Asyad
Unifying and empowering the Omani logistics sector
Challenge
In 2016, the Sultanate of Oman established its Vision 2040 to diversify and transform the nation’s economy to fuel long-term growth. Oman’s logistics sector is one of the key pillars of the Vision and an essential driver of the country’s future growth. Specifically, the sector is being counted on to capitalize on the country’s strategic location on the axis of the Indian Ocean and Arabian Gulf, which creates accessible trade routes and fast transit times to some of the world's most attractive emerging markets. The Oman Global Logistics Group (OGLG) was established to spearhead the development of the sector with two goals: to oversee the country’s 17 government-owned logistics organizations and to facilitate interactions between the government and the country’s private sector logistics companies. A critical issue that emerged from the outset was a lack of understanding, particularly among the 17 government-owned entities, about the role of OGLG. This lack of clarity also could perpetuate a misperception that OGLG’s role with government-owned organizations would be a conflict of interest for the private sector companies (and vice versa).
Solution
We were brought in to create a world-class brand for OGLG that would bring the logistics companies together, uplift the sector, and build a highly respected reputation for the organization—both within Oman and worldwide. After conducting research to gain an in-depth understanding of the Oman Vision 2040, the logistics sector and the need of each participating company, the best practices of global benchmark companies, and the perceptions and needs of the customers served by the logistics sector, we defined the brand around the idea, Aligning the Stars. This idea built on the Omani heritage as a leader in seafaring navigation to position OGLG as the sector leader. We then developed an evocative name for OGLG, Asyad, the masters of navigation. We developed a house of brands architecture to connect each of the Omani logistics companies while allowing each to use its own name. We then created a distinctive visual identity around the idea of a guiding star and a complementary brand voice and messaging system. We also designed and built the new Asyad website and developed a two-year communications plan to establish the new brand.
Outcome
Asyad has helped the Omani logistics sector grow by eight percent per year in 2016 and 2017, and the sector is now projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of seven percent through 2020. The sector’s early performance has led to the government establishing a goal for logistics to be the second leading contributor to Oman’s GDP by 2040.
In addition, Oman rose from a rank of 58 in 2014 to 43 in 2018 in the Global Logistics Index. which grades the logistics sector of 160 countries across six characteristics: customs, infrastructure, international shipments, logistics competence, tracking and tracing, and timeliness.
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