2017 Winners & Shortlists

THE TOWER AT DUBAI CREEK HARBOR

BrandEMAAR PROPERTIES
Product/ServicePROPERTY DEVELOPMENT
EntrantASDA'A BURSON-MARSTELLER Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
CategoryMedia Relations
Idea Creation ASDA'A BURSON-MARSTELLER Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
PR ASDA'A BURSON-MARSTELLER Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

The Campaign

To identify and create the ‘Wow’ factor.

Execution

The Agency worked with Santiago Calatrava’s team to develop a captivating narrative for the tower. Instead of height, we focused on the architecture of the tower, number of levels of observation decks, and key components of the masterplan, including retail district. A ‘whisper campaign’ on an imminent ‘big launch’ by Emaar was rolled out engaging key influencers, and through strategic interviews with the company’s chairman, Mohamed Alabbar, where he referred to a new icon for Dubai Creek Harbour. This generated a media frenzy that was deliberately stoked until the launch event. At a press conference, Alabbar and Calatrava discussed the design contest followed by a dramatic unveil of the tower’s masterplan. We also planned a special program with social media influencers, backed by one-to-one interviews with the designer and developer with international and regional media. Its development value of US$1 billion was also revealed, driving the interest of business media.

The launch of ‘The Tower at Dubai Creek Harbour’ received unprecedented international coverage, with reports in all leading print, online and broadcast media. The Tower launch was also trending in social media. In all, the launch event secured 984 pieces of known coverage with a total reach of 187,388,547, valued at over US$4.3 million. The significant success underlined what Emaar aspired to achieve with the launch – that it is a company that delivers and creates long-term value.

The Situation

To establish something as truly iconic requires much more than the right messages or well-written advertising copy: it requires the buy-in of the media. And securing that required every trick in the book, from building the pre-event hype through word-of-mouth and teasers, through to judicious media relations in providing access to the key story makers. The biggest trick? Ensuring the launch didn’t disappoint and having the journalists and influencers agree that, yes, the Tower will indeed be Dubai’s next icon

The Strategy

The overarching strategy was to create the ‘wow’ factor for Dubai and Emaar, and to whip up excitement on the possibility of another tower in Dubai that would dramatically change the skyline. It was also important not to undermine Burj Khalifa’s reputation as the world’s tallest building, but still create global dialogue on the new tower. While the final height of Burj Khalifa was its ‘mystery’ element in its PR strategy, for the new tower, the narrative was focused not on height but on design and its function as one of the most dynamic observation towers in the world. The campaign was built around its design by world-renowned architect Santiago Calatrava, and its inspiration – the water-lily.

Credits

Name Company Role
Kelly Home ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller Director
Nivine William ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller Group Account Director
Rajeev Nair ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller Senior Editorial Consultant
Robert Tasker ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller Senior Account Manager
Fadi Shraiqi ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller Head of Arabization
Iman Ahmed ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller Senior Manager
Anthony Fernandes ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller Associate Manager
Princess Purino ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller PR Coordinator
Rowena Camacho ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller PR Coordinator
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