Fed up with being soaked by the constant downpours? Dreading the onset of winter with the long, dark nights and the biting winds? Looking for somewhere warmer to escape to?
Well, dear readers, if so, you are might, just might, be in the target market for a new global campaign by the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture & Tourism, devised by Serviceplan Middle East and Dejavu, as they strive to woo tourists and put the United Arab Emirates capital on the map as the ultimate winter sun destination.
As the official blub goes: “While winter in the West means grey skies and duller days, Abu Dhabi offers holiday-goers the chance to free their fairer-weather favourites from storage boxes everywhere. Abu Dhabi invites them shake off the winter blues and do what they rarely imagine doing this time of year – get excited to winter.”
Featuring a series of “whimsical” films, each targeting a different overseas market, the first stars Bollywood superstar and Experience Abu Dhabi brand ambassador, Ranveer Singh; the second follows Chinese celebrity Liu Yifei; the third features Kuwaiti comedians Dawood Hussein and Hassan Al-Ballam; while the global film follows the story of an “ordinary” family.
However, they are all based on the theme of holiday clothes escaping their owners on arrival and going on “adventures” of their own. For the global campaign, the family chase their gear all over the place, including to a theme park, a “sea world”, the hotel swimming pool, luxury brand shops, and finally the beach.
Apparently, with so much anticipation in the air, even these animated clothes “Can’t Wait to Winter” in Abu Dhabi.
No lesser mortal than H E Nouf Mohamed Al-Boushelaibi, executive director of strategic marketing and communications at Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, said: “In Abu Dhabi, winter is more than a season, it’s an experience. Our campaign captures this, embracing the wide variety of the Emirate’s exciting offerings.
“While our approach personalises the narrative to specific markets, it continues to answer one essential question: ‘What should people pack for?’, meaning ‘What should they expect from a winter in Abu Dhabi?’
“Ultimately, the answer is to pack it all. Because there’s so much fun in store, you’ll want to enjoy it all this winter in Abu Dhabi.”
So, what is the consensus around the Decision Marketing office?
Well, no doubt there will be some people who can’t wait to get over there to lap up the luxury of it all, and with costs of around £5,000 a week, they are welcome, we say.
Of course, there is the small matter of human rights. But the official line rules this out: “Throughout its history, the UAE has followed the principles of justice and equality, respect for human rights, humanitarian aid and relief action in line with the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Since its inception, the UAE has ensured the founding of a tolerant and multi-cultural community in which individuals from across the world live in harmony, guaranteeing via its constitution their civil liberties.”
That’s OK then, as long as you aren’t gay, which is not only illegal, it can carry the DEATH SENTENCE.
If that’s the sort of country you want to go on holiday to, we pity you. ‘We Can’t Wait to Winter’ in the UK. Give us the constant downpours, the long, dark nights and the biting winds of Blighty any day… The ad’s crap, too.
Decision Marketing Adometer: A ‘never in a million years’ 1 out of 10
