Ethiopian Airlines, the flag carrier of Ethiopia, has a rich history that reflects the evolution of aviation in Africa. It was founded on December 30, 1945, by Emperor Haile Selassie I with assistance from Transcontinental and Western Airlines (TWA). Over the decades, the airline has grown from humble beginnings into one of the leading carriers on the African continent. This article explores the history and evolution of Ethiopian Airlines, including significant milestones and changes in its branding and logo over the decades.
The Genesis of the Ethiopian Airlines Logo (1946-194?)
The air carrier was initially named Ethiopian Air Lines (EAL), which was also reflected in the original logo that featured a heraldic shield at the centre flanked by wings on either side. The shield with a thin framing in brown had the abbreviations of the airlines (EAL) in black placed inside, from top left to bottom right.
The wings comprised alternating thick and thin strips of brown in parallel with diagonal cuts on either side. Below the insignia was placed the name of the carrier (Ethiopian Air Lines, Inc.) in black uppercase and in two levels. However, the letter “n” was depicted in lowercase, albeit of the same size as others.
(194? – 1950)
The next logo iteration featured the name of the carrier in deep blue, placed diagonally in two levels. The top level showed the name “Ethiopian” in a big-sized bold, uppercase, sans-serif typeface. The words “Air Lines, Inc.” in the next level were written using a thin serif typeface. And on the top left and bottom right of the name were placed two emblems in red. Each of the emblems featured a three-pointed star with wings on either side to appear like a plane. Surrounding this image was the arched name of the airline in both English and the Ethiopian language.
(1950 – 1965)
The next logo iteration saw the emblem described above taking centerstage. Designed in white and black colours, the emblem comprised a three-star image with wings and was surrounded by the name of the airlines along the periphery of a circle. The emblem was placed against a red square for greater visual acuity.
(1950 – 1968)
The 1950 logo design showed the name of the airlines in red uppercase italics as “Ethiopian Airlines” in both English and the Ethiopian language. Under the name was written the much smaller wordmark “The Wonderland Route” in uppercase and flanked on either side by thin lines with closed ends resembling wings.
(1968 – 1984)
The 1968 logo redesign featured a red oval emblem with the image of a white pouncing lion within and surrounded by the names of the continents the airline would fly. On the right side of this emblem was written the name of the airline in orange italics against white in two levels and sizes.
(1984 – 2003)
The 1984 logo comprised a two-tiered wordmark in red uppercase using custom elongated triangular serifs. On the right was featured a wing-like element of three colours (green, yellow, and red), representing the Ethiopian flag. The logo thus looked simple, elegant, and vibrant.
(2003 – Present)
The latest logo was crafted in 2003 and continues to this day. It features the word “Ethiopian” in a title case in red using a serif typeface. Below the English word was written its Ethiopian variant also in red. At the top right corner of the wordmark is an emblem comprising three feathers in red, yellow, and green.
The Elements of the Ethiopian Airlines Logo
Font
The primary badge of Ethiopian Airlines is designed using a wordmark in the title case and a traditional serif typeface. The wordmark has the contours of the letters extended for a distinctive appearance. The fonts that closely resemble this design include Pockota Light and Blaak Thin, though the characters have undergone slight modifications to create a unique identity.
Colour
The colour palette of Ethiopian Airlines’ visual identity is deeply rooted in the national flag of Ethiopia, combining red, green, and yellow. These colours carry significant symbolic meaning as per the official description of the flag: green represents fertility, labour, and development; yellow stands for hope, justice, and equality; and red symbolises sacrifice and heroism in the pursuit of freedom and equality.
Finally
The logo of Ethiopian Airlines reflects its growth as an airline and its commitment to embracing Ethiopian culture. It has also helped position the airline as a global player in aviation. With ongoing investments in technology and service excellence, Ethiopian Airlines is poised for continued success in the future, in which its logo will play a critical role as its visual brand identity.
Thanx for interesting article, I was wondering about the earlier fonts dor the logo such as 68-84 and 84-03.
Cheers