Luxury Magazine Title to Launch in Birmingham

69 Magazine LTD – publishers of youth fashion title, 69 Degrees Magazine - has announced plans to imminently launch a new luxury title in the West Midlands. Taking the tried-and-tested platform of sister title, dluxe LEICESTERSHIRE, which launched to great acclaim last summer, the West Midlands edition – called dluxe BIRMINGHAM & SOLIHULL - will focus exclusively on Birmingham and its immediate environs - a rarity in the current luxury magazine market and something the publisher is keen to stress.

Group Editor in Chief, Kevin Urquhart, says “It has been a number of years since Birmingham has had a luxury magazine title of its own. There are a great many magazines out there, but none that concentrate solely on the Second City. Birmingham is such a fantastic and vibrant 24-hour city that it justifies a title in its own right. My biggest dilemma will be what NOT to include!”

Content will appeal to the “New generation of Over 40s”, Kevin explains. “dluxe is targeted squarely at the educated and savvy consumer; our aim is not to be prescriptive, but simply give the readers a contemporary, beautifully designed editorial magazine that enhances their lifestyles – it’s our job to give them content that keeps them one step ahead of the Jones’s”.

He continues; “dluxe will cover everything from the latest fashion trends (re-interpreted to suit the more sophisticated reader), to inspirational interiors, celebrity interviews, luxury travel right though to ideas on the very best cultural exploits in the Second City. It’s also, very importantly, not just for the girls. We pride ourselves on creating magazines that fully incorporate the gents, too”.

The launch edition is due out late September and will be available in carefully selected venues in and around Birmingham, Solihull and Sutton Coldfield, as well as through the most exclusive letterboxes. It will be produced quarterly thereafter.

FACTFILE:

69 Degrees was first published in 1999. Fiercely independent, it has gone on to become the region’s most influential voice on ‘youth’ culture, fashion and lifestyle. The same Director team heads up dluxe BIRMINGHAM. It is backed up online at www.69-degrees.co.uk

(EDITOR: As a displaced but fiercely proud Brummie, I will take the opportunity to offer them my very best wishes)

UK Jobs App on iPhone and Android

www.1Job.co.uk has announced the newest update (2.1) to their popular job search application “UK Jobs”. The updated version has already shown itself to be very well-liked, ranking within the Top 10 Free Business Apps for iPhone. The Android Market version of the App is equally popular with a world ranking in the top 20 for the term ‘jobs’.

The UK Jobs App is owned and operated by 1Job.co.uk the UK and Ireland’s Job Search Engine. Using 1Job.co.uk, or the UK Jobs App candidates can search for the very latest jobs advertised on the UK and Ireland’s most popular job sites. The UK Jobs App is claimed to be the ultimate mobile resource for jobseekers on the move helping them to search and find their next job fast, even when away from their PC.

The UK Jobs App features and enhancements include:
- Simple keyword based searching – Find jobs by Job Title and Location.
- Improved and clear navigation – User friendly get straight to the jobs you want.
- Email Jobs – Send yourself jobs for viewing and applying later.
- iOS 4 compatible and Retina display support for iPhone users.

Julian Felstead, the MD of 1Job says, “The efficiency and reliability of the updated app has been dramatically improved. obseekers on the move need the convenience of an effective job search tool and our app provides this simply to them. By harnessing the power of our jobs database the UK Jobs App has access to over 300,000 job opportunities at any time.”

Recruiters and Job Boards can display their vacancies on the UK Jobs App by using 1Job.co.uk for their traffic acquisition. 1Job.co.uk offer a two week free trial of their pay-per-click product to companies displaying more than 50 jobs on their website.

Media and entertainment sectors see 34% rise in staff hirings

A new report indicates a healthy rise in hiring across the media and entertainment sectors for a range of job functions.

Permanent vacancy levels within media and entertainment across all the main business functions: Sales marketing and digital; HR; office support; finance; legal and executive search, have risen by almost 34% in May when compared with the average totals across February, March and April. Temporary roles have decreased slightly which is not surprising given the healthy increase in permanent vacancies.

This is according to specialist media and entertainment consultancy, Handle Recruitment which has just released its second report which tracks the percentage increase/decrease across all of its specialist disciplines.

Marketing roles have increased by 63% with vacancies on both the client and agency side. “The digital space continues to increase in importance within the media and entertainment sectors”, says Dominic Warman Director of Handle’s Marketing Division, “this is driven by the fact that these industries were early adopters of social media.

“There is a real need for people who can effectively create innovative campaigns across multiple platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Foursquare. Creativity on its own is not enough and there is a real emphasis on insight and analysis and those who can really add value to the bottom line. Solid commercial experience and skill sets around measurements and analysis are still key to the media and entertainment sectors.”

Average salaries have remained steady at around £40,000 suggesting a trend towards mid-senior level hires.

Support roles have seen an even bigger upswing - 72% in May compared with the average across previous four months. This is seen as a positive trend suggesting that increasing workloads are driving demand for experienced administrative and office support staff.

The market for finance professionals is incredibly buoyant at the moment with finance departments recruiting heavily within the media and entertainment sectors. “The digitalisation of music, films and books has seen the entertainment industry having to get more creative about the financial solutions to problems around piracy and sales,” says Tom Chadwick Director of Handle’s Finance Division.

Commenting on the results of this report, Peter Tafler, Managing Director said: “While there is no doubt that it is still a very competitive job market, our core markets of TV, film music and media are undoubtedly in the market for talent”

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Succeed with the power of GroupBuy

An innovative, forward-thinking exhibition display company is continuing to lead the way in event marketing materials, after joining forces with the UK’s first social sharing ecommerce platform, Gloople.

Since 1979, Clip Display, an Exhibition Stand Design & Contractor, has built an enviable reputation for quality, innovation and creativity to become Europe’s leading business to business ‘one stop shop’ exhibition and display manufacturer.

Now the Bristol-based company is pushing its position at the cutting edge of the exhibition supply industry even further, by harnessing the power of social media through Gloople.

Shortlisted for the 2010 Econsultancy Innovation in E-commerce Award, Gloople ‘makes shopping social’ by giving small to medium size retailers the impact of a big brand. Gloople enables SMEs to use social networks to connect with unlimited numbers of potential customers and their online communities of family, friends and colleagues, driving traffic to their online store.

Uniquely, Clip Display has used Gloople to transform their B2B relationship marketing by utilising the GroupBuy function – currently the only company in their sector to offer this. Customers use collective buying power to secure exclusive discounts on selected products, meaning there’s a direct benefit to sharing their purchase – and the ClipDisplay brand – with their immediate network and the wider business community.

Ben Townsend, digital marketing executive and webmaster of Clip Display’s online marketing activity Display Kit Shop, is no stranger to the power of social media, hosting a regular blog to share information on the ever-changing digital world. ‘I like to think I know what I’m talking about,’ said Ben. ‘And I think the potential of GroupBuy – and Gloople as a whole – for the B2B market is phenomenal. Customers have a real incentive to promote products to their wider social networking community – and to come back for more.’

Clip Display customers also have the convenience of signing in via their Facebook account, thanks to Gloople’s integrated store – with the added bonus of securing a 3% discount by doing so. Meanwhile, Gloople’s ‘Refer a Friend’ provides added support through recommendations, and ‘Ratings and Review’ generates positive online ‘buzz’ around their brand.

Easily customised, with three tiered packages and a wide range of fully integrated marketing tools, including group-buy apps, wholesale, portable storefronts and mobile platforms, Gloople allows retailers to create their own customised package of add-on features to suit their business and their customers. Retailers can even turn their customers into online salespeople, giving them the tools they need to promote products and services in return for commission.

With 2011 hailed as the year of social shopping by Gloople founder and social marketing expert Warren Knight, ClipDisplay joins a growing number of businesses using Gloople to stay at the forefront of the online shopping revolution. Are you next?

Gloople offers all new customers a free 7 day trial – no obligation, no credit card details required. Visit www.gloople.co.uk or call 020 3384 6315 for more info and to start transforming your business.

Divine Women Awards

Farmer-owned Fairtrade company Divine Chocolate and ethical jewellers Ingle & Rhode are delighted to announce the winner of the inaugural Divine Women Awards.

48-year-old Carline Ikoroha, is officially named the first ever Divine Woman in the UK for demonstrating a dedication to helping families that knows no bounds. Carline has devoted her life to her local community and over the past 15 years has touched the lives of around 1,000 children.

An Inclusion Mentor in a primary school in Enfield, North London, Carline is focused on supporting children and their parents. She has, without a doubt, made a positive and lasting change to the lives of those she has mentored; but she goes above and beyond her role. A keen volunteer in her spare time, Carline is focused on providing continual support and provision especially for those children that others may find harder to love.

Carline is quietly involved in a range of local voluntary activities and she approaches everything with an unassuming humility. From starting a breakfast club, to running a choir, to campaigning to keep the mobile library open – Carline is focused not on her but on improving the lives of all the children in the community.

Carline was one of six shortlisted finalists in the Divine Women Awards. The Divine judging panel, led by Livia Firth, Creative Director of Eco Age and founder of The Green Carpet Challenge, then had the task of selecting the most Divine Woman. All finalists had amazing stories to tell, but the panel were really struck by Carline and the fact she is such an inspiration to others.

Livia Firth says: “I really admire all the women who were shortlisted for the Divine Women Awards. Every single one of them has made a huge difference in their communities, but Carline Ikoroha is the epitome of a Divine human being, with her selfless attitude and sheer dedication to children, she is a real change maker.”

Carline and the other five finalists all demonstrated passion and determination to improving community life and affecting real and lasting positive change. As the winner, Carline has been awarded a truly divine prize of a bespoke pendant worth over £1,000, made with Fairtrade and Fairmined 18 carat gold from ethical jewellers Ingle & Rhode.

The Pendant is a West African Adinkra symbol called Mpatapo which means peace and harmony, and is used in designs and crafts to represent reconciliation, peacemaking and pacification. Adinkra symbols were originally created hundreds of years ago, and feature on Divine packaging hinting at the Ghanaian ownership of the company. Each symbol has its own meaning and the Mpatapo was chosen by Carline because: “I hope for peace in the family and peace in the world. And I also think it’s important to be peaceful in this busy hectic world, especially with all the bad news you see on TV.”

Carline was presented with her unique Mpatapo pendant by Livia Firth and Sophi Tranchell, MBE and CEO of Divine Chocolate at a celebratory reception at The Gore Hotel in London. On receiving the Award, she said: “My winning this award and this whole event has serious wow factor. My initial thought when I heard my name being announced was to sing!

“I have never done anything like this before and I thank my friend Lisa for nominating me for the award and for coming with me today. And for supporting me in everything; she is my rock. I feel truly honoured to be here amongst the other extraordinary women I have met here today. The Divine Women Awards are celebrating the ordinary, every day things people do. It will probably hit me later when I get back to the real world doing something like the washing up!”
Sophi Tranchell said: “We had some wonderful nominations but to us Carline completely embodied the concept of a ‘Divine Woman’. She has certainly gone the extra mile, mentoring children, setting up a breakfast club, running a choir, introducing children to the excitement of growing and cooking vegetables, helping her church get Fairtrade status, she isn’t just an inspiration in her community, she is the heart of her community. The world would simply be more Divine if there were more people like Carline.”

The awards were designed to mark the centenary of International Women’s Day and to celebrate the amazing achievements of women across the nation.

The other five finalists were:

Anna Wallace – diagnosed with a rare form of breast cancer, Anna set up the charity Living Beyond Diagnosis

Lisa Cherry – once living on the streets, Lisa turned her life around and set up Networking Women to help other women make the most of themselves

Janice Jinks – a foster carer for 23 years, Janice has helped around 30 children providing unwavering love and support

Sarah Holmes – single mum of three who persuaded the local council to re-open a community centre in a deprived area

Lucy Newham – when her son Leo was diagnosed with Down’s syndrome, Lucy discovered Downright Excellent, and she has since raised £140,000 in grants to help run sessions and adopt new teaching methods

Divine Chocolate and Ingle & Rhode would like to thank The Gore hotel for hosting this event.

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