AgencyBPG
DesignationSenior Copywriter / Creative Conceptualiser
RoleBrand Strategist
Year1996–98
SituationFew considered Dubai a serious long-term commercial or residential proposition, unlike Hong Kong or Singapore.
ChallengeFreehold property was almost unheard of in the UAE, and Emaar’s corporate identity, built around a sunrise motif by the firm IDentity, was already in place.
BriefEstablish Emaar Properties as proof that Dubai could be a viable commercial and residential destination.
StrategyExtend the sunrise motif into a genuinely international, optimistic lifestyle narrative, breaking from the prevailing story of the time.
Scope of WorkCorporate identity and advertising campaigns.
ResultEmaar went on to build Emirates Hills, Arabian Ranches and a string of properties that only grew in value, and today counts the Burj Khalifa as its flagship.
NoteWorked closely, around the clock, with emerging thought leaders of the country including Mohamed Ali Alabbar and Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi.
Emaar’s brand began at a moment when almost nobody saw Dubai as a serious place to invest or live, certainly not compared to Hong Kong or Singapore. Taking the sunrise identity already in place and building an optimistic, international lifestyle narrative around it gave the city a story worth believing in before the towers existed to prove it. Working closely with the country’s emerging leadership at the time, including Mohamed Ali Alabbar and Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi, that early story became the foundation for Emirates Hills, Arabian Ranches, and eventually the Burj Khalifa itself. A separate five-year identity programme for ETA Star Properties (2005–2010), including staff and vehicle livery design, helped build it into a US$7 billion brand valuation.
