MoCIIP launches national visual identity voting campaign

MUSCAT: The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion (MoCIIP) launched the community voting campaign for the options of the National Visual Identity of Oman at an event held in Madinat Irfan under the auspices of Qais bin Mohammed al Yousef, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, members of Majlis Ash'shura, and State Council on Sunday. Aisha al Saifi, Director of Oman's Unified Promotional Nation Brand Project, who is also the Vice-President of the National Programme for Investment and Export Development (Nazdaher), said that the #OneNationOneStory initiative is an effort to enhance and promote the identity of Oman, attract foreign investment, and improve tourism and the country’s brand image. "This initiative of a unified visual brand identity aims at promoting cooperation between the private and public sectors, resulting in increased foreign investment. The Oman national visual identity is designed to present the country as perceived by the outside world," she said. Salma al Hashi, Head of the Technical Team for the Initiative, said that adequate tools are in place to measure tourism inflow and foreign direct investment (FDI) in alignment with Oman Vision 2040. "We also have measures to assess the digital footprint of the country," she added. Supported by Majlis Ash’shura and the State Council, the hashtag #MyOmanMyStory will promote the campaign. Voting for the unified brand identity is open to both citizens and expatriates from December 26 to 29. Detailing the voting mechanism, His Highness Faris bin Turki al Said, Assistant Professor at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) and a member of the Technical Team for the National Identity Project, said that the visual brand identity aims at creating a unique image of Oman. "With this visual brand identity, we will tell our own stories to the world, distinct from external perceptions, and establish a unique brand positioning for the Sultanate of Oman," said Faris al Said. As part of the initiative, 128 interviews were conducted, and factors such as environment, culture, art, safety, external relations, and the environmental economy were considered. A number of Omani artistes, along with international brand consultants, have worked on this project for several months to design a suitable visual identity. An introductory film about the National Identity Project was screened, along with a visual presentation of the project and its voting mechanism.