In today’s competitive F&B landscape, creating buzz isn’t just about launching new concepts—it’s about making bold, memorable statements that align with a brand’s broader identity.
Flayva, the food hall at Al Ghurair Centre, took a step to distinguish itself from the competition by setting a new record. In partnership with Allo Beirut, a Lebanese street food brand, Flayva recently set a Guinness World Record for hosting the largest shawarma-tasting event.
Jemma Starzecki, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Al Ghurair Properties, shared with Campaign Middle East how the brand is leveraging the record to build a strong, lasting narrative.
From the outset, Flayva’s mission was clear: to be more than just a food destination. As part of Al Ghurair Centre’s broader redevelopment, Flayva was designed to be a community hub, a place where people come together to socialize, eat, and experience something unique. According to Starzecki, “We aimed to stand out by offering something unique not just by supporting home-grown brands but by creating a space that feels fresh and different.” The Guinness World Record attempt was a natural extension of this vision—an innovative way to engage the audience and build deeper connections with the community.
Starzecki explains, “The Guinness World Record attempt perfectly aligns with this thinking. It’s about going beyond the conventional, showing that Flayva is more than just a place to eat. This initiative allows us to connect with our audience in a meaningful way and generate excitement around the brand without relying solely on promoting our products.” This approach taps into Flayva’s broader strategy of marketing through meaningful connections rather than traditional promotions.
Leveraging the record for brand impact
The brand also made a strategic choice not to heavily promote the record attempt before the event, focusing instead on crafting a rich narrative that could unfold after the achievement. “I made the strategic decision not to heavily promote the record attempt beforehand. While we shared it within Al Ghurair Centre, we chose not to create excessive noise in case the record wasn’t achieved,” says Starzecki. “Instead, we focused on building a compelling narrative from start to finish—one that now, as record holders, we can fully leverage.”
To maintain audience engagement, Flayva will amplify the story across various platforms. “Now that we are official record holders, we are poised to maximise our media coverage across a variety of channels including social media, radio, press and out-of-home (OOH) advertising,” says Starzecki. The multi-faceted approach includes behind-the-scenes content, collaborations with influencers, and community partnerships.
The food hall’s partner, Allo Beirut, will also offer a limited-time Chicken Avocado Shawarma—one of the record-breaking items—as part of the post-event experience, allowing customers to feel connected to the achievement even if they didn’t participate.
Sustaining long-term brand engagement
Flayva’s long-term goal is to sustain the excitement generated by the record-breaking event by making the Guinness World Record title an integral part of its identity. “The key to sustaining audience interest lies in consistently integrating our status as Guinness World Record holders into all our marketing collateral,” says Starzecki.
Looking forward, the brand is already exploring opportunities for 2025, with plans for more activations to keep the momentum alive. “Looking ahead to 2025, we are eager to explore new opportunities that will allow us to embrace the upcoming year with even more innovative initiatives,” says Starzecki.
She also hinted at future record attempts, which would further cement Flayva’s identity as a hub for extraordinary experiences.
