Transform announces MEA 2024 winners

Returning to the Middle East and Africa region for an 11th year, the Transform Awards MEA is delighted to reveal its list of winners once again. As always, Transform’s winners reflect the transformative power of brand strategy and design, with the awards recognising best practice in corporate, product and global brand development work.

This year’s clear winner on the night, scooping up not just the highly sought-after ‘Grand prix’ but also four Golds and one Silver, was Careem. The Dubai-based super app – with design crafted by its in-house team, The Creative Studio – impressed judges greatly, with one describing its rebrand as “fantastically polished.” Judges also appreciated its “dynamic” visual language, making Careem a worthy winner on the night.

Elsewhere, the Saudi Arabian Football Federation and Gene Branding scored to secure the ‘Best overall visual identity,’ having also struck Gold in ‘Best visual identity from the sports and leisure sector.’ Considered by one judge to be filled to the brim with enthusiasm, another added they believed the project “honoured Saudi culture and created a unique language.”

Jack Cousins, editor at Transform magazine, comments, “It has been another remarkable year for the Transform Awards MEA with the quantity of entries continuing to rise and rise. But really, it’s the quality of the work we’re more interested in at Transform, and we haven’t been let down in the slightest.

“Even though Careem and the Saudi Arabian Football Federation and Gene Branding set the bar for years to come, all our winners – from Gold to Highly commended – have contributed to flying the MEA brand design and strategy flag high tonight. Congratulations to you all! “

The winners were announced at the lavish Mandarin Oriental Jumeirah Beach, Dubai.

The full list of winners is as follows:

 

CONTENT

 

Best use of a visual property

Gold – Emaar and Genius Loci – AT.MOSPHERE

Gold – Trojena and Landor

Silver – Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority (ECA) and ADinB – ECD Fair

Silver – iz app by Alinma Bank and Landor

Bronze – Seddiqi Holding and BOND

Highly commended – SIRO by Kerzner and Birch London

 

Best brand architecture solution

Gold – Careem

Silver – Expo City Dubai and Bellwether

Bronze – NEOM and Landor

Bronze – Prince Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Endowment and BOND

Bronze – Saudia Group and Landor

 

Best use of copy style or tone of voice

Gold – Otto and Fludium

Silver – Careem

Silver – Sindalah and Landor

Bronze – Mindset Media and Unisono

Bronze – Saudia and Landor

 

Best brand experience

Gold – Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority (ECA) and ADinB ­– ECD Fair

Silver – Ministry of Culture and Accenture Song Middle East BV

Silver – Play Playground and Rogue

Bronze – The Macallan and JansenHarris

Bronze – The National Academy for Childhood Development and ADinB

Highly commended – Modon / Surf Abu Dhabi and Bellwether

 

Best use of packaging

Gold – Accor + Katara Hospitality and BOND – Vaya!

Silver – LUFF and chemistry

Bronze – PepsiCo – Pepsi Big Football Event LTO

Bronze – Thryve, IFFCO Plant-Based Venture and WMH&I

Highly commended – Century Burger and chemistry

 

Best wayfinding or signage

Gold – Emaar and Genius Loci – The Dubai Mall Zabeel Extension

Silver – Emaar and Genius Loci – AT.MOSPHERE

Bronze – Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority (ECA) and ADinB – ECD Fair

Bronze – APG Kindergarten and inovaline

Bronze – The Ellinikon / LAMDA and Genius Loci

 

Best use of audio branding

Gold – Careem and MassiveMusic

Silver – Aldar and Sixième Son

Silver – AROYA Cruises and MassiveMusic

Bronze – Saudia and Landor

Bronze – The Ministry Of Culture and Sonicbrand

 

Best use of typography

Gold – King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (ithra)

Silver – Saudia and Landor

Bronze – Accor + Katara Hospitality and BOND – Blue Cigar

Bronze – AROYA Cruises and Insignia Worldwide

Bronze – NEOM and Landor

 

Best place or nation brand

Gold – Expo City Dubai and Bellwether

Silver – Infracorp and Unisono

 

Best expression of a brand on social media channels

Gold – Seddiqi Holding and BOND

Silver – Otto and Fludium

Bronze – UCR Qatar and Fludium

Highly commended – Red Sea Int’l Airport and Brash Agency

 

PROCESS

 

Best external stakeholder relations during a brand development project

Gold – Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority (ECA) and ADinB ­– ECD Fair

 

Best internal communications during a brand development project

Gold – Dubai Health and Landor

Silver – Abu Dhabi Airports and Brash Agency

Bronze – Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority (ECA) and ADinB ­– ECD Fair

 

Best implementation of a brand development project

Gold – Seddiqi Holding and BOND

Silver – Expo City Dubai and Bellwether

Silver – Khaleeji Bank and Unisono

Bronze – Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority (ECA) and ADinB – ECD Fair

Highly commended – Hassana Investment Company and Landor

Highly commended – Modon / Surf Abu Dhabi and Bellwether

 

Best localization of an international brand

Gold – Safaricom Ethiopia and Landor

Silver – Innerspace Dubai

 

STRATEGY

 

Best creative strategy (business)

Gold – Solutions+ and KNOW Creative

Silver – Al Futtaim and BOND

Bronze – Al Khozama Hotel and KEANE

 

Best creative strategy (consumer)

Gold – Bahrain Tourism & Exhibition Authority and Limefish Design

Silver – iz app by Alinma Bank and Landor

Bronze – eyewa and Freedom.

Bronze – LikeCard and Hive Innovative Group

Bronze – SIRO by Kerzner and Birch London

Highly commended – King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (ithra) 

 

Best creative strategy (corporate)

Gold – Saudia Group and Landor

Silver – Bapco Energies and Interstate Creative Partners

Silver – Expo City Dubai and Bellwether

Silver – NEOM Green Hydrogen Company and Landor

Bronze – Arabsat and OMNIA

 

Best brand evolution (business)

Gold – ADSS and PINK GREEN

Silver – FlyAkeed and Gene Branding

Silver – Solutions+ and KNOW Creative

Bronze – Al Futtaim and BOND

Bronze – Al Khozama Hotel and KEANE

Highly commended – IGC and OHI Leo Burnett

 

Best brand evolution (consumer)

Gold – Careem

Silver – Century Burger and chemistry

Bronze – National Finance and Zeenah LLC

Bronze – Nestle Hot Chocolate and CBA Design

 

Best brand evolution (corporate)

Gold – CATRION and Brash Agency

Silver – Abu Dhabi Airports and Brash Agency

Silver – Expo City Dubai and Bellwether

Bronze – Arabsat and OMNIA

 

Best strategic or creative development of a new brand

Gold – Designed In Saudi and Gene Branding

Silver – Accor + Katara Hospitality and BOND – Acoustic

Silver – iz app by Alinma Bank and Landor

Bronze – Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority (ECA) and ADinB – ECD Fair

Bronze – Asteri and Dalziel & Pow Design Consultants

Bronze – SIRO by Kerzner and Birch London

 

Best development of a new brand within an existing brand portfolio

Gold – Seddiqi Holding and BOND

Silver – Al Futtaim and BOND

Silver – Kuwait Finance House / Tam and Bellwether

Bronze – Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority (ECA) and ADinB – DAA

Bronze – Heritage Commission

Bronze – NEOM Beach Games and Landor

 

Best naming strategy (new name)

Gold – Giddam and Gene Branding

Silver – Kuwait Finance House / Tam and Bellwether

Silver – Merwas and Tajalla Agency

Bronze – iz app by Alinma Bank and Landor

Bronze – Seddiqi Holding and BOND

Highly commended – Accor + Katara Hospitality and BOND – Vaya!

 

Best naming strategy (rename)

Gold – Masar and inovaline

Silver – NLGIC National Life & General Insurance Company / Liva and Bellwether

Bronze – Khaleeji Bank and Unisono

 

TYPE

 

Best corporate rebrand following a merger or acquisition

Gold – Ethara

Silver – NLGIC National Life & General Insurance Company / Liva and Bellwether

Bronze – Nama and OHI Leo Burnett

 

Best brand development project to reflect a change of mission, values or positioning

Gold – Bapco Energies and Interstate Creative Partners

Gold – CATRION and Brash Agency

Silver – Expo City Dubai and Bellwether

Silver – Solutions+ and KNOW Creative

Bronze – Khaleeji Bank and Unisono

Highly commended – eyewa and Freedom.

 

Best brand consolidation

Gold – Expo City Dubai and Bellwether

Silver – Bapco Energies and Interstate Creative Partners

Silver – Dubai Health and Landor

Bronze – Nama and OHI Leo Burnett

 

Best rebrand of a digital property

Gold – Careem

Silver – Ministry of Culture and Accenture Song Middle East BV

Bronze – LikeCard and Hive Innovative Group

 

Best employer brand

Gold – Hilti and Tonic

Silver – Hassana Investment Company and Landor

Bronze – GSK and Tonic

 

SECTOR

 

Best visual identity by a charity, NGO or NFP

Gold – Prince Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Endowment and BOND

Silver – The Climate Tribe and BOND

Bronze – Saudi Heritage Preservation Society and Inssain Creative Group Co.

 

Best visual identity from the energy and utilities sector

Gold – Enowa.NEOM and Landor

Silver – Apsco with 33 Advisory and Ishara Design

Silver – NEOM Green Hydrogen Company and Landor

Bronze – Bapco Energies and Interstate Creative Partners

Bronze – indi and JansenHarris

 

Best visual identity from the engineering, manufacturing, industrial and basic materials sector

Gold – Al Futtaim and BOND

Silver – Masar and inovaline

Bronze – Big5 and Unisono

 

Best visual identity from the financial services sector

Gold – iz app by Alinma Bank and Landor

Gold – Kuwait Finance House / Tam and Bellwether

Silver – Hassana Investment Company and Landor

Bronze – Khaleeji Bank and Unisono

 

Best visual identity from the FMCG sector

Gold – Thryve, IFFCO Plant-Based Venture and WMH&I

Silver – PepsiCo – Mirinda Plus Restage

Silver – PepsiCo – MTN Dew Oman National Day LTO

Bronze – PepsiCo – Chipsy Equity Joy 3.0

 

Best visual identity from the food and beverage sector

Gold – Accor + Katara Hospitality and BOND – Acoustic

Silver – Accor + Katara Hospitality and BOND – Vaya!

Bronze – Marriott Resort Palm Jumeirah and JansenHarris

Bronze – Shangri-La Jeddah and JansenHarris

Highly commended – 42 Midtown and KEANE

Highly commended – Century Burger and chemistry

 

Best visual identity from the healthcare and pharmaceutical sector

Gold – Care Medical – Riyadh and Skyne

Silver – Dubai Health and Landor

 

Best visual identity from the lifestyle and wellbeing sector

Gold – NLGIC National Life & General Insurance Company / Liva and Bellwether

Silver – King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (ithra) 

 

Best visual identity from the oil, gas, mining and extractives sector

Gold – NEOM Green Hydrogen Company and Landor

Silver – TGT DIAGNOSTICS

 

Best visual identity from the professional services sector

Gold – Merwas and Tajalla Agency

Silver – Solutions+ and KNOW Creative

 

Best visual identity from the property, construction and facilities management sector

Gold – Lootah Real Estate and JansenHarris

Gold – Trojena and Landor

Silver – Pick Properties and Interstate Creative Partners

Bronze – Kooheji Contractors and Unisono

 

Best visual identity from the public sector

Gold – Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood (SCMC) and Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority (ECA) with ADinB

Silver – Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority (ECA) and ADinB – ECD Fair

Silver – Muslim Council of Elders (MCE) and ADinB

Bronze – Expo City Dubai and Bellwether

 

Best visual identity from the retail sector

Gold – Seddiqi Holding and BOND

Silver – eyewa and Freedom.

Bronze – Scent Lab (VIVI) and Epic Lion

 

Best visual identity from the sports and leisure sector

Gold – Saudi Arabian Football Federation and Gene Branding

Silver – Modon / Surf Abu Dhabi and Bellwether

Silver – NEOM Beach Games and Landor

Bronze – Mindset Media and Unisono

Highly commended – Play Playground and Rogue

 

Best visual identity from the technology, media and telecommunications sector

Gold – Lifecycle Software and OMNI Creative

Silver – Nine66 and Landor

Bronze – Dadabai Holding (Epix Cinema brand) and Unisono

 

Best visual identity from the transport and logistics sector

Gold – Saudia and Landor

Silver – DP World and DesignStudio

Bronze – Port of Duqm and OHI Leo Burnett

 

Best visual identity from the travel and tourism sector

Gold – Trojena and Landor

Silver – Al Khozama Hotel and KEANE

Silver – Expo City Dhai Dubai Light Art Festival and OMNIA

Bronze – Abu Dhabi Airports and Brash Agency

Bronze – SIRO by Kerzner and Birch London

Highly commended – AROYA Cruises and Insignia Worldwide

 

SPECIAL RECOGNITION

 

Brand strategist of the year

Winner – Ashish Banerjee – Landor

Highly commended – Ibrahim Lahoud – Brand Lounge

Finalist – Nina Seredai Udalova – Ninth Space

 

Creative director of the year

Winner – Mo Saad – Brand Lounge

Highly commended – Noel Tabb – Bellwether

Finalist – Hala Sabbagh – ADinB

 

Young contender of the year

Winner – Rasha Kawar – Landor

Finalist – Farah Ezz ElDin – ADinB

Finalist – Zeinah Khaled – Brand Lounge

 

GRAND ACCOLADES

 

Best overall visual identity

Winner – Saudi Arabian Football Federation and Gene Branding

 

Grand prix

Winner – Careem