Grow represents double win at the World Travel Awards 2011

Samson Samasoni, Managing Director of grow PR, represented Pacific Resort Group during their double win at the World Travel Awards in Qatar, January 2012.

The gala ceremony for the World Travel Awards, also known as the ‘Oscars of the Travel Industry’, was held at the glamorous Katara Cultural Village, Doha's ground-breaking new arts and exhibitions complex.

Established in 1993 to acknowledge, reward and celebrate the enormous achievements in all sectors of the global travel industry, the awards are now regarded as the best endorsement that any travel product can receive.

Grow PR represented two Cook Islands hotels, Pacific Resort Aitutaki which won World’s Leading Boutique Island Resort and Te Manava Luxury Villas and Spa, which won World’s Leading Island Villas.

Voting is cast by travel agents in over 190 countries from around the world, with hundreds and thousands of votes each year registered online on the official World Travel Awards


Website:
http://www.worldtravelawards.com

Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OO4jX-J1OBs

Award-winning Strategic Communication Specialist joins agency Grow in Doha

Award-winning Doha-based strategic branding and design agency Grow has launched a PR and communications arm with the appointment of Samson Samasoni to head up the new division.
 
The former managing director of Bell Pottinger in Qatar, Samson Samasoni, brings with him more than 28 years’ experience in journalism, public relations and strategic communications when he takes up the role of Managing Director of Grow PR.
 
“We’re delighted with the appointment of Samson to the Grow family,” said Grow Managing Director Anthony Ryman. “His presence offers a significant string to our bow, providing us with substantial international and local experience and allowing us to offer a superior, integrated range of services in the communications field.”
 
Mr Samasoni said he was excited about the prospect of starting up a new PR and communications agency under the Grow umbrella.
 
“Grow has a praiseworthy pedigree and the  synergies between their award-winning work and the strategic communications that we will build, I’m sure will be most compelling for many clients in Qatar and beyond.” said Mr Samasoni
 
Mr Samasoni has been based in Qatar for more than six years, including a stint with management consultancy Bearing Point. 
 
His client portfolio has included Qatar Foundation, the General Secretariat for Development Planning in Qatar, the Supreme Council of Health, the Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority and SABIC in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.  Some of the noteworthy campaigns Mr Samasoni has advanced include the promotion of Qatar’s knowledge-based economy, the launch of Qatar Science and Technology Park, early work on the development of Qatar’s National 2030, Qatar’s labour market strategy and the inception of QF Radio.
 
“Grow PR will very much focus on the strategic end of communications and public relations, particularly in relation to brand development, building corporate cultures, internal communications, public sector communications and social marketing,” said Mr Samasoni.
 
“Our specialism will focus strongly around behavior-change communications whether it relates to organisations or the marketing of social messages through campaigns aimed at promoting public good, for example road safety or health-related communications.
 
“With the ambition of the Qatar National Vision 2030 and the focus of the Qatar National Development Strategy, there is certainly a clear indication of the type of strategic communications that will be required to effectively support the significant change programme that Qatar is embarking on.
 
“Grow PR is well-positioned to provide expert counsel in these areas and to provide international best practice methodologies for the benefit of private and public sector organisations,” Mr Samasoni said.

David Omi: The Visionary

David has crafted and guided the identities of some of the world’s most famous brands, including Alexander McQueen and American Express. Gifted with a creative and thoughtful nature, Omi doesn’t miss a beat, taking an incisive view of the world we live in and the brands we obsess over. He spoke to Sur La Terre about the branding of qatar and some of his favourite projects to date.

Download the article:
http://tiny.cc/xd64w

“Best of Nation” global design award for Qatar’s grow

Wolda, the Worldwide Logo Design Annual 2010, has awarded the prestigious  “Best of Nation” award for Qatar to grow. Its design for the Education Centre logo at the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) was selected from almost 1,400 entries from freelance designers, agencies, studios and students from all over the world. Wolda is the first and only award scheme endorsed by more than 100 design associations and schools.

This high-profile graphic design award recognises the best logos and trademarks designed throughout the world and judging is done by an innovative three-tier jury of 10 top designers, 10 marketing managers from major international companies and 10 members of the public, who represent the eventual target market.

Wolda ’10 selected the brand identity for the Education Centre at the MIA as a winner this year because of its original concept and the design excellence executed by grow. It has been given an honourable mention on the Wolda website and you can see the full list of 200 winning logos from all around the world at http://www.wolda.org/showcase/professional/2010?page=12

grow’s brief back in 2010 was to create a logo that mirrors and communicates the priceless wonders of artistic delights housed within the museum and focuses on the building itself as a work of art. A fusion of geometric art and freehand techniques, the logo embraces the essence, the DNA, the inspiration of the museum itself, the architectural masterpiece designed by I.M.Pei that represents the artistry inherent in the collections within. The water-coloured background represents not only the location, but also the fluidity and flow that is expressed through creative education. Supporting the image is slick typography with the Arabic name stacked above the English, yet working beautifully together.

This is not the first award given to this outstanding logo; earlier this year it was selected to appear in USA’s premier design publication LogoLounge’s Book 6, which features the cream of logos from all over the globe. Only 1000 logos are selected by international judges from over 34,000 entries submitted.

Wolda explained: “(The winners) track the evolution of tastes, styles and trends in global design, year after year. Wolda’s standing is guaranteed by the endorsement of the most important design associations and schools.”

Anthony Ryman, Managing Director of grow commented: “ This is so important for grow but also for Qatar. We always said that our mission is to help Qatari companies articulate and express their identity and so position and differentiate themselves on the global stage. This award is created in Qatar and for Qatar and we dedicate it to H.H. Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad Bin Khalifa al Thani for her exemplary vision and commitment to supporting culture and promoting Qatari intellectual capital through the arts.

Four Times Lucky: Medi, Deli, Grill @ The Village

Quadruple branding launch by grow for Doha’s exclusive 5 star dining spot ‘The Village’ as their ‘Medi’, ‘Deli’ and ‘Grill’ food concepts take off to a flying start after opening their doors last month.

As if it was not enough for grow to brand ‘The Village’ restaurant complex; giving the mother brand both elegance and sophistication by use of the prominent ‘V’ icon, the award-winning local agency was at it again and tasked with the mission to establish the sub-brand food concepts ‘Medi’, ‘Deli’ and ‘Grill’ and to stand above and beyond its competitors in Doha.


The Challenge:

The brief was to create and develop an enticing world around 3 distinctive, prestigious restaurant concepts for ‘The Village’, inspired by the diversity in food, atmosphere and unique interior decoration that each restaurant offers. Housed under the same roof and managed by Integral Food Services (IFS Qatar), which were established in 2004, these innovative restaurants join the incredibly successful F&B management company who look after Bombay Chowpatty, Royal Tandoor and 241 Pizza.

With over 100 years of 5 star experience, IFS have established themselves as a prominent local player in the retail food service business by achieving circa QR 100 million annual turnover and employing over 1,000 personnel.


The Creative response:

grow’s BIG IDEA was to explore “The Culture of Food” as a positioning platform to make each restaurant concept come to life by distilling its essential ingredient or characteristic to become the identity and focus, or as grow call it, the “BIG IDEA”. The final emblem not only represents what the customer can expect from their visit but also (and more importantly) it communicates who they really are and aspire to be. The true value of a long-lasting future identity offers the customer the opportunity to indulge in and explore fully the essence of the restaurant and its DNA. ‘Medi’, ‘Deli’ and ‘Grill’ were born into uniqueness by way of combining the ingredients of clear thinking and beautiful design.

Medi @ The Village offers customers ‘THE place to Connect’ over contemporary Mediterranean seafood dishes, Italian-inspired pizza and pasta dishes or simply Lebanese meze in an elegant backdrop of natural stone and column-shaped fish aquariums.

Deli @ The Village invites customers to ‘THE Place for Meeting & Greeting’, making it ideal for a classy breakfast or business meeting in a relaxed and private atmosphere where the quality and taste of the food is second to none. Using no artificial colours or flavours, homemade burgers, freshly squeezed juices and in-house baked pastries and cakes grace the menu; in a funky and stimulating interior.

Grill @ The Village is ‘THE place to unwind and escape’ into another world of distinctive opulent Ottoman Baroque pieces and Middle Eastern royal décor. Speckled with contemporary touches and cosy warm colours to indulge all the senses, it features Middle Eastern and Persian cuisine for the whole family as well as private family dining, a water-bar and a secure place for the children to play.