Strong contenders on fifth annual Transform Awards North America shortlist

With shortlisted brands spanning from prominent dairy companies to some of the biggest hoteliers in the world to revived retailers formerly consigned to history, this year’s Transform Awards North America is set to be the most exciting and hotly contested yet.

That healthy competition between the biggest agencies and the strongest projects sets a fitting scene for the fifth annual Transform Awards North America, taking place in an elegant penthouse on Fifth Avenue in New York. The awards, to be held on November 7th, will unveil who has set the benchmark in rebranding and brand development.

For the first time, the judging process for the Transform Awards North America was aligned with the rigor applied to the Transform Europe program. Where in the past, experts from across the brand industry judged each entry remotely, this year, judging days were convened in New York to ensure considered debate helped determine the winners. Judges from Major League Soccer, Yale University, Pandora, SAP, Pernod Ricard and IBM, among others determined which entries stood out among those submitted to the awards.

The resulting shortlist is a group of agencies and companies that has set the standard for excellence in rebranding and brand development.

“The judging days for the Transform Awards North America were exciting and vibrant. Judges debated every entry, making this year’s shortlist our strongest yet. With entries up by 55% year-on-year, the shortlist represents the true benchmark for rebranding and brand development across North America,” says publisher of Transform magazine, Andrew Thomas.

To celebrate with the shortlisted companies and find out who takes home the coveted Golden Butterfly trophies, book your table at the awards now.

The shortlist is as follows:

Best use of a visual property
826 NYC and CBX
Hain Celestial and CBX
Harneys and Living Group
Historic Hudson Valley and C&G Partners
Urban Justice Center and Superunion

Best brand architecture solution
AST and Starfish
Baker Tilly and Brandpie

Best use of copy style or tone of voice
KLA and Salt Branding
Pernod Ricard and Bladonmore
Planned Parenthood and Work&co
Urban Justice Center and Superunion

Best brand experience
Ample Hills Creamery and C&G Partners
Baked by Melissa and CBX
CVS Health and Siegel+Gale
Dell and FITCH
Pernod Ricard and Bladonmore

Best use of packaging
Æcorn Aperitifs and Pearlfisher
Keurig Dr. Pepper and CBX
Seedlip and Pearlfisher
Straus Family Creamery
Best use of audio brand
Oosa and Prophet
Syniti (formerly BackOffice Associates) and Studio Everywhere

Best use of typography
Avanos and MerchantCantos
Urban Justice Center and Superunion

Best internal communication during a brand development project
Baker Tilly and Brandpie
KLA and Salt Branding

Best implementation of a brand development project
KLA and Salt Branding
LCMC Health and Monigle
Russell Investments and Living Group

Best implementation of a brand development project across multiple markets
Russell Investments and Living Group

Best creative strategy
Harneys and Living Group
KLA and Salt Branding
Storyful and Thackway McCord
Urban Justice Center and Superunion

Best brand evolution
Call it Spring and Coley Porter Bell
Duquesne University Athletics and ChangeUp
Syniti (formerly BackOffice Associates) an Studio Everywhere
The J.M. Smuckers Company and LPK
Toys"R"Us and Lippincott

Best strategic or creative development of a new brand
Avanos and MerchantCantos
Macerich and FITCH
Oosa and Prophet
Storylines, Inc. and Tenet Partners
Syniti (formerly BackOffice Associates) and Studio Everywhere

Best development of a new brand within an existing brand portfolio
Freybe Gourmet Foods Ltd and CBA
Hain Celestial and CBX
RISE for Russell Investments and Living Group
Sonepar USA and Tenet Partners

Best naming strategy
Aetna and Catchword Branding
Avanos and MerchantCantos
Prisma Health and Monigle
RISE for Russell Investments and Living Group
Valaris and Monigle

Best corporate rebrand following a merger or acquisition
DuPont and Lippincott
OneSpan and DeSantis Breindel
Poly and Prophet
Prisma Health and Monigle
Valaris and Monigle

Best brand development project to reflect changed mission, values or positioning
3Sixty and Designhouse
Baker Tilly and Brandpie
Harneys and Living Group
Syniti (formerly BackOffice Associates) and Studio Everywhere

Best rebrand of a digital property
Connecticut Fund for the Environment/Save the Sound and Tenet Partners
Corteva Agriscience and Publicis Sapient
Harneys and Living Group
US Borax, Rio Tinto and Refactored

Best visual identity by a charity, NGO or not-for-profit
ADL and Starfish
Equal Justice Initiative and Turner Duckworth
Uncommon and Monigle
United Nation and Thackway McCord
Urban Justice Center and Superunion

Best visual identity from the education sector
Duquesne University Athletics and ChangeUp
Washington University and Siegel+Gale

Best visual identity from the engineering and manufacturing sector
KLA and Salt Branding
Rockwell Automation and Joe Smith, the brand consultancy of Padilla & Aquent Studios 

Best visual identity from the financial services sector
Canvas Credit Union and Monigle
Greater Cincinnati Foundation and LPK
ishares and Turner Duckworth
Russell Investments and Living Group

Best visual identity from the FMCG sector
McDonald’s and Turner Duckworth
The Mad Optimist and LPK
VEO and 121

Best visual identity from the food and beverage sector
Æcorn Aperitifs and Pearlfisher
Little Caesers and Turner Duckworth
Seedlip and Pearlfisher
Tillamook and Turner Duckworth
QNY Creative and Feroce Restaurant and Bar at Moxy (TAO Group)

Best visual identity from the healthcare and pharmaceuticals sector
Avanos and MerchantCantos
CVS Health and Siegel+Gale
Nuvance Health and Monigle
Prisma Health and Monigle

Best visual identity from the industrial and basic materials sector
DuPont and Lippincott

Best visual identity from the mining and extractives sector
Valaris and Monigle

Best visual identity from the professional services sector
Ayming and Kimpton Creative
Baker Tilly and Brandpie
Escalent and Superunion
Harneys and Living Group
Trustmark and Starfish

Best visual identity from the retail sector
BrandBox and FITCH
Call It Spring and Coley Porter Bell
Toys"R"Us and Lippincott

Best visual identity from the technology, media and telecommunications sector
Poly and Prophet
Storyful and Thackway McCord
Syniti (formerly BackOffice Associates) and Studio Everywhere

Best visual identity from the travel, leisure and tourism sector
Club Wyndham and Siegel+Gale
Hilton and FITCH
Regal and Prophet