Another Marketing Story & the importance of TIMING
I keep writing and telling everyone how the UAE and especially Dubai is a paradise for all marketeers and people who love branding/PR/Communications, such as myself.
And here I am with another marketing "story" straight from Dubai.
A couple of weeks ago (probably almost a month ago) a company (or a product) called RUWAAD decided to extensively fill in the city's billboards and taxis with their creative.
The creative was quite simple (not to say boring): White background with company logo in the middle and the word RUWAAD beneath. Nothing more. (I will try to take a photo snap soon). But it definitely cost billions to put that artwork almost everywhere around the city.
A completely innocuous billboard if it wasnt for the fact that no one really knows who/what RUWAAD is all about. Give us (the People) Coca Cola, DHL or Microsoft logos or names and we will recognize it by the second, but RUWAAD is definitely not yet in that level of brand recognition. Maybe the words in arabic in the logo are revealing.. but then again there are also versions of the billboard completely in arabic; that is, with the RUWAAD in arabic lettering. So, considering that at least 50% doesnt read arabic, the english version of the billboard shouldnt be revealing the brand in its arabic part, right?!
Cool, I thought!! Cant wait to see how they will "unveil" the brand further. (We marketing people are like these! always trying to check out other people's marketing work. ahah.) Afterall, there is nothing cooler than having an entire city talking about you without knowing what you are all about and then deliver your message right when everyone is asking about it. Perfect trick when you have the money.
BUT, now the "coolness" level has dropped because of one single element that someone forgot to take into consideration: TIMING.
One month has passed... the city has talked about "what the hell is Al RUWAAD" but nothing/no one came up with an answer - with a nice replacement of billboards with the "truth", full page ads on major newspapers, or something similar. And, suddenly, the timing has passed. People dont talk about it anymore, they just moved on. The bad news for RUWAAD is that they also moved on from the "hype" around the brand and that, most probably, the level of indifference to the brand once it gets revealed will be similar to the moment of time before they went and spend all those millions spreading RUWAAD on my way to work.
Maybe I am wrong. Maybe tomorrow will be the big day and everyone will love to know what it is and buy it from the supermarket or buy a new apartment from the real estate.
But, somehow, my gut feeling (the same that told me that the campaign looked fishy because the billboard itself was boring to death, kind of indicating that the product/company would also be boring) tells me that I should be kind of right.
Lets wait and see.
10 Comments:
Ana Elisa, timming it's very important but the concept brand even more. AL RUWAAD can use "AR" in capital letters, play with colours, and a million diferent things. Grafic dissygner & copy jobs! Even psicologist... Not always marketing area has the strong rol in a new brand project.
Sorry, but, what are you doing down there?
Kind regards from BCN ;-)
Hi Ana,
Interesting thoughts abt the Ruwaad syndrome. WE are looking for people who think, breath and live marketing. Would be grt if you could drop ur cv.
Regards,
V.
Hi Ana,
You can find a picture of RUWAAD outdoor ad in my blog dubaimarket.blogspot.com
Your so right Ana Elisa, the campaign had me scrambling to do web research on what it was Ruwaad actually does, NOTHING. Spoke to people in the outdoor industry, Emirates Outdoor of course are keeping very quiet, why would they give up the name of their substantial benefactor, even the major agencies are at a loss to who booked this major campaign, that has achieved absolutely nothing apart from, many people scratching their heads, asking what the hell was that all about, and of course a large invoice from whichever agency was lucky enough!!!
So true, it was a campaign that totally mystified me!! What was the point, i'm sure Emirates Outdoor aren't complaining, but even an intensive Google search which did not give a definitive answer, questioning various media buying agencies and other "friends" in the media industry, all were at a loss as to who Ruwaad are.
All in all a total waste of money on a branding strategy that is delivering zero ROI as nobody still has a clue as too who Ruwaad are or what they do!!!
Hi.. I think this is from HSBC, they are going to introduce new banking campaign..
Ruwaad is a Property Company that is a conglomerate formed between Emirates Outdoor, a Sharjah based company and an Indian developer, according to Cokey who responded to my post here: http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=32390172&postID=115850044639784645
Hi Anna,
Dubai is one place where we whole heartedly welcome the new comers who are trying to register their brands among our minds. Most of them were quiet success in their efforts too. Talking about Ruwaad, the mystery still continues, we still scratches our heads, searching web, asking media friends what the hell is Ruwaad? but no one is able to give an answer. But keeping all the negative aspects of the campaign like lousy logo ?mystery about the ad and delay in the Punch etc apart, we all talk about Ruwaad at least around 10 times a day when we saw their campaigns and becomes the talk of the town when guys and gals meet around the corner for a fag ! . So to that extend the marketer wins on the campaign ? The basic objective of Brand Registration among the minds of the customer. Even on the buying behavior of the customer, they are more likely to buy a brand which they are aware of when they see in the POP place. But this campaign is right if this is an FMCG or Consumer Product other wise for a Real Estate Developer, what percentage of the Dubai population can be their real customers with the purchase capability while addressing to a large Mass? Any way let us wait and see..Best wish for Ruwaad! hope you don?t disappoint us.
Togin Thomas
Business Consultant, Truetek
Hi Anna
Dubai is one place where we whole heartedly welcome the new comers who are trying to register their brands among our minds. Most of them were quiet success in their efforts too. Talking about Ruwaad, the mystery still continues, we still scratches our heads, searching web, asking media friends what the hell is Ruwaad? but no one is able to give an answer. But keeping all the negative aspects of the campaign like lousy logo ?mystery about the ad and delay in the Punch etc apart, we all talk about Ruwaad at least around 10 times a day when we saw their campaigns and becomes the talk of the town when guys and gals meet around the corner for a fag ! . So to that extend the marketer wins on the campaign ? The basic objective of Brand Registration among the minds of the customer. Even on the buying behavior of the customer, they are more likely to buy a brand which they are aware of when they see in the POP place. But this campaign is right if this is an FMCG or Consumer Product other wise for a Real Estate Developer, what percentage of the Dubai population can be their real customers with the purchase capability while addressing to a large Mass? Any way let us wait and see..Best wish for Ruwaad! hope you don?t disappoint us.
Togin Thomas
Business Consultant, Truetek
Ruwaad has come out in force. It is now the 1st private company to have a collobration of this sort with Paramount. Paramount mainly deals with goverments so Ruwaad has really pulled of a coup. Well done Ruwaad!
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