The American Airlines logo literally has gone global. The airline’s transcontinental flights are a testament to the power, speed, and dependability of American aircraft. With this logo, you can be certain that you’ll be a lifelong fan of our airline.
Overview of the American Airlines Brand
Founded: 1930
The company’s headquarters are located in Fort Worth, Texas.
Website: aa.com
In terms of passenger and cargo capacity, American Airlines is unrivalled. Around eighty smaller airlines united in 1930 to become this larger one. Before 1934, the company went by the name American Airways, but by that year, it had officially changed its name to American Airlines.
Context and Origins
Can you explain what American Airlines is?
The company operates the most planes of any airline in the planet. The company has more planes than any other in history. It operates out of the USA and offers several international flight options. American Airlines was not always the company’s name.
Early on, American Airlines cultivated a “glamorous” reputation since taking a flight on an aircraft was a rare and prestigious experience, and because pilots wearing uniforms bearing the airline’s name were held in high regard. The public’s opinion of the airline has shifted dramatically as a result.
Because of recent bankruptcy, poor reviews, and the sensational tale of a web designer who was dismissed because he wanted to overhaul American Airlines’ interface, he was pressured to alter his logo. As such, the primary focus of the most recent branding effort was to emphasise the company’s capacity for rapid evolution. The company’s founders desired a fresh start and designed a whole new logo and paint scheme for their planes.
1934 – 1945
Once known as American Airways, the company rebranded as American Airlines in 1934. Despite this, she has stuck with the logo she has since 1931: a blue circle showing a globe with a huge eagle standing on it. Letter “A”s were shown on both the left and right sides of the bird’s spread wings. There was a backdrop diagonal line that separated them. There wasn’t enough of a contrast since the bezel ring, beam, and both “A” were red.
Goodrich Murphy, an airline employee, created the logo. Not only did he come up with the concept himself, but he also saw an eagle’s picture in the brochure for the Scottish inn he was staying at. The usage of these specific hues is a clear nod to the American flag.
1945 – 1962
In 1945, just the initials and the eagle remained after the designers took everything else away. At the same time, the logo had a fresh new style with the bird expanded and rotated 90 degrees to the right. The overall aesthetic hasn’t altered much, however there have been tweaks to the drawings. Blue was used as the dominant colour, while white was used for the backdrop in the new scheme.
1962 – 1967
Early in the 1960s, the designers of the emblem envisioned a new look for the symbol, bringing back the original red, white, and blue colour scheme. Until accomplish this, a luminous ring was placed around the eagle and lettering, much as it had been from 1934 to 1945. The word “AMERICAN” was added to the design as a verbal expansion of the acronym, marking yet another alteration.
1967 – 2013
The aircraft’s emblem and livery were designed by Massimo Vignelli in 1967 at his client’s request. Before that time, planes’ rear ends had merely the initials “AA” in capital letters. Using an abstract cruciform eagle in a “V” shape, the Italian designer finished them. He also designed the company’s text sign, which consists of the words “AmencanAirlines” mashed together. Half of the letters were red, while the other half were blue. The use of the clean, legible Helvetica typeface reflected well on the business.
2013 – today
The American Airlines eagle had a radical makeover by design studio FutureBrand in early 2013. Because the United States Copyright Office did not find the current graphic sign, the Flight Symbol, to be sufficiently unique to register, it has been in the public domain for some time. The company didn’t own the rights to their avian logo until 2018.
The fact that the company’s clientele and workforce were resistant to the idea of branding was another obstacle. CEO Doug Parker put up the Flight Symbol and a version with a jumbled vintage design mixing the old and new emblems for a vote at the end of 2013 amidst great debate. Many people, when given the choice between the two choices, went with the one that airline management preferred.
Emblem Typeface and Color Scheme
The eagle, the American emblem, is central to American Airlines’ branding. The bird now resembles the tail of a plane, with its triangular projection and three colours on the diagonal. The officials from FutureBrand claim that the letter “A” and a star may be seen in this symbol. However, they are too nebulous to be immediately grasped. The former logo was widely regarded as superior. Designer Massimo Vignelli agrees with you.
You can see the American Airlines logo to the left of the updated image. The designers opted for a sans-serif typeface highly reminiscent of Helvetica, which was popular from 1967 until 2013.
The logo’s use of the three colours seen in the American flag is a defining characteristic. Meanwhile, Flight Symbol’s visual depth is achieved with the help of shadows and gradients.
Colors used by American Airlines
| French Blue | Hex color: | #0078d2 |
|---|---|---|
| RGB: | 0 120 210 | |
| CMYK: | 100 43 0 18 | |
| Pantone: | PMS 285 C |
| Charcoal | Hex color: | #36495a |
|---|---|---|
| RGB: | 54 73 90 | |
| CMYK: | 0 40 19 0 65 | |
| Pantone: | PMS 7477 C |
| Venetian Red | Hex color: | #c30019 |
|---|---|---|
| RGB: | 195 0 25 | |
| CMYK: | 0 100 87 24 | |
| Pantone: | PMS 485 C |
| Cadet Gray | Hex color: | #9da6ab |
|---|---|---|
| RGB: | 157 166 171 | |
| CMYK: | 8 3 0 33 | |
| Pantone: | PMS 429 C |
Which airline’s logo is more well-known? American or United?
This emblem, dubbed the “Flight Symbol,” features a “hybrid” of an aircraft and a bird. The stylised eagle’s head sits in the middle of a red and blue diagonal set of wings. The logo is finished off with the words “American Airlines.”
Whence did the first American Airlines take off?
Independent airlines from the West, Midwest, and Northeastern United States banded together to form American Airways, which subsequently became American Airlines.
Who designed the A.A. icon?
The ‘Flight Symbol,’ the most recent logo, was created by FutureBrand. The American advertising conglomerate Interpublic Group of Companies owns FutureBrand, which has its headquarters in London.
Is it possible that the American Airlines emblem has been updated?
Throughout its existence, American Airlines has used a variety of different logos. The latest iteration made its debut in 2013.
