Start Creative wins Dubai Airports brand brief amid ‘minor restructure’

Start Creative has been appointed by Dubai Airports to undertake a strategic review of its brand as the company prepares for an expansion programme which will see it become the largest airport in the world by 2020.

Dubai Airports chief executive Paul Griffiths invited Start to pitch for the work in September. Griffiths was formerly employed by Virgin Atlantic Airways, another client of Start.

The consultancy’s first project was to make a commemorative identity marking the airport’s 50th year in 2011. The celebratory brand (pictured) will be a springboard for the company’s 50-year-plan, according to Start Creative chief executive Mike Curtis.

Start is currently going through a ’minor restructuring’, according to Curtis, who says this is partly a result of 70 per cent projected growth in some areas of the business, expected by the end of the calendar year. In addition, former executive creative director Trevor Chambers has left the business.

Curtis says much of Start’s work now revolves around ’client pillars’, with the consultancy providing an integrated offer ’aligning creative resources around key areas of client activity’. He stresses commitment to a joined-up brand, environment and digital offer.

Much of Start’s work now takes place overseas – in Asia, the Middle East and Russia. ’The main client work is nearly all outside the UK but digital – and other areas of the business – are fully integrated into that creative process,’ says Curtis.

Chambers – who worked on the digital side of the business – has left the consultancy after taking voluntary redundancy, according to Curtis. ’He moves on to new things with our very best wishes,’ says Curtis.

Chambers says he is now ’having some conversations’ about his next career move, but hasn’t immediately taken on a new job.