April 14th, 2014

Gulftainer embarks on exclusive campaign with CNN International to promote new brand identity in line with global strategic growth

UAE ports and logistics company Gulftainer is sponsoring CNN Marketplace Middle East FaceTime vignettes in an exclusive campaign to build brand awareness in support of the company’s growth and imminent entry into the United States market.

The sponsorship, which started on 11th April, is part of a multi-media campaign with CNN International for Gulftainer, the largest terminal operator in the Middle East. The company recently announced a new brand identity alongside a plan to begin operations on North America’s Eastern Seaboard. Gulftainer has grown its Brazil and Lebanon operations in addition to acquiring Gulf Stevedoring Contracting Company (GSCCO) in Saudi Arabia. CNN International was selected as the exclusive media platform for this campaign due to reach of the CNN network, its premium global audience and the relevance of the content.

Gulftainer’s new-look branding will feature in a bespoke 30-second spot commercial and “In Association with Gulftainer” billboards promoting the company’s sponsorship of the CNN Marketplace Middle East FaceTime vignettes. The spot advertising will feature on CNN International in EMEA and Latin America as well as the CNN domestic network. An online campaign will also run across CNN.com and CNN Arabic, with Gulftainer having exclusive branding on the CNN Marketplace Middle East sections of both the CNN International and CNN Arabic sites.

Creative commercial content was produced by Turner Commercial Productions, CNN International’s creative solutions division.

FaceTime is a vignette within CNN Marketplace Middle East, a weekly show that covers business news from the Middle East region. Each week, a major player from the region’s business community is interviewed in CNN Marketplace Middle East FaceTime – recent interviewees include Sultan Al Mansouri, UAE Minister of Economy, Samih Sawiris, Chairman, Orascom Development, Prince Turki Al Faisal, Chairman, King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies, and Kuwait’s Sheikh Majed Al Sabah.

“We are delighted that Gulftainer identified and selected CNN International as the exclusive platform to drive awareness of its growth and new brand identity,” said Katerina Tornari, Account Director EMEA, CNN International. “FaceTime is a must-watch vignette highlight within CNN Marketplace Middle East, which is a fascinating look at businesses operating in the region. By associating its new brand with such a premium media property, Gulftainer will be able to communicate key messages about its business to an engaged and relevant audience. This commercial deal is the latest development for CNN in the Middle East following the moving of Connect The World to Abu Dhabi, the unveiling of CNN Arabic website, and the launch of sponsored programmes Vital Signs with Dr. Sanjay Gupta and One Square Meter.”

Peter Richards, Managing Director of Gulftainer, said, “Gulftainer is on the cusp of a period of unparalleled strategic growth and it is time to grow our brand alongside our operations. CNN International provides an opportunity to build global brand recognition in line with this expansion, not only taking us into the homes of North America, but across other growth markets such as South America, Africa and of course at home in the Middle East.”

 

 

Notes to Editors
For more information, please contact:

 
Dan Faulks
Director, Communications
CNN Europe, Middle East & Africa
Tel: + 44 20 7693 1362
Dan.Faulks@turner.com

 

 

About CNN Marketplace Middle East
CNN Marketplace Middle East is a weekly business show that covers the economic trends and business developments impacting the region, focusing on the region’s key cities, sectors, industries and corporations. Hosted by award-winning anchor John Defterios, the 15-minute show also has interviews with prominent individuals from the business community in the region.

 

About CNN International
CNN’s portfolio of news and information services is available in five different languages across all major TV, internet and mobile platforms reaching more than 375 million households around the globe. CNN International, awarded “News Channel of the Year” by the Royal Television Society in 2013 and 2014, is the number one international TV news channel according to all major media surveys across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, the Asia Pacific region and Latin America. The CNN digital network is consistently one of the top news and current affairs destination on the web. CNN has 44 editorial offices and more than 1,100 affiliates worldwide through CNN Newsource. CNN International is part of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company.

 

About Gulftainer
The Gulftainer Group, privately-owned by UAE-based conglomerate Crescent Enterprises, is a rapidly expanding, dynamic ports and logistics company. Gulftainer operates and manages ports and logistics businesses in several countries, including the UAE, Iraq, Pakistan, Russia, Brazil, Lebanon, Turkey and Saudi Arabia. In the UAE, Gulftainer operates four main ports: three on behalf of the Sharjah Port Authority – Sharjah Container Terminal (SCT), Khorfakkan Container Terminal (KCT); and Hamriya Container Terminal (HCT) and one in Ruwais, Abu Dhabi, on behalf of the international plastics solutions company, Borouge. For further information, please visit: http://www.gulftainer.com.