Reframing refrigeration
I launched Rime in Dubai with a bold identity rooted in preservation, shifting the conversation from functionality to meaning.
THE CHALLENGE
In a Middle Eastern market where “Does it keep things cold?” is the main question, Rime aimed to make a bold entrance—starting in Dubai, a city known for setting high standards in everything from luxury to logistics. With no established history or obvious differentiators, this white-label product had to become a must-know brand in one of the world’s most competitive commercial hubs. How do you stand out when you’re essentially offering the same function as everyone else? And more importantly, how do you connect with a professional, multicultural audience that’s wary of big promises without big substance?
“This wasn’t just branding—it was a repositioning of our entire business. David’s work gave us a voice in a crowded market.”
THE SOLUTION
We began by reframing the conversation from refrigeration to preservation. Using Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle to uncover Rime’s core “why,” we grounded the brand in the idea of slowing time for what matters—cutting down on waste, spoilage, and loss. The name “Rime,” drawn from the frost that forms on surfaces from water vapor, captured both the scientific and emotional essence of “holding onto” what’s precious.
The Rime brand identity concept is based on hexagonal depictions of preservation, representing the freezing of time. Using this element as a punctuation mark helps correspond with the brand’s verbal branding of “preservation, period.”
This purpose guided every creative decision. The logotype featured a hexagonal red full stop—echoing the early shape of a snowflake and symbolizing the moment time stands still. Rather than default to typical cool tones, we chose a crisp black-and-white palette punctuated by red for maximum contrast. Our message was concise and memorable: “Preservation, period.” made an immediate connection, even for a non-native English-speaking audience. This brand story was carried through a full suite of stationery, PowerPoint templates, a polished landing page, and a teaser billboard campaign in Dubai urging viewers to “Keep cool”—generating intrigue in a market saturated with practical solutions. A futuristic mascot named Owlgorhythm rounded out the identity, offering a friendly guide to the brand’s technical expertise.
Meet Owlgorithm, Rime Refrigeration’s robot owl mascot. It embodies the Company’s wisdom in helping its customers seek optimal refrigeration.
THE RESULTS
Rime’s distinct identity quickly cut through the market’s white-label clutter, standing out with its purposeful angle and bold, minimalistic aesthetic. Clients and industry insiders responded positively, recognising that there was more to refrigeration than a chill—there was an idea worth rallying around.
Better yet, the success of Rime’s launch led the holding company to engage us for a major rebrand of their flagship business in another industry—proof that a well-crafted, strategically aligned identity can open bigger doors. By emphasising preservation over mere refrigeration, we showed that even the most straightforward product can be transformed into an engaging story that keeps people talking.
A unique design system was created for Rime to ensure brand integrity with existing and new product lines.
