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 Forget what you might have heard about labourers in Dubai having some of the most back-breaking, menial, miserable, badly-paid jobs in the world – they’re having a bit of a sing-song, and everything’s going to be alright.
Camp Ka Champ (“Champ from the Camp”), a Pop Idol-style talent contest, is back for the third year running, and will see Dubai’s labourers raise their voices to compete for cash, stereos, gift vouchers and goodies from Western Union, the sponsors of the event.
The competition is of course a marketing exercise by Western Union, presumably targeted at both the labourers themselves – and the large proportion of their incomes which is sent to their home countries each month – as well as the PR boost that comes from organising something that’s marginally cheerful.
“When we started in 2009 [sic – we think she means 2007], we faced initial resistance from the camps, it was a challenge to get people to come forward and be a part of this contest,” said Rupa Vinod, MD of Camp Ka Champ organiser Right Track Advertising, quoted in The National.
“However, each year the interest levels and response from the camps are increasing. Awareness is spreading and more and more companies are participating,” she added.
This year Right Track expects 200 camps to take part, involving a lot more construction companies.
Teams from the agency will be touring the camps from 3 July to hold auditions, and the contest will run until September, when hundreds of finalists will battle it out to become Camp Ka Champ.
Ok, fine, the competition won’t be solving the myriad problems faced by Dubai’s labourers (anyone want to talk about human rights abuses? Anyone?), but it’s a pretty good marketing wheeze, and will be giving out actual prizes, etc – which is better than a poke in the eye with a sharp piece of rebar.
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