LogoLounge 5

Design Firm

Client

Project

58

LogoLounge 5

Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait (ABK) is one of the Arabian Gulf’s most established

banking institutions with eighteen retail branches in Kuwait and an overseas

branch in the UAE. The bank has a successful history serving public and

private investors since its creation in 1967. When the bank’s management

decided it was time for an identity renewal, it was clear that the challenge

would be balancing the bank’s history with its modern vision for the future

in a region where tradition equals trust for many customers.

The bank selected Origin Communications based in Dubai to undertake

the project. “Origin’s success stems from over fi fteen years of working in

the Arabian Gulf, accumulating vast regional experience in a constantly

evolving market,” explains Origin design director Trevor Halton. “Our team

is made up of many nationalities including a number of Arabic staff, and we

deal with consultants in many Middle Eastern countries.”

“We wanted to refresh the existing brand but were aware that we had to

keep a link to the existing identity. Customer loyalty could erode with a

drastic change. With a rapidly growing populace in the country, we wanted

to create a more youthful image. Sixty percent of Kuwaitis are in their upper

twenties. This changing demographic is having a real infl uence on branding

in the country,” notes Halton. “The bank is expanding around the region

into markets where it is not yet established. To attract new accounts, they

needed a fresher brand to compete in a dynamic market.”

The bank’s original logo had been in place for five years. The icon is

believed to have been based on a symbol derived from a Persian coin. Its

shape was quite complex. It was clear that a cleaner icon could strengthen

its visual impact from a distance. The Latin letter portion of the old logo

was set in a font probably meant to match the accompanying Arabic cal-

ligraphy, but its readability was not ideal. The colors used in the logo were

also re-evaluated.

The new identity for ABK (Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait) is modern and

corporate, yet it is based on a pattern found in a Persian mosaic.

The design, created by Origin Communications, has some

resemblance to the bank’s previous design but has more

“shelf presence.”

ABK’s original identity did not have a warm, modern feel that the

bank desired. The color palette was drab, and many competitors

also used blue. The use of all capital letters was neither friendly

nor especially readable.

The bank is expanding around the region into

markets where it is not yet established. To

attract new accounts, they needed a fresher

brand to compete in a dynamic market.

Corporate Identity Redesign

Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait (ABK)

Origin Communications

TEXT

Black

(Provision RP) Logo Lounge 5

D209-128 / 4272 1st proof1st proof

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