Earlier this year, SYNTAX delivered the brand guidelines of the new Amman Brand to the Greater Municipality of Amman, which was the final delivery of a project that kept us totally immersed in Amman, its history, its people and its character for well over year. It was an intensive process of discovery, research, conceptualization, writing, design and documentation which represents the first time this city has attempted to translate its living urban identity into a branding/communication system, which will be used in the years to come to communicate, shape city experiences, design events and promote Amman to its citizens and visitors.

At SYNTAX, we’re planning to publish a full overview of this project very soon. But we are delighted to see the first glimpses of the Amman brand language on display, on websites and on the street. Of course, what has been implemented so far is only the tip of the iceberg. City brands are not about a big bang ad campaign. They take time to be established and implemented.

But we’re encouraged to see the new visual identity in action. As our project has been concluded, it is now other agencies and bodies implementing the brand, based on the guidelines and assets we created. Any new implementation brings with it a bit of a surprise as we see how other people are interpreting our work.

I have included some shots of some of the things we’ve recently seen. I just want to add that we’re especially delighted that some of the key recommendations of the new brand system seem to have found their way to implementation. Among these are the importance of “telling Amman’s story” to strengthen the city’s identity, as well as focusing the Amman brand around the contemporary reality of today’s Amman and its diverse human roots, instead of relying on ancient history and monolithic notions of identity. It’s all about the engagement with the Amman that we, the people, built and embracing its current reality. In short: embracing Amman for what it is, and building on its unique, dynamic human and physical character.

More on the project in a future post.. I leave you with some images.

Greater Amman Municipality new website

The new GAM website, shows the new Amman logo, color scheme and the “hills” super graphic. I especially like the image slide show and the very appropriate music used on the home page. I have to add that a lot of the images shows originated at SYNTAX. The site itself was not designed by SYNTAX.

Amman Centennial website

The official Amman Centennial site, designed by SYNTAX, which is hoped to encourage Ammanis to share their own Ammani memories. In the coming few days this site will feature the “story of Amman” which was written especially for this site, with a focus on the past 100 years of the city’s history.

Amman Parade website

The web site of the Amman Parade. Again, not designed by SYNTAX, but a great usage of the new Amman Font and the spirit of the brand.

Amman Parade banner

A banner for the Amman Parade on Medical City Road.

Amman International Marathon poster

The Amman Marathon: The organizers of Amman’s first International Marathon have opted to develop a separate brand for the event, but all the posters prominently display the Amman Centennial logo. Nice!


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4 responses to “Amman’s new brand starts making an appearance”

  1. John Avatar
    John

    Hi Ahmad,

    You reference an amman parade website (the one not build by Syntax) but i can’t locate it – has it gone live yet? Thanks, John

  2. P Avatar
    P

    Great job! I really like the Centennial Parade idea (and execution). I recall stumbling upon a bunch of vintage photos of a parade in Amman (probably during the 70s). It looked really exciting. I really wished I was there.

    Is there a zoo or an ecological park in the works anytime soon? I find it bizarre that a city like Amman still doesn’t have a proper zoo, while my father’s hometown, Qalqiliah, which is a tiny city in Palestine, has a pretty decent one.

  3. shalabieh Avatar
    shalabieh

    As a proud Ammani, I am happy to see the modernization of the brand and the new identity the city’s image and branding is taking… away from the old green and gold. I love it and the concept behind it. And yes the city brand has guidlines that are being used… but what of the city itself?

    What I fear is the “modernization” of the city, because what I am seeing in these attempts of modernization is a Dubai-ification and in that an eradication of some of the city’s identity and history, and not a celebration.

  4. yeah Avatar
    yeah

    a marathon in amman?!!
    you cant run with all the polution in the city!! no one will join, and it will fail.. unless the air is cleaner.