about my private life, and this is part of my private life. And even more so because now she's a baby. She's not a decision maker, so I'm going to protect her, and whenever or whatever she decides to share about herself, she will do when she's conscious and grown-up. But for now, definitely, I will be private about her.' Motherhood has altered her fundamentally. 'Oh, my gosh, it has changed me. I always had empathy, and I always felt for others… But now, I cannot even imagine what people go through after losing their child or seeing their child suffer for reasons they are not capable of changing. Now I can see it even more clearly. My baby – it's your heart, it's part of you – seeing her go through all of this… So, yes, it's another perspective. When I was pregnant, I thought I knew what it felt like, but now I literally feel it within my deep, deep self and heart. All I think about is wanting to protect her, how I want her to feel safe. I want to give her the world.' Would she be open to her daughter following in her footsteps? She says, 'Andrea has to do something she loves. This is how I want her to follow my path. I did what I love. I want her to do what she loves.' Lead Image: Earrings in White Gold with Pear Sapphires, Diamonds, Buff-top Sapphires and Pavé-set Diamonds; Polychroma Necklace in White Gold with a Royal Blue Sugarloaf Sapphire, Bufftop Sapphires, Diamonds and Pavé-set Diamonds; Polychroma Ring in White Gold with a Cushion Sapphire, Buff-top Sapphires, Diamonds and Pavé-set Diamonds, POA, all Bvlgari High Jewellery. Dress, Dhs14,900, Giambattista Valli
