States nurture brands to take marketing edge

When it comes to developing a global brand, Dubai has long stood out above the rest in the Middle East. As the emirate enjoyed its stratospheric rise it became synonymous with adjectives such as “awe-inspiring” and anything preceded by “the world’s largest”.

In the west, many were ignorant of the fact that Dubai was only one of seven city states in the United Arab Emirates – not a nation in its own right.

By contrast, a mention of Abu Dhabi was until recently met with a curious, “where is that?” in spite of its being the wealthiest and largest member of the UAE. For years, Abu Dhabi was happy to sit in the shadow of its neighbours, while Dubai, which has limited and depleting hydrocarbon resources, went full tilt to market itself to the outside world.