17th Arabian Gulf Cup benefits from Icon's international event branding expertise.

Icon Display, London based specialists in sports event branding, provided the services of its newly-launched Icon Look division to help ensure that the 17th Gulf Cup was the most successful yet. This was achieved by bringing their sophisticated international standard of event Look to all the venues of this, the Arabian Gulf region's most prestigious sporting event.

Appointed by QSi, the Official Rights Holders of the Arabian Gulf Cup, Icon was responsible for scoping and designing the brand dressing at all five venues used throughout the tournament, including all sponsor signage. In addition Icon sent specialist personnel to site to project manage the development and implementation of the branding, using local production and labour resources, and successfully deliver the overall Look of the arenas.

As a result spectators and sponsors alike were presented with a strong and coherent message from the brands present throughout the tournament, and QSi's promises of a high quality and level of television exposure for the sponsors were fulfilled.

Commenting on the appointment, Icon's Managing Director, John Francis said, "We were delighted to have won this prestigious piece of business in a challenging new market. This is our first major project in the region, which has huge potential for Icon in the coming years. We will be looking to develop some key partnerships moving forward to help us develop our business further in the area, particularly as Qatar is to host the Asian Games in 2006".

Icon is Europe's leading event signage and stadium branding management company. Its prestigious portfolio includes the England and Wales Cricket Board, Premiership-topping club Chelsea FC, major European Golf, Rugby, and numerous other international events in a range of different sports. Within the last year Icon has also handled the design, manufacture and layout of the perimeter boards and dressing at major international football tournaments such as Euro 2004 and the African Nations Cup.  Currently Icon is responsible for all the brand dressing design, signage production and installation for London's 2012 Olympic bid.

The Arabian Gulf Cup has been running for 30 years and was recently hosted by Doha, Qatar. It included four sports - basketball, volleyball and handball as well as football - and featured national teams from Iraq, Yemen, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, UAE, Oman and Qatar. Hosts Qatar won three of the four cups, Bahrain the other.

The Gulf Cup took place from 10th-24th December 2004 and was broadcast by Qatar's own Al Jazeera Sports TV and 14 other regional channels to an estimated 300 million Arabic speaking audience throughout the Arabic speaking world.