Leo Burnett has won the advertising account for Abu Dhabi-based property giant Aldar following a competitive pitch.
The agency will now be responsible for rolling out Aldar’s new marketing strategy as the company seeks to turn around losses incurred in the recession.
Leo Burnett and FP7 had been the only two agencies shortlisted as part of Aldar’s advertising review, which initially involved a long-list of 10 agencies. Incumbents JWT and Impact BBDO were not invited to take part in the process.
Sami Eid, deputy director of marketing and media at Aldar, said: “It was a very tough decision because there were some very good ideas, but Leo Burnett stood out as being the most appropriate agency for us. Their creative and strategic thinking were excellent and they were right on brief.”
Kamal Dimachkie, managing director for Leo Burnett UAE, Kuwait and Lower Gulf, said: “The real estate industry today is facing multiple pressures, and Aldar’s premier real estate developer status necessitates that it navigates this challenging market smartly and purposefully. We were therefore determined not to deliver just an advertising solution, but to ensure that every single piece of communication delivered on a business objective, was built around a meaningful core human purpose, and moved people along a transaction funnel. So, we were determined to create communication solutions with purpose that would ensure people responded and remained engaged.”
Aldar, which has announced $75 billion worth of assignments since it launched in 2005, is owned by leading Abu Dhabi institutions, shareholders and investors. Its projects include Yas Island, Al Raha Beach and Central Market.
