Winning Dubai The Trust Of The West
As developing nations join the ranks of world leaders, culture clashes are inevitable. Even as they adopt the progressive trappings of global capitalism, ancient institutions–inimical to Western values– persist
PROBLEM
Amid tremendous growth, Dubai faced communications challenges ranging from human rights to rule-of-law issues. Even as the government modernized its laws on labor rights and human trafficking, international media and the US government intensified pressure to move even faster.
APPROACH
LEVICK’S multi-year campaign powerfully underscored the tangible progress that had already been made. Direct outreach to public officials and watchdogs led to a conspicuous upgrade in the State Department Report on Trafficking in Persons. One State Department official called the emirate’s progress “a model for the region”, positioning its leaders to present Dubai as an ideal alternative to terrorism for populations throughout the region.
RESULTS
Only two years after 9/11, the campaign set the stage for the merger of OMX, Borse Dubai and NASDAQ to make Dubai one of the leading financial centers in the Gulf and in the world. The CFIUS process, virtually an impossibility at the start of the campaign, earned unanimous support in 24 hours.
