Event Archives

July 18, 2017

A Whole Other World

If you’re a fan, like me, of comics and the related games and movies they inspire, you will undoubtedly have heard of, if not visited, Comic-Con. These conventions are held in major cities around the world and gather fans by the tens of thousands.

Comic Con 2017

Obviously, a major marketing tool for the industry they are also an opportunity for us, the aficionados, to immerse ourselves in the fictitious worlds we love, often dressing as our favourite hero (or villain) for the day and bringing the character to life along with our alter ego.

Dubai’s annual gathering, The Middle East Film and Comic Con (MEFCC), held at the Trade Centre over 3 days in April, is now the biggest popular culture event in the region. I have been attending since the beginning in 2008 and the growth of interest and participation has been phenomenal.

Being such a youthful cauldron of nationalities and cultures, Dubai’s version offers a mixture of people which is probably unique in the world, all drawn by a common enthusiasm. That makes it truly fascinating. You have Batmen, Hulks, Spocks and Wonder Women from every corner of the earth.

Bushra at Comic Con_003 For this year’s visit, I became a fully made up character of my own creation in the Japanese Manga style. I have loved manga comics since my teenage years, drawn to their detailed illustration, depth of character and life simulating story lines.

Having always enjoyed illustrating and drawing, I am inspired by the artists behind these comics and characters. Studio Ghibli, based in Tokyo, is a favourite, making incredible films for huge global audiences (and profits).

I am extremely happy to say that illustration has now become part of my professional life and I can create scenes and characters that communicate and influence on behalf of our clients.

For a unique spectacle of creativity visit Comic-Con in 2018. I’ll be there but you probably won’t recognise me.

Bushra Laota – Graphic Designer at Zaman

April 3, 2014

Clusters of Light 2014

We recently visited Clusters of Light to mark the Sharjah Islamic Culture Capital 2014 and were quite impressed with the event. His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, attended the first performance of the spectacular musical Clusters of Light at Al Majaz Amphitheatre, Sharjah.

The musical, which depicts the beginnings of Islam through poetry, music, drama and dazzling audiovisual effects, marked the commencement of Sharjah’s year of celebrations at being named Capital of Islamic Culture and drew an audience of over 3,500, bringing together the emirate’s senior officials with artists from throughout the Arab world.

Clusters of Light, an epic musical show, was written by Dr Abdul Rahman Al Ashmawi, a Saudi poet, and composed by the Bahraini artist Khalid Al Shaikh. The soundtrack was recorded by the German Film Orchestra Babelsberg in Berlin, led by the German composer Christian Steinhauser. We were honored by the Arab idol winner, Mohammed Assaf, who opened the stage show, followed by artists such as Hussein Al Jasmi, Ali El Haggar and Lotfi Bouchnak.

The stage show, a narration of the biography of the Prophet Mohammed from his birth until his passing, featured several actors and musicians, with cinematic visuals and live performances.

Did you have the honor of experiencing this truly spectacular musical event in Sharjah?

March 23, 2014

Design Days Review

We recently visited Design Days, a key event now firmly fixed onto the annual Dubai calendar and held in its prime central location Downtown Dubai.

This year it seemed the event went all out in terms of organization and quality of the design displayed and anyone who attended and participated over the 4 day event, would definitely have felt the vibe throughout Dubai. It was also really encouraging to see designers from the Arab world creating furniture with such attention to quality, detail and intense thought behind such concepts.

It was hard to pick a winner in all this talent but we definitely had our favorites!

Two of the most outstanding items for us were from Michael Anastassiades and Victor Hunt Designart Dealer. Michael through his piece ‘Miracle chips’ (right picture) featured large rolled pieces of marble defying the technical engineering which built them. Victor Hunts mesmerizing piece ‘Million Times’ (left picture) was true to their gray zone interpretation of industrial design and craft.

Further highlights for us came from Latifa Saeed represented by Tashkeel, who created a beautiful braided sofa and armchair (left picture) and Nermeen Abu Dail represented by Naqsh design house who managed to build the narrative of Palestinian cities using a unique combination of embroidery with bronze on Corian surface (right picture).

The Design Terminal piece from the Hungarian National Centre for creative industries was also remarkable with Ivanka presenting embossed concrete tiles that were versatile in their usage (left picture) and Laszlo Lukas who managed to dazzle us with his glass work showing complex depth and perspectives (right picture).

Last but by no means least the Carwan Gallery proved to be a real delight, profiling a mix of Lebanese contemporary designers including Nada Debs and Karen Chekerdjian. Karen’s stunning copper vases were truly enchanting each one taking on its own individual sculptural form.

With such an array of rich talent and a fantastical electric atmosphere we are already looking forward to next year’s Design Days!

March 20, 2014

Our Top 5 Picks at Art Dubai

Tashkeel – Established in 2008, Tashkeel is a contemporary art organisation based in Dubai committed to facilitating art and design practice, creative experimentation and cross-cultural dialogue.

Leila Heller Gallery – Founded in 1982 in New York, is known for having an active and innovative exhibition featuring international contemporary artists and modern masters from the Middle East. For over 25 years, the gallery has had a long-standing commitment to creating links between Eastern and Western culture through art.

Lombard Freid Gallery – Was founded in 1995 in New York. Over the last nineteen years, the gallery has prided itself on curatorial exploration and a commitment to artists whose works combine a remarkable visual vocabulary with a strong conceptual underpinning.

Grey Noise – Is a contemporary art gallery representing a selection of artists, with a focus on work from South Asia, the Middle East and Europe. The gallery provides emerging and established artists with a platform for ambitious projects engaged in dialogue with the international art community.

Galerie Chantal Crousel – Since its establishment in 1980, Galerie Chantal Crousel has represented artists of diverse origin to the French and international art worlds. These artists share a common exploration of the essential values that underlie contemporary society, each drawing upon their own heritage to develop a visual language that is both powerful and universal.

February 6, 2014

AL AIN PHOTOGRAPHIA AWARD RETURNS

AL AIN PHOTOGRAPHIA AWARD RETURNS IN 2014

Calling all photography and videography enthusiasts: the 2nd edition of the Al Ain Photographia Award kicks off again this February!

In 2011 Zaman Branding had the honour of working with Al Ain City Municipality for the inaugural launch of photo contest Al Ain Photographia Award, click here to read about it. This year we’ve partnered with the city again for the management of this contest campaign and we are taking Al Ain Photographia Award to the next level making it the most innovative and inspiring competition yet. The competition is open to anyone, regardless of age, residency or experience.

The Photographia Award invites participants to submit either photographs or videos in either 1 open video category or one of 3 photo categories; Personalities and Cultural Icons, Sustainability and Lifestyle.

Like 2011, admirable shots of the beautiful and captivating Oasis city of Al Ain will stand a chance to win in either the People’s Choice award category or the grand prize winners chosen by a select panel of Judges. Entries started on 02.02.2014 and will end 16 March 2014.

Visit www.alainphotographiaaward.ae for full details. All the best!

January 8, 2014

CROWDSOURCED STORYTELLING THROUGH

CROWDSOURCED STORYTELLING THROUGH #MYDUBAI

A few days ago Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Crown Prince of Dubai launched an initiative to write the world’s first autobiography of a city through social media. Playing on the popularity of hashtags as seen in 2013, the initiative aims to tell the story of modern day Dubai through the eyes of its nationals and foreign residents that have come to call this city home.

Set to run for 12months, participants are invited to contribute their photos or short videos via Instagram, Facebook and Twitter by using the hashtag #MyDubai. By doing this they will be able to introduce the unique values and culture of the Emirate to the world through social media, which has become one of the most important channels to tell a story, the world over.

In past posts we’ve spoken about the power of imagery and presented various contexts by way of sharing some of the client projects we’ve worked on. In 2011 Zaman worked with the Al Ain City Municipality to conceptualize and manage the inaugural Al Ain Photographia Award. Although this was a contest with rewards for participation provided by sponsors, the spirit of the campaign was the same as that of #MyDubai; showcase Al Ain through the eyes of its residents.

“In the fabric of Dubai there are more than 2.1 million stories – the individual lives and experiences of all those who call Dubai home. A city’s story is created by its people and as we look towards a prosperous future, it’s time to join together and show the world how 2.1 million people can create one remarkable story. Together we will create the world’s first autobiography of a city.” Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed

Crowdsourced storytelling – this is a powerful aspect of the campaign. In past posts we have referred to the fundamentals of storytelling which include authenticity, honesty, consistentency. We’ve also discussed fairly extensively destination branding and how the most successful campaigns conducted by countries or cities are those that have a 100% buy-in from the local residents, who in turn become almost brand ambassadors championing key narratives to entice would-be visitors.

According to reports from the Dubai’s Department of Tourism & Commerce, parallel to this a number of activities and events related to the hashtag will be launched throughout the year. Likewise, a specialised team will work on the project, curating people’s contributions for use across different media platforms, for example at international exhibitions and to inspire art installations, films and books.

Although its only been a couple days since launching this sounds like the makings of an interesting case study at the end of 2014 on the creative ways that destination branding can leverage social media to be more engaging. Best wishes to all participants of of #MyDubai!

October 23, 2013

SHUWEIHAT S2 PLANT INAUGURATION

SHUWEIHAT S2 PLANT INAUGURATION – A SHARED MILESTONE

There is something almost paradoxically delicate about celebrating the launch of a power plant. Having built a reputation for organizing unique events to mark the milestones of leading businesses in varied industries such as the inauguration of FAPCO F2 plant two years ago; Zaman has spent the past 7mths working tirelessly to create yet another memorable event for the UAE’s energy sector.

The inauguration of the Shuweihat S2 power & desalination plant, which was held on Oct 8^th, was the culmination of three years of insurmountable efforts by a consortium of local & international partners, who’s shared vision forms a critical component of the Abu Dhabi government’s Vision 2020 master plan. It is because of this that Zaman was tasked with the responsibility to create an event that was intense, tactful, refined and powerful.

The inauguration event for the S2 plant was scheduled to take place on the premises of the actual plant site. In the lead up to this, lots of planning was required of which logistics was one of the most critical parts. Set about 250 kms away from Abu Dhabi, the logistics to organize the venue and accommodate the security detailing involved in having members of the Royal family as invited guests, while adhering to the stringent access protocol to power plants for unauthorized personnel – called for detailed planning, timely coordination, continuous information flow and a degree of improvisation as ground preparations & rehearsals were not feasible.

In previous posts (here & here) we have highlighted the importance of streamlining the entire event experience from the moment invited guests arrive at a venue to the moment they leave. For S2 it was really important that the first impression be welcoming, entertaining, with a sense of excitement about the milestone that the guests would be a part of, in order to counter the 5hrs required to reach the plant site!

Zaman orchestrated the day’s proceedings in a way that cascaded a series of onsite interactive events, which included a discovery trip around the state of the art facilities of the S2 plant. The event began with a simple lunch to set everyone at ease after a long journey. There were a total of 230 guests who accompanied guest of honour HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed. Post lunch guests were escorted to a reception tent which had been set up akin to a gallery with a series of huge panels that highlighted the milestones of the plant’s construction as well as its features and capacity specs. This was visually told in a blend of beautifully shot plant photos and infographs created by Zaman using research and inputs from various partners such as ADWEA and members of the S2 team.

Just before the arrival of the Royal family everyone was ushered to the presentation area – a black room with 7m high ceiling, a dramatic stage design and an amazing canopy of the plant. The setting was contemporary and elegant, with amber lighting used to focus on a red carpet walkway and the lecterns. Once guests were seated, two appointed Masters of Ceremony ensured that the itinerary, which included speeches by senior officials from ADWEA and GDF Suez, flowed smoothly. A showreel, which was a blend of 3D animation, testimonials, and motion graphics, showed a 4-minute interplay between facts and figures that were highlighted against a backdrop of S2 pictures – showcasing once again Zaman’s varied creative development capabilities.

The peak of the event was the official plant unveil which was done by HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed. To capture the attention of the audience, Zaman put together a unique mechanism for this moment. A tower in the form of a stack was brought to His Highness. Once he pressed the button, the sound of a turbine filled the room and a gauge on screen was animated followed by the opening of a large 20meters panel to reveal the S2 in all its glory.

This was immediately followed by a small Royal tour, and a guided discovery in shuttles around the plant. The entire experience was marked with many memorable moments, including an iconic photo of the plant with HH Sheikh Hamdan and the consortium of partners.

The culmination of 7months preparation and coordination with our partners, which manifested into a one hour event, underscores Zaman’s ability to expertly create & manage complex event projects. All of this work would not have been possible without the professionalism and commitment of team Zaman. Well done!

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A Whole Other World