Dragoman breakthrough brands

Discipline: Naming

  • DIFC Developments

    DIFC Developments

    DIFC Developments

    From global financial services innovator to shaping the future of urban living.

    THE CHALLENGE

    DIFC plays an integral role in supporting the future economy. DIFC believes that the design and experience of the urban environment where people work and live, is critical to fostering innovation, wellbeing, and sustainability. To date, DIFC has built and managed the existing real estate for the DIFC destination.

    However, with the DIFC 2.0 destination set to break ground, DIFC needed to capture and articulate its distinctive approach to development and create a brand platform for its future masterplanning activities.

    HOW WE WORKED

    We partnered with DIFC to articulate a masterplanning brand that aligns with their ambition to lead in urban development. Through collaborative workshops and iterative development, we refined the story, positioning, and identity, always mindful of the equity in the existing DIFC brand, while creating a new brand fit for purpose in the context of masterplanning.

    THE SOLUTION

    The new identity leverages the strength of the DIFC brand, while defining a clear strategy and differentiated expression for DIFC Developments. The brand combines architectural precision with vibrant visual storytelling to create an identity that flexes seamlessly across platforms, from digital to experiential, reinforcing DIFC’s role as an urban master plan developer.

    We also created a framework and endorsement system for the communications and marketing of products—from entire districts to specific experiences and individual towers, ensuring each expression builds the DIFC Developments brand.

    OUR DELIVERABLES

    Brand Positioning
    Brand Identity
    Brand Architecture
    Naming
    Messaging Framework
    Brand Guidelines

    THE RESULTS

    DIFC Developments relaunched as a master planner and developer of a vibrant urban destination that promotes innovation, harmonious living, and sustainability.

    Urban life.

    The future is here.

  • xCube Access

    xCube Access

    xCube Access

    From market access to growth advisory

    THE CHALLENGE

    As part of xCubes vision to improve the overall competitiveness of capital markets in Dubai, the company created a new advisory platform for the market. The platform connected advisors and investors, providing both with optimal opportunities for growth. The new brand need to represent the growing ecosystem at xCube whilst being relevant to the new offers target audience.

    HOW WE WORKED

    We worked with the leadership team of xCube to develop brand propositions that explored the extension of the xCube brand whilst building a credible and relevant offer for the advisory platforms target audience. The propositions explored the use and extension of the xCube name, brand identity and specific personality, positioning and messaging for the new brand. 

    THE SOLUTION

    We landed at the optimal solution, developing a name, unique brand identity and messaging house that laid an agile platform for the launch of xCube Access to the advisory community and then later to the investor community. 

    OUR DELIVERABLES

    Brand Positioning
    Brand name 
    Brand Identity
    Visual System
    Company prospectus

  • Leap

    Leap

    Leap

    From financial services to startup community

    THE CHALLENGE

    The brand had to achieve two key objectives; appeal to the startup and founders community and support DIFC’s innovation journey.

    HOW WE WORKED

    We used Leap’s “Hyper Driven” philosophy as the anchor, then designed the brandmark, typography, colour, graphic language, tone of voice, messaging and values so every element pointed to smarter, faster, safer business growth. We kept language crisp and operational, avoiding fluff. 

    THE SOLUTION

    We defined Leap as “the growth platform to accelerate and scale your business smarter, faster, and safer,” with a brandmark that captures forward motion, a flexible graphic system that uses colour and movement to signal momentum, and a tone of voice that is clear, intelligent, inspiring and confident. The message house emphasises the DIFC ecosystem of capital, talent and community and the values operationalise the brand through agility, delivery, energy and inquisitiveness. 

    The future of business is;
    Hyper driven,
    Hyper innovative and
    Hyper connected
    The future is here.

    OUR DELIVERABLES

    Brand positioning and narrative 

    Brandmark, typography, colour and graphic language system 

    Tone of voice guidelines and message house 

    Values and behaviours 

    Brand applications toolkit and Brand guidelines 

    THE RESULTS

    Leap now has a cohesive, future-facing brand that is simple to use and consistent in market: a dynamic identity that signals acceleration, a concise voice that talks like the audience, and messages that make the DIFC community’s advantages clear. 

  • Nomas

    Nomas

    Nomas

    Let life flow.

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    PROJECT OVERVIEW  

    Create a brand for a residential development that was focussed on the lifestyle and not the buildings.

    ——

    WHAT WE DID  

    Generosity can be highly contagious. When we act kindly toward one person,
    that person is much more likely to be kinder toward others in the future.

    This starts a ripple effect of kindness. It starts as a single act, but then spreads outward affecting many more.
    Our acts of kindness don’t only affect the people we do nice things for,
    but many other people who we may never even come into contact with.

    Nomas creates the ripple effect in our society, where shared values,
    views and moments will lead to the fulfilment of the simplest of life’s pleasures. It is here that every conversation and interaction comes to life. .

    The name ‘nomas’ means contentment and amplitude. 

    ——

    PROJECT DELIVERABLES

    Brand positioning
    Brand strategy
    Design systems
    Brand identity
    Brand guidelines

  • Masarra

    Masarra

    Masarra

    From the wonder of Abu Dhabi
    to the world

    “Dragoman embraced the time challenge and our developing business plan to deliver a brand our team is very excited to promote across the globe to grow tourism in Abu Dhabi.”

    Asif Parker

    THE CHALLENGE

    Miral, the creators of the awe-inspiring experiences in Abu Dhabi, like Yas Waterworld, Ferrari World, WarnerBros. and Sea World sought to develop a destination management company (DMC) to elevate the tourism experience for travelers to Abu Dhabi and the UAE.

    HOW WE WORKED

    The goal was to soft launch the brand at WTM in November 2024, which gave us 8 weeks to deliver the brand. We worked intimately with Asif Parker (General manager) and his newly formed team, to develop the brand. We formed a very close working relationship exploring and testing new ideas as the business plan was unfolding.  We also set up a global community of travelers to provide real-time feedback on the brand as we developed it.

    THE SOLUTION

    DMCs often focus their brand on the role they play with travel operators and position themselves on their functional attributes. We recommended we define our brand purpose on the role we play in helping travelers fulfill their travel experiences.

    Purpose:

    Delight people in the wonder of our world 

    Promise:

    Savour the world 


    We then created an ownable name in Masarra that originates from the word for delight and happiness in Arabic but with a unique spelling for ownership. 
    Our identity combines the local flavor of Abu Dhabi with the opening of the window to the world. We combined with our GenPlus group partners and their PR agency to soft launch the brand at WTM and develop the comms for the brand as it goes to market to sign up its partners.

    OUR DELIVERABLES

    • Brand Positioning
    • Name, Identity, Visual system
    • Guidelines
    • Video
    • Communication

    THE RESULTS

    Masarra is successfully signing up global travel operators and local travel providers to curate and deliver authentic and extraordinary experiences for their Abu Dhabi visitors.  

  • IQ data

    IQ data

    IQ data

    Evolving from a wifi company to designing data solutions that transform business strategies

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    PROJECT OVERVIEW

    IQ data had been in the market for a few years as IQ Wifi, a company that utilised Wi-Fi beacon technologies to help their clients better understand their customers needs and drivers. The company now had the technology and personnel to not only analyse the data from wifi solutions, but to provide its clients with a comprehensive suite of geolocation data solutions that merges the online and the offline worlds. They needed a brand that could help them take this new offer to market.

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    WHAT WE DID

    We worked with the founders to not only understand the new offer and business strategy but to act as true partners, testing brand propositions and helping to focus the new narrative. Through a series of workshops we helped to identify the proposition area that retained enough of their existing market equity but created the brand proposition that would support business growth for years to come.

    We evolved the identity and developed a full visual language and design systems  for the brand to go to market. Key messaging created the right tone of voice and extended the new narrative across products and services. We then worked with their development team to map out the website journey and design the UX and UI.

    We continue to provide branding support and have created a strategic partnership with IQ data that allows us to provide data solutions for our clients and enrich our insights and customer understanding.

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    PROJECT DELIVERABLES

    Brand strategy
    Naming
    Messaging
    Brand identity
    Design system
    Brand guidelines
    UX design

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  • Abdul Latif Jameel Land — J One

    Abdul Latif Jameel Land — J One

    Abdul Latif Jameel Land

    J One: Uncomplicated urban chic

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    PROJECT OVERVIEW

    Abdul Latif Jameel Land were in the process of planning their first residential development in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Abdul Latif Jameel Land approached Dragoman to develop the name, branding and endorsement system to the corporate brand.  

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    What we did

    This was the first time that Abdul Latif Jameel Land had developed a project outside of their corporate portfolio and as such the link between the corporate brand and the project brand needed to be carefully considered. This was also not to be the last residential project and as such consideration needed to be given to this project being the first in a portfolio of developments. We reviewed the evolving business strategy and assessed the market to identify the brand opportunity. We developed a naming system that signalled this historic first step for the organisation, but also supported a future expanding portfolio.

    The development was looking to appeal to a range of audiences, from locals to Western expats and as such the brand needed to have a universal appeal whilst conveying the affluence and consideration to design and planning. The name J One was selected and a brand mark and visual language was developed that set the tone for the aspirations of the development and its future tenants. We also developed an endorsement system that clearly identified Abdul Latif Jameel Land as the developer through visual association and also through and endorsement line ‘The premier residential development by Abdul Latif Jameel Land’. A set of key messaging provided a communication platform to take the brand to market.

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    PROJECT DELIVERABLES

    Insights and research
    Brand strategy
    Naming
    Brand architecture
    Brand assets
    Design systems
    Brand guidelines

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  • Dubai Economy

    Dubai Economy

    Dubai Economy

    Capturing the entity’s broader purpose

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    PROJECT OVERVIEW

    The Dubai Economic Department was on the verge of their 25th anniversary. There was also a broader strategy by the Government of Dubai to further focus government entities and agencies around consumers and hence several DED services had been upgraded or replaced and most now existed in digital channels. The market facing brand was to be changed to Dubai Economy. The DED needed a new brand to reflect all the positive changes.

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    WHAT WE DID

    The new name, Dubai Economy, was a fundamental shift in the agencies strategy to be more customer focused and shift to a private entity mind set. The name also signified the broader purpose of the DED and the role it plays in structural transformation across all aspects of the economy.

    We started by exploring the evolution of the brand to set the future state of the brand. We were conscience to retain the heritage of the last 25 years and equity that the DED had built to date. Each of the DED agencies, FDI, SME and Trade and Export had developed their own brand and whilst individually they are very successful, there was an opportunity with the name change and the 25th anniversary to align the agencies under one brand and represent the singular vision for a diversified economy.

    The DED and the agencies had also recently been very active in creating new services or updating old services and in their haste to get these new services to market had created a products and services portfolio that was difficult to manage and required significant resources and budget.

    Taking all of these key factors into account we proposed an evolved brand identity for the Dubai Economy brand and created a visual system for the agencies that clearly aligned FDI, SME and Trade and Logistics to Dubai Economy. We also reviewed the brand architecture and the products and services portfolio, creating a future map that defined the approach to each category and the link to the Dubai Economy or agency brand. Through this process we consolidated the portfolio considerably, removing nearly 20 brands and rather providing these services and initiatives with a branded or endorsed system that ensured that all activities were building equity in the Dubai Economy brand.    

    We worked with the client team to internalise and validate the new approach through a series of presentations and workshop with the senior management of the DED and the CEO’s of each of its agencies. Once the future brand direction was agreed we extended the new brand identity across multiple digital and real-world touch points, creating a comprehensive set of brand guidelines for Dubai Economy, FDI, SME and Trade and Export.

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    PROJECT DELIVERABLES

    Insights
    Brand strategy
    Brand architecture
    Brand assets
    Design systems
    Environment design
    Brand guidelines

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