Best in brand

From the colourful, inspiring new look for an east African nation to the refined, Arabic brand architecture for a property development to the motion-driven future-facing visual identity for a sports organisation, brand development in the Middle East and North Africa is a multifaceted, mature industry.

The winners of the Transform Awards MENA 2016 set the standard for rebranding and brand development on both a regional and international scale. Most brands are targeted not only at the local audience in the Middle East, but at the both the international population of the region and the global tourism market. Thus, those who have excelled at this year’s awards are truly of an international standard.

The ‘Best overall visual identity’ award went to DuBox and Latitude for a rebrand that not only shaped the future of the company itself, but took its cues from the modular design and construction techniques it employs. This allowed the brand to become more relevant to the audiences it is trying to reach. The Grand Prix winner, Jawwy from STC and Lippincott, launched a fresh, young and stylish brand that has a defined tone of voice and visual style that differentiates it from its sector.

Other winners include VOX Cinemas which underwent a renaming and rebranding alongside Bellwether. It took home two golds, two silvers and four bronze awards for a change that has prompted massive business growth. Audio branding was the focus of the Al Aan television channel rebrand. Working with Turquoise Branding, Al Aan developed an audio brand and system of idents to promote awareness. Many other successes and unique brands were celebrated at the awards.

Earlier in the day, the Middle East Brand Summit brought together the region’s best and brightest in brand development to discuss topics ranging from branding in the sports and leisure sector to creating a successful built environment.

The Transform Awards North America will celebrate the best work in the United States, Canada, Mexico and beyond. Entries are accepted until 8 July. Click here for more details on upcoming events.

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CONTENT

Best use of a visual property
Gold - Abu Dhabi Sports Council and CBA Memac
Silver - Bank Muscat and OHI Leo Burnett
Bronze - Alef Group and Brand Union
Bronze - Borouge and MBLM
Highly commended- Seha and G Creative
Highly commended- Vodafone and Brand Union

Best brand architecture solution
Gold – AHC: Al Habtoor City and Ruya International
Bronze - Bank Muscat and TBWA\ZEENAH
Bronze - VOX Cinemas and Bellwether

Best use of copy style/tone of voice
Gold - General Motors Corporation and Grow
Silver – Jawwy from STC
Bronze – Jumeirah Restaurants and JansenHarris

Best brand experience
Gold - Jawwy from STC and Frog
Silver - Brown-Forman and JansenHarris
Bronze - Borouge and MBLM
Highly commended - Commercial Bank of Dubai and Industry
Highly commended - Dettol and G Creative

Best use of packaging
Gold - Brown-Forman and JansenHarris
Silver - MBRCGI and Bellwether (Mohammed bin Rashid Centre for Government Innovation)
Bronze - ADCB and StartJG
Bronze - du and Bellwether
Highly commended - Vodafone and Brand Union

Best audio branding
Gold - Al Aan and Turquoise Branding

Best use of typography
Gold - GFH and Unisono
Silver - Edara and Bellwether
Silver - Makarem and Landor
Bronze - AWASR and Bellwether
Highly commended - Ajman Tourism Development Department and MBLM

Best place or nation brand
Gold - Kenya Ministry of Tourism and G Creative
Silver - Moroccan National Tourism Office and Spring
Bronze - Ajman Tourism Development Department and MBLM
Highly commended - Alef Group and Brand Union
Highly commended - GFH and Unisono
Highly commended - King Abdullah Economic City and Turquoise Branding

PROCESS
Best external stakeholder relations during a brand development project
Gold - MBRCGI (Mohammed bin Rashid Centre for Government Innovation) and Bellwether

Best internal communication during a brand development project
Gold - Boubyan Bank and MBLM
Bronze - DP World and Brand Union

Best implementation of a brand development project
Gold - VOX Cinemas and Bellwether
Silver - AZM University and Tagbrands
Bronze - AIBA International Boxing Association and Grow
Bronze - Kaya and Bellwether
Highly commended - DP World and Brand Union
Highly commended - Grayling and G Creative

STRATEGY
Best creative strategy
Gold - Moroccan National Tourism Office and Spring
Silver - Kaya and Bellwether
Silver - VOX Cinemas and Bellwether
Bronze - GSA and Bladonmore
Bronze - King Abdullah Economic City and Turquoise Branding
Highly commended - Arkad and Unisono

Best brand evolution
Gold - Kaya and Bellwether
Silver - Al Aan and Turquoise Branding
Silver - DP World and Brand Union
Silver - Makarem and Landor
Bronze - GSA and Bladonmore
Bronze - VOX Cinemas and Bellwether

Best strategic/creative development of a new brand
Gold - Jawwy from STC and Lippincott
Silver - AZM University and Tagbrands
Silver - Edara and Bellwether
Silver - nawah and Brand Lounge
Bronze - Abu Dhabi Sports Council and CBA Memac
Bronze - Sharjah Book Authority and Brand Union

Best naming strategy
Gold - Jawwy from STC and Lippincott
Silver - Arkad and Unisono
Bronze - AWASR and Bellwether
Highly commended - Edara and Bellwether
Highly commended - MAF Finance and Unisono

TYPE
Best brand development to reflect changed mission/values/positioning
Gold - Union Bank and Landor
Silver - Bahrain Finance Company and From6 Communications
Silver - Gürallar and Landor
Bronze - ALO and Bellwether
Bronze - Commercial Bank of Dubai and Industry
Bronze - Gulf Finance and StartJG
Bronze - VOX Cinemas and Bellwether
Highly commended - Abu Dhabi Sports Council and CBA Memac
Highly commended - Bank Al Bilad and Brand Union

Best brand consolidation
Gold - Bank Muscat and TBWA\ZEENAH
Bronze - VOX Cinemas and Bellwether

Best rebrand of a digital property
Gold - Red Bull Malja and Unisono
Silver – VOX Cinemas and Bellwether
Bronze - Commercial Bank of Dubai and Industry
Bronze - MAF Finance and Unisono
Highly commended - Entrepreneurs’ Organisation (Bahrain Chapter) and Unisono
Highly commended - QADIC and Industry

SECTOR
Best visual identity from the education sector
Gold - Layton Preparatory School and Ellae Creative Design Agency
Silver - King Abdullah Economic City and Turquoise Branding
Bronze - AZM University and Tagbrands
Bronze - Jebel Ali School and Bellwether
Highly commended - Sharjah Book Authority and Brand Union

Best visual identity from the energy & extractives sector
Gold - The Bahrain Petroleum Company (Bapco) and Siegel+Gale
Silver – NPCC: National Petroleum Construction Company and Ruya International

Best visual identity from the financial services sector
Gold - Union Bank and Landor
Silver - Bank ABC and Brand Union
Silver - MAF Finance and Unisono
Bronze - ADCB and StartJG
Bronze - Commercial Bank of Dubai and Industry
Bronze - Gulf Finance and StartJG

Best visual identity from the healthcare & pharmaceuticals sector
Gold - Kaya and Bellwether
Silver - HealthBay and Omnia

Best visual identity from the industrial & basic materials sector
Gold - DuBox and Latitude
Silver - Arkad and Unisono
Bronze - CBG and Omnia

Best visual identity from the professional services sector
Gold - Qudrat and Unisono
Silver - Edara and Bellwether
Bronze - JLA Architecture and Omnia

Best visual identity from the property sector
Gold - Texture and Ruya International
Silver - GFH and Unisono
Bronze – AHC: Al Habtoor City and Ruya International
Highly commended - Alef Group and Brand Union
Highly commended - King Abdullah Economic City and Turquoise Branding

Best visual identity from the public sector
Gold - Abu Dhabi Sports Council and CBA Memac

Best visual identity from the retail sector
Gold - Yamanote Atelier and Ruya International
Silver - PRECISE Group and MBLM
Silver - Provedore and Ruya International

Best visual identity from the technology, media & telecommunications sector
Gold - Jawwy from STC and Lippincott
Silver - Al Aan and Turquoise Branding
Silver - Cognit and Omnia
Bronze - Alo and Bellwether
Highly commended - AWASR and Bellwether

Best visual identity from the travel & leisure sector
Gold - VOX Cinemas and Bellwether
Silver - Moroccan National Tourism Office and Spring
Bronze - Makarem and Landor
Highly commended - dans and StartJG
Highly commended - King Abdullah Economic City and Turquoise Branding
Highly commended - Shurooq (Al Noor Island) and Omnia

Best overall visual identity
DuBox and Latitude

Grand Prix
Jawwy from STC and Lippincott