Guarulhos Airport: GRU AIRPORT

Credits & Description:

Advertiser: CONCESSIONÁRIA DO AEROPORTO INTERNACIONAL DE GUARULHOS S.A.
Agency: GAD'
Category: Other Consumer Products (including Durable Goods)
Strategy Manager: Cristina Shen (GAD'Lippincott)
Art Director: Luana Alvares (GAD'Lippincott)
Designer: Luca Bacchiocchi (GAD'Lippincott)
Designer: Leonardo Peres (GAD'Lippincott)
Executive Director : Luciano Deos (GAD'Lippincott)
Designer: Pedro Ortega (GAD'Lippincott)
Designer: Vicente Rossi (GAD'Lippincott)
Designer: Gustavo Netto (GAD'Lippincott)
Designer: Leopoldo Leal (GAD'Lippincott)

Brief Explanation
The brand´s main challenge was countering the negative perception of the Brazilian airport service, thus positioning Guarulhos Airport as a hub that can meet and overcome international standards. An airport brand has the inherent challenge of appealing to an incredibly heterogeneous audience. Creating a core identity for this airport was particularly difficult since there was no preexisting brand and the airport has been referred to by four different names. Creating a name that would synthesize Brazil´s new moment, appeal to a heterogeneous international audience as well as create an identification with its location were amongst the project's biggest challenges.  

Outcome
Brazil´s first airport brand was well received by the press and Brazilian audience for its sophistication. The brand was particularly praised for avoiding the use of clichéd Brazilian colors and elements that reinforce the stereotypes associated with the country. Instead, the brand illustrates the beauty and dynamism of Brazilian heterogeneity with the elegance of its cosmopolitan feel.  The English name helps illustrate Brazil´s increased relevance on the global stage, thus reinforcing the pride Brazilians feel towards it.

Client Brief Or Objective
Create a relevant brand for Latin America´s biggest airport, Guarulhos International Airport, that reflects the new moment of airport privatization in Brazil. The brand should counter Brazil´s negative airport perception as well as incorporate prideful aspects of Sao Paulo's identity.

Implementation
The new brand aims to reflect the dynamism of the city of São Paulo, one of the world´s biggest cities. This brand manages to represent this city´s incredible power and vision. The elegance and sophistication were important to address the negative associations with the country's airport service by giving Brazilians a sense of pride in the international relevance of this airport. The airplane's landing and take-off motion inspired the thin lines in the identity, symbolizing the dynamism of the biggest airport in Latin America. The new name GRU Airport simplifies the understanding to all targets by taking the IATA code as its name.