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I am the power that lifts the world’s head proudly skywards, surpassing limits and expectations.
Rising gracefully from the desert and honouring the city with a new glow, I am an extraordinary union of engineering and art, with every detail carefully considered and beautifully crafted.
I am the life force of collective aspirations and the aesthetic union of many cultures. I stimulate dreams, stir emotions and awaken creativity.
I am the magnet that attracts the wide-eyed tourist, eagerly catching their postcard moment, the centre for the world’s finest shopping, dining and entertainment and home for the world’s elite.
I am the heart of the city and its people; the marker that defines Dubai’s shining dream.
More than just a moment in time, I define moments for future generations.
I am Burj Dubai.
But not for long.
Only hours before the spectacular launch of the Burj Dubai/Khalifa (and we’re sticking to that until we get an official explanation), The Brand Union Middle East sent out a release to the media detailing the agency’s branding strategy for Burj Dubai. The strategy, part of which is captured in the words above, was to make Burj Dubai “a living wonder.”
Then, to the world’s surprise (and The Brand Union’s, no doubt), sometime around 8 o’clock on January 4, 2010, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum unveiled...Burj Khalifa.
So what happens to the Burj Dubai/Khalifa brand now? Rebranding questions have so far been deflected from The Brand Union to Emaar Properties, who have sent us on to Asda’a Burson-Marsteller (the public relations agency for the real estate developer). Communicate has yet to receive an explanation, but we did get a comment from Emaar Properties saying: “We are currently working on the rebranding and more details will be announced in due course.”
While waiting for due course, we asked Abed Bibi, managing partner at brand and innovation agency Wolff Olins in Dubai, what kind of an impact the name change will have on the brand.
“Branding is about telling a clear brand story,” says Bibi. “I’m sure the name change has a very nice emotional attribute to it, and [that has to be revealed] for the brand to live as Burj Khalifa.”
Bibi admits that the name change, though not really drastic, will take some time to get used to, particularly because all of the businesses surrounding the Burj have been named after it. Yet he believes that a name change doesn’t have to affect a brand dramatically, as long as it’s tackled well.
“It’s about how you make the brand live,” he explains. “Sheikh Mohammed probably called it Burj Khalifa as a sign of respect to the government of the UAE and the president. It’s not wrong; it’s a very nice and optimistic gesture, which can be turned into a great story.”
Aubrey Ghose, CEO of AIS Brand Lab in Dubai, says that as a building, Burj Dubai/Khalifa is such a strong piece of architecture that the name change won’t affect it so much. “The branding won’t ever change where the building is,” says Ghose. “It won’t put it in a different country; you can’t just pick up a building and move it. It’s always going to be a beacon and symbol of Dubai. The building is what it is, beautiful and strong, so the brand positioning won’t change.”
Meanwhile, rumors continue to circulate about the reason for the name change. “People have a lot of assumptions and opinions and comments,” says Bibi. “Once you say it clearly and with the right strategy, it can be very easy and simple." If the story isn't told, he says, the brand will be loose with no direction and no values, because everyone will have a different opinion of what it stands for. "The Burj will reamin, of course, nothing will happen to it," he adds. "But if you tell the right story, you will benefit from it."

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