Every legend has its origin, and the legend of Kanz has its origin rooted in Burgan

Kuwait, 16 January 2023:  In an impressive Kuwaiti production, Burgan Bank crowned its first millionaire, with a unique musical performance and an unprecedented experience for a bank-orchestrated prize draw. KAID FAKHRUDDIN and/or SALIM KALIMUDDIN (joint account), were the ultimate lucky winners who walked away with the KD 1,500,000 prize in the first Kanz account annual mega draw. The draw was hosted at the drama theatre of the Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmed Cultural Centre (JACC), under the supervision and in the presence of a representative from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

It serves to note that the musical, Kanz Burgan, reflects the Bank’s commitment to delivering a valuable message to its customers and people of Kuwait; within an artistic context that revives elements of Kuwaiti heritage with a modern twist. The theatrical performance was met with a huge public turnout, which included the Bank’s senior management, high-profile figures, VIP guests, prominent Kuwaiti journalists, media icons, as well as a number of artists from across the art community in Kuwait. As the act unfolded, the audience were swept away by the epic tale of “The extraordinary journey and a legendary treasure hunt with Kanz Burgan”, which culminated in an emotional musical number in the finale entitled “Dream”, performed by Mutref Al-Mutref and written and composed by Bashar Al-Shatti.

The play told the tale of the Burgan treasure that rests, hidden away from sight in the folds of Burgan’s dunes and rich landscape, awaiting its rightful owner to claim it. The audience tread on the heels of Najm, the play’s young protagonist, who follows the legend and heads to Burgan in search of the buried treasure. The theatrical act is a first-of-its-kind for Burgan Bank, as the Bank continues to innovate in the way it communicates its values with the community. This time Burgan Bank chose to deliver its message through a musical that reminded its audience of the necessity of believing in one’s dreams, and going the extra mile to turn them into reality. This is the same reality that came true for the Kanz account customers who believed in, someday, becoming a millionaire. 

The musical was written and directed by Ahmed Mohamed Al-Awadhi, and starred an elite group of Kuwaiti performers, including Yaqoub Abdullah, Ghouroor Safar, Ahmed bin Hussein and Wadha Al Roumi, with a finale performance performed by Kuwaiti singer Mutref Al-Mutref, written and composed by singer-songwriter Bashar Al-Shatti. The show also featured sound production by Rabih Al-Sidawi, set design by Briza Al-Roumi and Hammoud Al-Amiri, lighting by Abdullah Al-Nassar, costume design by Hessa Al-Abad and decoration by Muhammad Behbehani.

Speaking on the highlights of this event, Nasser Mohammad Al-Qaisi, Chief Retail Banking Officer at Burgan Bank, stated: “On behalf of the Burgan Bank family, I would like to congratulate our first millionaire, KAID FAKHRUDDIN and/or SALIM KALIMUDDIN, on becoming the winners of the KD 1,500,000 annual Kanz mega draw prize. Under the Bank’s motto, Driven by You, we are proud to be the first Kuwaiti bank to present such a novel approach to draws. This event underscores our commitment to our customers and our wider community, as we continuously seek to push the boundaries of what we consider to be our best, to deliver a holistic experience that’s elevated and satisfactory to our customers. Our Kanz account is regarded as one of the best draw accounts of its kind in the market, promising customers plentiful chances all year long to win prizes that range between KD 1,000 and KD 1,500,000. At its core, the Kanz account aims at promoting and instilling the savings culture among the Bank’s customers, which comes in line with Burgan Bank’s unwavering commitment to continuously improving its offers and rewarding its customers with next-level experiences.” 

On her part, Mrs. Kholoud Rida Al-Feeli, Group Head - Marketing and Communications at Burgan Bank, commented: “We are proud to crown our first millionaire as part of the Kanz Burgan play, which marks a quantum leap that’s fitting of the Bank’s leading position and its first millionaire. In accordance with our strategy and our commitment to social responsibility, we made sure that all the talents involved in this theatrical piece of work, whether on-stage or back, were all young Kuwaiti artists. This stems from our faith in these young people’s abilities to deliver a high-quality and memorable original show. We are proud to say that the musical’s 630 tickets sold out within an hour from the show’s announcement on social media and JACC’s platform. – a truly impressive feat.”
“In response to public demand, the performance was livestreamed on the Bank’s social media channels with topnotch cinematic direction, garnering over a million views,” Al-Feeli added. “I wish to genuinely thank everyone who turned this musical into a success from the media production company, Partners, to the entire technical staff, and of course, our own Burgan Bank team.”

Meanwhile, Ahmed Al-Awadhi, playwright and director, commented: “We are very grateful to Burgan Bank for presenting us with this special opportunity to soar freely in the skies of artistic creativity. Besides legacy and originality, creativity and novelty have always been core values that reflect the Bank’s personality. That’s why, it was essential to draw a narrative that captures both ends of Burgan’s rich spectrum, striking a perfect balance between the heritage and innovation that is in sync with modern marketing dynamics. Furthermore, modern marketing techniques now rely on reinforcing the interactive relationship between the brand and its customers, often in an entertaining atmosphere and altogether steering away from direct-selling. This shines clearly in the idea that we presented: a play that is inspired from Kuwait’s heritage and reflects Burgan Bank’s values, meanwhile providing a shared space of entertainment and engagement that connects the Bank to its audience. With that, we truly wish Burgan Bank success on its plans moving forward.”

On another end, Bashar Al-Shatti said: “It delights me to express our pride at Partners for being part of this exceptional mega event. Part of what makes us who we are is our enthusiasm towards coming up with brand new ideas and working tirelessly to bring them to life, at the highest possible quality. That’s why we turned to our national Kuwaiti heritage for inspiration, drawing on its values and wealth. Everything from the narrative progression to the song aimed at entwining the old with the new, in a grounding way that inspires pride in our collective past, as well as faith in a bright future that’s weaved in dreams and hopes.”
Mohammed Al-Shatti from the Partners team echoed his team’s sentiments, noting that working on the Kanz Burgan play was an important decision at the company that propelled them into a new creative arena of events management, adding: “We received a lot of support from the team from Burgan Bank, which guaranteed the event’s success in marking a grand leap in the Bank’s marketing excellence.”

On his part, Rabih Al-Sidawi commented that the play trail blazes uncharted territory in the field of marketing in Kuwait, creating an opportunity for reviving Kuwait’s heritage and traditional culture,  in a way that appeals to the younger generations. He also noted that it marks a milestone in the national pursuit of raising awareness on the importance preserving national heritage, with its harmonious blend of legacy, originality and modernity in a unique artistic manner.
Burgan Bank continues to deliver all that is innovative and novel through events and activities that rise up to its leading position and its customers’ aspirations. It also remains committed to supporting young Kuwaiti talents across all fields, reinforcing their role in the paving the path towards a more developed Kuwait.