Branding Agency in Riyadh
We design brand identities for Riyadh and Saudi companies, drawing the Arabic and English versions together from the start instead of translating one into the other. The work covers positioning, naming, logo design, packaging and guidelines your team can use. We work from Dubai, and our identity and packaging work includes consumer brands such as Krump and Furusia.
Talk to us about RiyadhWhat's included
Positioning for Saudi buyers
Who you're for, what you promise and how you sound in Arabic and in English, agreed in writing before any design starts.
Names that work in both languages
Shortlisted names checked for meaning, pronunciation and unwanted connotations in Arabic, and screened against existing Saudi trademarks before you get attached to one.
Bilingual logotypes
Arabic and English wordmarks designed as a pair, matched in weight, rhythm and height, so neither script feels secondary on a sign or an app icon.
A full identity system
Colour, Arabic and Latin type pairings, iconography, photography direction and layouts for signage, social media, print and presentations.
Packaging
Bilingual packaging with Arabic and English text planned into the layout from the start, designed to be recognisable on a crowded shelf.
Guidelines and rollout
A brand guide your team and suppliers can follow, and the rollout to your website, social profiles and Google Business Profile.
Branding in Riyadh
Arabic and English, drawn as one brand
It’s a common sight on Saudi shopfronts and delivery apps: a crafted English logo and an Arabic name set underneath in a stock typeface, a different weight, a different height. One half looks designed. The other looks like an afterthought.
We work on both scripts at the same time. Arabic letterforms have their own logic: connected forms, descenders, dots and a baseline that sits differently from Latin. Matching them means adjusting both, not just scaling the Arabic to fit under the English. The result should look like one brand in two languages when it’s on a mall sign, an app icon or a delivery bag.
Naming in a city full of launches
Riyadh has a lot of new companies, from SMEs to regional headquarters setting up Saudi entities. That makes naming harder. A good name has to be pronounceable in Arabic and English, carry no unfortunate meaning in either, and not collide with an existing trade name or trademark.
Before a shortlist reaches you, we check each name for Arabic meaning and connotations, how it transliterates, and whether similar names already exist. Our free Arabic brand name checker gives you a quick first read on a name you’re considering. For final clearance, you’ll want SAIP’s trademark records and a lawyer’s opinion.
Heritage, Vision 2030 and avoiding the obvious
Saudi Arabia’s design scene has moved quickly in recent years, and Saudi customers have seen a lot of new brands. Heritage references are everywhere now: mud-brick textures, Sadu patterns, palm motifs, calligraphic flourishes. Some of it is good. Much of it is interchangeable.
We use cultural references when they’re true to the business, such as a Najdi food brand drawing on its region’s architecture, or a family firm in Riyadh using its own history. Otherwise, we look for something specific to you: how you work, who you serve, what you do better. That’s harder to copy than a pattern.
Where Riyadh customers meet your brand
A brand identity has to survive the places people actually see it. In Riyadh, that’s often:
- Google Maps and Business Profiles, where your logo appears as a small circle next to competitors.
- Social media, especially Snapchat, Instagram and X, where the logo sits in a tiny avatar.
- Mall and street signage, often seen from a car at a distance.
- Packaging and delivery bags that travel across the city.
- Your website and app, in both right-to-left and left-to-right layouts.
We test the identity in each of these before calling it finished. Our packaging work shows how much this matters: for Furusia, packaging built to stand out at arm’s length, and for Krump’s identity, packaging and online store.
Related services
A new identity usually means a new website, so see web design for Riyadh brands. Our wider approach is on the branding and logo design service. For our other work in the capital, visit our Riyadh marketing page, and for brands based on the west coast, branding in Jeddah.
Selected work
How we work
- 01
Discovery and audit
Interviews with founders and staff, a look at your competitors' identities, and a review of what you already have that customers recognise.
- 02
Positioning
One page that defines the audience, the alternative you're chosen over, and the impression to leave. Every design decision is judged against it.
- 03
Identity routes
Two or three distinct directions shown in use (shopfront, packaging, phone screen) rather than as logos floating on white.
- 04
Refinement and Arabic pairing
The chosen route is drawn out in both scripts, tested at small sizes and on real materials, and adjusted until both versions feel equal.
- 05
Guidelines and handover
Final files in every format, the guidelines document, and templates for the places your team will use the brand most.
Questions
Do we need an Arabic logo for a Riyadh business?
In most cases, yes. Signage, packaging, government documents and many customers will expect the Arabic name. Even a brand known by an English name needs an Arabic version that's designed rather than typed out in a default font. We draw both together so they read as one brand.
How do we protect a new brand name in Saudi Arabia?
Two separate steps. Your trade name is tied to your commercial registration through the Saudi Business Center. Your logo and brand name as trademarks are registered with the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property (SAIP). We check for obvious conflicts during naming, but have a trademark lawyer confirm before you launch.
Should a Riyadh brand look Saudi?
It should feel right to Saudi customers, which isn't the same as adding heritage motifs. References like Najdi architecture or Sadu weaving can work when they connect to what you sell. Used as decoration, they make you look like every other new brand reaching for the same cues.
Can you redesign our logo without losing recognition?
Usually. We look at what customers already recognise, whether that's a colour, a shape or the way the Arabic name is written, and keep it while fixing what holds the brand back. Many Saudi logos need their Arabic redrawn more than their concept replaced.
How long does a branding project take?
A logo and core identity typically takes several weeks, depending on how quickly decisions are made. Naming, packaging ranges and full guidelines add time. We agree a schedule with review points at the start so your team knows when it's needed.
How much does a branding agency in Riyadh cost?
It depends on whether you need naming, how many applications the identity must cover, and whether packaging is involved. We scope the work after a short call about what you're launching and where.