Winners of 2020 Transform Awards Asia announced

Transform Awards Asia has been celebrating the transformative power of branding and rebranding for the past seven years. Transform magazine is proud to announce the winners of the Transform Awards Asia 2020, which reflect the agencies exhibiting exemplary work in brand development and the growing importance of brand in strategic corporate communications.

After sweeping up a gold in ‘Best use of a visual property,’ ‘Best internal communication during a brand development project,’ and ‘Best visual identity from the transport and logistics sector,’ Volkswagen Group China won the most sought-after prize of the night, the ‘Grand prix.’ Working with MetaDesign, Volkswagen adapted a people-first approach by using authentic and urban images to ensure every element of the brand experience was delivering the new purpose of being carbon-neutral. Judges were particularly impressed by the thoroughness of the internal communications campaign and by the refreshing image style.

The ‘Best overall visual identity’ was won by Tencent Music Entertainment and Superunion for their work on creating a strong brand identity and strategy that could captivate users and take centre stage. The existing wordmark became an instant icon, delivering the concept of ‘infinite wings’ that help the visual identity flex across the brand’s multiple touchpoints.

 “The challenges of the past year have been great as companies of all sizes have worked to mitigate the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. That’s why this year’s Transform Awards winners are incredibly deserving of their recognition. They have championed communications, design and strategic brand development in the most difficult of landscapes,” says Brittany Golob, editor-in-chief of Transform magazine.

Judges were also impressed by Blu and Sedgwick Richardson, which won two golds in ‘Best use of packaging,’ and ‘Best visual identity from the FMCG sector,’ Walmart and Prophet, which won two golds in ‘Best visual identity from the retail sector,’ and ‘Best localisation of an international brand.’

Winners were announced last in in a virtual awards event, held in both Chinese and English for the first time in its history. The full list of winners is below.

Best use of a visual property
Gold – Volkswagen Group China and MetaDesign China Limited
Silver – Tencent Music Entertainment Group and Superunion
Bronze – Mindfront and FutureBrand China
Bronze – The Coca-Cola Company and Labbrand
Highly commended – Sealy Australia and Traffic

Best brand architecture solution
Gold – Varuna Group and BOD Consulting
Silver – Shui On Work X and Labbrand

Best use of copy style or tone of voice
Gold – Crocs and Labbrand
Silver – Hoi An South Development and PurpleAsia

Best brand experience
Gold – AXA and Prophet
Silver – Nike (Japan) and AKQA
Bronze – Coronation and Handle Branding
Bronze – First Sentier Investors and THERE
Highly commended – Volkswagen Group China and MetaDesign China Limited

Best use of packaging
Gold – Blu and Sedgwick Richardson
Silver – Kotex Pawket and Chi-Mu
Bronze – The Coca-Cola Company and Labbrand
Highly commended – Enoulite and Superunion
Highly commended – Mars Food and ShinyBay

Best wayfinding or signage
Silver – The Star Entertainment Group and THERE

Best use of audio brand
Gold – Petronas with Dragon Rouge and Sixième Son
Silver – SPD Bank and MetaThink Consultancy

Best use of typography
Gold – JEN by Shangri-La and Design Bridge

Best place or nation brand
Gold – By The Bay and Sedgwick Richardson

Best external stakeholder relations during a brand development project
Gold – Bayer Elevit and Ylab

Best internal communication during a brand development project
Gold – Volkswagen Group China and MetaDesign China Limited
Silver – Great Eagle Holdings Limited

Best implementation of a brand development project
Gold – Mindfront and FutureBrand China
Silver – Volkswagen Group China and MetaDesign China Limited
Bronze – Yinlu and Ylab
Highly commended – Beijing FANUC and Superunion

Best localisation of an international brand
Gold – Walmart and Prophet
Silver – Nestlé and Ylab
Silver – Volkswagen Group China and MetaDesign China Limited
Bronze – BE- KIND and Creative Capital China

Best creative strategy
Gold – BOKE and JWDK
Silver – Enoulite and Superunion
Silver – Tencent Music Entertainment and Superunion
Bronze – HTX and Sedgwick Richardson
Highly commended – Labbrand Group and Labbrand
Highly commended – Walmart and Prophet

Best brand evolution
Gold – Tencent Music Entertainment Group and Superunion
Silver – Mobvista and FutureBrand China
Silver – Volkswagen Group China and MetaDesign China Limited
Bronze – Coherent and MerchantCantos
Bronze – Toongabbie Chrisitan College and Handle Branding
Highly commended – Mars Food and ShinyBay

Best strategic or creative development of a new brand
Gold – By The Bay and Sedgwick Richardson
Silver – Coronation and Handle Branding
Silver – Nestlé and Ylab
Bronze – Hangho Land (Xiamen) Co., Ltd. and JWDK
Highly commended – Plaza Premium Group

Best development of a new brand within an existing brand portfolio
Gold – Mobvista and FutureBrand China
Silver – Lenskart and Brand Provoke Consultants
Bronze – Hormel and Creative Capital China
Bronze – Nanoco and PurpleAsia
Highly commended – VOYAH Automobile Technology Company and Labbrand
Highly commended – HerO and MetaThink Consultancy

Best naming strategy
Gold – Hangho Land (Xiamen) Co., Ltd and JWDK
Silver – VOYAH Automobile Technology Company and Labbrand
Silver – Nespresso and Labbrand
Bronze – Mindfront and FutureBrand China
Highly commended – nesQino and Labbrand

Best brand development project to reflect changed mission, values or positioning
Gold – MB Bank and Prophet
Silver – BOKE and JWDK
Bronze – Kexing Biopharm and MetaThink Consultancy
Highly commended – LYNK Global and Studio Everywhere
Highly commended – Volkswagen Group China and MetaDesign China Limited

Best brand consolidation
Gold – Mobvista and FutureBrand China
Silver – Coronation and Handle Branding

Best rebrand of a digital property
Silver – SHUHE Group and Brandesse

Best visual identity from the education sector
Gold – Athena Academy and Chi-Mu
Silver – Toongabbie Christian College and Handle Branding

Best visual identity from the energy and utilities sector
Gold – Horizon Oil and THERE
Silver – Contemporary Amperex Technology Co and MetaThink Consultancy

Best visual identity from the engineering and manufacturing sector
Gold – VOYAH Automobile Technology Company and Labbrand
Silver – BOE and Prophet

Best visual identity from the financial services sector
Silver – AXA and Prophet

Best visual identity from the FMCG sector
Gold – Blu and Sedgwick Richardson

Best visual identity from the food and beverage sector
Gold – SUN ART Retail Group Limited and Pinbrand
Silver – Coronation and Handle Branding
Bronze – Admiral Hotel Manila - MGallery and PurpleAsia
Bronze –YAU and Design Bridge

Best visual identity from the healthcare and pharmaceuticals sector
Gold – Mindfront and FutureBrand China
Silver – Kexing Biopharm and MetaThink Consultancy
Bronze – Fazzdoc and Creative Capital Jakarta

Best visual identity from the industrial and basic materials sector
Gold – Rheinmetall and Labbrand
Silver – Beijing FANUC and Superunion

Best visual identity from the lifestyle and wellbeing sector
Silver – MEUS NOVA and Room 1707

Best visual identity from the professional services sector
Gold – Chapman Tripp and Iceberg
Silver – Coherent and MerchantCantos
Bronze – Labbrand Group and Labbrand

Best visual identity from the property, construction and facilities management sector
Gold – By The Bay and Sedgwick Richardson
Silver – Zhangjiang Hi-Tech and MetaThink Consultancy
Bronze – Hongqiao CMSK and JWDK
Highly commended – Refico and PurpleAsia

Best visual identity from the public sector
Gold – HTX and Sedgwick Richardson

Best visual identity from the retail sector
Gold – Walmart and Prophet
Silver – walk&rest and Hauns branding design and strategy ltd
Bronze – MEUS NOVA and Room 1707

Best visual identity from the sports, travel, leisure and tourism sector
Gold – Hangho Land (Xiamen) Co., Ltd. and JWDK
Silver – Ovolo Hotels and THERE
Bronze – JEN by Shangri-La and Design Bridge
Highly commended – Ticket Planet and Chi-Mu

Best visual identity from the technology, media and telecommunications sector
Gold – Tencent Music Entertainment and Superunion
Silver – BOKE and JWDK
Bronze – Mobvista and FutureBrand China
Highly commended – HTX and Sedgwick Richardson

Best visual identity from the transport and logistics sector
Gold – Varuna Group and BOD Consulting
Gold – Volkswagen Group China and MetaDesign China Limited
Silver – Goodyear and Traffic

Best overall visual identity
Winner – Tencent Music Entertainment and Superunion

Grand prix
Winner - Volkswagen Group China and MetaDesign China Limited