I was speaking to a very good friend of mine, a very senior branding consultant and we talked about the new United logo. We both agreed that if we had come up with the new logo, it is not something we would been proud to show potential new clients. Unfortunately it is a clumsy mish-mash of old and new: a huge loss to United's former glorious Tulip design, created by design supremo Saul Bass.
In the same conversation, my friend talked to me about why CEO's should be allowed near the creative drawing board. He was of course referring to the very public announcement by Burberry's CEO, Angela Ahrendts, of her desire to see more creative CEO involvement in brands and products. And then I did some research and then I discovered why I profoundly disagree with him. CEO's, particularly in the aviation world, should not be allowed near the drawing board.
A cursory search reveals the history of the new United logo. It is of course the United typography, sitting next to the old Continental Airlines symbol. A simple solution to the diplomacy of a mega merger in order to satisfy shareholders and stakeholders of both companies. And who came up with it? The respective CEO's of both airlines, as an answer to their dilemma as to who was merging with who. But the victim is a new logo which now sits uncomfortably with the new company. Is it new, is it old, is it the same, but not the same? Whatever the answer I am afraid one thing is clear: it does not deserve a place in the history books of great aviation logos.
United, it is time for change.
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