Saatchi & Saatchi X wins Dubai retail contract

The Change Initiative, Dubai's first retail destination to only sell products and services that are sustainable, has appointed Saatchi & Saatchi X as its lead agency. London-based Saatchi & Saatchi X aims to target 1,000 shoppers per day in its first month of operation, a statement said. The campaign will break down any barriers to purchase and help bring on board shoppers who are deliberating between conventional stores and an exclusively environmental market place, it added. Saatchi & Saatchi X said it won the account based on its "unique understanding of shopping behaviours in the Middle East and how retailers can engage with environmental attitudes in the UAE". The Change Initiative is targeting up to 25 showrooms in the Middle East and Asia over the next five years. It aims to help shoppers and consumers make responsible purchase decisions by bringing together sustainable solutions and services. On the board for The Change Initiative is environmental activist Robert F Kennedy Jr, who is the son of the late presidential candidate Robert F Kennedy and nephew of former president John F Kennedy. The initiative has already formed significant partnerships with leading brands and multinational firms offering a range of solutions in five main categories - Energy, Water, Waste, Food and Lifestyle. Richard Nicoll, managing director for Saatchi and Saatchi X, said: "Saatchi and Saatchi X has always set about improving the lives of shoppers. This has meant understanding their barriers to purchase within a retail environment. "In terms of sustainable shopping those barriers are accessibility, education and price. So we look forward to addressing those challenges and positioning The Change Initiative as a sustainable solution, improving not just the lives of shoppers but also the environment in Dubai." Gundeep Singh, CEO and founder of The Change Initiative, added: "We are excited about our partnership with Saatchi and Saatchi X because they can help us build a community of like-minded people willing to factor sustainability into their purchase decisions."