Rebranding in the pandemic
Patrick Honein, founder of integrated marketing agency Sputnik Floyd, discusses his firm’s highly successful project with the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism and Development Authority which won two golds, a silver and a bronze at the Transform Awards MEA 2022. Patrick also describes why his agency is evolving with the times and involving itself with NFTs and the metaverse.
The wholesale adoption of digital media in the world over the past two decades has driven an irreversible transformation in branding. You’re either fully aware of this, or are a dinosaur with a large, binary code meteor headed straight for you. Consumers are now in constant conversation with each other, and with brands themselves.
As marketing and communication experts, we understand that a wholehearted embrace of this evolution is not only a matter of survival. It’s also crucial to being part of and driving positive change in the industry, exploring new trends and setting an example for others to follow.
This is precisely the approach that Sputnik Floyd took during the rebranding project for our client, Ras Al Khaimah Tourism and Development Authority. Its resulting strategic pillars – evolution, progress and development – are synonymous with the tone and values that we believe the practice of branding must actively work to be associated with.
From fostering connections between the brand and the consumer, to being flexible, welcoming and down-to-earth, we set out to make RAK a beacon and benchmark for what a modern, engaging brand should look, sound and feel like.
And at the center of it all is the Kashida – the stretchable line that connects two parts of an Arabic word. It inspired the new RAK logo as a means of bonding the strategic pillars, as well as stakeholders and audiences, with the brand essence. Our resulting creation – the RAK-KASHIDA – represents the intimate link between the brand and the experiences that visitors can enjoy in the emirate.
In other words, the integrity of our strategic approach is firmly rooted in relevance, and the most valuable insights and rich culture of the destination that the brand represents. Culture is a living, breathing, dynamic and adaptive creature, one reflective of the people that mould it in their image and most passionate beliefs. It is also symbolic of a diverse geography, and the natural environment that plays a vital role in shaping it.
This kind of dynamism and inclusivity is exactly what Sputnik Floyd strives to emulate. While we have plenty to say about branding, our horizons are far broader. Our offering includes 360-degree communication, comprehensive media services, web design and social – to name a few.
But what we’re really excited about is the future. As a progressive, adaptive and always curious business, Sputnik Floyd recently started accepting client payments for some of the aforementioned services in cryptocurrency.
KryptoKom (a pseudonym for ‘communication services sold in cryptocurrency’) is an evolving idea, as we explore potential partnerships that will make wide-ranging implementation a reality. With KryptoKom, Sputnik Floyd is one of the world’s first agencies to make this quantum leap in the industry, targeting tech investors, entrepreneurs and start-ups.
We are also involved in building an NFT project in the UAE, which will provide our team with an invaluable opportunity to expand our knowledge and expertise on the subject, making Sputnik Floyd the partner of choice for clients looking to join the NFT and metaverse revolution.
Ultimately, we hope to inspire more businesses and brands to truly embrace the inevitability of change. And we look ahead to giving our customer and partner base across the region the edge they both deserve and have come to expect.
Sputnik Floyd is on the move to lead a new era in the branding and communication of tomorrow. We invite you all to join us on this wild ride.
