Image Credit : ico Design
Project Overview
This new brand and the planned infrastructure changes aim to present London Luton Airport as a more efficient and passenger-focused airport. The brand essence ‘Simplicity with a smile' - bringing delight to passengers by making their journey easier and more enjoyable – is brought perfectly to life through the new visual identity.
Project Commissioner
Project Creator
Team
ico Design
Project Brief
Following the approval of a major development at LLA, we were approached to create a brand that would redefine the airport in the London market and inform its future direction as a passenger-focused airport.
This new brand and the planned infrastructure changes aim to present London Luton Airport as a more efficient and passenger-focused airport. The brand essence ‘Simplicity with a smile' - bringing delight to passengers by making their journey easier and more enjoyable – is brought perfectly to life through the new visual identity.
Project Innovation/Need
Almost all airport identities try to capture the idea of flight, motion or direction - an approach that we believe is tired and, in essence, incorrect. Airports are incredible spaces – meeting points, crossroads, destinations - but they are of the land, not the air. As such we felt it was more appropriate to create an identity that could celebrate the dynamism and ambition of LLA, rather than a vague notion of flight.
The new visual identity is based around a flexible, modular marque that can be arranged horizontally or vertically and filled with block colours, graphic patterns or photography. A bright colour palette inspired by the sky at different times of day and night. We commissioned Gijon-based studio Atipo to create a custom typeface and icon set.
The marque acts as a symbol and also an acronym, LLA, and has been created to be totally appropriate in a world where applications are increasingly screen-based and animated. Flexibility is a key aspect of the entire visual language – it needs to be able to communicate to different audiences at different times; from marketing communications through to statutory signage.
Design Challenge
The London market is incredibly competitive, served by at least six international airports. Add to this a public who now expect transport infrastructures to be far more than just empty terminuses (as we’ve seen with the regeneration of London stations such as St Pancras and Kings Cross) and there is a definite need for every airport to do its utmost to actively appeal to customers an emotional level, not just a pragmatic level.
Understanding the market was critical to success of the brand. This meant not only immersing ourselves in LLA's ambition and future, but also understanding the relationships they had with partner airlines, commercial organisations and even charity partners.
Effectiveness
The new identity, typeface, photography and colour palette have added much needed interest to the interior spaces, and the branding is helping LLA establish a stronger voice, challenging perceptions of it as a lesser known alternative to Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted.
The new brand has also helped LLA to communicate its key advantages: its geographical location and its compact nature (as a single terminal Airport the journey from check-in to departures can be very rapid).
The brand was launched to coincide with the start of the Airport’s £110m development programme, as such the two go hand in hand. The brand identity is incredibly important; it is a bold symbol of the intent to change the fabric of the Airport and the passenger experience, as well as something the staff can be proud of.
Graphic Design - Identity and Branding
This award celebrates creative and innovative design in the traditional or digital visual representation of ideas and messages. Consideration given to clarity of communication and the matching information style to audience.
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