Virgin Atlantic Airways has today unveiled a new aircraft livery and brand identity for the airline. The new design which will be applied to all of the company’s 38 aircraft, signage, communications and advertising was showcased on one of Virgin Atlantic’s Boeing 747-400 aircraft G-VROC.
Commenting on the new livery, Steve Ridgway, Chief Executive of Virgin Atlantic said:
"We’re a dynamic and innovative British company and our new livery will really make us stand out from the crowd, both in the sky and on the ground at airports all over the world."
"Despite the most challenging economic conditions that we have encountered for some time, this is just one of many design projects that Virgin Atlantic has invested in. We have been working behind the scenes with British designers to re-ignite our brand and are developing new designs for the entire fleet of A330s due to come into service next year.
Virgin Atlantic has a strong history of investing during downturns and we believe that our new livery and the forthcoming delivery of the Airbus A330-300 signals another period of growth for the airline."
The Virgin Atlantic name, previously on the front end of the fuselage is now emblazoned large across the whole of the aircraft in a fine custom drawn font. In addition, the undercarriage of the aircraft now features the new Virgin Atlantic logo in dark purple – making the aircraft more easily identifiable when taking off and landing. The winglets are now red with the Virgin script on the inner side, visible to passengers on board the plane.
The new livery uses an entirely new paint system which is unique to Virgin Atlantic – a first on commercial aircraft. It has been specially developed to achieve a highly reflective depth of metallic colour.
The painting process has been simplified, using fewer maskings and applications for a drastic reduction in materials used. Over 450 litres of paint was used and took over 3,000 – 3,500 man hours to paint. The new paint is more durable so aircraft will only require re-painting once a decade.
The iconic, flag carrying flying lady, who appears on all Virgin Atlantic aircraft, has been rejuvenated with a subtle cosmetic makeover and enhanced detailing – now fluttering a larger Union Jack.
London brand agency Circus was commissioned in 2008 to review and refine the Virgin Atlantic brand values. The new livery and logo were developed by award winning design consultancy, Johnson Banks, in collaboration with the in-house brand design team, led by Joe Ferry and Nina Jenkins, and was created using the brand values defined by Circus.
Dilys Maltby, Senior Partner, Circus, commented:
"Virgin Atlantic makes every day a happier day. It is a tonic for the soul – delivering great product, and great experiences for customers all around the world.
Virgin Atlantic constantly challenges itself to see and do things differently and, through this piece of work, demonstrates its spirit of adventure and exploration."
Michael Johnson, Creative Director, Johnson Banks, commented:
"We’ve tried hard to retain the essential elements of Virgin Atlantic’s first twenty five years and refine them for the future. We’ve adapted the ‘tail fin’ to make it easier to use and to reflect a simpler and more elegant shape. The logotype has been replaced with a thinner and more elegant design that reinstates the pride in Virgin Atlantic’s full name, and supplies more flexibility across a myriad applications."
Joe Ferry, Head of Design for Virgin Atlantic, commented:
"It is essential that we set a firm, confident foundation for the future of the Virgin Atlantic brand, one which is relevant in the new commercial environment. It’s critical that we portray and live our differentiating brand values. Last time Virgin Atlantic launched a new livery and corporate identity was in 2005."
