Etihad Rail, the UAE’s federal railway operator, has called a pitch for its creative advertising business.
The Abu Dhabi-based governmental body has sent out an RFP to an undisclosed number of advertising agencies. The brief is understood to initially cover creative exhibitions and events in order to inform the public about the project, with more traditional above-the-line, below-the-line and online campaigns following as the physical railway infrastructure nears completion in a few years.
The pitch follows on from Etihad Rail’s unveiling of its corporate brand identity on 23 March in the UAE capital. The identity was designed by the Dubai and Abu Dhabi offices of independent branding agency Brash Brands and attempts to convey a falcon’s head, as well as the UAE’s primary colours of red, green and black.
The railway will link the principle centres of population and industry of the UAE, as well as form a vital part of the GCC railway network. It is expected to extend up to 1,200km in length, connecting the emirates and linking the UAE to Saudi Arabia in the west and to Oman in the east. The railway’s total investment is estimated at $10 billion, with the first phase due for completion by 2014.