Makarem

Practices

Industry

Corporate | Destination | Hospitality / F&B

Brief

Founded in 1983, Makarem is a homegrown Saudi hospitality brand deeply rooted in the Kingdom’s spiritual and cultural heritage. Known for its presence in Makkah, Makarem earned its reputation by offering Saudi hospitality to pilgrims and travelers alike. With growing competition from international hotel chains and plans to scale, Makarem faced the challenge of modernizing its identity while preserving its spiritual core. Appointed in 2023, Brand Lounge led a strategic transformation—moving beyond a visual uplift to position Makarem as the pioneer of Spiritual Hospitality, a new category that blends faith, heritage, and modern service excellence. What began as a rebrand became a multi-year partnership to shape not only a future-ready brand, but a new industry standard.

Challenge

Despite its legacy, Makarem’s identity had become outdated in a market reshaped by international entrants offering elevated service and contemporary experiences. Proximity to the Holy Mosques was no longer enough—emotional connection and experiential value became critical. Makarem lacked a distinct narrative to articulate what made it truly unique. The brand was functionally positioned, with limited emotional resonance or strategic clarity. Our challenge was to reimagine Makarem not simply as a hotel, but as the definitive leader in the hospitality landscape.

Differentiation

STRATEGIC APPROACH

Through a series of collaborative workshops, we set the strategic direction for Makarem’s future—defining a bold new purpose that would reframe its current role. Rather than competing within the saturated space of religious tourism, Makarem stepped into a unique and ownable new category: Spiritual Hospitality. This positioning is deeply rooted in Islamic values, whilst offering authentic Saudi hospitality and remaining globally relevant – inspiring a new benchmark for spiritually centered guest experiences.

PURPOSE

At the heart of this transformation lies the brand purpose: A Journey to the Origins. It reframes travel not as movement from one place to another, but as a profound return—to faith, to meaning, and to self. This purpose became the thread that ties the entire brand together, influencing everything from guest experience to a reimagined service culture, built to deliver a more intentional, elevated, and soulfully guided stay.

This purpose also mirrors Makarem’s own evolution. As the brand repositions itself as the pioneer of Spiritual Hospitality, the transformation becomes a return to its origins—reconnecting with the values that have defined it for over four decades. Faith-driven hospitality has always been at the heart of Makarem, expressed through sincerity, humility, and a deep commitment to care. In redefining its future, Makarem is reclaiming what was always there, and elevating it into a powerful, contemporary expression of purpose.

From 5 Pillars to 5 Virtues

The number 5 holds deep significance —from the 5 Pillars of Islam to the 5 daily prayers and the 5 Arabic letters in Makarem, it anchors the brand in spiritual meaning while subtly nodding to 5-star excellence. Makarem’s 5 Virtues replace conventional brand values with principles drawn from Islamic teachings—reinterpreted for modern hospitality. They shape every part of the experience, becoming the lens through which service, behavior, and brand expression are delivered.

THE IDENTITY

Makarem’s graphic device, known as The Cube, is a reflection of its origins, subtly inspired by the sacred geometry of the Kaaba. While deeply rooted in meaning, it has been designed to remain adaptable, ensuring its application extends beyond religious symbolism into a versatile and ownable brand asset.

The Cube functions as a holding shape for imagery and video, a content frame for iconography and wayfinding, and most importantly, the starting point of the 5 Journey Lines—a core brand element that visually represents purpose and the guest’s spiritual path. Through this structured yet fluid system, Makarem’s identity remains consistent, modern, and seamlessly integrated across all physical and digital touchpoints, reinforcing its role as a guide throughout the guest’s journey.

Bringing the Journey to Life

Makarem’s brand identity was designed to be experienced. From day one, the focus was on creating a full ecosystem of branded assets that could bring the brand’s philosophy to life across every guest and operational touchpoint. Communication templates, hotel collateral, in-room amenities, and more were developed to embody the calm, reverent, and intentional spirit of Spiritual Hospitality.

Origins of Authenticity

Crafting an ownable library of photo and video assets was a strategic imperative, ensuring a cohesive brand presence across all touchpoints. Guided by the brand’s core purpose, A Journey to the Origins, a 2-day shoot in Makkah and Madinah captured the sacred essence of the experience and defined a visual language that embodies Spiritual Hospitality.

The identity was also brought into the physical realm. A comprehensive wayfinding and signage system was created to guide guests through spaces with clarity and elegance. Every element—from typography to iconography—was rooted in the geometry of the brand, with the cube and journey lines used to establish a strong sense of spatial continuity.

Uniforms

As part of the brand activation, we partnered with esteemed Saudi fashion designer Reem Al Kanhal to reimagine the Makarem uniform through a cultural and design-led lens. This collaboration brought the brand’s visual identity and values into the everyday guest experience, creating uniforms that reflect the essence of Spiritual Hospitality. The new Makarem Fashion line was developed to merge elegance, modesty, and functionality, with design elements that echo the brand’s calm, refined aesthetic.

Service Culture

The Launch

The Pulse’s versatility extends beyond its core design, allowing for creative and functional adaptations across various spaces. Its adaptability has enabled its integration into practical urban elements like bus stop benches, enhancing public convenience, while also serving as an artistic statement in installations across Mauritius, adding cultural and visual significance to the landscape.

This narrative was brought to life through symbolic visuals featuring the 5 Journey Lines, custom photography, and a brand film crafted under the same storytelling direction. The campaign launched across digital and outdoor platforms in Makkah and Madinah, creating immediate and meaningful presence in the most spiritually resonant locations. With future activations planned throughout the year, Makarem’s story continues to unfold—rooted in purpose, connection, and an unwavering promise of care.

A PARTNERSHIP FOR THE FUTURE

With over 4 decades as the quiet pioneer of Spiritual Hospitality, Makarem has long held the essence of something extraordinary. This transformation gave language, structure, and strategy to that legacy—elevating it into a brand built for the moment, and for the future. Together with Makarem, Brand Lounge has redefined what it means to lead with purpose, setting a new benchmark for hospitality rooted in meaning, reverence, and timeless connection.