Transform Awards MEA 2026 shortlist announced
Transform magazine is proud to announce the shortlist for the 2026 Transform Awards Middle East and Africa. For the past 13 years, the awards programme has remained the only in the region to celebrate the transformative power of brand strategy, creativity and design.
This year’s shortlisted projects will be aiming to emulate the success of Etihad Credit Bureau and Accenture Song, which took home an outstanding nine trophies including the illustrious ‘Grand Prix’ in 2025. Along with the ‘Best Overall Visual Identity’ winner, 7X and Brand Lounge, the two projects set the bar high for many years to come.
Each entry into this year’s awards was examined by a panel of expert judges who hailed from amongst the region’s top companies, including Marriott International, TikTok and Virgin Mobile UAW. The judges focused on creativity, innovation, strategic excellence and implementation when determining the best entries throughout each category.
While all categories in the Transform Awards MEA will be highly competitive, this year’s most hotly contested categories include ‘Best Brand Experience’ and ‘Best Brand Evolution (Consumer).’
All those shortlisted in the Transform Awards MEA will take home either a Gold, Silver, Bronze or Highly Commended trophy. The winners will be announced at a very special awards ceremony on 6 May 2026, held at the Habtoor Ballroom, Al Habtoor City, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai.
The full shortlist is as follows:
CONTENT
Best Use of a Visual Property (Consumer)
Asaan and Landor
Faena Residences and BRASH
Fahid Island, Aldar Properties and M+C Saatchi Group Middle East
Vallé Advenature™ Park and Brand Lounge
Best Use of a Visual Property (Corporate and Business)
Etihad Water and Electricity (EtihadWE)
IMI Media and Wiedemann Lampe
Mubadala and Bellwether Brands
NHC
Saudi Tourism Authority and TQ Branding
Brand Architecture Solution
Beyon
du and Landor
Misk Foundation and Zan Agency
TAIBA and Brand Lounge
Best Use of Copy Style or Tone of Voice
.Here and All About Brands
Falcon and Landor
NHC
Vallé Advenature™ Park and Brand Lounge
Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority
Best Brand Experience
KSA Ministry of Culture and Interstate
La Marzocco and House of Negroni
NHC
Qiddiya and BRASH
Saudi Tourism Authority and TQ Branding
Vallé Advenature™ Park and Brand Lounge
Best Use of Packaging
Americana Foods and Dragon Rouge Branding (Shanghai) Co., Ltd
Emirates Snack Foods: Feli’s Kitchen – Feli’s Fruitz and Jpd
Nestlé – Tola and Karak
Qadeem Fragrance and REBRDG Branding Agency
RAINBOW and Mr.Studio Co.
Best Wayfinding or Signage
Makarem and Brand Lounge
Vallé Advenature™ Park and Brand Lounge
Best Use of Typography
King Salman International Airport (KSIA) and TQ Branding
Mics and Gene Branding
TAIBA and Brand Lounge
Vallé Advenature™ Park and Brand Lounge
Villa Hegra and Wiedemann Lampe
Best Audio Brand (Business and Corporate)
Alinma and amp
Emirates NBD and amp
Islamic Arts Biennale, Diriyah Biennale Foundation with .Pomelo and WithFeeling
Qatar National Bank and Sixième Son
Best Audio Brand (Consumer)
CEER and Sonicbrand
Makarem and Sonicbrand
Ministry of Tourism Saudi Arabia with Focus WPI and WithFeeling
PetCentral and WithFeeling
Best Place Brand
Fahid Island, Aldar Properties and M+C Saatchi Group Middle East
King Salman International Airport (KSIA) and TQ Branding
Vallé Advenature™ Park and Brand Lounge
Best Expression of a Brand on Social Media Channels
Mics and Gene Branding
Thoub Saghiri and Blue Hat
PROCESS
Best Implementation of Brand Development Project
Makarem and Brand Lounge
Ominvest – Veltra and Bellwether Brands
Vallé Advenature™ Park and Brand Lounge
Best Localization of an International Brand
AXIAN Telecom – Yas and Landor
Yammak and Gene Branding
STRATEGY
Best Creative Strategy (Business)
Mubadala and Bellwether Brands
Protouch and Umbrella
Best Creative Strategy (Consumer)
La Marzocco and House of Negroni
National Biscuit and OHI Leo Burnett
Nestlé – Tola and Karak
Saudia Airlines and Landor
Vallé Advenature™ Park and Brand Lounge
Best Creative Strategy (Corporate)
Alinma and Landor
IMI Media and Wiedemann Lampe
Ominvest – Veltra and Bellwether Brands
TAIBA and Brand Lounge
Best Brand Evolution (Business and Corporate)
Alinma and Landor
Beyon
e& and Wiedemann Lampe
Inception and The Frameworks
NHC and Lippincott
Best Brand Evolution (Consumer)
Al Jimi Mall and Balcony8
Bahrain Rugby Club and Interstate
Makarem and Brand Lounge
Nestlé – Tola and Karak
Soum and Gene Branding
Vallé Advenature™ Park and Brand Lounge
Best Strategic or Creative Development of a New Brand
BEEAH and Landor
Kafu and Bellwether Brands
KORO and BRASH
Ominvest – Veltra and Bellwether Brands
The Wilds, Aldar Properties and M+C Saatchi Group Middle East
Best Development of a New Brand Within an Existing Brand Portfolio
.Here and All About Brands
Emirates Snack Foods: Feli’s Kitchen – Feli’s Fruitz and Jpd
ENACT and All About Brands
Mubadala and Bellwether Brands
Rawa and Zan Agency
Best Naming Strategy (New Name)
.Here and All About Brands
Asaan and Landor
Lemonade and Yellow
ONGETEM and Balcony8
Saudia Airlines and Landor
Best Naming Strategy (Rename)
LOTF and Zan Agency
Vallé Advenature™ Park and Brand Lounge
Yammak and Gene Branding
Best Naming Strategy (Naming System)
e& and Wiedemann Lampe
EMSTEEL – TrueGreen and Bellwether Brands
ONGETEM and Balcony8
TYPE
Best Corporate Rebrand Following a Merger or Acquisition
Falcon and Landor
TAIBA and Brand Lounge
Best Brand Development Project to Reflect a Change of Mission, Values or Positioning (Business and Corporate)
Insight Studios and By Driven
Kitopi and Freedom Studio
NHC
Best Brand Development Project to Reflect a Change of Mission, Values or Positioning (Consumer)
Hemingways Collection and Greenspace
Kitopi and Freedom Studio
Makarem and Brand Lounge
Vallé Advenature™ Park and Brand Lounge
Best Brand Consolidation
AXIAN Telecom – Yas and Landor
IMI Media and Wiedemann Lampe
Best Digital Transformation
Kafu and Bellwether Brands
Virtuzone and Yellow
Best Employer Brand
Makarem and Brand Lounge
TAIBA and Brand Lounge
SECTOR
Best Visual Identity by a Charity, NGO or Not-For-Profit
Graphic Design Association (Graphicyoon) and Gene Branding
Best Visual Identity from the Education Sector
Asaan and Landor
Villa Hegra and Wiedemann Lampe
Best Visual Identity from the Energy and Utilities Sector
ENEC and All About Brands
Miahona and Boxon
Best Visual Identity from the Financial Services Sector
Alinma and Landor
ISA Commodities and Jpd
Kafu and Bellwether Brands
Best Visual Identity from the FMCG Sector
Americana Foods and Dragon Rouge Branding (Shanghai) Co., Ltd
National Biscuit and OHI Leo Burnett
Best Visual Identity from the Food and Beverage Sector
INÁ and Balcony8
Kitopi and Freedom Studio
La Marzocco and House of Negroni
ONGETEM and Balcony8
Best Visual Identity from the Healthcare and Pharmaceutical Sector
Mubadala and Bellwether Brands
NhaFarma and Identidadi
Best Visual Identity from the Hospitality Sector
Makarem and Brand Lounge
TAIBA and Brand Lounge
Best Visual Identity from the Lifestyle and Wellbeing Sector
BEEAH and Landor
Fahid Island, Aldar Properties and M+C Saatchi Group Middle East
Qadeem Fragrance and REBRDG Branding Agency
Best Visual Identity from the Professional Services Sector
Kingsbury & Partners and Jpd
Ominvest – Veltra and Bellwether Brands
Virtuzone and Yellow
Best Visual Identity from the Public Sector
Diplomatic Quarter Hoarding and Zan Agency
Made. Design Forum By Solid Design Studio
Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority
Best Visual Identity from the Retail, Property, and Construction Sector
Al Jimi Mall and Balcony8
Maison Margiela and BRASH
Numa Reserve and Yellow
The Wilds, Aldar Properties and M+C Saatchi Group Middle East
Best Visual Identity from the Sports and Leisure Sector
Open Masters Games Abu Dhabi 2026 and All About Brands
Super Duper Studio and Yellow
Women’s Championship – Sports for All, Ministry of Sport and Zan Agency
Best Visual Identity from a Startup
Proclean and Epic Lion
Best Visual Identity from the Technology, Media and Telecommunications Sector
AXIAN Telecom – Yas and Landor
Doğuş Teknoloji and Monroe
Mics and Gene Branding
Saudi Tourism Authority and TQ Branding
Best Visual Identity from the Transport and Logistics Sector
Falcon and Landor
King Salman International Airport (KSIA) and TQ Branding
Best Visual Identity from the Travel and Tourism Sector
Hemingways Collection and Greenspace
Saudi Tourism Authority and TQ Branding
Saudia Airlines and Landor
Vallé Advenature™ Park and Brand Lounge
There is no shortlist for the Best Overall Visual Identity and Grand Prix. Everyone shortlisted is eligible and the winner will be announced at the awards ceremony on 6 May 2026.
