Jetlines might be one airline you haven’t heard of yet, and that’s for good reason. It’s not even flying yet, but that hasn’t stopped this Canadian start-up from releasing a punchy bold new brand, designed by Canadian marketing company Cossette. The rebranding (yes it’s already a rebrand) comes in preparation for commercial launch targeted for December 17th.
This fresh and on-the-nose, rebellious identity system, is supported by a brand promise anchored in the unapologetic and honest mantra: “Flying sucks less when you pay less”
Even the press release announcing the brand image sets the tone for how this airline wants to position itself, a cocky upstart with grand ambitions. “Of course, flying will still suck. There’s not much anyone can do about manspreading seatmates or tiny toilet stalls. But it will suck less when you pay less,” states the press release.
We have to admit, we love the brand image, and it has Cossette all over it. The new identity system is certainly unique in its space and takes the approach Level has tried to take in Europe, but cranked it up another 10 gears. It’s authentic, accessible and deliberately distinct from the existing incumbents in Canada.
The logo incorporates a face with a knowing smirk created from a plane icon. It also is playful, featuring an additional suite of expressive faces to capture every emotion of travel – something brought to life on the airline’s sickbags, luggage tags and uniforms.
The Orange, white and black identity is also striking, and will stand out against the competition found in Canada. The airline has already secured slots in Vancouver, and has stated that it plans to fly across the States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.
“Jetlines is fighting for Canadians by creating competition and rebelling against Canadian ultra high airfares. Our new brand promise and design reflect our core philosophy of pushing back against the status quo and giving Canadian travellers a brand that empowers them to make their own decisions”, noted Javier Suarez, CEO of Canada Jetlines.
“I would like to thank the entire Jetlines commercial team for building such a strong brand identity that reflects our passion and values, as well as extend my most sincere gratitude to our partner, Cossette, for all of their hard work and raw talent that has brought us here today.”
Hats off to an airline that has encapsulated itself as a challenger brand with a simple, yet bold brand image. We look forward to seeing how the brand develops over the months to come. Check out the video below
The Big Picture
TheDesignAir 
Wow…love it. Better than the two other designs that the airline had shown the media previously. The colour choice is unusual…i hope they make it.
Sorry in advance for length; I almost never comment on the internettubesweb outside my own sites. But as an airliner nerd of over 50 years standing, having cut my teeth on Braniff’s “End of the Plain Plane” of Wells/Girard, I just couldn’t hold my tongue, er, fingers.
So, let’s see what we have here. A generic name, unmoored to place or description. A dark creamsicle orange. Uniforms which feature Keds or Converse or something and t-shirts. An interesting attention to detail on air sickness bags. An emoticon smirk for a logo. A “not-as-smiley-but-basically-the-same-as-the-old-Pacific-Southwest” smile on the fuselage nose. And two, inexplicably head-scratching slogans: “Flying sucks less when you pay less” [because it sucks to have to pay a lot for manspreading, they say] and … “A new low in air travel.”
My negative reactions: A weird orange is ugh; they will dress their professional staff in Keds and t-shirts but expect the public to see/treat them as professionals? Um, no; airlines should never associate their logos with sick bags, although some do; an airline employing a smirk as its logo isn’t terribly reassuring to passengers that they will receive respectful customer service; and has American been notified about maybe how maybe the fuselage smile might infringe the PSA design rights they now hold; and …
Flying demonstrably sucks MORE when you pay less (you don’t get access to many of the nifty lounges pictured on this site, for instance, and you get less seat room to deal with manspreading); and while I understand “a new low in air travel” refers to price, the last thing an airline startup needs is to be the eternal butt of internet wags and social media memes, which is exactly where this slogan is headed. (Also, is $79 form YVR actually a new low?) My response to “a new low” was a loud, disbelieving guffaw that woke the dogs, so what will the masses think? Will Jetlines be insulted if social media calls their airline and its slogans and its service “a new low in air travel?”
My positive impressions: The emoticons (but don’t call them “smirks”) are neat, even if they might have a short shelf life; the livery is great (in spite of the orange dreamsicle); it’s all fresh, simple, youthful and original; the aircraft will stand out at the airport; and airlines do indeed need to take themselves less seriously, just not … to a new low.
[Have always enjoyed The Design Air! Thanks for the vent/apologies for the length/best of luck to Jetlines!]