FutureBrand is proud to announce with Air Malta the launch of the new Air Malta Brand Identity and Experience.
FutureBrand has worked to create a new brand visual identity and livery for application across all touch points of the airline – including aircraft exteriors, interiors, products, services and passenger touch points. This creative work included the new logo, typeface, colour palette, imagery and applications of the visual identity system, plus recommendations on key elements of the product/service experience such as product and service naming, uniforms, food and drink and retail offer as well as digital user experience and content. The launch will roll out the brand over the next 12-18 months.
The process has taken over 6 months with FutureBrand completing in depth research, interviews and customer investigations on current perceptions of Air Malta, the competition, Malta and of a desired ‘future’ product/service/experience ‘offer’. Detailed analysis included an understanding of the current brand visual equities, icons and graphic imagery as well as the messaging relevant to both inbound and outbound passenger traffic. A much deeper analysis was undertaken with senior leadership on how the future business model for competitive success could be achieved so that the brand supports a more compelling, competitive and relevant value proposition to existing and potential future consumers.
The unique attributes of being Maltese and of what Malta offers the business and leisure traveller was the inspiration behind a creative concept of ‘Maltese Fusion’ to represent of all the unique cultural, visual and sensorial influences of Malta, in collaboration with the new dynamic and future focused positioning of the airline. The brand now represents the best of all of the Maltese Islands – the people, traditions, cuisine and culture – to create the new future of Air Malta.
Importantly Malta is not just formed of one island, so the airline is no longer just Air Malta but ‘The Airline of the Maltese Islands’. We used this unique statement to develop a strap line and font that represents the country’s warmth, diversity, personality and also to excite and inspire. Combined with the prominent use of the word ‘Malta’ on the aircraft fuselage, the airline now is an overt flying advertisement and ambassador for the nation.
The Maltese cross is at the heart of the new identity. For an airline, iconography is critical to create a unique and distinctive impression. With this in mind, there is more pride and prominence with how the cross is applied across the livery, and the shape features graphic patterns that are derived from and represent the true diversity of the Maltese Islands.
The traditional red and white colours of Malta have been infused with the colours blue, yellow, white gold, orange and green, which reflect the sun, sand and sea, the famously vibrant and colourful annual Festas, carnivals and fireworks displays and the colourful Luzzu fishing boats that can be seen in many harbours and bays around the islands.
Critical to the success of the project was the ability to work quickly and efficiently with the Air Malta management team, an extended team of professionals in the service and operations planning teams. The work was completed with rigour and analysis as the foundation for solid thinking, whilst complimented by creative inspiration that brings the Malta identity and Maltese attributes alive and to the fore.
A spokesperson for Air Malta said, “FutureBrand has helped us to take the Air Malta brand to the next level, and to provide a future platform for growth and success – not only for the airline, but for Malta as a nation and economy!”.
FutureBrand has an unrivalled history and experience in creating, positioning and branding airline brands over the past two decades. Having worked with clients which include; Air New Zealand, Aer Lingus, Lan, Lan Chile, Wizz Air, Jin Air, British Airways (2000 – 2007, including the launch of flat beds, Terraces, Club World, World Traveller Plus and other key brand experiences and touch-points, including the British Airways London Eye), South African Airways, Air Canada, Qantas Business Class, Qatar Airways, Avianca and Saudi Arabian Airlines, across brand identity, brand positing, naming, architecture, livery and uniform design, way-finding and airport lounge design projects, FutureBrand is proud to work with Air Malta to use this experience to develop their re-energised Air Malta brand.
In addition FutureBrand has vast experience in shaping and developing the futures of country and destination brands such as; Mexico, Singapore, St Lucia, Costa Rica, Jersey, Qatar, Australia and Peru. FutureBrand publicises the Country Brand Index of country branding – the world’s most authoritative study on nation branding. Air Malta’s re-invigorated brand identity now helps the nation of Malta to leverage and amplify its great assets.
‘Fixing the Pride of Malta’ is now a vision brought to life for the airline, and brings a new standard bearer brand to the skies of Europe.
Social tagging: airlines > Brand Strategy > Branding > Business > country branding > Design > Destination_branding
Wow what a transformation. The new identity and livery are superb and coupled with the new font and array of colors really make a great difference especially on the livery. The malteese cross now feels free compared to the old logo where it almost looked trapped and resembled something of a military badge.
Well Done, a great transformation.
Oh, and by the way… whilst working on this project, the on-online Maltese ‘news’ source Malta Star published many inaccurate and false articles about FutureBrand and our capabilities. From wildly exaggerated claims of our budget and fees to some quite xenophobic comments about how ‘foreigners’ couldn’t possibly design something ‘authentic’ to Malta – we took it in our stride. Why? because Malta is one of the most beautiful countries and there was no shortage of inspiration to help celebrate the nation, its people and culture. The new airline brand and identity is designed to help the nation promote itself more effectively, and to inspire pride in being Maltese. We hope the Maltese appreciate our work and it helps the airline and the islands economies gain greater profile and tourism revenues. The former identity, designed by an aircraft manufacturer was simply put, boring! In order to create a more compelling and competitive airline, Air Malta needs to be seen as more modern and dynamic..and colourful! so, now that it has been launched – I want to put one other wildly inaccurate (and never researched!) myth to rest that Malta Star failed to grasp – FutureBrand has branded over 10 international airlines previous to Air Malta, so we DO know a thing or two about branding. If Malta Star would like a new and more positive brand – why not give us a call?