ETIHAD FORMULA 1 AIRCRAFT
To celebrate Etihad Airways’ title sponsorship of next year’s inaugural Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the airline has re-painted one of its aircraft in the livery of a racing car. The new design on the A320 aircraft sees a break from Etihad’s corporate colors, with the plane being painted black with the image of a red Formula 1 car together with the official race title logo on the rear and the Formula 1 logo on the engines. In the build-up to the 2009 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Etihad will fly the aircraft to several of its destinations across the Middle East and Levant ensuring millions of motor racing fans can see the iconic design and share in the excitement ahead of the UAE’s first ever Formula 1 Grand Prix. Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways’ executive vice president marketing and product, said: “With preparations for the inaugural 2009 Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix well under way, we are delighted to raise awareness of the race through our own F1-themed aircraft. The F1 aircraft signals the beginning of a comprehensive program of activities and promotions surrounding the Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix which will ensure the eyes of the world are on Abu Dhabi and the UAE.” The seven-figure, three-year, title sponsorship deal will see the Formula 1 race in the UAE’s capital city named the “Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix” until 2011. It also provides Etihad with a major trackside advertising package and podium branding for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. As part of its Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix title sponsorship, Etihad will offer its customers a series of all-inclusive packages that include flights, accommodation and Grand Prix tickets.
THE WORLD PROJECT
Nakheel, one of the world’s largest property developers, yesterday laid the final stone on the breakwater for The World. The last rock was one of 34 million tons of rock that were used to construct the 27 km breakwater which surrounds the 300 man-made islands that make up The World. The World team was on hand as the last rock was placed by director Hamza Mustafa. This historic moment marked the completion of the first phase of one of Dubai ’s most talked about landmarks, which included land reclamation requiring 320 million cubic meters of sand dredged from the sea and the creation of the breakwater that surrounds the 9 km wide and 7 km long island destination. The next phase involves handing over islands to developers for construction and building of infrastructure.
DAIHATSU TERIOS 2008
Abdul Latif Jameel Co. Ltd. introduced the all-new Daihatsu Terios in Jeddah with a test-drive session for the media earlier this week. The seven-seat 2008 Terios is a sport utility vehicle (SUV), which offers full comfort and features of power and integrated safety system based on international quality standards. The launch is accompanied by a distinguished media campaign under the theme “Liberate yourself.”
KALIMAT TELECOM’s PLAN
In the near future, Kalimat Telecom, Iraq’s national telecom network that was launched as the first national fixed wireless local loop (WLL) telephony and data provider aiming to serve 26 million Iraqi citizens, plans to handle the voice traffic and data transfer needs of the Iraqi consumers in different regions of the country. A $1 billion consortium of specialist vendor, Kalimat Telecom aims to provide its services to every home, business, and governmental and non-governmental institution in Iraq. The consortium won the 10-year wireless license from Iraq’s Communications and Media Commission in September 2006. Kalimat Telecom awarded a $275 million infrastructure contract to Huawei Technologies. Huawei, a global leader in telecom network solutions, will execute the project in four phases, which is already under way since September 2007. The Chinese technology vendor will supply and provide deployment services for CDMA base stations and help create a top-of-the-line all-IP network infrastructure. Wilson Varghese, president and CEO of Kalimat Telecom, said: “Huawei’s technology will enable significantly faster and more cost-effective services. This is the first time Iraq is witnessing a full-scale deployment of fixed wireless technology across the country, not just in urban clusters but in remote areas as well.”
SAMSUNG BREAKTHROUGH
Samsung Electronics opened the CES 2008 show in Los Angeles unveiling its vision of a world of complete connectivity, one in which the boundaries to both rich content and beautiful design are gone and the result is a life made simple. This year’s announced products, which garnered an impressive 33 CES Innovation Awards, represent Samsung’s commitment to providing the highest levels of connectivity, content and creativity in markets such as visual displays, digital music players and home theater systems. “The world of the consumer is rapidly evolving, from the sources of the content they are viewing to the influences on how their products are designed,” said Dr. Jongwoo Park, president of Digital Media Business, Samsung Electronics. “Our products and technologies not only achieve the highest levels of performance and beautiful design, but they connect together the user experience in a way that simplifies life.” With the release of the ultra-thin Series 7 LCD TV and its unique transparent and opaque coloring, Samsung has reached a new benchmark in the evolution of television design. For the first time, a manufacturing technique, previously used only for smaller A/V devices and luxury car interiors, is used to create a distinctive TV that stands out from traditional black design. The new look, which is also available on the Series 6 LCD and Series 7 Plasma TVs, is achieved by infusing a hint of amber coloring to the translucent cabinet to produce a clean, glass-like finish. The manufacturing process behind this unique design feature is called TOC (Touch of Color).
IMPACT BBDO RESTRUCTURES
Impact BBDO, one of the region’s top creative networks with a multi-discipline offering, has announced the appointment of Beirut-based Dani Richa and Dubai-based Pierre Azzam as chief operating officers of the group’s growing network. The dual announcements come as Impact BBDO enters new markets and opens new Algeria office. Both Azzam and Richa have enjoyed highly successful careers within the Impact BBDO group with over 20 years experience and have been assigned regional roles effective immediately. “Over the past couple of years, our region has witnessed sustained growth resulting in a positive effect on the communication industry,” said Alain Khouri, chairman and CEO, Impact BBDO Group. “In parallel, the Impact BBDO Group has continued its geographic expansion and widened its discipline offering, providing effective and comprehensive marketing communication solutions to existing and new clients.” Beyond the group’s geographic expansion, Porter Novelli and Proximity, the PR and online agencies of the group, are witnessing steady growth within their disciplines and contributing to Impact BBDO’s strong multi-discipline offering.
INTERCONTINENTAL EXPANDS
InterContinental Hotels & Resorts is celebrating its expansion in the Middle East with global brand partner Aston Martin Racing, a division of the world’s most exclusive sports car company, as well as Middle East Aston Martin. Three days of events including a driving tour around two thriving destinations in the UAE, will highlight InterContinental’s strong presence in the region, especially with the opening of its 150th hotel at Dubai Festival City recently. The UAE drive takes the Aston Martin Racing with InterContinental Hotels & Resorts team from InterContinental Dubai Festival City to the newly reopened InterContinental Abu Dhabi, before returning to Dubai on the second day. While the Aston Martin Racing drivers are also sharing the ‘inside track’ on what it means to be a world-leading racing team at a specially designed track day and through live demonstrations of full ‘pit-stops’, InterContinental is hosting several events en route, as well as specially designed destination experiences.
AL-SORAYAI IN HANOVER FAIR
Al-Sorayai Trading Industrial Group, one of the Middle East’s largest carpet manufacturers and exporters, is participating in Domotex Hanover 2008 from Jan. 12 to15, showcasing its latest line of innovative flooring products. Domotex Hanover is the world’s most comprehensive floor covering expo, and the Al-Sorayai Group participates in this show annually. Saleh Nasser Al-Sorayai, CEO of the group, said: “Our participation in this event is an opportunity for the Al-Sorayai Group to demonstrate in the high level of development of Saudi industry in various fields, particularly those in the carpet and furniture industries, in an international arena. He added that the group’s participation in this fair was another step toward achieving further expansion into international markets and to meet its customers’ needs by ensuring that the company was kept abreast of the latest trends and developments in the industry. “For the Al-Sorayai Group, Domotex is the ideal springboard to the fast-growing international markets. The company expects to execute several transactions during the show,” Al-Sorayai said.
HOTEL SHOW 2008
A massive $3.63 trillion is being invested in hotels, leisure projects, aviation developments, cruise lines, tourism promotion and supporting infrastructure across the Middle East, according to the preliminary results of a research program. The study covers 13 Middle Eastern countries for the period to 2020 and is to be published in full at the Hotel Show 2008, the Middle East’s leading supplies exhibition to the region’s hospitality sector, taking place at the Dubai International Exhibition Center on June 8-10, 2008.
