The new nation branding initiative taken in Oman by the Sultanate’s authorities could not be launched if not rendered in a brand mark or, more appropiately, in a logo. Also, as usual, people have reacted in different ways to the new logo. This is only normal since it is not a logo for a company one is not affiliated with, but the symbol of your country and a symbol that represents all the people in that country, in this case Oman.
For those unaware, the logo was designed by Landor and the official explanation of the logo is as follows:
” Taking its inspiration from the wonderful diversity that is Oman –amongst other things, Arabic calligraphy, our marine environment and magnificent landscape, local textiles, Oman’s historic leadership in trade and pioneering role in exploration and of course, frankincense, which has been at the core of our culture and economy for generations. Expertly crafted, the brand mark draws on a rich and vibrant colour palette which reflects Oman’s natural bounty.
More specifically, and looking at the brand from right to left, the first colour, dawn purple, represents the dhow; Musandum aquamarine green is inspired by Oman’s rich marine environment and the turtle in particular; sky blue is taken from the silhouettes of the mountains; and the Salalah green is the essence of frankincense.
The four part of the brand mark were drawn in an organic fashion to demonstrate continuous natural growth. The typography in both Arabic and English were designed in a contemporary manner using soft cornered San Serif, creating a contrast with the symbol and providing a firm base beneath it. This contrast is intended to project an image of strength, continuous growth and a solid link with Oman’s rich history”
As a curiosity, the official explanation is changed a little bit on the official website of the project, www.brandoman.om.
Omani bloggers have commented extensively about this new logo. You can read the comments here, here and here, while Digital Oman has also posted several photos of the event (and there is an interesting discussion on the logo too).
