It all began with a simple idea: how we could bring interest to the World Cup with predictions? What if those predictions were made by a camel, a cute camel at that?
Enter Shaheen, a real camel that walks towards one of two teams when prompted.
How good are Shaheen's predictions?
Well, so far his record is 6-4, but the games are continuing.
It was Gareth Butler, news editor of gulfnews.com, who thought of the idea of Shaheen with a daily prediction about the games to be played. He then shared the idea with Jaye Lentin, who produced the package and found the camel that would become Shaheen.
First, however, Jaye knew that he needed to create the image —and the brand, if you will— for how Shaheen would appear. Enter the talented Gulf News artist Jacob Hernandez.
“I knew that I wanted Shaheen to be a friendly and likelable camel, “Jacob said. “I also am very aware that we had to create a brand for Shaheen for what this would mean on a daily basis as a recurring theme during the duration of the World Cup. Branding is extremely important”
Jacob knew that his Gulf News colleague Luis Vazquez, illustrator, would be the one to draw Shaheen. Jacob then animated the image and built the landing page that readers see when they want to check on Shaheen's predictions.
Jaye suggested that Mark Perdergast, Radio 2 presenter, be the spokesperson in the video.
Here is how Mark describes the “creative” process:
The idea developed deep within the web team. Jaye ironed out the details on the shot and sourcing the camel.
Myself and Logan Fish worked out onsite what we could do in terms logistics. Originally we wanted Shaheen to walk towards the sign but that soon became apparent that Shaheen was too diva like for that. We then sat him down placed the signs within biting distance and the rest as they say is history.
Of course, Shaheen is the star (and he probably knows it, which is why Mark describes him as diva-like) and he is a courtesy of the Dessert Safari Tours in Dubai.
Shaheen has become a favorite through social media, especially Twitter, and even CNN covered the famous camel.
But, of course, while many rave about the camel and its predictions, not everyone loves Shaheen, based on comments received by the Gulf News:
“Shaheen is so cute! but sometimes he is wrong. So I don't really believe him.”
“This is just a cheap attempt to create some marketing for the newspaper and the city they are copying the octopus who got famous in last world cup and Gulf News thinks this that a fake camel guessing show will bring publicity to Dubai.”
“Can we stop this stupidity? It's so clear why camel is eating when kept in front of planks, there's something inside that's tempting him to eat and to eat a particular plank.What an open cheap publicity stunt and so openly? Sorry this camel didn't made it to Broadway.”
And some like the predictions, but don't like the camel:
“Though the prediction has nothing to do with the results, A Falcon, Crow or a Monkey would've been more appropriate than the camel.”
Fans of Sheehan the Camel
Here is how the presence of Shaheen the Camel was promoted via sports section of the printed Gulf News
'Shaheen The Camel' Turns Soothsayer for FIFA World Cup 2014
http://sports.ndtv.com/fifa-world-cup-2014/news/225644-shaheen-the-camel-turns-soothsayer-for-fifa-world-cup-2014
Shaheen the camel scores with World Cup predictions