How do you rebrand an airline when you can’t touch the existing logo or colour palette? That’s the brief the WeWantMore team were tasked with. Brussels Airlines had already rebranded in 2021 with a new logo and colour scheme, but it still felt distant and corporate, which was in contrast to the warm and welcoming experience aboard the aircraft.
It also didn’t feel distinctive in this crowded space where many airlines have a similar look and feel. It’s hard, in this space, to really “own” a colour, for example.
WeWantMore set out to change that, basing the new designs around the brand “essence” – “You’re in good company”, which was built out to the concept of “Small details. A world of difference.”
Like the recent Amazon rebrand and Adobe brand refresh, this is an update that really is in the details.
The existing logo consists of a series of red dots, and as WeWantMore couldn’t change this, the team chose instead to focus in on a single dot. The colour palette has been subtly tweaked, making it warmer and more refined and the photography style has been rethought, giving it a clean look with pops of signature red.
WeWantMore also introduced a custom typeface, Cirrus Sans, which is inspired by the golden era of aviation and classic travel posters.
In case it wasn’t clear, the idea of these small tweaks is that they reflect the “small details, a world of difference” the identity is based on.
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(Image credit: Brussels Airlines)
The new identity has been rolled out across various touchpoints, from campaigns to inflight communication, interiors onboard and business lounges, to the brand’s own TV programme.
This all adds to the overall feel that Brussels Airlines is like a boutique hotel in the sky, which, according to a press release, feels “refined, warm and unmistakably Belgian”. It certainly feels more consistent and a bit, well… smarter overall. Though I can’t speak as to whether it matches the customer experience as I’ve never flown with Brussels Airlines.
“The biggest challenge? We couldn’t change the logo or the colours,” reflects Sebastien Greffe, creative director of WeWantMore.
“But a brand is more than that. You don’t start with form – you start with an idea. You build a visual language, a system, a feeling. That’s exactly what we did: not designing a new outfit, but crafting a living identity that’s coherent, meaningful, and felt in every detail.”
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(Image credit: Brussels Airlines)
(Image credit: Brussels Airlines)
(Image credit: Brussels Airlines)
“This brand refresh isn’t just a cosmetic layer in advertising, but a truly premium identity that comes to life – from cabin to lounge,” says Michel Moriaux, head of product and brand marketing for Brussels Airlines.
“Thanks to WeWantMore, we finally have a brand that resonates down to the smallest details and perfectly reflects who we are: human, welcoming, and Belgian with a playful twist.”
I think it’s tricky to say how successful an airline’s rebrand is until it’s really bedded in and people get used to it, but it’ll be interesting to see whether the airline decides to stick with this new identity.
