The rebrand comes as one of a broad spectrum of recent, positive developments by Gulf Air which include fleet modernisation, network expansion, enhanced product offering and a new long term strategic direction for the airline’s continuous growth.
Global brand and design consultancies, Saffron and tangerine, announce the launch of their rebrand of the Kingdom of Bahrain’s national carrier, Gulf Air.
The rebrand comes as one of a broad spectrum of recent, positive developments by Gulf Air which include fleet modernisation, network expansion, enhanced product offering and a new long term strategic direction for the airline’s continuous growth. Gulf Air’s new brand and first, incoming Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft were officially unveiled at the 2018 FORMULA 1 GULF AIR BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX race day on the 8th April with a dedicated fly pass before the race showcasing not only the airline’s newest, state-of-the-art aircraft but also the new Gulf Air livery.
The rebrand consists of a new visual identity and strategy that highlights Gulf Air’s innovative edge while emphasising its legacy as one of the region’s pioneering airlines. The project has taken two years to realise and has been conducted by tangerine and Saffron in close collaboration with Gulf Air’s executive management and Board of Directors. From Saffron’s revamp of pre-flight experience to tangerine’s work on-board the aircraft, the outcome of this partnership is a unique and special brand identity that is expressed across every touchpoint of Gulf Air’s service.
The key changes in the new brand:
- A new identity system centred around the falcon, an iconic symbol of Bahrain and the Gulf region
- A new livery for the existing and incoming fleet – Gulf Air's incoming fleet consists of 39 new Boeing and Airbus aircraft
- A redesign of the plane interiors for the existing and incoming fleet
Saffron CEO Jacob Benbunan said: “This fascinating project has perfectly demonstrated Saffron’s ability to work across borders and cultures as a truly global consultancy. Together with Gulf Air and with our design partners tangerine, we have created an experience for passengers that is both technology-led and welcoming – retaining Gulf Air’s renowned offering of Arabian hospitality. The new brand will let Gulf Air reclaim its place as an airline of choice in the Gulf and beyond.”
Saffron’s Chief Creative Officer Gabor Schreier added, “By delving into the culture of Bahrain and understanding Gulf Air’s past, we have rediscovered the airline’s magic and captured it in a powerful visual language. The new system is coherent across all channels and celebrates the heritage of one of the Gulf region’s very first airlines, while looking ahead to its exciting future.”
tangerine CEO Martin Darbyshire said: “The airline’s new brand positioning and cabin interiors revitalise the Gulf Air brand and elevate the quality of their customer experience to unprecedented new heights. This has been achieved through a potent mix of brand and design consultancy and the close collaboration of tangerine and Saffron with the wider programme team, in order to fully understand each parties’ vision and push for the very best result.”
tangerine Chief Creative Officer Matt Round said: “The new cabin interior design repositions the brand through a contemporary and sophisticated look and feel that captures the essence of Bahraini hospitality. We carefully curated the design across multiple seating products and aircraft types, to ensure that a cohesive brand and customer experience is established across every touchpoint of Gulf Air’s service. The result is a completely transformed customer experience that is elegant, sophisticated and quintessentially Bahraini.”
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
