The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) is the state-owned energy group of the United Arab Emirates, founded in 1971 on the day the UAE was formed [1]. Its visual identity has centered on a stylized falcon, the national bird of the UAE, since the company’s earliest marks [2].
Design and History
ADNOC’s current logo was introduced in two stages. In May 2016, the company unveiled a new corporate identity as part of a strategic overhaul under new leadership, with CEO Sultan Al Jaber stating that ADNOC “must evolve into a more agile organisation to maintain its competitive edge in today’s global economy” [3]. The 2016 mark simplified the falcon illustration, removed the red color that had appeared in earlier versions, and changed the emblem’s shape from a rectangle to a blue square [2].
In October 2017, ADNOC launched a unified brand identity across its group of subsidiary companies, bringing them under one common identity [4]. The creative agency All About Brands led the brand transformation, with Mark Rollinson as Chairman, Thoby Prinsep as Design Director, and Oliver Chilton as Senior Designer [5]. The agency’s approach was to “evolve” the existing headquarters brand rather than replace it, by refining the falcon illustration, making the Arabic wordmark more prominent, and adding a bolder font with better balance against the brand icon [5].
The unified brand was launched at ADNOC’s headquarters in Abu Dhabi, attended by over 3,000 employees and broadcast live to all subsidiaries [4]. The launch was marked by a fly-by by Al Fursan, the UAE Air Force’s aerobatic team, trailing blue and white smoke above the Abu Dhabi Corniche, along with a flotilla of ADNOC-branded traditional Arabian sailing boats [4].
Meaning and Symbolism
The falcon has been the central symbol of ADNOC’s identity throughout its history. The falcon is the national bird of the UAE, and its use in the logo serves as a tribute to the country and emphasizes the company’s national roots [2]. The bird also symbolizes strength and courage, qualities considered important for the business [2].
Earlier versions of the logo included a red flame on the falcon’s chest, indicating that ADNOC was an energy company [2]. The 2016 redesign removed this red element, and the current mark features the falcon’s head in white with blue details, enclosed in a blue square [2]. The brand’s blue and white colors were visibly demonstrated at the 2017 launch event through the Al Fursan aerobatic display [4].
Typography and Design
As part of the 2017 brand unification, All About Brands added a new, bolder font to the identity system, designed to achieve better balance with the falcon icon [5]. The agency also made the Arabic wordmark more prominent within the logo lockup [5]. Beyond the logo itself, the agency developed a broader visual language including infographics, icons, keylines, borders, and a new advertising slogan, “Energy With Impact” [5].
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