Sketchy Flying

(Est. 1980) "Spirit Airlines is committed to offering the lowest total price to the places we fly, on average much lower than other airlines. Our customers start with an unbundled, stripped-down Bare Fare™ and get Frill Control™ which allows them to pay only for the options they choose &madash; like bags, seat assignments and refreshments &madash; the things other airlines bake right into their ticket prices. Spirit's total price, including options, is nearly 40% lower than other airlines on average.** We help people save money and travel more often, create new jobs and stimulate business growth in the communities we serve. With our modern and fuel-efficient all-Airbus fleet we operate more than 280 daily flights to 56 destinations in the U.S., Latin America and the Caribbean."

Design by: Barkley (Agency of Record; Kansas City, MO)

Opinion/Notes: Spirit Airlines is so budget it's only using the sketch of a logo instead of paying for the refinement and execution. Sarcasm aside, it's not the worst of ideas for a low-budget airline. You can easily tell you are not going to get Delta-United-American Airlines treatment — which is shitty enough on its own — so it sets the expectations straight from the evening while also communicating a fun and loose vibe. The con is that, well, look at it. And it doesn't instill much confidence much like the handwriting of Se7en's John Doe wouldn't instill much confidence in hiring him as a babysitter. The livery is kind of fun if you can get over the fact that it looks like a taxi.

Related Links: Spirit press release
AdWeek story
2007 Brand New review of previous identity change

Select Quote: The new livery also matches Spirit Airlines low-cost business philosophy. The simple, two-color design is much more cost-effective than more complex, multi-colored designs. Additionally, since Spirit does not spend money on expensive advertising campaigns, the bold and bright design acts as a flying billboard and captures a lot of attention with no additional cost. These savings are passed on to customers with even lower fares.