On the face of it, the UAE becoming the fifth country in the world and the first Arab country to enter Mars’ orbit was a huge scientific achievement.
But when the UAE made history millions of miles away on Tuesday, it was much more than that.
From a branding perspective, the Hope Probe went a long way in promoting the UAE’s image of a country where the “impossible is possible”, according to marketing and branding experts.
“The UAE is going to join an exclusive club of countries who have reached Mars. The UAE’s brand is very much forward-looking, and centred around innovation and technology; there’s also the country’s ‘tagline’ of impossible is possible,” said Alex Malouf, communications professional and the only chartered communicator, chartered marketer, and senior communication management professional in the Middle East.
Alex Malouf, communications professional and the only Chartered Communicator, Chartered Marketer, and Senior Communication Management Professional in the Middle East.
“This extraordinary achievement underlines these brand values, and give the country a great story to tell the region and the world. From a branding perspective, the Hope probe will help lift the UAE’s brand value for many years to come,” he added.
Speaking last month, Sarah Al Amiri, the UAE’s Minister of State for Advanced Technology and chair of the UAE Space Agency (UAESA) said the Hope Probe had offered a counterweight to extremism in the Middle East and has helped change the attitudes of students and young people in the region.
Mark Fiddes, a creative consultant based in Dubai, told Arabian Business: “The UAE Space Agency made three critical brand decisions. Given the past year, they have all had more impact than anyone could have imagined. First, when the probe launched, they called it Hope. Those who were cynical about an Arabic space agency having such lofty ambitions laughed. They’re not laughing now – when Hope is exactly the human quality we need to champion post-Covid.
Mark Fiddes, a creative consultant based in Dubai
“Second, the Minister of State and Chair of the UAE Space Agency is Sara Al Amiri. This is not just tokenism towards diversity. This presents the world with a role model of a young, highly successful engineer at the top of her game who articulates the case for space exploration as well as anyone from NASA,” he said.
Fiddes also pointed out that the research being done through the Hope probe is critical to the future of the planet explaining that “the study of atmospheric oxygen depletion in a ‘control’ environment will fast-track our understanding of how to deal with Earth’s climate crisis.”
“So, with one mission, UAESA has promoted three vital values for brand UAE into the future: optimism, opportunity and climate concern. I’m pretty certain no advertising campaign could achieve anything like this, whatever the budget,” added Fiddes.
The UAE’s Hope Probe on Tuesday completed a complex manoeuvre – the most critical part of the mission – that saw the spacecraft rapidly reducing its speed from 121,000km/h to 18,000km/h to enter Mars’ orbit.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, responded instantly with a tweet saying: “Mission accomplished”.
“The Mars mission is a clear testament to the UAE’s commitment towards the advancement of humanity. This transcends geopolitics and clearly positions UAE as vanguards of modern Arab culture, establishing that the nation is a force to reckon with. It sets the tone on the global stage, displacing any other preconceived notions held by others, and puts a firm imprint on the scientific world,” said Gaurav Sinha, CEO & chief strategist of Insignia Worldwide.
A number of businesses operating in the UAE were quick to offer their praise for this achievement reiterating that it made them proud to call the Emirates home.
Nidal Abou Ltaif, president of Avaya International
“The successful entry of the Hope Probe into the Mars orbit is a momentous triumph for not only the United Arab Emirates but is a source of pride for all of us here in the Arab world. It reaffirms the role that Arab ingenuity has historically played towards human progress. This achievement underscores that the application of technology for the greater good of the human race is a constant mission,” said Nidal Abou Ltaif, president of Avaya International.
“Again and again, the UAE proves that it is a hub for all history-in-the-making activities and this Mars Mission cements the nation’s position at the forefront of exploration and discovery worldwide. We are proud to be able to witness and celebrate this monumentally successful event in Arab history,” said Alaa Youssef, managing director, Middle East & Africa at SAS.
Alaa Youssef, managing director, Middle East & Africa at SAS
Late last year, the UAE was named as the most valuable country brand in the Middle East and North Africa, boosted by initiatives such as its mission to Mars, the normalisation of ties with Israel and Expo 2020 Dubai.
The country’s brand was ranked 18th globally, up two places from last year, and is worth AED2.45 trillion ($672 billion), according to the latest report by consultants Brand Finance.
The UAE also scored success last year when UAE Team Emirates cyclist Tadej Pogacar was the Tour de France in 2020.
It was yet another marketing coup for the airline that also sponsors leading teams in football, rugby, tennis, motorsport, golf, horseracing, baseball, cricket and sailing – a far cry from its first lone tie-up in 1987 when it lent its support to a powerboat race in Dubai.
The UAE’s Nation Brand Office officially began its task of coordinating the message of the country to the rest of the world last year.
The new office, which falls under the umbrella of Public Diplomacy Office in the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs and the Future, aims to strengthen cooperation between the government and private sectors to enhance the reputation of the UAE.
It is also responsible for building cooperation mechanisms with academic and research institutions in the country, as well as managing and implementing media and promotional campaigns to ensure that the message of a unified brand is consistent with the seven emirates.
The establishment of the new office came after the recent launch of the Nation Brand initiative which saw more than 10.6 million people from all over the globe choose the Seven Lines design to represent the nation going forward.
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