MIDDLE EAST
FEATURE
Spin cycle for
There is no ‘spin doctor’ for
Dubai. And despite the emirate’s
Dubai Inc.
increasingly sophisticated approach
to PR—including the formation
of Brand Dubai and the Advisory
Council—an Alastair Campbell-style
figure is some way off
BY BEN FLANAGAN
ony Blair had Alastair Campbell and Peter
Mandelson. George W. Bush had Kar
BY BEN FLANAGAN
T
en
Hughes. And pretty much everyone—
including the government of Saudi Arabia—
has had Lord Timothy Bell on the books at
some point. But while so-called ‘spin doctors’ are a rare
breed in the Gulf region, it could be now—more than
ever—that their black arts are in demand.
Despite the ongoing financial crisis, no central
spokesperson for the Dubai government has emerged
over recent months. There is no Alastair Campbell-
style control freak, feverishly picking through the day’s
newspapers, hounding journalists over minor and
seemingly insignificant points. But, despite the negative
associations of such a character, could a ‘spin doctor’ be
just what Dubai needs?
The emirate’s PR strategy is slowly evolving. The
global economic meltdown has demonstrated the
need for a clear, concise—and, perhaps, controlling—
communications strategy like never before. And this need
is being met with an increasingly sophisticated response
by the government.
Each of these people is head
of a major conglomeration. Do
they speak the same language?
They are competing against
each other. Everyone is working
on their own brand, but what
about Dubai?
Dubai is not alone in its drive to provide better
communications. Dave Robinson, Hill & Knowlton’s CEO
of the Middle East and Africa, claims to have received
more enquiries from governments seeking public
relations advice since the onset of the financial crisis.
“The need for governments to communicate effectively
is acute,” says Robinson. “We’ve seen a significant increase
in that work, both globally and within the region.”
Part of Dubai’s new PR effort began two years ago,
when Brand Dubai was established by the government
to work on the emirate’s international image. It now has
15 members of staff, many of them executives at A’Sidrah
Public Affairs, and—partly as a result of the global
downturn—plans to grow further. On top of this, the
body employs public relations agency Hill & Knowlton to
handle its affairs in Europe and Africa; it is currently in
the process of awarding further pitches to international
PR firms.
A more intriguing development was last year’s
announcement of the formation of Dubai government’s
financial Advisory Council, led by Mohamed Alabbar,
senior aide to Sheikh Mohammed and chairman of
developer Emaar.
14 / 08 FEBRUARY 2009 www.mediaweekme.com
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