McFaul creates giant shopping centre wrap in Beirut

McFaul is illustrating one of the world’s largest advertising spaces, a building wrap for the ABC Dbayeh flagship department store in Beirut, Lebanon.

The design group was appointed about a month ago by the Middle East shopping mall and department store owner ABC’s ad agency Saatchi & Saatchi.

McFaul designer Jack Mitchell says the project has over-run by four weeks and is set to complete this week. Saatchi & Saatchi appointed the illustration and design consultancy on the strength of its previous work for Nike.

Barry Brand, Saatchi & Saatchi head of art for Beirut/Levant, says, ‘We looked at lots of illustrators and designers, locally and internationally, but we wanted to make the design really spectacular and extraordinary. We eventually came back to McFaul, called them up and said, “There is not much money in it, but it is a fantastic opportunity”.’

Mitchell says Brand and Saatchi & Saatchi art director Danielle El Metni put together a detailed brief, involving ‘flowing graphic illustrations of the objects to be found inside the building’.

Each side of the building – the longest side runs for 64m – is themed by products, including beauty, fashion, home and food, all under the strapline ‘Life extraordinaire’.

The hoardings are set to appear in the run-up to Easter. McFaul is currently in discussion with Saatchi & Saatchi and ABC to create a further three or four wraps during 2009.