Latest news with #Maslow
Campaign ME
21-07-2025
- Business
- Campaign ME
Research on the future of luxury: How Gen Z is redefining prestige in the UAE
Luxury used to be defined by rarity, craftsmanship and price. However, the story is being rewritten – and Gen Z is now holding the pen. In digitally fluent, high-income markets such as the UAE, this generation isn't just consuming luxury; they're reshaping it, pixel by pixel, reel by reel. Yet in the UAE, the story is more than just small volatility, it's about a generational pivot. Gen Z – digital natives with TikTok reflexes and climate anxiety in their blood – are not perceiving luxury as their parents knew it, they're not buying logos; they're buying meaning. In doing so they are pushing luxury brands to evolve, or face irrelevance. According to McKinsey, the luxury sector rebounded strongly from 2019 to 2023, powered by ultra-high-net-worth individuals. However, by 2024, signs of a slowdown emerged: 50 million consumers globally exited the market. Amid this turbulence, one trend stands out – Gen Z now accounts for 20 per cent of luxury consumption, with their influence continuing to increase and define the sector, as highlighted by Bain & Company. From owning to experiencing: The sensory shift among Gen Z Traditionally, luxury belonged to the 'esteem' level of Maslow's hierarchy of needs — signalling power, exclusivity and status. Gen Z, is more interested in shareable moments than static assets; luxury is being redefined as what you feel, not just what you flaunt. Take the rise of 'experiential luxury'. In the UAE, luxury isn't just something you wear – it's something you feel. Think fine dining, wellness retreats and meticulously curated aesthetic escapes. The experience itself has become the ultimate status symbol and the numbers back this up. Data from Kantar, in collaboration with Altient, shows that in 2024, 71 per cent of affluent consumers in the UAE indulged in fine dining, while a staggering 67 per cent checked into five or six-star hotels. Here, luxury doesn't sit behind glass – it's lived, savoured, and shared. Here's the kicker, these numbers spike among Gen Z. Looking to 2025, one in two say they plan to spend more on such experiences. How come? Because experiences can be shared, they can be turned into reels, vlogs, bite-sized dopamine hits. This, too, is luxury; the ability to live a life that's aesthetically enviable and emotionally rich. Gen Z aren't just online, they are online. Born into the scroll, raised on stories and fluent in every platform from TikTok to whatever's trending, they bring a whole new set of expectations to the table and from brands they want real talk, real people and zero filters. And nowhere is this digital fluency more intense than in the UAE. With some of the highest social media engagement rates in the world, young consumers here aren't just following trends — they're setting them, shaping brand narratives with every like, comment, and share. Rise of the Instagrammable experience economy In the UAE, social media isn't just where trends happen, it's where luxury lives. For Gen Z, picking a venue often comes down to question, will it look good on my feed? That's why places like Atlantis, The Palm and Nusr-Et (aka SaltBae) aren't just destinations – they're content factories. Atlantis is the most 'Instagrammable' hotel in the Middle East, racking up more than 670,000 posts under #AtlantisThePalm. From its underwater suites to its jaw-dropping aquariums, every corner is engineered for envy. Demand for hyper-personalised content But it's not just about aesthetics, it's also about alignment. Gen Z in the UAE is leaning hard into content that feels tailor-made, culturally relevant and organic. That's where Huda Beauty comes in. Built by Dubai-based influencer Huda Kattan, the brand doesn't just sell products, it tells stories Gen Z relate to. From unfiltered tutorials to brutally honest reviews, Huda's content strips away the gloss without losing the glam. It works, Huda Beauty saw a 264 per cent jump in TikTok EMV, showing how personalised and value-driven content can drive real engagement. French label Jacquemus is hitting that note. The brand's collaborations with regional influencers such as @karenwazen make its pieces, bags, accessories and more – feel less like high fashion and more like personal expression. It's a strategy that clearly hits home. Jacquemus grew its sales from €200 million to €280 million in 2023, powered by minimalist yet magnetic content that now pulls in over 5 million Instagram followers. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Karen Wazen Bakhazi كارن وازن (@karenwazen) While the brand's global footprint is impressive, the UAE plays no small part in that momentum, with its hyper-connected, style-savvy audience, the region fits squarely into Jacquemus's strategy, not just as a market, but as a flagship market. The transparency equation: Do good or get cancelled Opaque supply chains can damage a brand's reputation, especially with how 'What Fuels Fashion' shed light on when they are used as a way to ''mask a lack of decarbonisation progress with vague, insufficient targets and progress''. The fast fashion sector has offered plenty of cautionary examples in recent years. Yet, few are talking about how supply chain transparency isn't just a compliance box to tick, it's a real business opportunity, especially for luxury brands aiming to win the trust and prove their meaning to the next generation of buyers in Gen Z. According to Kantar and Altiant's dataset, in the UAE data 83 per cent of Gen Z HNWI are willing to spend time and money on brands that do good. 81 per cent of this audience actively research a brand's social and environmental impact before making a purchase. Luxury's traditional opacity — the secrecy around sourcing, labour, and emissions — simply doesn't cut it anymore. Gen Z demands to know all, not just the marketing spiel, but the hard facts. So what's a marketer supposed to do with all insight? After all, decisions about opening up value chains usually happen at the board level. Though, that doesn't mean marketers have no role. In fact, there are plenty of ways transparency can come to life on the ground. In the UAE market. Chalhoub Group's 'Unity for Change' initiative, isn't just a slogan, it's a blueprint for how transparency can be embedded into local market strategies. If you're remit is global, then learnings can be taken from Stella McCartney transformation of transparency as a cost into a brand asset. The Stella McCartney brand may be best known for its campaign with Eva Mendes, however this article is interested in the brands innovation of an Environmental Profit & Loss (EP&L) report, which offers a perspective into what could be possible for brands on the road to true transparency. Because today, storytelling isn't just about what brands say it's about what they're willing to show. For Gen Z, transparency isn't a 'nice to have' its a commercial imperative. In fact, 37 per cent of luxury-purchasing Gen Z's in the UAE strongly agree that they would only engage with brands demonstrating visible sustainability initiatives. Therefore, the young buyers in the sector don't ask, but require luxury brands to be transparent in not just communicating Scope 1 impact, but 2 and 3. So what should brands do to better for Gen Z? Here's the key executive summary points for luxury brands with ambitions in the UAE market: Drop the status symbols. Replace them with stories, experiences and emotions. Localise your relevance. Ramadan campaigns, regional influencers, and cultural fluency aren't 'extras', they're essentials. Make your impact traceable. Supply chains can no longer be locked vaults; they need to be open books. Design for the feed. Instagrammable aesthetics still matter, but only when paired with meaningful substance. Luxury is no longer confined to glass cases; it thrives in social feeds and online validation. Gen Z doesn't want to be sold a dream — they want to co-create it. In a region where influence spreads faster than budgets, relevance is earned through meaning, not profit. The old formula of status and scarcity no longer works. Gen Z expects brands to be transparent, personalized, and brands to come into their worlds. This shift is already underway in the UAE and the luxury brands with foresight, continually scanning the horizon for what Gen Z wants and needs will find the oasis, while those refusing to change and embrace this generation of purposeful disruptors will be left deserted in the sands of the Rub' al Khali. Contributors: Hakan Nurakin, Client Manager, Kantar Richard Williams, Sales Consultant, Programme Design, Kantar Wensi Li, Associate Research Manager, Kantar
UAE Moments
12-07-2025
- Health
- UAE Moments
Leadership Is Not a Popularity Contest!
Have you ever felt anxiously judged when the only answer you got in the room was a no or silence, in the best case? Most leadership advice focuses on influence, vision, and communication—but few talk about one of the hardest parts: being rejected, criticized, or misunderstood. Nobody wants to feel rejected in their personal life, not to mention professional life, where we mostly need to feel in control. Social rejection hits hard because 'our need to belong' is primal. In Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, belonging is the third level in the pyramid, sitting above physiological needs (like food and shelter) and safety needs (like job security and personal safety), and just below esteem and self-actualization. This level represents our innate desire to connect with others—to feel accepted, cared for, and part of something larger than ourselves. It's about all our social and close relationships, including workplace camaraderie. In simple words, we are wired to care about belonging. Now, if we want to dive scientifically deeper, from an evolutionary standpoint, being excluded from the group once meant danger or even death. So even a small 'cold shoulder' or disagreement can feel threatening. That's how our brain, which has one ultimate mission: to protect us and help us survive, was programmed through all these centuries. A UCLA study, led by Naomi Eisenberger and Matthew Lieberman, used fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) to explore what happens in the brain when people experience social rejection. It concludes these two key findings: Social exclusion activated the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC)—the same region of the brain that processes physical pain. The right ventral prefrontal cortex, which helps regulate pain distress, was also activated—suggesting the brain was trying to cope. So, it's not just in our heads. It literally HURTS!. Although we always step forward first as leaders and mostly for ideas or contexts that might sound insane, exaggerated, or too bold, we need to understand that 'not every no is personal'. It could be just their natural human reaction, like our reaction to rejection. From a psychological perspective, rejection might come from 3 main areas: ego protection, fear of change, or loss of control. Always remember, sometimes it's not about you. It's about the story they're telling themselves. It's about their past experience, their biases, and their insecurities. Thus, whenever you see leadership content that tells you that ' If people don't like you, they won't follow you,' it's time to rethink the sources that promote such ideas. Because this kind of myth that has been implanted in the heads of a lot of emerging leaders creates a dangerous leadership trap. That's why we witness leaders who are sacrificing truth, clarity, and accountability for the sake of maintaining harmony and good feelings. In his book 'Authentic Leadership' and later work at Harvard Business School, Bill George emphasizes that leaders who are true to themselves, who act on their core values and maintain consistency between words and actions, earn deeper trust. He argues that likeability can be fleeting, especially when it conflicts with doing what's right or making tough calls. Also, he believes that authentic leaders are transparent, self-aware, and purpose-driven, which fosters long-term followership and credibility. Now, you might be asking yourself: how can I balance being authentic without getting enemies all through the way?. The answer is: Healthy Boundaries. Focusing on just receiving love and applause will most likely lead you to burnout, delayed decision making, and weakened team effectiveness, let alone losing your people's trust. On the other side lie healthy boundaries that protect your mental health and build mutual respect. You're not a bad leader for saying no. You're a clear one. And clarity is one of the highest forms of kindness and respect—both for your team and yourself. BUT how you say no is the skill that you need to master as a leader. Let me give you three quick tips to do so: Say no without an apology or drama: Avoid overjustifying. The more you explain, the more it sounds negotiable. You are not in a weak position here. Discuss the idea, not the person: Whenever your brain says 'you are mean!' remember that you're not rejecting the person, you're protecting the system. Introduce alternatives (when possible): You can help in different ways. There are always ways to walk around and get things done. Conclusion: When guilt knocks on your door, pause, take a deep breath, and analyze the situation. Is it your survival instinct? Is it them projecting their own stories on you? Or is it a true constructive feedback that needs to be considered for the benefit of all? In all cases, keep in mind that love isn't the answer here. It's respect, trust, and authenticity because leadership isn't about being perfect. It's about showing up with courage, consistency, and emotional maturity—even when it's uncomfortable.
Hans India
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hans India
Kay Kay Menon reveals what he has added to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
Mumbai: Actor Kay Kay Menon has spent more than 2 decades in showbiz. Having a wealth of experience in the field of entertainment and life, the actor has made a minor tweak in the Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. The actor spoke with IANS ahead of the release of the upcoming season of his streaming show 'Special Ops'. When asked what fuels his passion after all these years, he told IANS, 'Storytelling. I feel, I'm attached to stories, and I kind of still like to simulate a person, different people. So for me, that keeps me going'. He further mentioned, 'As for Maslow's Hierarchy, you know the low level needs at the bottom of the pyramid? Food, shelter, and all that is the first. Top is self-actualization. But I've added something at the bottom, it's called Wi-Fi (laughs). I think Wi-Fi is more essential than food, shelter, and everything else now'. The actor said that storytelling is something that he enjoys. Nowadays, he doesn't look at it as, 'What's there for me?'. That used to be there earlier, Now it's like the holistic thing, the entire thing of storytelling. He continued, 'I want audiences to watch the entire film or the series, which includes me as well. Of course, I won't do something that is, in which I don't have to shoulder much responsibility. Obviously, I won't do it. Also the money should be good, I mean, come on (smiles). It's high time'. 'But primarily, as I said, it's an attachment towards the project, I can't detach myself from that. When I read a script, that kicks in. The subjective love kicks in. And I start falling in love or out of love from that script. So that, as long as that happens, I'll keep doing this. The day I become indifferent to reading a story, and not wanting to manifest it, that day, of course, I'll say, thank you very much, buh-bye. All about to you, listeners. I would just, I would just quit. So that's a different thing. But as long as that relationship remains, I will yearn to do what I'm doing', he added.
ME Construction
13-06-2025
- Business
- ME Construction
Deyaar unveils Downtown Residences in Dubai
Property Deyaar unveils Downtown Residences in Dubai By Downtown Residences aims to re-imagine urban living by drawing inspiration from Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Deyaar Development has unveiled Downtown Residences, a 445m tall residential development that will feature twin towers designed around the concept of vertical living. By presenting the concept of vertical living, Downtown Residences reinforces Deyaar's commitment to luxury living. Offering 522 units with views of downtown Dubai and the Burj Khalifa the project will feature a diverse range of one to three bedroom apartments, duplexes, penthouses, and an exclusive Royal Palace at the tower's summit. The residences will provide a blend of luxury and convenience, said a statement from the developer. The launch follows the success of Deyaar's previous developments in Business Bay, showcasing its contribution to shaping Dubai's urban living. Dynamic Avenue, a wellness and social hub will offer a curated lifestyle for residents while Sky Pinnacle 360, aims to provide amenities tailored to every dimension of elite urban living. Dynamic Avenue will also feature playrooms, multi-function lounges, kids' creative havens, and curated social retreats. Saeed Mohammed Al Qatami, CEO of Deyaar Development said, 'We are proud to announce Downtown Residences, Deyaar's most ambitious project to date, situated in one of Dubai's most prestigious locations. This luxury high-rise is designed to transform urban living, offering residents an elevated experience that combines comfort, style, and modern amenities. Each floor has been carefully crafted to enhance the quality of life, creating spaces that foster connection and inspiration.' 'Our vision for Downtown Residences goes beyond mere construction; it is a commitment to excellence and innovation in real estate. We are confident that this landmark project will not only set a new standard for luxury living but also create exciting investment opportunities. Investors can trust that Downtown Residences will be a vital part of Dubai's ongoing growth and development, aligning with the aspirations of the city and its vibrant community,' he added. 'Downtown Residences re-imagines urban living by drawing inspiration from Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, transforming traditional residential design into a structured journey of luxury, community, and self-actualisation. This transformative concept evolves traditional residential design into a structured journey of luxury, community, well-being, and self-actualisation,' added Patrick Bernard Rouse, Chief Development Officer at Deyaar Development. Midway through the tower a Sensory Oasis will offer floating gardens, air yoga zones, AI meditation pods, an invisible spa, and luxury fitness spaces. At 100 storeys up, the Summit Society will boast dining concepts, exclusive lounges, a screening room, and Legacy Lounge. Downtown Residences will also have a residents Club with AI-powered workspaces, private executive pods, and networking hubs for business leaders. The project will feature a dramatic central slit and five vertical zones that ascend from the Urban Oasis at podium level to the Sky Mansion. The integrated landscape design blurs the lines between nature and built space, offering serene moments within the high-energy bustle of the city, the developer said.
Times
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
This fizzy, satisfying read has echoes of Jonathan Franzen
The great Kurt Vonnegut once set out eight rules for writing stories, one of which was: 'Every character should want something, even if it is only a glass of water.' In Fulfillment, the second novel by the American writer Lee Cole (the title retains the US spelling), the central question is: what exactly do we want? In most stories, it's straightforward. A character wants something — love, riches, one ring to rule them all — then gets it or doesn't, with interruptions along the way. This is a fruitful if predictable path, but what might be more interesting is if the characters don't know what they want. It might be more realistic too: the psychologist Abraham Maslow said, 'It isn't normal to know what we want. It's a rare and difficult psychological achievement.' While that might not get you far when there's a queue behind you in Starbucks, it makes for a pretty satisfying novel. Cole introduces us to Emmett Shaw and his half-brother Joel, who share a mother but are otherwise very different. Joel, 33, has a wife and a successful, fulfilled academic career, and has written a book with his 'smug-looking photo on the jacket'. Emmett is drifting at 28, and has 'never taken a job or made a commitment in his life that he couldn't walk away from at a moment's notice'. He thinks about becoming a screenwriter, although that seems more because he wants to find something to do rather than because he really wants to do it. Emmett and Joel don't really stay in touch: their text messages are 'just a series of alternating Happy Birthday! messages, stretching back four years'. The plot gets moving when both brothers are back home in Kentucky with their mother. She's addicted to Fox News, which offers another form of fulfilment, by reliably telling her what she wants to hear. When she criticises Joel's electric car, he asks righteously, 'What's your vision of the future? Are we all driving Hummers to our jobs at the local coal mine?' As for Emmett, he's deeper in the world of wanting than anyone. He's just got a job at a fulfilment centre for Tempo, a thinly disguised Amazon corporate behemoth. He's a tiny pixel in the superstructure of a modern tech industry that is built round not just delivering what we want — next day, same day, so we can move on to wanting the next thing — but also predicting what we want ('customers like you also bought this'). 'Our phones listen to us,' Joel's wife Alice says. 'They know what we want before we do.' Emmett, with little to lose, gets involved with a colleague's plot to steal medication from shipments they are unpacking and sell them. But more significantly, he gets involved with Alice, who was never sure she wanted Joel in the first place, and is now sure she doesn't. What better way to fulfilment than to have an affair with your husband's half-brother, someone who is like him and not? • What we're reading this week — by the Times books team Fulfillment seems to be aiming for somewhere between Nathan Hill's satire of modern mores (even the title has echoes of Wellness) and Jonathan Franzen's family turbulence. There's a desperate comedy to the characters' efforts to stave off boredom by any means — crime, sex, conspiracy theories — and a nice fizzy energy to the way even secondary characters are on the make, including the man who thinks being an Uber driver makes him an entrepreneur. Cole has an astute ear also for the verbal racket of modern life, from colleagues with sappy fridge-magnet-level mottos of advice ('Stay in the present') to the found poetry of medication side-effect warnings. 'Agitation, insomnia, sexual disappointment, sudden flatulence…' From time to time, though, you can hear the clunk of the author pulling levers to advance the plot, as when Joel is mistaken for a much more popular author, or when Emmett decides to take a break from the family for a few days and suddenly Alice needs to go with him for spurious reasons. (The real reason being, Cole needs to get their affair to the next level.) • Read more book reviews and interviews — and see what's top of the Sunday Times Bestsellers List The last 50 pages accelerate everything and wrap up all the plot points a bit too quickly. But that's not fatal: endings are hard, and in a way all these manipulations are an extension of the book's purpose. Why do we read if not to be taken for a ride by the author? Anyway, the scenes that result from these unlikely developments are funny and interesting, and the ending has a neatness that works, so we forgive them. Fulfillment is engaging, thoughtful and bang up-to-date. Fulfillment by Lee Cole (Faber & Faber £18.99 336pp). To order a copy go to Free UK standard P&P on orders over £25. Special discount available for Times+ members
