THE PROMISE
Saudia is the Kingdom’s national airline and one of the Middle East’s most established carriers. For over eight decades, it has connected Saudi Arabia to the world while enabling millions of Muslims each year to perform Hajj and Umrah.
        More than a transport provider, Saudia is a symbol of national pride – a bridge between cultures, a trusted enabler of spiritual journeys, and the airline that carries more pilgrims than any other in the world.
        Saudia’s brand positioning is built on the promise: Welcome to Our Future. Unique and completely ownable to them, ‘Welcome to’ is rooted in genuine Arabic hospitality; ‘Our Future’ reflects Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, showcasing an innovative, modern Saudi Arabia to the world.
        This promise became a platform for action – an opportunity to extend ‘Welcome’ beyond the aircraft to every stage of the journey. And there is no journey more important, or more symbolic, than the pilgrimage.

INCITING THE INSIGHT
Hajj is one of the most profound experiences in Islam, often requiring years of spiritual preparation. Yet many pilgrims arrive unprepared for the physical demands — walking up to 60 kilometres over five days, in temperatures that can reach up to 51ºC.
        The greatest risk is heat – heatstroke, dehydration, and exhaustion – especially among elderly travellers. For Saudia, the national carrier that transports more pilgrims than any other airline, this was a chance to keep its promise in a way that truly mattered: by protecting pilgrims from their greatest physical challenge – heat.

IHRAM. INNOVATED.
We reimagined and reengineered the ihram – a garment unchanged for centuries – with patented Triple Chill Effect® technology from brrr°. The fabric actively wicks moisture, dries rapidly, and reduces skin temperature by up to 2ºC.
        Crucially, it matches the look, feel, and weight of a traditional ihram, ensuring full compliance with religious guidelines of simplicity and humility. This invisible innovation, powered by natural cooling minerals woven into the fibres, delivers comfort and care in one of the world’s most extreme climates.

DEVOTED TO DESIGN
The garment itself remains unbranded – to honour the ihram’s purity. Instead, the identity and packaging carry the story.
        For men, the ihram incorporates a subtle grid pattern inspired by the Tawaf – the ritual of walking seven times around the Kaaba in Mecca. The women’s garment was created in collaboration with a female Saudi fashion designer, ensuring cultural authenticity and a distinctly local creative voice. Available in two colour options, one design features triangular forms reflecting Saudia’s insignia.
        From the Kaaba, we extracted the visual identity's main asset: a square-pixel that expands into the thermal camera spectrum. Through a simple and ownable language, it communicates all product benefits – cooling, rapid drying, and active wicking – and it also gives its structure to a bespoke typeface and to the logotype.
        The packaging was minimal on the outside. Inspired by the thermal camera’s ability to visualise temperature, it features thermochromic ink that changes with touch to reveal the cooling effect. Upon opening, the product’s core promise is clear from the very first interaction.

OWNABLE FIRSTS™
At Landor, we call ideas like this Ownable Firsts™ – innovations that meet a real human need, are uniquely tied to the brand, and build lasting equity that’s impossible to copy.
        The Coolest Ihram is an Ownable First™ because only Saudia, with its heritage, credibility, and role as the world’s leading pilgrim carrier, could create it. It is culturally attuned, commercially validated, and hard to replicate – a sacred garment reimagined with cutting‑edge cooling technology to protect pilgrims in one of the world’s most extreme climates.

MEASURED IN MILLIONS
Innovation isn’t a gimmick. In the right hands, it’s strategy made tangible. The Coolest Ihram shows how a brand can own an idea so deeply that it becomes impossible to copy – and impossible to ignore. Our financial modelling identified a $700+ million annual business opportunity.
        Rapid AI-powered prototyping – including a high-fidelity launch film created in one day – reduced the time from concept to launch to under six months.
        The Coolest Ihram debuted during the 2025 Hajj season, with 3,350 garments distributed to pilgrims. After just ten days of regional promotion, the launch campaign generated over 100 million impressions across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) – the six nations of the Arabian Gulf, with a combined population of just over 50 million. This means that the story reached nearly twice the region’s population, an extraordinary level of penetration that reflects the cultural relevance and emotional power of the innovation. The campaign earned media coverage valued at more than 2 million SAR, and increased positive sentiment by 20% compared to campaign benchmarks. Recognition came from the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, with review by Dar Al Iftaa. Pilgrims who wore The Coolest Ihram reported 100% satisfaction.

“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.