VO
“Not For The Love of Netflix, But For The Lack of Anything Else.”
While working on this project in December of 2020, we looked at a Reddit thread about Kuwaiti TV. The Kuwaiti ‘redditors’ had common complaints: “Are those TV shows supposed to represent us?” one wrote. “It’s been a couple of years since I bothered watching a Kuwaiti show,” said another. And “we have great talent here, but they don’t have the support to make something good”.
We heard the same themes repeated in our brand realisation workshop with the core team behind VO: representation matters, and support can be hard to come by for those with talent and vision.
Many in Kuwait have talent and vision. Kuwaiti youth historically have been the region’s trendsetters.
They’re boundary-breakers; they’re ambitious and creative; they have entrepreneurial energy. They’re outspoken and, expressive – no surprise given they have the platforms to give voice to social and political concerns – and they are past the big, international brand’s love affair that once characterised the region.
While much is changing in Kuwait to create an environment where start-ups can thrive, the obstacles – from bureaucracy to regulatory frameworks to a shortage of mentors – can be exhausting.
We found that Kuwait’s youth are caught in the middle of two opposing, generation-defining forces: on one hand, there’s optimism that fuels a go-getter attitude and on the other, there’s incredible frustration fuelled
by all the hurdles in their path.
What does all this have to do with watching TV, you ask. Well, that’s where VO comes in. Kuwaitis watch a whole lot of Netflix, YouTube, Apple TV. But there, they don’t see anything “that represents me”. Nor do
they find “something real to relate to” on Kuwaiti TV. A whole generation without a mirror; a majority of the population with nothing that reflects their spirit and soul.
What VO has set out to do isn’t just about providing content that resonates; it’s about creating a complete ecosystem to create that content. VO the brand isn’t just about entertainment – it’s not just an app to watch
locally written/directed/acted/produced/edited shows – but through its studio and academy, it’s about connecting potential with possibility.
Awards
Transform Awards 2022
- Silver > Best visual identity from the Technology, media and telecommunications
- Bronze > Best strategic or creative development of a new brand
Testimonial
“Our ambition at VO, was to launch the first Kuwait-based integrated youth platform for incubating young talent, that would empower them to showcase their talents and ideas to a global stage. The strategy team understood our vision from the get-go, and this made everything easier in translating our vision and ambitions into a strong & creative brand.
With Bellwether as our partner, the VO project journey was challenging but fun. The team are amazing in their respective fields, and they understood our ambition and needs and gave us more than we were looking for.”
Riham Al Ayyar
CEO, VO