Garuda Indonesia

Garuda Indonesia is the flag carrier for the Republic of Indonesia and one of the leading airlines in Asia. In 1985, Landor created the iconic garuda symbol, which was in use until our 2009 rebranding. Garuda, from Sanskrit meaning eagle, is a large mythical birdlike creature appearing in Southeast Asian mythology. The garuda is the country’s national symbol, and thus ideal for a domestic brand. However, the Garuda brand needed to stretch its wings around the world while still appealing to the local culture. When Garuda made plans to expand its fleet with the newest generation of Boeing planes in 2010 and 2011, it called again on Landor to revitalize its visual brand identity, with an emphasis on an international experience.

Challenge

Garuda was a leading domestic airline but needed to attract more travelers on its new worldwide routes, as well as differentiate itself from the growing international competition. Furthermore, it wanted to infuse attributes of caring, responsiveness, professional dedication, and service excellence into the brand. In addition, the brand’s hallmark garuda needed to be more vibrant. We wanted the garuda to represent more than just a logo. In a global economy where many brands have generalized their image to appeal to the masses, Landor’s challenge was to elevate the brand to an international level without losing Garuda’s Indonesian flavor.

Solution

We developed a look and feel based on the stylized rendering of a feather, calling it “nature’s wing.” The garuda wing expresses the concept of being a part of all aspects of nature-from rippling water to flower petals. The vibrant tail graphic of Garuda’s refreshed identity spreads Indonesian hospitality wherever the planes go. Other brand applications were brought up to date with modern typography and sophisticated images. In the depths of the global financial crisis, when airlines around the world struggled and every other airline in Indonesia was losing money, Garuda saw record profits. The airline, which posted a Rp 811 billion loss in 2004, turned a Rp 1 trillion profit in 2009 and was awarded a 4-star ranking by Skytrax.