Mastercard’s Brand Transformation Continues As It Prepares To Connect UAE Consumers To Their Passion For Culinary Experiences
Following the recent introduction of its symbol and sonic branding, Mastercard announced the latest milestone in its brand transformation journey by introducing a series of unique passion-led culinary experiences as it aims to captivate consumers through sight, sound and taste. Mastercard is bringing its Priceless platform to life by connecting consumers to their passions, in line with the rise of the experiential economy and growing consumer preferences for unique experiences over material purchases.
Globally, the brand has identified nine passion points – culinary, sports, music, entertainment, arts, travel, philanthropy, shopping, nature – that resonate with consumers. In a rich and diverse market where the love of food has become a universal language and F&B spend continues to rise, culinary was the natural leading passion point for Mastercard in the UAE.
According to the Mastercard Global Destination Cities Index in 2017, Dubai is the top city in the world for dining among travelers, with an annual food and beverage spend of nearly $6 billion; 20% of visitors’ overall expenditure.
To celebrate the brand’s latest transformation milestone, Mastercard has collaborated with Vogue Arabia to launch Fashion on a Plate – a series of Priceless dining experiences that will marry fine dining and high fashion to deliver unforgettable multisensory dining experiences. The partnership was announced at an exclusive launch event hosted by Mastercard and Vogue Arabia at Dubai Opera on 9 April 2019.
The flagship event brought together industry leaders, entrepreneurs, influencers and artists who share a passion for food and innovation, to introduce the partnership and showcase Mastercard’s foray into the culinary space, building on its legacy of delivering Priceless experiences.
The exclusive gathering featured a menu co-created by acclaimed Syrian couturier Rami Al Ali as part of an immersive, fashion-inspired event with performances by renowned soprano Bettina Schweiger and the Sima Dance Company.
Fashion on a Plate is the first in a series of concepts to be rolled out by Mastercard and Vogue to deliver extraordinary culinary moments for epicurean enthusiasts across the Emirates, and is set to become a hallmark of the UAE’s increasingly sophisticated F&B landscape.
Speaking at the event, Beatrice Cornacchia, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Communications, MEA at Mastercard said: “As one of the world’s leading technology companies, the way we interact with our customers is constantly evolving. Our commitment to innovation manifests itself in our solutions and services, but goes beyond technology as we enable priceless opportunities for consumers to pursue their passion or purpose. At Mastercard, we’ve always put the customer at the center of everything we do and through our passion-led approach and partnerships like this one with Vogue, we are creating the most innovative and most relevant experiences for cardholders at every step of their journey. Today marks a new milestone in our brand transformation journey as we launch this platform to elevate the culinary experiences for cardholders across the UAE.”
Manuel Arnaut, Editor in Chief at Vogue Arabia added: “We are very excited to see our collaboration with Mastercard manifest itself through the Fashion on a Plate series. By leveraging Vogue’s deep knowledge of the region’s fashion and art scene and Mastercard’s Priceless platform and technological expertise, we aim to change the way consumers in the UAE view experiential dining by delivering once-in-a-lifetime events that resonate with their passion for dining and fashion. We are also deeply honored to work in collaboration with Syrian couturier Rami Al Ali, who helped us to curate the night with his creative vision.”
Fashion on a Plate experiences will soon be available to consumers through a range of events and at a selection of restaurants across the UAE, where diners will be treated to exclusive Priceless experiences brought to life by the UAE’s leading culinary and fashion experts.
