Nakheel

Building Happiness and Prosperity

Opportunity

Nakheel is synonymous with Dubai’s journey of growth. It is renowned for developing landmarks including Palm Jumeirah, The Palm Tower and Palm West Beach. 
However, Nakheel stood for many things that didn’t ladder up to a singular compelling brand.
Besides the fact, that people didn’t generally give Nakheel enough credit for the good things it brings to Dubai, the Nakheel brand felt old fashioned and didn’t convey the ambitious vision of the company.
Working in close collaboration with internal and external teams, it became clear that the new brand needed to do three things:
1. To convey Nakheel’s unique position of being the one developer in Dubai to give people premium waterfront living (due to its vast waterfront land bank).
2. Clearly link Nakheel to the best things it brings to Dubai.
3. Make Nakheel feel human and premium.

Solution

The Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan, which aims to enhance people’s happiness and quality of life, formed the cornerstones for the new brand strategy and expression. By focusing on ‘building happiness and prosperity’, the Nakheel re-brand consciously moves away from concrete, towers and buildings. It emphasizes the quality of life Nakheel creates for residents and visitors. 

Conveying premium waterfront living

A series of generative patterns, that are being used across physical and digital touch points, convey Nakheel’s unique proposition of waterfront living. The patterns are also used to visually link Nakheel’s premium assets to the mother brand.

Showcasing “real” quality living

Rather than focusing on physical assets, renders and masterplans, photography emphasizes the quality of life Nakheel creates for residents and visitors. We’ve conducted a photoshoot, portraying the people who live, visit and work in Nakheel’s premium communities.

Using typography to increase Nakheel’s presence and to create a visual link between their premium assets

In close collaboration with F37 Foundry, we’ve designed a custom made typeface which provides Nakheel a distinctive way to communicate throughout all of their digital and physical touch points.

The unique Logo cut of the font is crucial to Nakheel’s updated brand architecture, as it visually unites all of the master developments and links them back to the corporate brand.

A campaign that catches attention whilst communicating the brand’s new narrative

The brand narrative and an accompanying campaign, showcases how Nakheel actively creates quality of life. It illustrates Nakheel’s ambitions to build for Dubai’s future and to facilitate meaningful and rewarding experiences that enrich the lives of residents and visitors.

Results

“The journey you have taken us on, has led to the most satisfying outcome, making us all not only happy but proud to be ambassadors for the new brand, which marvelously reflects the new Nakheel we have worked so hard to achieve. I have rebranded a few companies before but never has the result been so enriching and satisfying. Thank you.”

Naaman Atallah, Chief Executive Officer, Nakheel

With a new purpose and behaviors, Nakheel has experienced a major shift in their internal culture; with re-energized teams across the entire organisation, who are now working towards a common goal, focusing on improving people’s experience in each of Nakheel’s communities.
Supported by newly launched assets, experiences and initiatives, the external perception amongst visitors and tenants has been largely improved.