{"id":293,"date":"2013-02-11T07:42:28","date_gmt":"2013-02-11T15:42:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/imho.kileozier.com\/?p=293"},"modified":"2013-02-11T07:42:28","modified_gmt":"2013-02-11T15:42:28","slug":"how-to-succeed-in-business-in-the-uae","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/imho.kileozier.com\/?p=293","title":{"rendered":"How to Succeed in Business in the UAE"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"skyline\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Last year, as we were deep in rehearsal for Dubai\u2019s National Day Celebration and the show just days away, I was approached by one of our wonderful actors, Bilal Abdullah, with whom I\u2019d connected in auditions and had a good, friendly relationship…<\/p>\n

\u201cSo,\u201d he says, \u201c…how have you found it, working in the UAE?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve got it figured out, Bilal, and now it\u2019s easy. When I say to my team, \u2018rehearsal at 6pm,\u2019 it means that rehearsal begins at 6pm, sharp. When I say\u00a0 to you, \u2018rehearsal at 6pm,\u2019 it\u2019s a suggestion<\/i>\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

He laughed out loud and said, \u201cAh, you now understand us…\u201d<\/p>\n

——-<\/p>\n

There is much going on in the UAE. A very different mix of myriad, disparate cultures, different from and including the West. I see tremendous opportunity to contribute and, ultimately, to push the boundaries of creation of compelling experience and, for just the right (and very patient) investor to make a great deal of profit along with significantly raising the bar in the production of event, ceremony and spectacle in the Middle East…and globally.<\/p>\n

Patience in this endeavor will be Key: I will get to that.<\/p>\n

——-<\/p>\n

I first visited the UAE in 2003. The Emirates had been on my radar for some time, and after Condescending Traveler<\/i> featured the Burj al Arab<\/b> on the cover, I sensed that it would not be long before people would stop asking \u201cwhere\u2019s that?\u201d when I mentioned Dubai.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, in the [themed entertainment and marketing] trades, article after article had been published, citing the amazing, groundbreaking shopping malls, the Family Entertainment Centers and Themed Destinations being installed, there. I wanted to get over there. I wanted to see what was going and and see if I might get my creative hands on a nighttime spectacle or two.<\/p>\n

What I found was far from cutting-edge.<\/p>\n

I was startled and disappointed to find that these installations were comprised, predominantly, of second-hand, off-the-shelf, carnival-esque kiddie rides; as though they\u2019d been dusted-off and sold to an unsuspecting, ignorant-due-to-non-exposure audience. While there were some state-of-the-art attractions and destinations — Jumeirah\u2019s Wild Wadi Waterpark<\/b> paramount among them at the time and Ski Dubai \/ Mall of the Emirates<\/b> under construction — most of what was being presented and sold wouldn\u2019t get a second glance in the West.<\/p>\n

From what I could observe, overall, customers in this part of the world were being sold a Bill of Goods.<\/p>\n

It was a very Gold Rush-y time in the UAE, and it seemed to me that a population of Nouveaux<\/i> Carpetbaggers were on the prowl; selling to [low] expectation rather than to possibility or state of the art.<\/p>\n

Which is not to say that there were no Principles or Integrity at play, as well; many trusted, iconic companies were exploring possibilities over there, at the time. A few truly envelope-pushing projects were underway and have since been realized. It was clear to me, however, that advantage was being taken of a lot of local investors. I could not imagine that this dynamic would not come back to haunt the Westerners and Europeans doing business in the UAE.<\/p>\n

——-<\/p>\n

Returning to work in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in 2011 and 2012-13, I have been witness to what I see as a culture of expensively skewed values; one that has developed in this industry out of the almost profligate culture of the Emirates. While of much higher quality and closer to a Platinum Standard than that merely of Gold, although everything bought is big and grand and \u201cthe-best-that-money-can-buy;\u201d most of what is delivered remains, still, an off-the-shelf product.<\/p>\n

Everything has, through this, become more sophisticated…as have the customers, in a limited sense. There is cachet to be found in the ability to obtain The [recognizable] Best in the shortest amount of time. Labels are everything. Magnitude is the Measure, and a subtle (or not-so-subtle) one-upmanship seems to underlie a lot of what is bought to be produced.<\/p>\n

Hypothetically, it would not be unusual – in fact it is not unusual – for a Client to approach a company with, \u201cI want a party for 1000 in a tent that looks like the Taj Mahal, far out in the desert…next Friday.\u201d And it would happen.<\/p>\n

Buying things, flying things in, obtaining the Best of the Best, overnight; that is the crux of Spectacle and Event Production in the UAE. The Culture is not currently attuned to the value of resonant, compelling, engaging original content and Experience. Rather, it is about mounting spectacle with what is, essentially, off-the-global-top-shelf.<\/p>\n

Not to downplay; fantastic spectacle is produced in the UAE. Massive stages and overwhelming special effects, huge casts and fireworks and projections\u2026 Truly awesome stuff happens, there. Just little that might be considered Original.<\/p>\n

——-<\/p>\n

I approached one of the principals of a company for which I was doing work, there, in 2011; saying that while it was great to have these giant budgets on projects with shockingly short lead-times, that such structures don\u2019t truly deliver the best, possible result…especially in the context of custom, original Creative.<\/p>\n

I offered that, were such projects to be initiated as much as a year out – giving time for actual Creative Development of a given concept – that not only might a great deal of money actually be saved (though, that is rarely a concern) or, at least not wasted, but the product would be far better. Far more value for the money, a far more powerful Experience delivered.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy people will never think that way\u2026\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

——-<\/p>\n

Exacerbating this is an Undercurrent of Fear that pervades Vendors and Royal Staff in the UAE. I witness an almost craven approach to client relations on the part of production companies. A fear of rejection that filters any and all original ideas from concept development for fear of frightening-off the potential client and losing the gig; resulting in a near-obsequious tenor of relationship. There is often an eagerness to please and meet the in-reality low expectations and standards of the client that precludes innovation and evolution of Experience.<\/p>\n

I get it. There are staffs to support, mouths to feed, doors to keep open.<\/p>\n

The source of this problem dynamic, as I perceive it, resides within the staffs of the clients…especially of Royalty. There is a deep-seated (and perhaps borne of historical reality) fear of displeasing the Sheik. This keeps the box very small with respect to program and presentation, resulting in one of two avenues being followed:<\/p>\n