A New Icon Is Already Up In The Air

American takes off. Again.

Before & After

There’s much more to the art of branding than symbolism and iconography. But then, without the symbols and icons, there is no brand.

That’s why changing those elements brings such risks. There’s risk in staying stagnant, of course. There’s risk in living in the past. But in updating, in revamping, there’s danger of the noble past being erased.

There might be no more noble brand than American Airlines, and not just because their name co-opts the vision of a society and the ideals of a people. This company, aloft since 1934, helped create our global dominance in aviation. They’re a legacy of Charles Lindbergh and Howard Hughes. They’ve survived the most momentous age not just of flight, not just of travel, but of human experience.

They’ve also been in bankruptcy for more than a year, and have been held up as an example of the decline of airline customer service. If ever a company might benefit from rebranding, that company would be American Airlines.

Yet somehow, we can give only the most hesitant endorsement of American’s recently unveiled image, in the form of a new logo, company colors, and airplane livery. The look is bold, modern, and very striking. The aircraft livery is gorgeous. There’s little to quibble with here.

But there was little to quibble with in American’s old look, which dates from 1968 and was created by the venerable, honorable design house of Massimo Vignelli. For a brand image that’s pushing a half-century in age, Massimo’s design remains powerfully contemporary. It’s also one of the most recognizable trademarks on earth.

For all that, we won’t say that American’s rebranding was a mistake. For a company as stricken as American Airlines, maybe a rebranding was necessary to break with the past, and to start writing a newer, better narrative.

We just hope the American executives realize that a fresh brand won’t write that narrative on its own. The challenges that American Airlines faces are systemic, not symbolic. A fresh brand might bring a reappraisal from consumers, but only a better way of doing business, and a new commitment to service, will bring those consumers on board.  

The C4:

1. American Airlines has just rolled out a new brand; with a thoroughly modern logo, eye-catching aircraft livery, and even new company colors. (Don’t worry, they’re still American, so they’re still red, white, and blue. They’re just a slightly different red, white, and blue.)
2. This is a company that’s been in bankruptcy since November, 2011. They’ve struggled to present a workable plan for re-emergence. They’ve gained a reputation for abysmal customer service. So yes, perhaps this is a company that could benefit from rebranding.
3. But we’ll miss the old brand, created 45 years ago by superstar designer Massimo Vignelli. Few corporate images that old can remain so appealing, so contemporary.
4. Nevertheless, the die is cast. We hope the redesign serves American well. We also hope the company realizes that now that the designers have done their jobs, it’s up to every employee of American, from baggage handlers to executive officers, to create a strong new airline, worthy of its bold new brand.