Could Riyadh Air’s brand help Saudi Arabia take off?

National airlines have an outsize role to play in nation-branding

November 26, 2024, 4:24 PM

Riyadh Air

One of the Riyadh Air cabin crew uniforms designed by Saudi fashion designer Ashi, unveiled during Haute Couture Week in Paris as part of efforts to forge a striking brand image

A recent article published by AGBI noted that Saudi Arabia is yet to find the “magic sauce” for branding its social and economic reforms.

The observation is striking, given the huge role that national image plays in shaping perceptions, driving economic activity and fostering international relations.

A strong national brand can be used as the basis for attracting inward investment, talented foreign workers and international tourists.

Countries such as the US and the UK have long relied on established branding strategies, while others such as South Korea and Japan have launched initiatives such as ”Hallyu” (the Korean Wave) and ”Cool Japan” to global acclaim.

As Qatar Airways and Emirates demonstrate, regional airlines have an outsize role to play in nation-branding. A lot is therefore riding on the soon-to-be-launched Saudi carrier Riyadh Air and its brand.

The new airline’s branding and sponsorship strategy will shine a spotlight on the wider hopes and aspirations of the kingdom’s emerging identity.

It is not clear exactly what Riyadh Air will stand for. But we should expect the emergence of a more explicit proposition in the coming months. One thing is certain: the chosen branding agency has a critical task on its hands, given the clout of its rivals.

Sports will be a major component of Riyadh Air’s proposition. The airline has signed shirt sponsorship and stadium naming rights deals with Spain’s Atletico Madrid. This initial branding effort signals a desire to compete directly with Emirates’ Real Madrid partnership, showcasing a bold and disruptive positioning.

In the Gulf, Qatar and Dubai have emerged as regional leaders in national image-building, leveraging sports, tourism and infrastructural excellence to project distinctive identities.

Qatar has built its image on consensus and quality, exemplified by diplomatic strategies and world-class event execution. Qatar’s brokering of deals between Iran and the US reflects Doha’s diplomacy skills, while the country’s successful hosting of the 2022 Fifa World Cup showcased state-of-the-art venues, effective fan engagement, and exceptional organisation. These efforts reinforce Qatar’s image as a reliable, quality-driven nation.

National carrier Qatar Airways has played a pivotal role in boosting the country. The Doha-headquartered airline, frequently named the world’s best in polls, has bolstered the nation’s image through sponsorships in football, in Formula 1 and in equine sports.

Similarly Dubai’s Emirates airline has leveraged sponsorships as a means of raising awareness of its products and driving traffic through the emirate’s ever-expanding airports.

With a portfolio that includes a long-term shirt sponsorship deal with arguably the world’s biggest football club – Real Madrid – and Grand Slam tennis events, Emirates has helped cement Dubai’s image as a global connector and innovator.

It is important a nation is believed when it attempts to project trustworthiness. If people do not believe what you say, it can ring hollow

The UAE’s hosting of flagship annuals such as the Dubai Rugby Sevens and unique events such as the 2005 Federer-Agassi match atop the Burj Al Arab demonstrates a skill for blending sports, tourism and infrastructural development into a cohesive strategy.

National branding is not without its problems. Gulf nations, including Qatar and Dubai, have been accused of using sports to sanitise reputations, a practice critics term “sports washing”.

It is important that a nation is wholeheartedly believed when it attempts to project trustworthiness and authenticity. If people do not believe what you are saying, then it can ring hollow.

Yet for all the challenges both Qatar and Dubai have successfully found, and poured, their own brands of “magic sauce” over the past three decades. In comparison, Saudi Arabia has only just begun its future-facing campaign.

Clothing, Shirt, People — Miguel Ángel Gil, CEO of Atlético de Madrid, and Tony Douglas, CEO of Riyadh Air, at the launch of the airline’s sponsorship of the football club

For Riyadh Air, and by extension Saudi Arabia, building a compelling brand will depend on a coherent and engaging proposition that resonates globally. Sports sponsorships are likely to play a significant role and future deals will provide further insights into an evolving identity.

Getting the “magic sauce” right is critical if the kingdom’s broader goals of economic diversification, global influence and societal transformation are to be achieved.

Whether the Riyadh Air brand can deliver on these expectations remains to be seen, but its success – or failure – will have implications for Saudi Arabia as a whole.

Simon Chadwick is professor of sport and geopolitical economy at Skema Business School in France