Air New Zealand is one of aviation’s most respected names, particularly in the Asia Pacific. From its distinctive ‘koru’ symbol to its silver fern, which adorns the tails of its 114-strong aircraft fleet, the Air New Zealand brand has been carefully managed since it was created in 1973.

An evolution of the brand in the 2010s required a strategic rollout across all domestic and international terminals and offices. Air New Zealand had never undertaken a rebrand of this scale, which is why it sought the guidance of Diadem as its project partner.

Around half of the sites to be rebranded were in New Zealand and half overseas, with many locations not using English as a first language. Diadem sourced the best possible contractors and supply chains to deliver on the strict safety, security and compliance checks airports demand.

The majority of signage was manufactured in New Zealand before being shipped to relevant destinations. For installation, Diadem used trusted local services or teams nominated by individual airports.

Diadem attended works in each airport, both airside and around terminals, to ensure that both brand integrity and airport regulations were upheld.

The Diadem team brought with it a deep understanding of the risks and compliance issues associated with the high-traffic, 24/7 airport environments.

Effective communication and collaboration were critical to the success of the rollout. Diadem developed a reporting system that required Air New Zealand regional management to supply visuals including photos, diagrams and dimensions, to minimise any information lost in translation.

Diadem was engaged to rebrand Air New Zealand at 70 international ports and facilities. This began with a feasibility study and audit to verify the asset register and determine the cost of change.

Diadem applied the latest brand to four flagship airports and the corporate HQ in Auckland with a new signage suite. This project scope involved auditing all sites across Europe, Asia, North America, Australia and the Pacific Islands, developing scope of works and site documentation, tender management and procurement, and implementation management of the new branded elements.

Working with Air New Zealand, Designworks developed the new identity in collaboration with world-renowned Kiwi typeface designer Kris Sowersby to capture a sense of momentum. The iconic ‘Koru’ symbol remained, set in the national colour of black, while the overall new brand promised to ‘liberate travellers from the ordinary’.

Diadem was able to go beyond merely determining the cost of change to understand the rebrand’s nuances and integrity.

The new brand has been applied to all assets in New Zealand and abroad, including the corporate headquarters signage, local airports and international ports. Working with key brand inputs and unique design elements such as the bespoke font was an opportunity to stretch the application of the brand.

The result has given Air New Zealand a refreshing suite of branded environments from airport check-ins, lounges and gates to retail shopfronts and offices.