I’ve been wanting to make this post ever since i started a blog and i realized that there was no better time than now to get the ball rolling and telling people.

I am sure we all can think of just too many dubious practices going on in dubai, but for the fear of getting shot, i am only going to highlight the few that relate to the design and branding industry. Here is one to start that wissam pointed out to me at the office;

Isn’t it odd how both the ‘Dubai Autism Center’ and ‘Cingular’ – US second largest wireless company have the same logo. Wonder who the designers were and who took who for a ride ? (Check it out for yourself – www.dubaiautismcenter.com vs www.cingular.com)

The other dubious practices that comes to mind has more to do with the dubious characters in the regions industry such as Mervat (XXXXX Advertising, Dubai), Jameel (XXXXX Journal, Dubai) and Rami (XXXXX Printing Industries, Sharjah). Unfortunately, i have had the misfortune of being involved with these individuals in the past, so here is a little profile on them (based on personal experiences), so that others can be a little cautious when dealing with them…

Mervat of XXXXX Advertising is one of the first sleazeballs i met when i first graduated out of high school. I was hired as a freelance designer by her company to do a set of caricatures for wheel covers for ‘their client’ called BTCO. The deal after much haggling was agreed to be a meagre 10 Dhs per drawing (which is somewhere close to 2$ US for every drawing).

The job upon completion (which included numerous changes and alterations – all unaccounted for) was submitted on time and presented to the client. This technically meant that as per agreement i was supposed to be paid a sum of 120 Dhs for my 12 drawings, however when the time for payment came i was handed 50Dhs and with a flick of a finger asked to leave the office and not say anything else. I contested the treatment and underpayment – but in the absence of a contract no body would take me seriously, let alone the fact that i was just a 16 year old at the time.

The funniest bit however was the fact that without any concience she called me up two years later for another caricature job for ‘Dubai Water and Electricity Department’ and after i had undergone two years of design school, they expected to pay me at the same rate they paid me before ( or did not pay me infact )… i naturally walked out. Some people just dont give up – do they?

I believe the company is still in operation and i pity any individual like myself who may have worked with them. Their website www.xxxxxxad.com is currently not accessible – probably too busy ripping off student designs to pay for web hosting.

Stay tuned for ‘Dubious in Dubai’ (part2)