China Eastern Airlines, the Shanghai-based carrier, introduced its current visual identity system on September 9, 2014, replacing a design that had been in place for roughly 25 years. The new logo retains the swallow as its core element, a symbol the airline has used since its founding, while updating the mark’s form and presentation. The 2014 system was designed by the Chinese firm Bang Strategic Brand Design, which was selected after the airline evaluated 34 logo proposals and 56 aircraft livery designs. [1] [2]
Design and History
The original China Eastern emblem, created in the 1980s, was circular in composition, using red, blue and white to depict a swallow flying between a red semicircle representing the sun and a dark blue semicircle representing the sea. The tail of the swallow was already shaped to suggest the letters “CE,” short for China Eastern. [3] [4]
The 2014 redesign kept the swallow and the red-and-blue brand colors but removed the circular background that had enclosed the bird. Liu Tao, chief designer of the new visual identity system, said the new logo uses more curves and circles than the old one, providing what he described as an “internationalized concept” of the company. [5] The new mark integrates the initials “C” and “E” into the swallow’s form, and the airline described the bird as a “leading swallow” taking flight. [2] The new livery debuted on the airline’s first Boeing 777-300ER in September 2014. [6]
In 2018, China Eastern made a subtle adjustment to the second-generation mark. The swallow design and typography from the 2014 version were retained, but the swallow was flattened and the previous gradient coloring was removed. [7]
Meaning and Symbolism
The swallow has been central to China Eastern’s identity because the bird is believed to bring good fortune. The airline kept the swallow in the 2014 redesign for this reason. [8] The design firm Teague, which worked with China Eastern on passenger experience and livery, described the swallow as representing beauty, hope and prosperity. [9]
In the 2014 logo, the swallow’s head and wings are rendered in red, a color the airline associates with “sunrise in the east,” symbolizing hope, excellence and passion. The blue tail represents the sea, conveying tolerance, inclusivity and rationality. The “C” and “E” initials are visible within the flying swallow’s form. [8] The airline also described the swallow’s rounded tail as resembling a rainbow and the Huangpu River bend, symbolizing connection and harmony. [10]
Typography and Design
The 2014 redesign retained the Chinese and English wordmark from the previous identity. The Chinese characters continued to use a rounded typeface, and the English “CHINA EASTERN” remained in uppercase lettering. [11] The airline’s official brand colors are red and blue, which were carried over from the original identity as the “brand base colors.” [2]
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