Emarat open to Circle’s idea

Vehicle testing and registration in Dubai has been taken out of the hands of the police and is now the shared responsibility of the region’s two biggest petroleum retailers. With its sights set on capturing a major chunk of the market, one of them, Emarat Petroleum, brought in Circle to create the visual and architectural identity for the service.

Circle implemented Emarat’s current identity four years ago, when it was subcontracted by Wolff Olins, the consultancy from which Circle’s founders broke away.

The London group came up with the new brand’s name – Shamil, meaning open and inclusive. The brand needed to sit next to the existing Emarat brand, as a relative of the existing brand, but also needed to stand alone,’ says Circle director Robert Onion.

Having a car MOT’d annually in Dubai is a stressful experience, with the extreme climate taking its toll on vehicles. ‘We have tried to make it more relaxing,’ says Onion, by creating air-conditioned areas with video facilities. Meanwhile, the testing process in state-of-the-art facilities can be viewed via plasma screens.

‘The service is about Emarat and the Dubai police working together to offer the most convenient, friendly service available,’ says client projects manager Khaled Dalloul.

Implementation of the Shamil concept at existing Emarat forecourts will start in April with six sites. The concept will then be reviewed.

Client: Emarat Petroleum

Design: Circle

Director: Robert Onion

Designers: John Regan, Gonia Greetham, Stuart Brown