Founded in 1962 on humanitarian principles, Al-Dabbagh is a family-run organisation with a unique philosophy that balances earning with philanthropy to deliver impact and scale for the greater good. Having set targets for 2020, Al-Dabbagh asked Pentagram to create a film to communicate its unique ecosystem and ambitions.

The film, called Equilateral, brings alive the principles of Giving, Earning and Sustaining that have guided the organisation for 53 years. The three principles are served by the three parts of Al-Dabbagh: the Giving by Stars Foundation, which helps disadvantaged children around the world; the Earning, without which there is no Giving, by the Al-Dabbagh group of companies; and the Sustaining, which ensures that the Earning and Giving are sustained into the future by Club 32, a culture that ensures the principles will be furthered by the 32 members of its next generation.

The heart of the film is a thought-provoking essay on the three interdependent principles narrated by one of the world’s most respected actors, Bernard Hill.

Pentagram aimed to script and deliver a thoughtful speech articulating the three principles and the perfect humanitarian sense they make, and then use the visuals to turn it into a highly attractive audio-visual essay.

Together with director Steven Qua, the visuals that Pentagram created revolve around a theme of triangles, and in particular an equilateral triangular symbol to represent the ecosystem of Giving, Earning and Sustaining. Delivering the triangles is an innovative combination of animation, photography, type, illustration, 3D motion graphics and live action shot in Jeddah, Dubai, Cape Town and London. Providing the final touch to the film is a specially composed piece of music based on three orchestral notes, echoing the three principles.

The film is being used to inspire Al Dabbagh employees, partners, future partners and the media, and features on the home page of the new Al-Dabbagh site, also designed by Pentagram.