Brand Excellence in the Gulf States: A Middle East Brand Summit Event

Welcome and opening address

Opening discussion: the value of place branding

Best practice: Broadcasting a new brand for Shahid

Broadcaster Shahid is an iconic TV brand in the Arabic world. Landor&Fitch revitalised its brand to reflect the changes in the broadcast landscape, as it moved beyond catch-up TV to compete with streaming giants such as Netflix. This session will discuss the adaptable, youthful image that brought the brand to life through storytelling. Speakers will address the strategic approach to Shahid’s audience and the way its new brand engages with that audience.

Best practice: Developing an audio brand for the RTA

Dubai’s Roads & Transport Authority encompasses metro, tram, taxi, buses and water travel. It tasked MassiveMusic with creating a sonic identity that could be used across all touchpoints, from marketing communications to functional sounds of the transport system, such as alerts for doors opening, as well as a master brand theme and sonic logo that complement the brand values and personality of RTA. In this session, representatives from the RTA and MassiveMusic will share their experiences from this process and explore the impact the audio brand has had on Dubai’s infrastructure.

Break

The state of brand in the Middle East

Brand has matured greatly in the Middle East from an early focus on logo design and typography to the implementation of full-scale integrated brand strategies. Speakers on this panel – which include Transform Awards judges – will discuss how rebranding and brand development has progressed across the region. They will address the challenges still facing organisations with regards to brand and will set out their thoughts on what the future might hold.

Best practice: Changing demographics and the FRSHST brand

FRSHST by fresh del monte foods and Brand Lounge was developed with Millennials in mind. The objective was to grow the business and expand its global reach without diluting its positioning or confusing the market with mixed brand messages. This session will explore the ways in which FRSHST navigated the masterbrand/sub-brand relationship as well as differentiating the product for a specific audience. Speakers will also address the challenges posed by the target audience’s global mindset and design sensibilities.

Best practice: Connecting the world with Dubai Airports

One of the busiest airports in the world, Dubai International Airport (DXB) wanted to create a great experience for travellers, particularly transit travellers, unable to see Dubai for themselves. It worked with Landor&Fitch on a brand that would bring Dubai into the airport for everyone to enjoy. Visually and experientially, the new brand establishes DXB as a place in its own right. Speakers will explore the ambitious programme, its coherent multistakeholder strategy and the success the brand’s implementation has had thus far.

Type and form: Crafting bespoke typography for brands across the Middle East

Creating typefaces is all about finding the brand’s voice. How does the brand’s personality align with its voice and how can that be translated into a visual representation of the brand? Nadine Chahine has extensive experience in finding a brand’s expression and determining how it can be seen through typeface design. This session will examine the ways in which brand’s bring their personalities to life through multilingual typography. She will examine the questions brands should ask when determining their typographic strategy and how the best brands achieve their voice.

Best practice: Creating a new brand and boosting reputation for The Courtyard

The Courtyard wasn’t just a new recreation offer blending retail and dining, it was a chance to reinvent the way young, urban dwelling Bahrainis lived their lives. Interstate worked with the Courtyard on a brand that would exude style, offer future-proof opportunities and engage with the key market of ‘urban nomads.’ This session will explore how Interstate delivered an integrated brand that seamlessly crossed the boundaries of the digital and physical spaces. Speakers will explore the burgeoning market in Manama for modern, multi-use living spaces.

Closing address