“We love the whole world,” the emblem elements say. “All countries are beautiful and our planes will take you to any of them.” The Southwest Airlines logo is an endless expanse of heaven that the carrier has conquered and feels very confident there.
Southwest Airlines: Brand overview
Founded: | March 15, 1967 |
Founder: | Herb Kelleher, Rollin King |
Headquarters: | Dallas, Texas, U.S. |
Website: | southwest.com |
Meaning and History
Immediately after the opening, rival carriers tried to block Southwest Airlines from launching and sued. But after the litigation ended, the firm established itself in the market and is now the largest low-cost airline with 737 air carriers. In 1971, after the settlement of claims, she began operating flights to only two cities.
Starting in 1975, the company expanded the list of available points in Texas, and in 1979 began flying around the country. Since the 1990s, it has completely covered the south-east direction of the international level. Southwest Airlines got its visual identity trademark as soon as it announced itself. In total, there are four logos in its history.
What is Southwest Airlines?
It is a low-cost airline from the United States. According to world statistics, in terms of the number of passengers transported, it ranks second among all airlines and first among low-cost airlines.
1967 – 1971
The opening emblem consists of three wide lines that are diagonal and slanted to the left. The stripes are painted in different colors (yellow, red, orange) and have a horizontal black inscription in the middle – “Southwest.” The letters are smooth, chopped, wide, and in upper case.
1971 – 1998
In 1971, a radically different logo was approved – in the form of a winged heart. The thin feathers to the centerpiece’s right and left are taken from the so-called aviator badge, which always features winged elements. They denote aviation affiliation. Between eight feathers (four on each side) in the middle is a heart with a wide red border. The background is a blue ring with a gold outline with the words “Southwest Airlines” at the top and bottom.
1998 – 2014
The company’s management switched to more specific aviation symbols and opted for an airplane emblem. It is depicted realistically and is located slightly from the side. The first years it was Desert Gold, and then Canyon Blue appeared. The plane taking off into the sky has a red bottom and a blue top, separated by a thin yellow stripe. The second half of the logo is the name. It is black, grotesque, with letters of medium thickness.
2014 – today
At the beginning of autumn 2014, the management made changes to the brand name, overhauling it. The designers brought back the heart and made it striped – consisting of three yellow-red-blue lines of different lengths. On the left-hand side, they placed the carrier’s name, writing the phrase “Southwest Airlines” in large blue. That is, the emphasis has now shifted from graphics to text.
Font and Colors
From the very beginning, it is dominated by the aviation theme: runways, wings, aircraft. The title is also required (short or full). Depending on the tasks pursued, it was written in small or large letters. The heart appeared as a sign that the air carrier puts the person with his heartfelt affections and feelings. But the background has always been the same – absolutely white space.
Southwest Airlines’ logos feature a custom typeface designed by the company in collaboration with Lippincott and Monotype. It is called Southwest Sans and was proposed by designers Dan Rhatigan and Jim Ford. The color palette is also thought out by these studios and consists of sky blue, yellow, and red. Previously, orange was also included in the palette.
Southwest Airlines color codes
Violet Blue | Hex color: | #2e4bb1 |
---|---|---|
RGB: | 46 75 177 | |
CMYK: | 74 58 0 31 | |
Pantone: | PMS 2728 C |
Cerulean Blue | Hex color: | #3453c4 |
---|---|---|
RGB: | 52 83 196 | |
CMYK: | 73 58 0 23 | |
Pantone: | PMS 2728 C |
Neon Silver | Hex color: | #cccccc |
---|---|---|
RGB: | 204 204 204 | |
CMYK: | 0 0 0 20 | |
Pantone: | PMS 420 C |
Lust | Hex color: | #e51d23 |
---|---|---|
RGB: | 229 29 35 | |
CMYK: | 0 87 85 10 | |
Pantone: | PMS Bright Red C |
Selective Yellow | Hex color: | #f9b612 |
---|---|---|
RGB: | 249 182 18 | |
CMYK: | 0 27 93 2 | |
Pantone: | PMS 7549 C |
What does the Southwest Airlines logo mean?
The heart emblem represents hospitality, warmth, love, care, and adherence to Southwest Airlines’ core values. It is a marker for the airline’s high-quality service.
What is the motto of Southwest Airlines?
The airline’s current slogan is: ‘Low fares. Nothing to hide. That’s TransFarency!’ Previous advertising slogans have had their share of humor, too. For example, ‘The Somebody Else Up There Who Loves You,’ ‘Just Plane Smart,’ ‘Love Is Still Our Field.
Why is Southwest’s logo a heart?
According to marketing manager Kevin Krone, the heart of the company’s logo symbolizes care about customers. It is a composite image of all the hearts that Southwest Airlines employees put into the business they love.
When did Southwest Airlines start?
The story of American Airlines started in 1971 when a local airline appeared in the three biggest cities in Texas.