Qantas Logo
Qantas Airways Limited, headquartered in Sydney, New South Wales, is the national airline of Australia. Originally established in Winton, Queensland as “Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services Limited” in November 1920, it is one of the oldest and most prestigious airlines in the world. Qantas has a fleet size of 147 and flies to 41 destinations worldwide.
With total assets of A$21.17 billion as of 2012, the company 34,000 employs people across the world.
DESIGN ELEMENTS, HISTORY AND EVOLUTION OF QANTAS LOGO
Shape, Colors and Font of the Qantas Logo
The Qantas logo comprises of the white kangaroo symbol on the unique red tails. It is widely considered to be one of the most memorable and instantly recognizable airline logos in history. The logo has undergone a few modifications throughout the years, made by different creative designers.
1944-1947
The original version of the Qantas logo was adapted from the Australian one penny coin. It has been modified four times since its inception in 1944. The winged kangaroo symbol was featured below the cockpit of the first Liberator aircraft of Qantas.
1947-1968
This version of the Qantas logo was created by Gert Sellheim, the celebrated German-Australian graphic artist and architect. It was introduced in January 1947 to commemorate the launching of Lockheed L749 Constellations. In this design, the kangaroo was portrayed to hold the globe with its feet.
1968-1984
The Qantas logo was modified once again in 1968. The kangaroo was kept inside a circle while the globe was completely discarded.
1984-2007
The company unveiled a modified logo in June 1984. This time it was designed by Tony Lunn, the design director of the Sydney-based Lunn Design Group. The wings of the flying kangaroo were removed and the emblem became more stylized, refined and delicate.
2007-CURRENT
The current version of the Qantas logo was created in 2007 by Hans Hulsbosch of Hulsbosch Communications. It consisted of a more contemporary and modernistic look, with significant alterations in the structure of the tail of the aircrafts which was pointed further upwards. The feet of the kangaroo, on the other hand, were made more prominent and they didn’t appear to touch the ground. More importantly, the Qantas wordmark was also modified to enhance legibility by making it more playful and chic.
