The newest hotspot for retailers in Dubai is tiny. Literally child-sized.
While most merchants in the emirate have been cautious about expanding this year, the likes of Coca-Cola, General Motors, Hewlett-Packard (HP) and Lacnor milk and juices have recently set up shop in KidZania, an 80,000 square foot miniature city and theme park for children at Dubai Mall.
When kids enter the scaled-down city, they can dress up in real-life uniforms and role-play different careers, such as a mechanic, chef or surgeon. They can learn about bottling Coca-Cola in a new mini bottling plant, learn how to make a computer at HP's mini tech lab and they will be able to make their own Camaro at Chevrolet's soon-to-be opened car design centre.
Demand from retailers is picking up and KidZania expects to sign on about a dozen more in the next year or so, said Will Edwards, the "governor" or general manager at KidZania Dubai.
"There is a lot of interest now," he said. "In the last three or four months, there has been a lot of increased activity … in addition to the ones that just opened, there are several more that we'll announce."
There are 40 brands in the children's city, including a McDonald's restaurant, a Waitrose supermarket, an HSBC bank, a Swatch clock tower and a Swiss Arabian perfumes shop where kids can blend their own scents. Since KidZania opened at the beginning of this year, retailers have been branding the generic shops in the city, or building up new establishments.
Enlisting brands helps create a near real-life experience for the children, said Mr Edwards. "It's much more meaningful and realistic if the bank inside the city of KidZania is an HSBC branch that looks, feels, behaves just like the HSBC branch that their parents visit." Sponsors also provide a much-needed revenue stream, making up between 35 and 45 per cent of the average KidZania's income, said Mr Edwards.
"It's a relatively expensive proposition to build a city in the detail that we've done and it's expensive to operate," he said. And for retailers, it's an opportunity to present their wares to hundreds of thousands of young consumers in a more interactive way than radio ads or billboard signs, said Mr Edwards. "A 30-minute activity, it's a lot more meaningful from a marketing point of view and a lot more long lasting."
But what about the ethics of giving big brands such as McDonald's and Coca-Cola, which activists claim promote unhealthy eating habits, direct access to thousands of young, impressionable, consumers? Hermann Behrens, the chief executive of The Brand Union marketing agency, said that as a parent he was uncomfortable with such brands being overly marketed to children. "There is a risk if kids are being drawn to these … brands, [parents] will resist something like KidZania. These are considerations but ultimately they have to entertain the children."
Using identifiable brands keeps the children entertained more than showcasing an unknown brand, Mr Behrens said. Mr Edwards said KidZania's aim was making the city realistic and educating children in an entertaining way.
"Children like McDonald's, children like and identify with Coke," said Mr Edwards. "We want to make sure that we're a place that children like and want to come to."
aligaya@thenational.ae
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Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
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Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
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A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
How to avoid crypto fraud
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The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Directed: Smeep Kang
Produced: Soham Rockstar Entertainment; SKE Production
Cast: Rishi Kapoor, Jimmy Sheirgill, Sunny Singh, Omkar Kapoor, Rajesh Sharma
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More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Tips to avoid getting scammed
1) Beware of cheques presented late on Thursday
2) Visit an RTA centre to change registration only after receiving payment
3) Be aware of people asking to test drive the car alone
4) Try not to close the sale at night
5) Don't be rushed into a sale
6) Call 901 if you see any suspicious behaviour
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The biog
Name: Sari Al Zubaidi
Occupation: co-founder of Cafe di Rosati
Age: 42
Marital status: single
Favourite drink: drip coffee V60
Favourite destination: Bali, Indonesia
Favourite book: 100 Years of Solitude
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- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
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- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
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- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Tips from the expert
Dobromir Radichkov, chief data officer at dubizzle and Bayut, offers a few tips for UAE residents looking to earn some cash from pre-loved items.
- Sellers should focus on providing high-quality used goods at attractive prices to buyers.
- It’s important to use clear and appealing photos, with catchy titles and detailed descriptions to capture the attention of prospective buyers.
- Try to advertise a realistic price to attract buyers looking for good deals, especially in the current environment where consumers are significantly more price-sensitive.
- Be creative and look around your home for valuable items that you no longer need but might be useful to others.
Yahya Al Ghassani's bio
Date of birth: April 18, 1998
Playing position: Winger
Clubs: 2015-2017 – Al Ahli Dubai; March-June 2018 – Paris FC; August – Al Wahda