Transform Awards MENA shortlist celebrates best in brand

The Transform Awards MENA 2018 unveils its most diverse shortlist ever. Over the past five years, the branding industry in the Middle East and north Africa has reached every sector and industry, allowing heritage brands, startups, international corporations and homegrown favourites to build a stronger business with the help of a strengthened brand.

The shortlist for this year’s awards features companies from across the region and across every industry. As is often the case, hospitality and property brands feature strongly on the shortlist, as do public entities like the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company. However, this year also sees a strong showing from telecoms brands; the likes of Virgin Mobile, Omantel and Etisalat make the grade. Financial services brands, too, proliferate, with Ecobank, Alawwal Bank, Mubadala Investment Company, Afreximbank and the Gulf International Bank all putting up a strong showing on the shortlist.

On the agency side the picture is similar, with international organisations rubbing shoulders with global juggernauts and local boutiques. Locals OHI Leo Burnett, All About Brands and Brand Lounge all make the grade, as do international networks Superunion, Wolff Olins and Landor.

Brittany Golob, editor of Transform magazine, says, “We’re pleased to host the fifth anniversary of the Transform Awards MENA at the beautiful St Regis hotel in Dubai this year. It will be a recognition of the best the region has to offer in rebranding and brand development. Alongside the awards, the Middle East Brand Summit is putting forth its most comprehensive programme yet. It will be a true celebration of brand.”

The Transform Awards MENA 2018 will take place on 8 May, celebrating excellence in rebranding and brand development throughout the region. The gala ceremony, held at the XX in Dubai, will be accompanied by the fifth annual Middle East Brand Summit at which brand experts will discuss the most pertinent challenges, successes and trends in rebranding and brand development today.

Book your tickets for the conference and awards today!

For more information, contact Jessica Dunmall. The full shortlist is as follows:

Best use of a visual property
Emaar and Latitude    
ENOC and Brash Brands    
Government Accelerators and Bellwether
Meeras and Wolff Olins
Rest Republic and Latitude    

Best brand architecture solution    
Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) and All About Brands    
Jagal and Brand Lounge

Best brand experience
ADSW and TMH
Emaar and Latitude    
Marriott International and JansenHarris    
Piramal Aranya and Brash Brands    
Prime Minister's Office and FITCH    
Roxy Cinemas and Ochre    
Virgin Mobile UAE and Start Design

Best use of packaging
Feli's Kitchen and JPd    
Karmah and Unisono
Lucas Bols, Henkes and Skyne

Best use of wayfinding and signage
TECOM Group and Endpoint

Best use of typography
Karmah and Unisono

Mubadala Investment Company All About Brands    
Omniyat, The Opus by Zaha Hadid and Fifth Estate NYC    
Spectra and Ochre

Best place or nation brand
Bimma Bay and Brand Lounge

PROCESS

Best external stakeholder relations during a brand development project
ENBD REIT and Instinctif Partners

Best internal communication during a brand development project
Injazat and Bellwether
Rakez

Best implementation of a brand development project
Alawwal Bank and Landor    
Cakers and Superunion    
OMANTEL and Bellwether    
Virgin Mobile UAE and Start Design

Best implementation of a brand development project across multiple markets
Careem and Bellwether    
Ecobank and Brand Communications
Ecobank and Brand Communications    
Virgin Mobile UAE and Start Design

Best localisation
Virgin Mobile UAE and Start Design

STRATEGY

Best creative strategy
Gulf International Bank and Siegel + Gale
Meeras and Wolff Olins
Roxy Cinemas and Ochre    
Virgin Mobile UAE and Start Design

Best brand evolution
Cakers and Superunion    
Dubai Police and Brash Brands
Injazat and Bellwether
Network International and FITCH
OMANTEL and Bellwether

Best strategic/creative development of a new brand
Afreximbank and Brand Communications    
Avivo Group and Brand Lounge
Kibo and Greenspace
Landmark Leisure and TMH

Spectra and Ochre

Uptown Dubai and Landor    

Best development of a new brand within an existing brand portfolio
Ecobank and Brand Communications    
Emaar and Latitude
Etisalat and Superunion
Evvoli and Brand Lounge

Best naming strategy
#SPRINTforOMAN and OHI Leo Burnett
Alawwal Bank and Landor    
Bawabba and Fludium
Rakez and Brand Lounge    
State General Reserve Fund (SGRF) and OHI Leo Burnett

TYPE

Best corporate rebrand following a merger or acquisition
Mubadala Investment Company and All About Brands
Rakez
Rakez and Brand Lounge

Best brand development project to reflect changed mission, values or positioning
DXB Entertainments and Landor    
Meeras and Wolff Olins
Network International and FITCH    
Radisson Blu Deira Creek and HAVOC Creative

Best brand consolidation
Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) and All About Brands    
GFH and Unisono
Meeras and Wolff Olins

Best rebrand of a digital property
Ecobank and Brand Communications
Virgin Mobile UAE and Start Design

SECTOR

Best visual identity from a charity/NGO/not-for-profit
#SPRINTforOMAN and OHI Leo Burnett    
Government Accelerators and Bellwether
Special Olympics World Games Abu Dhabi 2019 and All About Brands

Best visual identity from the education sector
Emirates Flight Training Academy and James Branding
Euro University of Bahrain and Brand Lounge

Best visual identity from the engineering and manufacturing sector
Adu Dhabi Ship Building and James Branding    
Centrifuge Equipment Services (CES) FZ LLC and JPd    

Best visual identity from the financial services sector
Afreximbank and Brand Communications
Alawwal Bank and Landor
Gulf International Bank and Siegel + Gale
Inovest and Unisono
Mubadala Investment Company and All About Brands
Network International and FITCH

Best visual identity from food and beverage
Dusit D2 Kenz Hotel and JPd
Marriott, La Ville, Dubai (Grapeskin) and TMH
Mexika and JansenHarris
Viceroy Palm Jumeirah Dubai and TMH    

Best visual identity from healthcare and pharmaceuticals
Avivo Clinics and Brand Lounge    
DermaOne and Unisono    

Best visual identity from mining and extractives
ENOC and Brash Brands
Minerals Development Oman (MDO) and OHI Leo Burnett

Best visual identity from professional services
Ataraxia DMCC and Ellae Creative
Platinum Virtual Assistant (PVA) and JPd
Total Solutions and Skyne

Best visual identity from property, construction, and facilities management
Bahrain Investment Wharf and Unisono
Hayat Island, RAK Properties and Fifth Estate NYC
Meeras and Wolff Olins
Omniyat, The Opus by Zaha Hadid and Fifth Estate NYC

Best visual identity from the public sector
Dubai Police and Brash Brands
Minerals Development Oman (MDO) and OHI Leo Burnett    
State General Reserve Fund (SGRF) and OHI Leo Burnett    
Teleworks and Bellwether

Best visual identity from the retail sector
Al-Futtaim Motors (Toyota) and Greenspace
Safahat and Skyne
Wetin You Need? and Ellae Creative

Best visual identity from the technology, media and telecommunications sector
Etisalat and Superunion
Injazat and Bellwether
Spectra and Ochre
Virgin Mobile UAE and Start Design

Best visual identity from the transport and logistics sector
Careem and Bellwether

Best visual identity from the travel, leisure and tourism sector
Emaar and Latitude     
Rest Republic and Latitude
Roxy Cinemas and Ochre
SalamAir and From6