When Hollywood A-lister Jason Momoa was revealed as the new face of Yas Island, it further strengthened the resort’s global reputation and helped change the image of the Middle East.
The Aquaman’s appointment as Chief Island Officer was a stroke of genius given the resort was just about to open Sea World Abu Dhabi on Yas Island. He followed in the, somewhat smaller, footsteps of funnyman Kevin Hart, another Hollywood A-lister.
These were regarded as massive achievements for the Yas Island marketing team, and saw social media engagement and visitor numbers shoot through the roof. The quirky role of Chief Island Officer is both corporate and fun, and has prompted others to copy Yas Island’s marketing approach, the ultimate form of flattery.
Campaign Middle East spoke to Oweis Zahran, CEO of MELT Middle East, the talent management and procurement agency credited with bringing the two celebrities to these shores.
He said: “I like to think that we were trailblazers in this space. Getting A-listers to become brand ambassadors. And after Kevin Hart, things really spiked in the Middle East, Southeast Asia and even in parts of Europe.”
Headquartered in Dubai, MELT Middle East is a joint venture between Steve Harvey Global and OWS Capital, and call themselves the “ultimate celebrity matchmaker in the region”
Behind the scenes
Zahran explained the process behind getting Hollywood talent to take part in Yas Island marketing campaigns. “It all starts with the relationship with the client, which makes life much easier. The higher connected you are, the easier life will be when dealing with both talent and clients.”
Budgets can often be a tricky area, not knowing exactly how much the client is willing to spend on a celebrity. “It’s a chicken-and-egg scenario, putting yourself out there to secure talent for a budget that is often a guestimate.”
But having worked with each other before on the Kevin Hart deal, negotations with Yas Island were much smoother. In fact, the Jason Momoa signing was one of the quickest deals MELT Middle East has ever done. “Within 90 days he was in Abu Dhabi. We didn’t expect it to be that simple.”
Brainstorming
The first step for MELT Middle East in marketing campaigns like this one involves brainstorming with the client, looking at the best fit for the specific campaign and the budget. “When we looked at Yas Island, its image and its water parks it was a no-brainer – it had to be Aquaman. Jason Momoa has a great reputation overall, is a household name, fun and playful.”
“Yas Island wants the biggest or nothing. They think biggest followed by biggest and then the biggest. We will continue to see that.”
The tenure of the Chief Island Officer is just one year so the team is constantly scouring talent looking for future celebrities.
“It’s a very professional destination marketing team. Before the end of the Jason Momoa shoot, they were already talking about the next person. It’s similar to a movie franchise,” he adds.
Zahran feels the Yas Island ambassador campaigns don’t get enough credit. “People look at this and downplay how involved it is. Essentially you are shooting a movie, even though it’s a short film. You need scripting, talent, location, green screen etc. A lot of work and moving pieces and millions of dollars goes into the production.”
Booming region
The Middle East is proving ‘the place to be’ for talent management agencies and celebrities, boosted by the billions of dollars being invested in Saudi Arabia’s travel and tourism sector. US actress Sofia Vergara recently starred in a new promo video for Saudi Arabia’s Via Riyadh ahead of its opening.
“The US and the West have been at the forefront for so many decades. There’s not a lot of opportunities floating around there anymore. This region has a lot more room to be creative and exciting.
“What Abu dhabi did with Kevin Hart was trailblazing, It was the beginning of this trend. The region will see a lot more star-driven content.”
