This was an opportunity to bring to the skies a new mark befitting an established airline, grounded in the cultural symbolism that would turn any Air Tahiti Nui vessel into a window into the hearts of all Tahitians. The new identity needed to balance the delicate nature of the Tiare flower – an enduring icon for Air Tahiti Nui and Tahiti at large – and other graphic elements that could elicit the trust necessary to take flight.
Air Tahiti Nui’s previous identity was composed of a dominant and italicised sans-serif wordmark, complemented by a Tiare flower symbol stylised with thin, gestural lines. The overall message was out of balance, the western-world wordmark drawing all the attention while the true symbol of the region, the Tiare, one of romantic mythology and emblematic of the connection between people and land, was given a seat at the back. The opportunity was to restore harmony and bring culture back into the centre of the experience.
We brought the Tiare to the fore, staying as true as possible to its form – a white flower with seven petals, full in its curves, beautiful in its imperfections and organic in its rendering. The focus was to have it experienced as naturally as a mark in the skies, as you would as a flower in the islands of Tahiti – unique and proud. FutureBrand worked with the Tahitian artist, Alexander Lee, to ensure that the mark was in keeping with the Tahitian people and their traditions.
The result of the process is a mark that achieves the balance between strength and local resonance. The refreshed Tiare symbol takes precedence and freely faces forward in motion, complemented with a wordmark that has premium cues but upon closer observation, has letterforms that curve and interlock like the Tiare petals themselves. The wordmark’s elements and the new Tiare symbol provide a fleeting glimpse of the culture, hospitality and service that you can expect from Air Tahiti Nui and the islands’ people.
Read more about some of our recent airline branding expertise with American Airlines, Fiji Airways and Air Malta.
