First Islamic invests in Intergraphic

Intergraphic has scooped a five-figure project from Bahraini investment bank, First Islamic.

The Londonand Bahrain-based consultancy won the work to design First Islamic’s 2001 annual report after a three-way paid, creative pitch against undisclosed rivals. The work is scheduled to launch in March 2002.

Respect for Islamic cultural sensitivities plays an important role in the project, says creative director Adam Knapp. ‘Religion is often portrayed through annual reports [in the Middle East], but care must be taken that images are not disrespectful,’ he says.

Intergraphic has already created concepts for First Islamic, for the pitch, one of which has been signed off. The annual report will be translated into English and Arabic. As Arabic is read from right to left, the report’s front cover will be in English and the back cover will form the Arabic version’s front.

The consultancy is also writing and editing the annual report. Companies in the Middle East are not obliged to produce annual reports but are seeing them as good marketing tools, says Knapp.