Did UAE property developer Al Fattan miss some vital cues when it constructed its new brand identity? Vahid Mehrinfar thinks maybe it did. Vahid Mehrinfar, executive principal & chief brand futuristVahid Associates Brand Futurists, Bahrain
I have to categorize Al Fattan's new identity as a missed opportunity.
If the whole point of re-branding is to make a company or brand fit for the future, here is yet another case where change ends up in predictability.
Rather than extending frontiers of new possibilities, this logo stays within the genre of a humble trading house.
While Al Fattan has made attempts to use an elegant typeface, build relevance through Islamic arches and cue patriotism through use of the colours of the UAE flag, all this may satisfy a planner's logic but is ultimately a naïve art form at best... completely directionless.
Beyond contemporising, what else was the client hoping to achieve and how was he planning to cue that? How much did the branding agency contribute to that effort? A real branding programme is an intense process of collaboration between client and his communication consultants.
The client management spells out his objectives at the start, and the branding consultant guides a team through to a mutually satisfactory end.
Having read some of the strategic intent of the company, I wonder how the identity would really be understood from the audience's end.
Why is it that a developer's most tangible acumen... vision... is foregone by the same developer when it comes to the most representational aspect of his business, and the most important relationship-building tool... the identity?
Where's the aspiration? Where's the international stature? Why are both English and Arabic typefaces of equal height fighting each other for attention in a world where it is well-known that English prominence acts as a perfectly acceptable primary medium of communication universally?
At this point, I think Al Fattan's identity stays transfixed in a particular period in time, whereas it ought to have become timeless.
It has been projected as an exponent of structures in the UAE, whereas it should have focused on creating happy communities and bridging worlds. I hope through the launch of its 'Experience Centres' - an interesting concept - some of the shortcomings of the logo will be overcome by the actual expression of Al Fattan's intent for its audience to interact with and, therefore, understand better.
Al Fattan Properties
Dubai-based Al Fattan Properties launched its new corporate identity recently to reinforce its standing as one of the pioneers in the realty development sector. The new ID highlights the company's roots and local expertise, positioning these attributes as the firm's biggest assets.
Simultaneously, the company launched an 'Experience Centre' that reflects this renewed identity. The Centre has become the focal point for the company's marketing activities.
Established in 1974, Al Fattan Properties' vision is to be a respected strategic developer of quality properties and sound investments. The company's objective is to provide the highest level of services and best value for money products in the UAE real estate market. Its projects include Al Fattan Marine Towers, Oasis Beach Hotel and Lotus Plaza.
© Gulf Marketing Review 2007
