JAL to revive former crane logo

[S V Choong 4]

This sounds like music to my ears! It will be even better if they bring back the Chinese characters too

 

日本航空

 

JAL to bring back classic crane logo

The Yomiuri Shimbun

 

Japan Airlines, which aims to complete corporate rehabilitation procedures by the end of March, has decided to revive its former crane logo to signal a fresh start, it has been learned.

 

The logo depicting a Japanese red-crowned crane in red and white with its wings forming a circular shape will be slightly updated for its reintroduction, with the "JAL" text element to be rendered in a new typeface, according to the airline.

 

JAL first used the logo in 1954, the year after it began flying on international routes, to add a Japanese touch to marketing materials. The company registered the logo as a trademark in 1959 and officially adopted it as the company emblem, branding JAL aircraft with the crane. It has been out of use since May 2008.

 

(Jan. 18, 2011)

 

English version:

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/business/T110117003780.htm

Edited January 18, 2011 by S V Choong

[dean hizudy 0]

owh! this crane symbol is known as 'tsuru'

[Denny Yen 0]

Jap news indicate the new mark is from April onwards.

[S V Choong 4]

owh! this crane symbol is known as 'tsuru'

Yes correct, it is known as TSURU or つる in Japanese. CRANE in English

 

Common to Chinese, Korean and Japanese languages the Chinese character for Tsuru is 鶴

Edited January 19, 2011 by S V Choong

[Josh T 0]

I really liked the crane on the old JAL logo. I really don't like the 1/4 sun. It is too simplistic but I suppose it's still nicer than ANA's..

[Isaac 0]

The old logo is definitely way classier ! Hope they won't redesign the name logo though.

[dean hizudy 0]

How about other JAL's subsidiaries such as JEX,JTA,etc... They will get the new livery too?

[Y. J. Foo 0]

And this is how the crane livery could look like...

 

Link

 

 

[S V Choong 4]

It is way too plain! Might as well bring back the black and red cheat lines!

[dean hizudy 0]

or might be they should paint the tail of the aircraft with some colors as well instead of just white

[BC Tam 2]

It is way too plain! Might as well bring back the black and red cheat lines!

The big expanses of white probably there for a reason - potential revenue via logojet adverts

Goodness knows JL can do with an extra few bobs nowadays

[Izanee 0]

love it!! used to watch the old DC-10s fly over my house to land in subang!! NRT-KUL-CGK

[Pieter C. 5]

It is way too plain! Might as well bring back the black and red cheat lines!

 

Exactly my thoughts !!!

 

Thought the 1970's colours were JAL's best ever...

[KC Sim 2]

Yeah!!! Long Live the tsuru!!! This certainly is the JAL news that I have hoped for years to hear of ...

 

When JAL ditched the crane and went for that "lighted cigarette" on the forward fuselage, I frankly could not understand how they could have justified that. The perhaps they got burnt by the cigarette and decided they need something cooling and went for the current "watermelon" colour scheme. And perhaps it was too cooling and the airline's financial performance got a chill.

 

Now it is as timely as ever to return to the tsuru - to signal a re-appreciation of its roots and origin. Perhaps JAL will re-connect with its Japanese customers ... and I too hope that the application of the tsuru on the aircraft will be artistically rendered. Japanese art must surely provide them with tonnes of inspiration. I cannot wait to see the results.

 

Note that the "lighted cigarette" and "watermelon" are names I called them ... these are not their official names. Both were supposedly different interpretations of the Japanese sun but both failed miserably.

 

And yes, please also bring back the name of JAL written in chinese characters. It is a brave move to bring back the tsuru - for sure it will beg the question whether the original change was appropriate.

 

KC Sim

[Denny Yen 0]

Japanese belief that tsuru birds symbolise gracefullness, hope. Not many people know this...but tsuru cranes have 3 colors, red/black/golden brown on head and generally white body with some black at wing tips. New design should feature a combination of these colors.

 

Nice design from

http://aero-design.blogspot.com/2008/12/jal-japan-airlines-b777-200.html

Edited January 21, 2011 by Denny Yen

[S V Choong 4]

Japanese belief that tsuru birds symbolise gracefullness, hope. Not many people know this...but tsuru cranes have 3 colors, red/black/golden brown on head and generally white body with some black at wing tips. New design should feature a combination of these colors.

 

The so-called Japanese crane.... may not be true Japanese after all as with most of the things in Japan - it has Chinese roots (some through Korea with Korean influence).

 

The Japanese crane (Grus Japonesis) is known as "Dan-ding" in Chinese or "Tancho" in Japanese. It refers to the same Chinese character 丹頂, meaning "red crown". These birds are found all around Japan, China, Taiwan, Mongolia Korean peninsular and Russia's Far-East (Siberia). The belief that crane will bring longevity and good luck is also of Chinese origin. Can't see the relevance of it to Japan as it can be claimed by surrounding Oriental countries as well.

 

Don't be surprised if you see ancient Chinese and Korean paintings featuring the same cranes.

 

English:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-crowned_Crane

 

Chinese:

http://zh.wikipedia.org/zh/%E4%B8%B9%E9%A1%B6%E9%B9%A4

[Denny Yen 0]

One wonders why JAL wants to re-design its logo and spend money on those campaigns, when it is facing much more serious troubles. Since end 2008/09 JAL has laid-off thousands of employees in japan and overseas (including F/As, ground staff, admin) and re-classifed some of employees as part-timers (less benefits) to reduce its financial burden.

 

And this trend is still continuing as japanese economy slowdown is not recovering as fast as its neighbors since 2008 financial crisis.

Edited January 21, 2011 by Denny Yen

[Isaac 0]

One wonders why JAL wants to re-design its logo and spend money on those campaigns, when it is facing much more serious troubles. Since end 2008/09 JAL has laid-off thousands of employees in japan and overseas (including F/As, ground staff, admin) and re-classifed some of employees as part-timers (less benefits) to reduce its financial burden.

 

And this trend is still continuing as japanese economy slowdown is not recovering as fast as its neighbors since 2008 financial crisis.

They might be superstitious ... May be they felt things were so good then and the feng shui master advised them to bring back the crane logo It's like HSBC you know. They spent millions on feng shui alone every year and there is a special budget just for this.

[BC Tam 2]

It's like HSBC you know. They spent millions on feng shui alone every year and there is a special budget just for this.

Those millions spent annually probably considered loose change compared to revenue that could be realized from that empty void at G/F level of their ex-hq at Central, HK

But the 'master' advised otherwise, also the seemingly haphazard angles those escalators leading up to the main banking hall were installed

Whoops, OT !

[S V Choong 4]

One wonders why JAL wants to re-design its logo and spend money on those campaigns, when it is facing much more serious troubles. Since end 2008/09 JAL has laid-off thousands of employees in japan and overseas (including F/As, ground staff, admin) and re-classifed some of employees as part-timers (less benefits) to reduce its financial burden.

 

And this trend is still continuing as japanese economy slowdown is not recovering as fast as its neighbors since 2008 financial crisis.

Exactly what I am wondering as well. Then again I agreed with Isaac, the (new) management might feel a connection about the old crane logo which has seen the exponential growth of Japan as a country and Japan Air Lines in the 70s and 80s. The current rising sun logo (some other nicknames include Samurai Sword, sliced up water-melon) may have jinxed the business and they have set aside the budget for the new rebranding exercise.

 

Let's hope the resurrection of the crane will indeed bringing longevity and gracefulness to the airline. I still prefer the current livery though, which was designed by Landor. Regarding Japanese Art - it is always about simplicity and minimalism, so therefore not surprised by the plainness of the new logo.

 

Those millions spent annually probably considered loose change compared to revenue that could be realized from that empty void at G/F level of their ex-hq at Central, HK

But the 'master' advised otherwise, also the seemingly haphazard angles those escalators leading up to the main banking hall were installed

Whoops, OT !

Well, the void at the HSBC headquarter in Central, HK is actually quite effective from an urban design perspective, it provides the connectivity between the front public plaza or square to the hilly footpath behind it. Sometimes giving little translates to more in return!

Edited January 21, 2011 by S V Choong

[Denny Yen 0]

With the state of JAL now...I think they need more than good fengshui to save itself. The new logo announcement came exactly on the 1st anniversary from the day it announced bankruptcy protective status.

 

 

 

Compared to ANA, why JAL failed so miserably...

Edited January 21, 2011 by Denny Yen

[S V Choong 4]

I thought I read earlier on the news that Northwest or some American airlines are planning to acquire shares of JAL? Did that transaction come through successfully?

 

The Chinese were looking to invest into JAL but the Japanese government are not keen enough for the Chinese to acquire shares on their national airline but instead prefer the assistance from the US?

[KC Sim 2]

JAL has confirmed that the first aircraft that will be painted in the new livery is a Boeing 767-300ER for international operations.

 

I gather that the tsuru that has been re-adopted will not fully resemble its previous logo dating back to August 1959. JAL described its new tsuru logo as " a soaring Japanese red-crown crane with its wings extended in full flight".

 

This is beginning to sound exciting already.

 

JAL and AA are destined to enter into some kind of joint venture and in readiness for that, AA has already ordered two B777-300ER that will be delivered at the end of 2012.

 

KC Sim

[Isaac 0]

I thought I read earlier on the news that Northwest or some American airlines are planning to acquire shares of JAL? Did that transaction come through successfully?

NW has merged into DL. It was AA that plan to acquire some shares from JL.

 

 

The Chinese were looking to invest into JAL but the Japanese government are not keen enough for the Chinese to acquire shares on their national airline but instead prefer the assistance from the US?

Given the history of these two countries, i can understand why the Japanese prefer helps from the US rather than the Chinese. I am sure the Chinese won't let any of the two Japanese carriers to become a major shareholder of any Chinese carriers either.

[Y. J. Foo 0]

And here's JL's 767 in new Crane Logo:

 

A.Net