Saudia

Saudia, Saudi Arabia’s national airline, has transported more pilgrims than any other airline in the world. Following a major rebrand led by Landor, built around the promise “Welcome to Our Future,” the ambition was clear: turn that promise into real-world impact. We focused on the most critical moment of the journey – Hajj. Each year, millions of pilgrims walk up to 60 kilometers in temperatures exceeding 50°C, placing their bodies under extreme thermal stress and making heatstroke a life-threatening risk. Our response was radical in its simplicity: transform the Ihram – the sacred garment worn by every pilgrim – into a high-tech shield against heat.

THE STORY

SERVING A SACRED JOURNEY
Saudia is the Kingdom’s national airline and one of the Middle East’s most established carriers. For over 80 years it has connected Saudi Arabia to the world while helping millions of Muslims travel for Hajj and Umrah.

WALKING IN THEIR SHOES
An average of 2 million pilgrims complete their Hajj every year, a sacred pilgrimage to Mecca that every Muslim is required to complete at least once during their lifetime.
Imagine walking up to 60 km through the desert, up and down hills, in dense crowds over five days, with temperatures reaching 51°C and 37% humidity. The intensity of Hajj pushes the limits of human heat tolerance, creating serious health risks, heatstroke, dehydration, exhaustion, and even death (1,300 recorded during Hajj 2024).
Pilgrims face this extreme physical challenge without any equipment that protects them from the heat.

IHRAM REINVENTED
The Ihram is the only thing every pilgrim – male or female – is allowed to wear during Hajj. A simple garment that hasn’t changed in more than 1,600 years.
As the world’s leading pilgrim carrier, Saudia Airlines decided to re-engineer the Ihram to care for its passengers beyond the flight.
While cooling fabrics exist, none are religiously compliant. We used advanced cooling technologies to create a new fabric that transforms the traditional Ihram into a protective shield, lowering skin temperature by 2°C, equivalent to having three fans blowing on you wherever you go.

MEASURED IN MILLIONS
This year The Coolest Ihram protected more than 8,400 pilgrims, achieving 100% pilgrim satisfaction.
Its launch delivered a 20% uplift in positive brand sentiment, outperforming average brand benchmarks despite lower media investment. The innovation was so well received that it was endorsed and recommended by the Ministry of Hajj and leading religious authorities.
It is now available to pilgrims through Saudia’s client experience, e-commerce platforms, and official Hajj travel agencies worldwide, making it accessible to the 27 million people who travel to Saudi Arabia each year for Hajj and Umrah.
Making The Coolest Ihram the one garment that can protect millions of people.

“At Saudia, we are committed to continuous innovation across all aspects of aviation. Our goal is to enhance the travel experience for every guest. ‘The Coolest Ihram’ exemplifies our dedication to pioneering advancements that ensure comfort and focus on what truly matters during their journey.” – Essam Akhonbay, Vice President of Marketing, Saudia.