More than a decade after BRASH rebranded the Chartered Institute of Marketing, CIM has opened a new regional hub in Dubai, another step in the organisation’s international growth and a timely reminder of the thinking behind its transformation.
In 2014, BRASH was appointed by the Chartered Institute of Marketing to redefine its brand strategy, positioning and identity.
The brief went far beyond creating a new look. CIM was approaching its second century at a time when marketing itself was changing rapidly. Digital technology was reshaping the profession, access to knowledge was becoming increasingly open and the role of professional institutions was evolving.
CIM had authority. The opportunity was to turn that authority into influence.
From authority to influence. Building on extensive research and consultation with CIM’s members, marketers and stakeholders, BRASH identified a clear strategic shift.
Rather than simply reflecting the profession, CIM needed to help shape it. We developed the brand idea Collective Marketing Intelligence, positioning CIM as a platform for sharing knowledge, bringing disciplines together and helping marketers collectively advance the profession.
That thinking informed every part of the rebrand.
Rebranding the Chartered Institute of Marketing
BRASH developed a new brand strategy and visual identity designed to balance CIM’s heritage with a more progressive, international outlook.
We retained and modernised the historic CIM crest, working with renowned typographer and lettering artist Rob Clarke to refine it for a contemporary and increasingly digital world.
The organisation’s established red was replaced with royal blue, drawing on the authority of CIM’s British heritage while creating a more distinctive global expression.
A new connected wordmark reinforced the idea of collaboration at the heart of the positioning. The result was what CIM described at the time as its biggest strategic and creative brand change in more than a quarter of a century, with the new positioning and identity receiving positive feedback across both the marketing and design communities.
A brand built to travel
Fast forward to February 2026 and CIM has officially launched its new regional hub in Dubai, strengthening its presence across the UAE and wider GCC.
The new hub is intended to provide a platform for professional development, collaboration, learning and innovation across one of the world’s fastest-growing marketing communities.
There is a clear connection to the thinking BRASH established more than ten years earlier.
Collaboration. Shared intelligence. International ambition. A more active role in shaping the profession.
A rebrand alone does not create international growth. But a strong brand strategy should give an organisation an idea capable of travelling with it.
CIM’s expansion into Dubai shows just how enduring that original ambition has become.
For BRASH, it is particularly meaningful to see the brand continue its journey in a region we know well and where we continue to work with organisations shaping the next generation of global brands.
More than a century after CIM first began championing the marketing profession, its historic motto feels as relevant as ever: The World is our Market.
