2015 Winners & Shortlists

Brief Explanation

Marketing and branding were completely new to the Bank. They wanted to do it all themselves. Qatar is a very close-knit community. The idea of change was resisted.

The Brief

Ahlibank's vision is to be at the heart of the Qatar community with a goal to give customers banking services that are warm and personal, as well as highly professional and efficient. The brief was to redesign the brand identity and visual system to reflect these changes while respecting the traditions of the past.

How the final design was conceived

The oyster shell is a traditional image of prosperity in Qatar, from the days of pearl fishing. We created a modern day version using simple mathematical shapes, from eight to three sides all working together. The visual language was designed to be simple for them to implement themselves. The blue icon was balanced with a warm and vibrant secondary colour palette and a playful use of the brand shapes in order to appeal to a wide community. The identity was designed to always be shown dual language, again reflecting the bank's aspirations to be a local community bank.

Indication of how successful the outcome was in the market

The visual language was designed to be simple for them to implement themselves… and is already being seen on billboards and press ads in Doha. They have commissioned a brand film and art directed d photoshoot to extend their library. The “community” story has been carried through to internal engagement with staff all signing a pledge to be a part of this new community. The Branch floorplan is based on a Majlis, the traditional gathering place.…It’s the first time this has ever been tried. Ahlibank has been transformed into a smart, contemporary bank. By Qataris, for Qataris.

Ahlibank was founded in 1983, they have stayed true to their traditional values and qualities that define who they are today. Ahlibank has a network of 16 branches and nearly 60 ATMs throughout Qatar offering a full range of products and services covering; Corporate Banking, Retail Banking, Private Banking, Treasury, Investment and Brokerage Services. As Qatar grows (the fastest growing economy in the world) the huge international banks have poured in. Traditional conservatism, whilst very respectable, can look very dated and unglamorous in this context. We needed to show that they are as smart and contemporary as the outsiders.