2013 Winners & Shortlists

The Campaign

Branded content is an evolving concept in Qatar. Clients aren’t always aware of the concept: they usually want an ad, a corporate video or a short news package to showcase a specific event. However, once the concept has been clearly presented to them, clients are receptive to the idea of producing compelling and entertaining content, with a highly branded quality. To make branded content work, producers need to carefully balance the need of the client with the quality of the content, and editorial integrity. Producers need to manage this process carefully so the right tone can be set, and the appropriate quality achieved. However, clients are keen to learn and are delighted to have found a partner to produce this content locally. Until now, high production value content has usually been commissioned to companies based outside of Qatar. Companies weren’t able to find experienced local partners to produce that content for them.

Results

Challenge: The main challenge was to develop a treatment that would strike a careful balance between the need of the client, and the need to entertain. We needed to develop compelling and entertaining branded content, not a typical corporate video. Objectives: Our film would be a beautiful, fun, educational and entertaining half-hour television program created to introduce the people of Qatar to the many business and economic opportunities that will exist because of the QRail project. Strategy: The program would be cinematic, lively and energetic, and hosted by a Qatari, as a guided tour of opportunities and experiences. When our host described facts-and-figures, numbers, statistics, graphs, and charts would appear on screen, to help make the economic and business opportunities as clear as possible. The program would be a journey through Doha, to meet people, see places, and participate in activities that bring these business opportunities to life. Because New Business Opportunities would be the focus of this program, we would concentrate on people and locations that help to discuss new business opportunities in Qatar. Execution: Our client, the Qatar Development Bank commissioned us on the 1st October 2012 to commence production of a branded television show about the new "Qrail" train system, for broadcast on 18th December 2012, Qatar's National Day. This was an extremely tight deadline, given the high production value and numerous graphics required. We had to move very quickly, to hire a crew, develop a production schedule, go into production, and post-production in time for National Day.

The client was so happy about the film that they took full page ads in the main Arabic newspapers in Qatar to promote the film ahead of its release. The ads encouraged people to tune in and watch the film on Qatar TV. These ads ran on the 16th December, 2 days ahead of broadcast, in the following newspapers: Al Watan, Al Sharq, Al Arab. The film ran for the first time on Qatar TV on National Day, with five successive re-runs during the week. The film also aired on Al Rayyan TV during the same week.

The documentary was very well received by the viewers of Qatar TV and Al Rayyan TV. Following the release of our documentary, Qatar TV approached us to develop a 12 part series about our client’s investments in Qatar. The client is keen to explore the possibility and we are currently in talk with Qatar TV about this possible series. In addition, the client has used the film at corporate events and fairs, and has found it to be a useful tool, which has been drawing positive response from business partners, as well as business prospects.