In a major branding overhaul, Abu Dhabi Media (ADM) has revamped its four regional flagship channels which was done by Dubai-based multi- disciplinary integrated design house Les Folies. The agency embarked on a massive branding revamp for ADM’s Abu Dhabi Sports TV, which culminated in an official re-launch of the station on August 8.
Under Les Folies’ remit for ADM falls the brand identity revamp and re-launch of Abu Dhabi TV and Emarat TV along with the brand identity development and official launch of YAS TV, ADM’s niche channel for local sports, which debuted in February 2015. Les Folies’ scope of work on the ADM revamp project stretched beyond creative direction, branding and design; the team collaborated with ADM on a strategic positioning plan for all channels, developing a fully-fledged rebranding campaign for Abu Dhabi Sports TV.
Built around the message that “every ground can be your playground”, Abu Dhabi Sports’ eight idents transformed the city’s landmark locations into sports field, calling on viewers to action and active participation in the game – and focusing on seven sports, namely football, tennis, jiujitsu, fencing, MMA, sprinting, swimming and basketball.
“We flew in the best talents, technologies, equipment and specialist crew members to match the quality and breadth of output with the size and scale of this project. But ultimately, it all boiled down to the heart of what each channel stood for and the stories we needed to convey. As is the case with any project we take on, visual art was the core element in these idents,” commented Obeida Sidani, co-founder and design principal at Les Folies, who led on the project as creative director.
“For YAS TV in particular, we wanted the elements, effects and scene transitions to play on the intersection of old with new and of heritage with evolution. The dhow becomes a speed boat, the desert race transitions into a buggy, the falcon transforms into a bullet; each reflecting a different sport,” added Mr Sidani.
For Abu Dhabi TV, “the capital and the heart of the UAE” was portrayed through panoramic sceneries of landmark locations and areas in the city. For Emarat TV, the idents captured the magic across the United Arab Emirates, from Dubai’s Burj Khalifa to heritage, cultural and urbanism beacons in Abu Dhabi.
