Icelandair

brand Identity

standards

This document describes our brand identity standards. It’s about our marketing position, personality, visual identity, and tone of voice.

It will help you understand how to communicate so we can keep our brand identity relevant and consistent.

Following this manual will help our brand to be more valuable and stand out from the competition.

1.1

Overview

Icelandair is the oldest airline in Iceland, but we’re anything but old-fashioned.

Pioneering at heart, our mission is to bring the spirit of Iceland to the world. 

We’ve been flying within and from the North Atlantic region since 1937, growing over the decades. 

We’re driven by passion and guided by responsibility. We operate with simplicity. These company values show up in everything we do, including our writing.

1.2

Writing goals 

and principles

Our purpose is to engage with our audience, provide them with information, and prepare them for traveling. Simply put, we want to show them what they can have, and sell it to them.

We always aim to be simple, clear, and concise in our writing. We want our text to be easy to read. We try to put ourselves in our reader’s shoes to make our copy as clear and engaging as possible. 

We should aim to describe the actions that prove what we claim to stand for, for example: ‘We are committed to sustainability and have signed agreements to reduce our carbon emissions.’ ‘We care about our youngest passengers, so we make sure they’re entertained and well-fed on board.’ We should let the actions illustrate the story. 

Remember 

Not all readers of English language copy will be native English speakers, so clarity is especially important. 

When you write as Icelandair, you’re an authority on travel to, from, via, and within Iceland.

Being an authority figure doesn’t mean we’re always dry and formal. 

We adjust our tone, depending on the message we want to deliver and the audience we’re speaking to.

Externally

We have a can-do approach to problem-solving. We’re passionate about sharing the lesser-known aspects of Iceland and its culture with the world. We want to make visitors feel welcome, and this sits alongside our mission to bring the spirit of Iceland to the world. In our writing, we want to keep people interested by being engaging, humorous where it applies, and a little bit unexpected.

Internally 

We don’t have to be as humble here as we would be externally — we can celebrate our successes with passion. Allow yourself to be a little more light-hearted in your writing, when appropriate.

Don’t be afraid of jargon in certain instances — you can assume basic knowledge of aviation in our company.

1.3

Our voice

When you’re writing, ask yourself

Would I say this out loud to another human?

If the answer is ‘no’, delete it.

We’re warm and empathetic, not robotic. Our style is conversational. 

We aim to be interesting, trustworthy, and reassuring — but we can also be witty and upbeat. 

We can be authoritative without sounding condescending. 

We can be eloquent, but we don’t want to sound overly formal or out of touch. 

We’re solution-oriented and adaptable.

We aim to be creative in how we communicate.

1.4

Our tone

We adapt the tone we use depending on the situation. We consider who we’re talking to, what message we want to convey, and what medium is used when talking to them.

We consider where the reader is in their journey (and their potential emotional state) and match our tone to the circumstance.

The most important questions to ask ourselves before we begin writing are

• What is the purpose of the text?

• Who is the target audience of the message?

• When will people read this and during which part of their journey?

• Why should they read it? Is this essential information for their journey (like a change of flight time) or are we trying to upsell something to them? 

• Let’s make the next steps very clear to them if there is a call to action. 

• How will people receive this message (for example on a billboard ad, in the booking flow, via email, text, newsletter, app alerts or social media)?

Our tone varies throughout the customer journey.

Before booking

When our aim is brand awareness: Deliver something interesting in a memorable way. Play with emotion and language if the situation is right. 

When we want to inspire the customer: There’s an opportunity to be a bit playful in these messages. Catch the customer’s eye. We’d like to give them a smile, a surprise, a reason to take note of the message. 

When we’re trying to promote engagement: Invite the community to share their experiences. Again, aim for memorable, interesting, light-hearted (playful if the topic warrants it), and personal stories.

The purchase phase

The text should be consistent and lead the customer through the booking process in a matter-of-fact way. The phrasing shouldn’t raise any new questions or doubts. 

We want to be as clear as possible, to gain the trust and respect of our customers and ultimately encourage them to finalize their bookings.

The post-booking phase

Pre-flight messages: These should be easy to read and informative for the customer. They can be exciting, inspiring, or even playful, as traveling is almost always something to look forward to. 

Support: Keep it simple, straightforward, and easy to read. The customer needs to be able to make use of the text. 

Delivering bad news: Be humble and kind. We want to soften the blow as much as possible. We can do this by acknowledging our mistakes and recognizing where we can do better. Where possible, offer a helpful solution to the problem. We want to signal that we are open to feedback.

1.5

Writing about Icelandair

As a general rule, we don’t refer to ourselves as “Icelandair”. We prefer to add a personal touch to our messaging by referring to ourselves as “we”.

We sign off emails with

“Best wishes, The Icelandair team”

Writing about Iceland

We should avoid sentences like “We’re Icelandic and proud of it”. We’d rather lean into the spirit of the underdog small nation. We want to make sure that people from all over the world can feel included in the Icelandic spirit. You can give examples of the Icelandic mindset or characteristics that we think can represent the Icelandic spirit and are worthy of promoting. Examples might include external sources about Iceland as inclusive, progressive, a leader in gender equality, etc. 

Humor

Maybe it goes without saying, but we don’t have a dark sense of humor and we don’t make fun of people. We like to use humor to lighten the tone of our copy where it’s appropriate, and to give our readers a reason to smile. We like a touch of wit — which includes the use of puns — but we make sure that the humor is non-offensive and used sparingly.

1.6

Grammar, Conventions, Rules to Break

We’re humans talking to other humans. That means we pay attention to the rhythm of our writing. We mix short and long sentences, use short and long words, and think about the 

flow of our copy.

We contract. We prefer to use “we’re”, not “we are”. “You’ll”, 

not “you will”, and so on. 

We use sentence case, not Title Case — except in the case 

of our products. 

Generally, we use the active voice. The passive voice is applicable in some cases but we like to start with the active. It’s stronger and often shorter. 

In general, we use US spelling and conventions. 

That means we write organization, not organisation, and color, 

not colour. Of course, if writing for the UK / Ireland or in some cases Canada, we follow the rules and conventions of that market.

When writing in English about temperature, weights/measures, and distance, we give information both in metric and imperial. 

Pay attention to syntax — the order of the words in a sentence. Make sure you’re using Icelandic syntax in Icelandic, English syntax in English, etc. 

You’re allowed to split infinitives in writing because that’s how 

we speak. 

In ad copy, the shorter the better. 

In informational and website copy we like to use bullet points, short paragraphs, and subheadings for ease of scanning the page. White space is good.

1.7

Translating the tone

Stay as true to the original text as possible but keep localization in mind.

A phrase that works in the English-speaking markets might not work in other markets. If some phrases or words fit the meaning, then use them – it’s not necessary to translate everything word-for-word, as such translations might seem robotic and unnatural. Keep in mind that one word in English might translate as several words in other languages, such as in German or Finnish. 

Clarity is important so feel free to repeat, tweak or add extra words to make the meaning of your translation clear to our customer. Aim to speak to your audience on their level, through words and phrases that make sense to them, conversationally and informally within the parameters of our voice. However, do keep in mind that for certain languages (like French and German) we prefer to use formal language 

and phrasing due to cultural conventions and traditions. If in doubt, check with the Icelandair marketing team for guidance.

1.8

Our tone in short

Personality 

We’re conversational and not overly formal. We speak with authority, providing reassurance to our customers — while being witty and light-hearted under the right circumstances. Our attitude is empathetic and engaging. 

Language 

We use a mix of short and long sentences and words. Our style is informal and conversational. 

Feeling

These are the feelings we hope to inspire in our customers: They’re talking to a person, not a corporation. We’re an expert insider who wants to help you have a great experience. We want to hear your feedback.

We care.

2.1

The Logo

This is our logo. It is our most important visual asset and an important expression of our brand identity. It should be the first choice when choosing a graphic element to represent our brand. 

The logo consists of a monogram and a wordmark — both carefully designed and constructed to achieve visual harmony.

The logo, with both its elements, should always be applied consistently. It may never be altered, modified, or redrawn.

Consistent use of the logo creates brand strength and immediate recognition of who we are and what we stand for.

2.2

The Wordmark

The logo’s wordmark is always used with the monogram.

The only exception to this is our livery, which is the look of our aircraft.. See the images on page 72 and 73.     

2.3

The Monogram

Our monogram is a shorthand for the brand. It’s not allowed to use only the monogram instead of a full logo — especially in global marketing material.

There are some exceptions to this rule. Please collaborate with Icelandair’s marketing department for further information.

2.4

The Logo color

The Midnight blue logo is our primary logo color. The secondary option is the Snow white logo on a Midnight blue background.

Alternative option

If the brand’s Midnight blue is not an option (e.g. due to technical reasons, lack of contrast, or it competes with other visual elements) the black logo should be used.

2.5

The Monogram color

The Midnight blue monogram is our primary logo color. The secondary option is the Snow white monogram on a Midnight blue background.

Alternative option

If the brand’s Midnight blue is not an option (e.g. due to technical reasons, lack of contrast, or it competes with other visual elements) the black logo should be used.

2.6

Social media monogram

We do sometimes use a white monogram on a Midnight blue background, but this is a rare exception and often tied to a special occasion such as a jubilee.

We use the background color to highlight the special occasion instead of coloring the monogram. For example, when we celebrate Pride we use rainbow colors as a background together with a white monogram.

Please contact the marketing department for more information and approval.

2.7

The Symbol

The Icelandair symbol is only used on the cabin crew’s uniforms and accessories.

2.8

The Exclusion zone

The exclusion zone ensures the legibility and impact of the logo. It provides the minimum safe distance from competing visual elements such as text and supporting graphics, giving the logo visual room to breathe.

Logo exclusion zone

Half the height of the logo.

Monogram exclusion zone

Half the height of the monogram.

2.9

Logo sizes

To ensure that the impact and the legibility of the logo and monogram are not compromised, we have a minimum size for small-scale application. 

The mininum size for digital mediums

30px height.

The minimum size for printed mediums

10mm height.

1.10

Logo placement

The logo can only be placed in two locations regardless of the size or dimensions of the medium in use. This keeps the logo placement simple and consistent while allowing enough flexibility to accommodate our dynamic graphic system. 

Please keep the logo exclusion zone in mind when placing the logo in the corner. 

01. Top right corner 

All mediums, digital and print.

02. Centered 

Endslates in TV ads and social media ads.

2.11

Sub brands

We have defined the colors for each sub-brand for differentiation. 

Icelandair Group 

Midnight blue.

Icelandair Cargo 

Crisp blue.

Icelandair VITA 

Volcanic Green.

2.12

Logo misuse

It’s important that the appearance of the logo remains consistent. That’s why no attempt should be made to alter the logo. It should not be mis-interpreted, modified, or added to. Its orientation, color, and composition should remain as indicated in this document — with no exceptions. 

To illustrate this point, some of the most likely examples of misuse are shown on this page.   

Please do not ...

Colors

3.1

Inspiration

The sky is our home. That’s true for all airlines, but for us, our sky is also home to the dancing curtains of the northern lights. 

Drawing inspiration from these illuminating chemical reactions, we’ve developed a color palette that evokes these mysterious lights but also rings true for our culture and our spirit. The colors have counterparts in nature that are much closer to us than the aurora.

Our brand colors have been carefully selected to convey the perfect tone for us. All our brand colors, primary and secondary, are inspired by Icelandic nature and the country’s unique spirit.

To help achieve greater brand recognition, it’s important that our color palette is applied consistently. Strive to keep our signature color at the highest value.

Midnight blue

Blue is a rich color in our environment: from the sea to the summer sky and velvety winter midnight. It’s the color of waterfalls, glaciers, and even corrugated iron houses. It also represents trust and discipline.

Snow white

White is the color of snowpack ice, blizzards, or calming snowfall. It also represents simplicity — when life is about getting from one day to the next, simplicity and transparency are important. White is also a blank canvas for new ideas.

Basalt grey

Grey is our alternative home base for text when Midnight blue or Snow white are not an option. It’s solid and legible for both digital and printed mediums.

Fiery magenta

Magenta is the freedom to express; the moment of a spectacular new dawn. Magenta illustrates creative power and is our way to grab attention and provoke a response. 

Crisp blue

Crisp blue is the freedom to be and cyan is the crisp color of a clear sky in summer. It’s about that freedom we feel when nothing, not even the weather, stands in our way. It’s a joyful color that we use to excite travelers and pique their curiosity. 

Boreal blue

Dancing skies have been with Icelanders since the Settlement. Once perceived as supernatural, the lights are a mainstay of our culture. They provide contrast to the gloomy winters and are elusive enough to always be special. 

Volcanic green

The juxtaposition of the words “volcanic” and “green” almost mirrors the Icelandic psyche: against the odds, we’re here, not because of nature, but despite it. This green hue you sometimes see in silt-filled mountain lakes (like Víti) or algae-rich subterranean seawater (like the Blue Lagoon) is always unexpected and always rewarding to see. 

Golden yellow

Golden yellow is the energy that comes with spring and early summer combined in one burst of happiness. It‘s also the color of the midnight sun and the golden hour. 

Arctic lilac

The resilience of the alpine fireweed inspired this Arctic lilac color. It signifes persevering through adversity until you find the place you‘re meant to be at.

3.2

Primary color palette

Our primary color palette consists of three colors: Midnight blue, Snow white, and Basalt grey — with Midnight blue being our signature brand color. 

3.3

Secondary color palette

Our primary color palette is accompanied by a set of vibrant colors — adding contrast and energy to our brand. 

The secondary color palette is designed to be fresh, modern, and distinctive — offering a variety of color combinations and flexibility for all mediums.

It’s important that our colors are as distinctive as the rest of our brand. It’s important that these colors remain secondary to our signature color, our single ownable brand color.

3.4

Color combinations

Different combinations of color can dramatically change the tone and appearance when applied. Therefore it is important to consider how they work together.

Here are examples of how we use different color combinations when building creatives. 

Note 

Always lead with the signature color (Midnight Blue) and use other colors for accent. Doing this will assist in turning the volume up or down on our brand output.

3.4

Color misuse

It’s important that the application of the color palette remains consistent. That’s why no attempt should be made to modify or alter the palette. Its origin and combination should remain as indicated in this document — with no exceptions. 

To illustrate this point, some of the most likely examples of misuse are shown on this page. 

Note 

Please never combine Arctic lilac on Midnight blue, or Midnight blue on Arctic lilac, in any way or in any output.

Please do not ...

Typography

4.1

Primary typeface

Icelandair Loft

Our primary typeface is Icelandair Loft. It’s custom- made by Icelandic type designers and inspired by Icelandic nature. The typeface is simple, clean, and legible. It compliments our brand and works across digital platforms and print materials. 

As a sans-serif, it is bold and modern, classic, and friendly. 

Icelandair Loft should be used everywhere possible. 

4.2

Alternative typefaces

Arial is the alternative typeface. 

Arial is the alternative typeface. It’s only used to ensure compatability when communicating with third parties through Google Docs, MS PowerPoint, Word, Outlook, or other services that do not have the Icelandair Loft typeface. Using Arial in these instances ensures that documents are seen as intended.

Arial is not to be used on professionally designed materials.

4.3

Typeface weights

Icelandair Loft has eight weights and an oblique option. 

It’s a versatile family offering various solutions, from book design to poster design, from brand signage systems to digital usage. 

4.4

Layout example

This is an example of the Icelandair Loft in layout. 

For ads, banners with messaging, and other applications where short-form copy is being used, follow the guidelines here to create a hierarchy for how information is displayed. 

Good typography is extremely important in both internal and external communications. It adds clarity to messaging and instills confidence in audiences.

4.5

Bilingual layout

We’ve created a hierarchy of typography for bilingual layouts.

4.6

Bilingual info layout 

When we use our informational layout there’s a different hierarchy. Please use proper paragraph spacing between languages.

Examples of the informational layout can be found in the Applications chapter.

4.7

Type misuse

It’s important that typography application remain consistent. That’s why no attempt should be made to modify or alter the typography from what is indicated in this document — with no exceptions. 

To illustrate this point, some of the most likely examples of misuse are shown on this page. 

Please do not ...

Brand stripes

5.1

The brand stripes

The brand’s stripes derive from our cabin and flight crew uniforms.

The stripes serve as a fifth element for the brand. We use them for our headlines and calls to action.

Using two stripes for text is optimal but three can be used for longer copy.

5.2

Tag colors

We’ve defined the colors for each sub-brand for differentiation. The tags on the stripes should represent them.

Icelandair

Fiery Magenta

Icelandair Cargo

Crisp Blue

Icelandair VITA

Volcanic Green

5.3

Stripes misuse

It’s important that the application of the stripes remains consistent. 

That’s why no attempt should be made to modify or alter their layout. Layouts and combinations should remain as indicated in this document — with no exceptions. 

To illustrate this point, some of the most likely mistakes are shown on this page. 

Please do not use the secondary color palette for the stripes.

Please do not ...

Grid system

6.1

Digital grid system

Light countour

The light contour is an alternative layout dedicated to web and digital mediums. The size of the contour varies depending on the size of the medium.

Note

Never place the stripes in the safe space area. 

The safe space is dedicated to imagery.

Light contour with additional text

This is an example for when we need to include additional copy. 

We use the bottom of the layout for any additional information.

Note

Never place the stripes in the safe space area. 

The safe space is dedicated to imagery.

6.2

Print grid system

We use the regular contour for all print layouts.

The only exceptions are for small print layouts where space is limited — then we can use light contour.

Light contour with full bleed image

This is an example for when we need to include....

Note

Never place the stripes in the safe space area. 

The safe space is dedicated to imagery.

6.3

Co-branding

layouts

When collaborating with other brands we follow this layout at all times. Place the partner logo in the lower left corner of the layout. 

Please note that this is first and foremost an Icelandair advertisement.

If additional copy is needed, we place it in the footer of the creative.

6.4

QR codes

QR codes are great when we need to tell the customer more than the assets can hold. We can track data through the codes. Please use the QR Code Generator system to generate the code if the purpose is to track.

Using a QR code that includes our monogram is possible but not mandatory.

Note 

Some Wi-Fi services prevent third-party forwarding of QR codes, f.x. certain airports. Don’t use QR codes, for example at certain airports.

6.5 

Special offers layouts

For special offer promotions we reverse the colors. 

The contour becomes blue, which creates white space for the copy. We use the light contour grid for digital mediums. 

Note

This layout is solely used for special offers and should never be used for other marketing material.

6.6

Video – end slate

We are proud of our logo, but we don’t want it to be too big.

This is the perfect size.

At 1920x1080 1x equals 80 px

Video – end slate with sponsor message.

At 1920x1080 1x equals 80 px

Typography: Icelandair Loft Regular

Size: 50 px

Color: #001b71

6.7

Video – watermark

Always place the watermark in the upper right corner.

At 1920x1080 1x equals 80 px

Color: #ffffff

Opacity: 30% 

6.8

Video – lower thirds

The typography has to be clear and visible, creating image contrast. 

Text can be placed either left or right, depending on the imagery.

Be careful using our color palette. 

Some colors don’t contrast well with images.

Settings for 1920x1080 px size

First line, typography: Icelandair Loft Bold 

Size: 60 px

Color: #ffffff

Second line, typography: Icelandair Loft Regular 

Size: 45 px

Color: #ffffff

Drop shadow: 60% opacity, 180° direction, 2.0 distance, 

4.0 softness

6.9

Video – subtitles

This is how we add subtitles to our content across all platforms when needed.

At 1920x1080 1x equals 80 px

Typography: Icelandair Loft Regular

Size: 52pt

Color: #ffffff

Drop shadow, Premiere Pro settings: 100% opacity, 135° angle,

3.0 distance, 6.0 size, 12 blur 

Video – with call to action

At 1920x1080 1x equals 80 px

Typography: Icelandair Loft Regular

Size: 52pt

Color: #ffffff

Imagery

7.1

The airport

When posting photos from the airport, make sure they depict happy travelers, in various scenarios. 

We use these images mainly for our website to give visual support in sections about our services, and to help communicate a tone that matches our content.

7.2

Service

The service imagery consists of happy travelers and staff. 

It demonstrates exceptional service and comfort.

7.3

Saga Lounge

We want to demonstrate a calm, relaxed feeling before the flight. 

We like to highlight benefits such as refreshments, tranquility, and places to charge your devices before the flight.

7.4

On board

These images are mostly used online, and in some instances in advertising, when highlighting certain services.

7.5

Uniform

These images are used first and foremost for job advertisements. 

In this studio world our color palette is used in a playful way, creating contrast to other material.

7.6

Livery in air

We have an extensive library of our livery in various 

scenarios with different colors on the tail.

Our minimalistic livery contrasts well with the colorful landscapes of Iceland.

7.7

Livery

This is an alternative option when other backgrounds such as landscapes don’t need to be shown — and when portraying our livery in an outstanding way.

7.8

Illustrations

Sometimes illustrations depict the message better than photographs, and create a neutral scenario.

7.9

Illustrations

Destination illustrations have been updated to maintain consistency for the app and online mediums.

7.10

Icons

Our set of icons is extensive, simple and legible.

7.11

Route Map

This route map is used when the flight paths need to be geographically accurate. Detailed versions are available for domestic and international flights. 

Note

There are two versions available, dark and light, with and without destination names.

7.12

Route Map

This simplified version often works better for advertisements and promotional materials. The globe outlines are optional. 

This can be used to highlight destinations or support Stopover material.

Applications

8.1

Online and Social Media

We use motion graphics for our creatives, as much as possible, for these platforms: Web banners, Google ads, Instagram, Facebook and Meta Stories.

8.2

Out of home

Optimal out-of-home messages should be clear and simple. We try to use five words, eight at most, where space allows.

There are some printed mediums where we can’t use our white contour. We still use our grids but the imagery is full bleed.

8.3

Print

We’re consistent whether it’s a full spread or a small flyer. 

8.4

Informative

When we talk directly to passengers on location, we need to have a clear visual language and simple copy.

We have defined this alternative use for the stripes where we only use the tag end. The text needs to be bigger in these platforms and sometimes the creatives can be text-heavy.

Descriptive illustrations are used for decorations, and to support the message clearly.

8.5

On Board

The experience on board should be aligned with the rest of the brand.

8.6

Saga Premium

Saga Premium has its own look and feel. Aurora blue is used for accents in our creatives and to differentiate from other brand material.

We use more refined layout with photography that depicts comfort and premium service.

Note 

The stripes are never used for text.

8.7

Corporate

Our corporate material is different to advertising material. We don’t use the stripes with text.

Wayfinding

9.1

Airport signage

We have designed a wayfinding system that is highly adaptable to any size. It follows the principles of wayfinding systems and helps our passengers navigate where they need to go.

Note

These signs are only intended for passenger spaces, not offices or other spaces.

9.2

Office wayfinding

This wayfinding system is intended for inhouse use only, including offices, training facilities, etc.

Text area is 190cm from the ground. In this example the arrow is aligned with the top edge of the door.

Icelandic: 

Icelandair Loft Regular

English: 

Icelandair Loft Oblique

9.3

Conference rooms

— signage

For discretion we use frosted film on glass. 

The top edge of the film should be 200cm from the ground but the total height is only 130cm.

When the windows don’t reach the standard height, we allow the film to reach all the way to the top of the window but make sure that it doesn’t go further down than 70cm from the floor.

Typeface for room names: 

Icelandair Loft Semibold

Our Brand Video

© Icelandair

Design by Hvíta húsið