The name’s Alken

Creative with side effects   Call me maybe

JOHN WEST GCC LAUNCH

A Scotish brand launches in the GCC

John West, a heritage seafood brand from Scotland, is known for its quirky, rugged ads usually starring gruff fishermen, absurd challenges, and a signature dry wit. But when it came time to introduce the brand to the GCC, the question was: How do you make
a Scottish fisherman relevant in the Middle East?
Our solution? Bring one of our own on board.

We created Abdulla, an original Arab character who joins the infamous John West fishing crew in a series of tongue-in-cheek TVCs. He’s charming, relatable, and the kind of guy who keeps spirits high even when things get rough at sea. While the rest of the crew remains grizzled and serious, Abdulla brings a fresh spark injecting local humor into the classic 
John West format.

The tone remained butch and rugged, true to the brand’s DNA, but with a regional twist that felt authentic, not forced. Whether he's sharing Arabic coffee on deck or cracking jokes 
mid-storm, Abdulla became the bridge between the GCC audience and the brand’s 
long-standing comedic universe.

This wasn't just a launch it was a cultural onboarding mission with a laugh.
JOHN WEST§
GCC Brand Launch