American’s Revolution
The iconic airline shakes up its brand identity By Jonathan Vatner Graphic designers updating a brand image must decide
The design process was exhaustive. The era of Mad
between “evolution” and “revolution.” Freshen up the original
Men, in which a Don Draper type would aggressively sell one
lines and colors or build something bold and original from
idea, is long dead. FutureBrand brainstormed hundreds of
scratch? In the case of American Airlines’ new corporate
possibilities and worked with American to winnow them
identity, unveiled this January, creative agency FutureBrand
down. Malozzi calls the final logo a “flight symbol,” an
and the airline chose revolution. It was a smart choice: The
abstraction of an eagle that conveys movement and
rebranding won a Clio award, the highest honor in advertising.
progress. “It’s not the old, heavy, mighty American look and
feel,” he says. He learned at FIT that good logo design should
The decision wasn’t easy, says John Malozzi, Advertising
Design ’96, associate creative director of FutureBrand, who
contain a memorable “moment.” The flight symbol is that
also helped redesign Paul Rand’s iconic 1961 UPS logo, and
moment. Its modern, weightless feeling became a touch-
for more than two years has co-directed American’s redesign
stone in the brand’s redesign, down to the business cards. FutureBrand also reworked the font. The company
team of about 20. After all, Massimo Vignelli’s classic 1968
2013
logo incorporating a stylized eagle and Helvetica typeface
thought that Helvetica, beloved by graphic designers
was possibly the most recognizable airline logo in the world.
everywhere, didn’t complement the new flight symbol.
But times have changed—American’s parent company
Malozzi helped create a typeface called American Sans, with
filed for bankruptcy in 2011—and the airline, once hailed as
a fresher and more approachable personality. “Helvetica can
an innovator, wanted to win that reputation again.
feel mechanical,” he says. “The typeface we designed has a
Because of the airline’s size (this year’s merger with U.S. Airways makes it the world’s largest carrier and one of the
bit more humanity to it. Its subtle rounded corners play into the characteristics of the symbol as well.” Almost two decades out of school, Malozzi still feels
hundred largest companies in the country) and its name, the designers believed the logo should reflect America’s values.
Associate Professor Eli Kince’s influence. “My classmates
Research by FutureBrand showed that Americans want to be
joke that all of us who paid attention to Eli are doing great
portrayed on the world stage as a people who lead in
things. When you look at the new American Airlines logo,
technology and value diversity, a far cry from the message
he’s in there somewhere.” Incorporating the new design has been a herculean
that the old logo was sending. “The polished metal planes;
1968
the red, white, and blue stripes; the illustrative eagle; the
task, especially because American has committed to
Helvetica typeface were all simple visual equities that
renovating or refurbishing all its terminals, starting with its
showed off America’s might,” Malozzi explains. “The airline
headquarters at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.
wanted to move from ‘America’s might’ to ‘America’s spirit.’”
Malozzi co-directs the team overseeing these renovations, ensuring consistent application of the new identity, from signage to airport lounges. “When we’re choosing furniture for a lounge, does it feel light and airy? Does it feel like American craftsmanship? Does it fit in seamlessly with the aircraft and all the other elements?” Malozzi also leads the team for livery, the design on the aircraft exterior. This requires visiting hangars nationwide to oversee painting of the planes. The polished metal exteriors that American is known for were painted over with white for a practical reason: new planes are often made with a composite material that doesn’t shine like aluminum.
In addition to the Clio, FutureBrand received stellar
marks from the airline, and Malozzi has heard raves from passengers as the newly painted planes taxi past the gates. More important, he stresses, the redesign communicates American’s renewed dedication to its customers. “This is not just picking a new typeface and swapping out a logo,” he says. “It’s an experiential as well as a physical shift. The airline really wanted to let everyone know that they are thinking about their customers and the future.”
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