Air China is the flag carrier and national airline of the People’s Republic of China. Headquartered in Beijing, they are a global airline serving 184 cities in 39 countries on all 5 inhabited continents.
A Bold New Image for a Carrier with Global Ambitions
In line with their position as a national symbol of China, I looked to create a confident, eye-catching brand that was forward looking yet quintessentially Chinese.
This was achieved through the use of bold red color, embracing Air China’s iconic logo, and adding small touches to delight passengers in unexpected ways. One example of this is the use of ”挂红“, Red banners traditionally placed at the entrance to the home, placed next to the boarding doors featuring a traditional Chinese saying: ”出入平安“ or “Safety wherever you go”.
For China, For the World
In embracing the logo, my goal was to make Air China’s brand more international, while simultaneously making it more accessible to the home market. Usage of the English-only wordmark is eliminated in favor of a simpler, easy to read bi-lingual wordmark featuring the colloquial name of Air China, ”国航“. If needed, the full name can also be used.
Aircraft will be painted in a simple, two-tone paint job featuring the full English and Chinese names. On the tail, the logo flies in a bold metallic red paint.
Simple, Elegant, Confident
The end result is an Air China brand that inspires confidence in its simplicity and attention to detail. It showcases a modern Chinese aesthetic while embracing Air China’s position as a global carrier and an ambassador of 21st-century China.