Transaero, Russia’s largest independent airline, has unveiled a new brand identity that defines their vision to be one of the world’s best airline brands.
Having recently been voted Skytrax’s ‘World’s most improved airline’ in 2013 and with a new fleet entering service, Transaero has taken the opportunity to refresh and modernize its brand and identity to reflect the positive changes being driven within the business.
As part of the process that ran from April to mid summer of 2014, UK strategic design agency, StartJG, worked collaboratively with Transaero to establish a roadmap for change that would enable the brand to become more valued by passengers and more valuable as a business.
Transaero has grown confidently over the past two decades so the brand programme focused on creating a platform for future growth. The StartJG team worked on defining a new proposition and brand promise: ‘To the future together’ establishing this as a creative thread that runs throughout the business. This is an idea about delivering change both in product and in service. The new identity is an expression of this change and the challenge has been to deliver the new look and feel confidently across all touch points, from aircraft livery to digital communications.
On this achievement Mike Curtis, Group CEO of StartJG commented:
“With the relaunch of the brand identity, Transaero has taken this opportunity in time, against a challenging economic environment, to take a confident step towards the future. The craft and style of the identity supports the pride and heritage that this Russian airline encapsulates.”
On the process to deliver the brand Curtis reflected on his personal involvement:
“It has been a real pleasure to work with a brand that has such a commitment to Russia and its people. We were introduced to each other in 2014. There has also been a personal investment as I’m part of a Russian family and I respect the culture. Transaero is a brand born of Russia, but is being built to meet the needs of the world’s travellers”.
In regards to the expected achievement of the project and its effects on the marketplace Curtis believes:
“This is going to be the start of the next chapter for Transaero and an important step for the Russian airline industry. Transaero is a smart and creative brand that is challenging the establishment and this can only be a good thing for all passengers and travellers”.
The travel sector has become increasingly competitive, but has also always enjoyed a warm and magical attachment to both people and the countries they represent.
Olga Pleshakova, CEO of Transaero Airlines commented:
“Our company cares for its traditions and professional values. This attitude contributed to building up the team and family spirit inherent in the company. The family is the key to the future. We want passengers who choose Transaero to feel truly surrounded by a similar care to that you would receive in your family. Whilst retaining our family culture we have modernised the image of the company. That’s why our new brand positioning is “To the future together.”
Steve Ridgway CBE, former CEO of Virgin Atlantic and StartJG Chairman reflected on the positive direction of Transaero:
“You cannot underestimate the power of a renewed brand identity for an airline – it sets an expectation across everything it does, from improved passenger experience, to better customer service, to new product innovations and so on, and so on.
The Transaero rebrand signals a powerful statement of intent to be right up there, shoulder to shoulder, amongst the world’s top airlines”.
Following todays launch the brand identity will be introduced across the full fleet of planes and all traveller touch points, from website to check-in and communication collateral.
