Sharjah’s news portal
The emirate of Sharjah’s first news portal of its kind was launched by Sheikh Abdullah bin Salem Al Qasimi, the deputy ruler of Sharjah.
Sharjah24.ae, an online news portal, was launched at the International Government Communication Forum (IGCF 2015). The website has a cross-cultural brand since it will broadcast from the emirate of Sharjah, but will target the UAE, the Arab region, and beyond.
The new visual identity was created by Garden, a Dubai and London-based branding agency. The visual identity had to suitably convey the range of news that would be shared, from technology and culture to economy and sports, and it had to stand out among all the other online newsrooms.
The new logo has a shadow element which conveys the daily passing of time and the typeface is available both in Arabic and in English, depending on its placement. The bright colour palette is used to colour code the website so that it contributes to user experience.
Joseph Hedges, creative director at Garden, says, “The colour palette we have created is fresh and warm and the logo itself and the comms based around the mark and visual language have been created with the view to build a brand that always changes, the shadow of time/shadow play being a core aspect to the whole brand, included in the mark itself, as well as the brand language and general brand comms: it uniquely and distinctively sets it apart from other channels”.
The news channel represents wider goals for the emirate of Sharjah itself, a region that has previously been called The Arab Capital of Culture.
Osama Samra, director of SMC, says, “The launch of the website is the latest step in a long journey of media development in Sharjah. The emirate holds the distinction of being home to the first newspaper in the UAE in the early 1920s. Since then, Sharjah has come a long way in all fields, including media, and we are determined to further develop this sector in the emirate.”
