How much does branding cost in Dubai?

The three tiers of branding work

Almost every brief in the UAE falls into one of three brackets. Knowing which one you are in makes budgeting straightforward.

• Logo only (AED 3,000–12,000): a primary mark, a couple of lockups and file formats. Suitable for a new venture testing the market.
• Core identity (AED 15,000–40,000): logo plus colour, typography, graphic language, stationery and a short guidelines document.
• Full identity system (AED 40,000+): strategy and positioning, naming where needed, complete guidelines, templates, digital design and physical applications across every touchpoint.

What actually drives the price

• Number of applications. A brand that lives on a website and a business card costs less than one that has to survive signage, packaging, uniforms and a vehicle fleet.
• Bilingual requirements. Arabic and English lockups mean a second typographic system, not a translation.
• Stakeholder rounds. Two decision-makers is a project. Nine is a longer project.
• Research depth. Competitor audits, customer interviews and naming work all add real hours before design begins.
• Rollout ownership. Someone has to apply the brand once it is approved — and that work is often quietly left out of the cheaper quote.

What should always be included

Whatever the tier, a proposal that omits these is not finished work: source files in vector format, colour values for screen and for print (including Pantone references if anything will be printed), typography licensing guidance, and a written rule set so the next supplier does not reinvent your brand.

The hidden cost most quotes ignore: production

The biggest overspend we see is not the design fee — it is the reprint. An identity approved on a bright screen, sent to three unrelated suppliers, comes back as three different teals across signage, packaging and gifts.

Because TYDEN Print produces what TYDEN Media designs, colour is matched once and held across substrates. That removes a whole category of rework from the budget, and it is worth asking any agency you shortlist how they handle it.

How to brief for an accurate quote

• List every place the brand must appear in the next 12 months — including vehicles, gifts and interiors.
• State whether Arabic is required at launch or later.
• Name the decision-maker and the approval path.
• Share your launch date; timelines change pricing more than most clients expect.
• Say your budget range. Studios scope to it honestly far more often than they inflate to it.

Frequently asked questions

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