The Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Reserve sits between Saudi Arabia’s NEOM and Red Sea Projects in northwest Saudi Arabia and is one of six royal reserves which were established by royal order in June 2018. Covering a vast area equivalent to that of Belgium, it is considered one of the most ambitious rewilding projects in the Middle East, restoring ecosystems, reintroducing native species, celebrating cultural heritage, and supporting local communities.
We were briefed to develop a multifaceted brand which would pay homage to the Reserve’s rich heritage, honour the past, look to the future, educate the nation about their work and communicate the value of Rewilding Arabia.
Our challenge was to create a rich and multifaceted brand that captured every aspect of this incredible place. From the remarkable geography and diverse communities to its vibrant spirit and the important scientific work born out of this visionary project. Beyond the place itself, the identity needed to highlight the conservation-led purpose of the Reserve.
We began by developing a brand strategy which landed 3 core principles: environmental conservation, seamless integration of tourism, and destination making. We proposed four moodboards that demonstrated how different positionings could look and feel. Their chosen moodboard went on to inform the development of the brand identity.
The concept of ‘Rewilding Arabia’ sits at the heart of our visual identity, with the Reserve positioned as a significant global destination. It’s in our nature is the core message, referencing the captivating and varied natural world of the Reserve. Diversity is a key theme with the new mark capturing the diverse range of ecosystems across the reserve – from mountainous uplands and grassland plains to rolling deserts, and coastal shorelines. The tree illustration represents a lone Acacia symbolising regrowth.
The epic landscapes of the Reserve are just one aspect of the project that come to life in vivid photography. Brand communications also needed to show varied ecosystems, active conservation efforts and the history, culture and community of this enormous area.
An organic colour palette using earthy and botanical hues is supported by hand drawn graphic language which alludes to the Reserve’s rich and dramatic landscape.
Brand elements are used in a minimal way across applications such as the Reserve website, which allows the incredible photography to lead.
The project comes to life through the sheer amount of applications produced for the Reserve, from campaigns and social media tools to apparel, merchandise and uniforms for rangers.
Extensive brand guidelines were created to help achieve brand coherence across all these touchpoints.
