12th Arab Games Benefit from Icon's Global Branding And Sports Event Expertise

Leading event branding specialist Icon is playing a key role in the successful delivery of the 12th Arab Games, being held in Qatar from 9-23rd December, 2011. With the Olympics rapidly approaching this international event, (for the first time being staged in Qatar and for the first time with women athletes), provides an important platform for athletes to asses both their own performances and that of many of the leading contenders across a range of sports.

Luke Jarman, Icon's Country Manager for Qatar commented; "This is a significant sporting event taking place over two weeks at 17 different competition venues. In addition to all the event look materials and wayfinding at the competition venues, we are also providing a programme of city dressing as well as Games branding at the associated hotels, international airports and the Athletes' Village. Some of the biggest challenges that our team has been facing, especially at some of the more remote venues, are the strong winds and driving sand. To overcome this we have used higher grade materials and carefully planned our install schedule to account for the unexpected."

Icon's team of five project managers and five designers has been embedded in the Games' organising department and has handled all scoping, budgets, artwork adaptation, installation and will look after removals following the event. In the lead up to the event, Icon brought in over 30 additional specialist staff, including Project Managers, fixers and designers to ensure that each of the sites was completed on time and to the highest standard. Venues being dressed by Icon include Qatar’s main arena, the Khalifa Stadium which hosts the athletics; the Aspire Dome, the world's largest indoor sports facility of its kind; the Khalifa Tennis and Squash centre, which has hosted ATP World Tour events and the three football stadiums, two of which will be renovated in the years to come for the FIFA World Cup 2022.

About Icon

Icon has over 50 years of experience in branding implementation. From its headquarters in the south east of England it employs nearly 70 full time staff, and offers a full range of services including creative design, production and full advice and project management across the company’s range of services. This includes both permanent and temporary solutions at many major sporting events and venues, corporate and cultural programmes, retail and broadcast applications. In April 2011, Icon was acquired by Chime Communications PLC and became part of its Sports Marketing Division. The acquisition strengthens the company’s capabilities outside of the UK, and gives Icon additional financial stability and the opportunity to progress its plans for investment into improved technology and resources, resulting in greater capacity and diversity.

Icon’s event production and experimental division, works around the world bringing clients face-to-face communication strategies to life with a unique combination of truly creative thinking and the very latest presentation technologies. Whether it's an international media event in London, a co-ordinated European product launch, or a press launch for 300 journalists in Shanghai, the company offers a coherent cost-effective solution.

In February 2011, Icon acquired the SLS Group, a company recognised in the events industry for its delivery and implementation of city dressing, event branding and overlay projects, both in the UK and overseas.

In recent years the company’s work on international projects has led to the establishment of offices in Germany, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Qatar, South Africa, Canada and India and plans are in place for additional new ventures further afield.

For more information, contact: avril@avrilchaffeypr.co.uk.

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