Expo 2020 Dubai has launched its first international marketing campaign, using hands to demonstrate the power of human collaboration.

Using bold colours and the dexterity of dozens of hands, the campaign visuals create the illusion of easily recognisable objects, such as the Burj Khalifa, a light bulb, Earth and wind turbines.

The launch comes with 1,000 days to go before the Expo doors open on October 20, 2020.

Each scene or image illustrates Expo 2020’s theme, ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’, by showing that when we work collaboratively we can produce even greater results, creating a better tomorrow, together.

The campaign is the first to be launched by Expo 2020 since Dubai won the right to host the event in 2013.  Tareq Ghosheh, vice president – Marketing and Communication at Expo 2020 Dubai, said it would help to raise awareness further of the first World Expo in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region throughout the GCC and major international markets.

He said: “A World Expo is not only about showcasing the latest innovations; it is also a unique platform to bring together people from all over the world, and all walks of life, to encourage creativity, innovation and collaboration.

“This campaign sets the stage for where we’ll be going in future campaigns. We don’t want people just to turn up to the event; we want people to join the journey up to 2020.”

The production of the campaign also epitomises Expo 2020’s theme of collaboration, with 127 people – from dancers and magicians to creatives – working on the project.

Havas London collaborated with duos Dom&Nic and Metz+Racine to produce the video and print campaign, respectively.

Mark Whelan, group chief creative officer at Havas UK, said: “I’ve visited the site and seen the plans, and Expo 2020 Dubai is going to be out of this world, with people from around the world joining forces to make it amazing. We wanted to create a film with a story of people coming together filled with positive energy to reflect what it is all about.”

The campaign includes TV, digital, billboards, print, cinema and social. There will be extensive coverage across the UAE and the GCC, with selected activity in major international markets such as the US, UK and India.

Expo 2020 Dubai will run for six months from 20 October, 2020 to 10 April, 2021, and is expected to receive 25 million visits, with 70 per cent due to come from outside the UAE – the largest proportion in the history of World Expos. More than 180 countries are expected to participate. – TradeArabia News Service