Opinion BY Armin

Flight of the Condor

As the largest domestic and international carrier in Argentina, Aerolíneas Argentinas has been transporting passengers to, from and within this beautiful land since the early 1950s. With a new mission “To connect Argentineans and contribute towards the integration and economic and social development of our country, promoting the national territory as a tourist, cultural and business destination,” Aerolíneas Argentinas is introducing a new identity designed by Futurebrand.

The new brand image preserves some of the historical elements that position the company amongst world class airlines: the condor symbol of the airline has been redrawn, styling its strokes and providing greater purity to its shape. The distinctive blue colour of the company has been replaced by a light blue, which is closer to that of the national flag, enhancing its presence in its application on the aircrafts of the new fleet. The old typography has been replaced by a more modern, lightweight and agile one, which preserves the traditional italic writing, a symbol of the progress and optimism that represents this new phase.
— Press Release

Logo introduction video.

The condor is a bird typical of our national territory. However, the Aerolíneas condor is an indisputable part of the brand. It is not a naturalistic representation but a proper and personal symbol, designed with a particular style and instantly recognizable. Born in the middle of last century, this symbol is rescued today more than ever, more stylized and refined in a subtle and respectful manner.
— Brand Presentation PDF

This change is like going from Version 4.0 to Version 5.0 in the airline’s identity. It’s not a revolution and even as an evolution it isn’t too drastic. At the end of the day it’s still a condor above an italic wordmark. A little more modern, yes, but nothing to write such exuberant words about. The condor is a strong and dynamic evolution, especially by removing what looked like a dog collar around its neck. The new wordmark is typeset in Neo Sans, in title case instead of all uppercase, giving us a nice break from an all lowercase wordmark. There is one detail in the wordmark worth appreciating, and that’s the “i” lining up with the “n” above it, as well as both of the terminal “as.”

Overall, a successful evolution, but definitely nothing too exciting.

Other corporate instances that received the Neo Sans Italic treatment.

Thanks to Chris McFarland for first tip.

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As the largest domestic and international carrier in Argentina, Aerolíneas Argentinas has been transporting passengers to, from and within this beautiful land since the early 1950s. With a new mission \"To connect Argentineans and contribute towards the integration and economic and social development of our country, promoting the national territory as a tourist, cultural and business destination,\" Aerolíneas Argentinas is introducing a new identity designed by Futurebrand.