Transform Awards North America 2017 winners announced
The Transform Awards’ ongoing recognition of excellence in rebranding honours the very best brand projects from around the globe. Its North America programme, established in 2015, celebrates the vast expanse of branding work from countries such as the US, Canada and Mexico, among others. As acclaimed branding professionals from all corners of the region gathered in New York for the annual ceremony, this year’s winners exemplified the increased focus on branding across the business landscape.
With the awards’ nuanced categorisation specifying the intricacy of global brand work today, last night’s ceremony captured an array of strategic contrasts. Winning projects such as French clothing company, Saint James USA’s work to redefine its brand for a younger audience, saw ‘mystical heritage’ take centre stage. Promoting unisex advocacy, the brand’s creative originality saw it take gold in ‘Best creative strategy.’
Yet the branding spectrum cuts both ways, with categories such as ‘Best brand architecture solution’ and ‘Best implementation of a brand development project’ highlighting the importance of process and strategy within the wider aspects of brand work. Winners such as nThrive and Adient showcased an adept approach to the often esoteric beginnings of any brand development project, displaying a perseverant attitude towards overcoming complexity that won both companies gold awards.
With the judging process a meticulous consideration of analysis, evaluation and execution, this year’s judges represent the branding landscape in its most comprehensive light, hailing from organisations such as Major League Soccer, Condé Nast and Dow Jones, to name just a few.
David Ferreira, brand manager at City of Mississauga and Transform judge, says, “The entries this year demonstrated a high degree of creativity and innovation, but not for its own sake. Each submission showed a strong understanding that they needed to solve a defined business challenge. As a judge this year, the entries provided a challenge to me as well. With so many strong contenders I had many tough decisions to make. They certainly have raised the bar for all of us.”
Winning ‘Best overall visual identity,’ Bangalore-based OnMobile, brought a revitalised identity to the forefront of the telecommunications landscape, incorporating energetic visuals and a refreshed name that simplified the brand. Fusing visual, audio and strategic entities into the bulk of the project, the brand reached new heights with a project that aimed to redefine its category across various touchpoints.
This year’s 'Grand prix,' won by A+E Networks, stole the show for its revamp of the History Channel, bringing a contemporary feel to a network that had long become dated in comparison to contemporary competitors. With a strong focus on reimagined aesthetics, and a simplified identity, the project spurred a new outlook on its brand promise – one that specified a cohesive and integrated approach to its work.
The winners of this year’s Transform Awards North America are as follows:
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CONTENT Best use of a visual property Gold – LCH and 8 Point Studio Silver – Saint James USA and Creative Capital New York Bronze – Constellation Brands - Beer Division and Interbrand
Best brand architecture solution Gold – nThrive and Brandigo Silver – Dell and Brand Union Bronze – Adient and FutureBrand
Best use of copy style/tone of voice Gold – Zenni and Salt Branding Silver – Corvias and FutureBrand Bronze – City of Mississauga
Best brand experience Gold – Ford Motor Company and FITCH, Framestore, GTB and VML Silver – Purina® Beyond® and CBA North America Bronze – Adient and FutureBrand Bronze – Mizuho Americas and Siegel+Gale Highly commended – Humber College and Entro Communications
Best use of packaging Gold – RB and 121 Silver – John B. Sanfilippo & Son and Damen Jackson Silver – LVMH and Interbrand Bronze – Purina® Beyond® and CBA North America Highly commended – Häagen-Dazs and CBA North America
Best wayfinding or signage Gold - The 2017 JUNO Awards Host Committee and McMillan
Best use of audio branding Silver - ONMO and Brand Union
Best use of typography Gold – Dell and Brand Union Silver – The 2017 JUNO Awards Host Committee and McMillan Bronze – Cadillac and FutureBrand Highly Commended – Vium and Branditecture
PROCESS Best internal communications during a brand development project Gold - National Council of Teachers of English and Brains on Fire Silver - Adient and FutureBrand
Best implementation of a brand development project Gold – Adient and FutureBrand Silver – Zenni and Salt Branding Highly Commended – General Mills and CBX
Best implementation of a brand development project across multiple markets Gold - Adient and FutureBrand
Best localization of an international brand Gold - Saint James USA and Creative Capital New York Silver - Volevatch and Creative Capital New York |
STRATEGY Best creative strategy Gold – Saint James USA and Creative Capital New York Silver – ONMO and Brand Union Silver – Zenni and Salt Branding Bronze – Volevatch and Creative Capital New York Highly commended – Adient and FutureBrand Highly commended – Cowen and Thackway McCord Highly commended – Genesys and Landor
Best brand evolution Gold - A+E Networks and DixonBaxi Silver – Nielsen Silver – Saint James USA and Creative Capital New York Bronze – Octagon and FutureBrand Highly commended – Driscoll’s and Pearlfisher Highly commended – InfinityQS International and Refactored
Best strategic/creative development of a new brand Gold – EyeJust and Brand Union Silver – Zenni and Salt Branding Bronze – Adient and FutureBrand Bronze – Vium and Branditecture Highly commended – Cowen and Thackway McCord
Best development of a new brand within an existing brand portfolio Gold - GivGo and Living Group Bronze - Alouette and CBA North America
Best naming strategy Gold – ONMO and Brand Union Silver – Cadillac and FutureBrand Bronze – GivGo and Living Group
TYPE Best corporate rebrand following a merger or an acquisition Gold - Dell and Brand Union
Best brand development project to reflect changed mission/values/positioning Gold – Zenni and Salt Branding Silver – LCH and 8 Point Studio Silver – Tyson Foods and Brand Union Bronze – Nielsen
Best rebrand of a digital property Gold – InfinityQS International and Refactored Silver – Zenni and Salt Branding
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SECTOR Best visual identity in the charity/NGO/non-profit sector Silver - British Benevolent Society and CBA North America
Best visual identity in the education sector Gold - Kentucky College of Art + Design and Bullhorn Creative
Best visual identity in the engineering and manufacturing sector Gold - Adient and FutureBrand Silver - Volevatch and Creative Capital New York
Best visual identity in the fast-moving consumer goods sector Gold - General Mills and CBX
Best visual identity in the financial services sector Gold – Cowen and Thackway McCord Silver – LCH and 8 Point Studio Bronze – Sentry and FutureBrand
Best visual identity in the food and beverage sector Gold - Tyson Foods and Brand Union Silver - Niemann Food, Inc. and Shook Kelley
Best visual identity in the professional services sector Gold - Octagon and FutureBrand Silver - JoTo PR
Best visual identity in the retail sector Gold – Electro and Interbrand Silver – Saint James USA and Creative Capital New York Bronze – Zenni and Salt Branding
Best visual identity in the technology, media and telecommunications sector Gold – ONMO and Brand Union Silver – Nielsen Bronze – GivGo and Living Group Bronze – McAfee and Solid Branding Highly commended - Genesys and Landor
Best overall visual identity Winner – ONMO and Brand Union
Grand prix Winner – A+E Networks and DixonBaxi
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