British Airways' Crest and the Art of Communication

"a brand is more than a logo or a marque" is often how we start a brand presentation. Even though we try and deemphasise the role of the logo in a brand project theres no denying its power in conveying a message or thought, particularly to a board of directors who often need something tangible to rally behind.

Forpeople's recent re imagining of the British Airways crest is a great example of how much can be communicated through a graphic device. 'To fly, to serve' has long been BA's essence and, despite choosing to downplay it in recent years, has stuck as a figurehead for what the company stands for. The crest (above) depicts two creatures dancing across land and ocean - their wings outstretched, and a fleet of concordes bursting from a blazing sun. What does this communicate to me? Well, I see an organisation whose conquering of the skies has had global reach. I see an organisation approaching a new dawn and, perhaps even, an organisation harking back to former glory.

Heraldry has historically been considered a language in its own right (wikipedia has a pretty in depth write up on it here) and whilst we may have forgotten some of the intricacies involved in translation, a logo or marque can still be a powerful tool for communication.

I've had a little go at creating my own coat of arms. What does it say about me? Well that's up to you to read into.