U. S. AIR FORCE: "No one else comes close"

A use of identity, by a leader

New: Air Force insignia

Launched: January 20, 2000

Story in brief:
One does not lightly meddle with emblems carried into battle. In the Fall of 1998, General Mike Ryan compared his institution's "instant brand recognition" unfavorably to that of the Marine Corps and commanded a review. Siegelgale's stress on analysis of the Force's common mission and core values helped them win the assignment.

An amazing finding: "We don't have an official symbol, and never had one." The 'Hap Arnold' wings and star had never been formalized; little surprise, then, that unit identities (like Strategic Air Command) took on greater importance, at the cost of the masterbrand.

Two big changes. First, the designers "morphed" the Hap Arnold wings and star into an angular, stealth-like emblem with a sharper, faster 21st century personality... both an eagle in flight, and a medal of valor. Second, its far more extensive application was planned (to aircraft as well as units and uniforms) in order to seat the common Air Force mission and identity; the goal, to replace "I'm an airlifter" or "tanker pilot" with "I'm an Airman."

The consultants also provided a new, more combative themeline, replacing "Aim high" with "No one comes close."

Credits:
C.E.O. - Gen. Mike Ryan, Chief of Staff; Gen. Ronald Rand, Public Affairs
Identity planning and design - Siegelgale

First Impressions:
Mission accomplished. The new mark rates much higher on the fear-and-respect scale ("Our friends respect us, our enemies fear us"); surprisingly, the Hap Arnold wings soon look ...weightless.

Link to... Air Force Graphic Standards site