JET
FORWARD
SEA
Brand Identity
Airports are much more than just air travel facilities. Worldwide they have become multifunctional commercial and hospitality centers. Customers and airlines increasingly choose destinations and transit hubs based on the perceived quality of the experience. Significant infrastructure development underway at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport provided a timely opportunity to signal a new era of customer-centered travel. Turnstyle, together with our strategy partners at Stoke, developed a new brand position, logo and visual identity system to carry the airport into the next decade and beyond.
Challenge
Like the region itself, the airport has undergone massive growth in the past decade. Now a top-ten U.S. airport with 30 airlines connecting to 91 domestic and 27 international destination, the airport served 51.8 million passengers in 2019 alone. But along with historic growth had come a bit of a brand identity crisis. While the name of the airport remains Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, it had been variously identified as the “Port of Seattle” operationally, as “Sea-Tac" locally, as “SEA” nationally, and sometimes as a more generic “Seattle” internationally.
Objective
The objective was to clarify the airport's identity and to facilitate a strong and consistent brand experience—to inspire travelers, to promote the beauty of the Pacific Northwest, to reflect the region’s civic pride as an international gateway and to provide a unifying customer service vision of excellence for employees. Success would mean distinguishing the airport as a celebrated destination and, ultimately, influencing travel choices for customers and the commensurate investments by airlines in the region.
SEA what we did there?
Travelers recognize three-letter airport codes on luggage tags and when booking online reservations. We embraced this industry standard by making S-E-A the simplified moniker for the brand. The stylized curving crossbar of the A, inspired by airline route maps, represents the arc of travel—a journey from here to there (or there to here).
Bridging the future
SEA will soon boast the longest aerial walkway over an active taxiway on the planet. It will connect the new International Arrivals Facility to the Main Terminal, offering stunning views and symbolizing SEA's position as a leading international gateway. A graphic arc or “ribbon of travel,” inspired by the bridge (and derived from the crossbar of the A in the logo) is used to symbolize the excitement, potential and promise of an elevated travel experience at SEA.
It’s easy being green
Seattle and surrounding areas are filled with lush vegetation year-round due to prevalent rain and the proliferation of evergreen trees. This naturally influenced the color palette of the visual identity system.
An eye on exploration
Seattle and Tacoma are poised at the edge of one of the world’s most vibrant natural, cultural and business ecosystem. The brand position calls for the airport to leverage these assets by engaging and guiding customers to the region’s rich possibilities—to provide an elevated travel experience inspired by the natural promise of the Pacific Northwest.
DOT icon style
Long before emojis there was a standardized iconographic language developed through a collaboration between AIGA and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to help guide travelers on their way. This universal icon system is still in use and is easily recognizable by travelers the world over. As pictured in this signage concept, it is the basis for the SEA approach to icons—emphasizing function and familiarity.
The brand mantra
We endeavored to raise the airport’s sights above and beyond aviation infrastructure. To position the brand to cater to the well-being of the traveler. To elevate the customer experience and set a higher standard for customer service. To be empathetic, efficient and proactive.
“The SEA brand was conceptualized and launched pre-pandemic to help us manage the customer experience at one of the nation’s fastest growing airports. And now, under dramatically different circumstances, it is still guiding our work. The brand focus on demonstrating a passion for the well-being of customers has provided a true-north for our work in the very uncertain early days of the COVID-19 crisis.”
Julie Collins
Director, Customer Experience & Brand Strategy
Aviation Customer Service
SEA (Seattle-Tacoma International Airport)
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