back to article Qantas spunks AU$100m on 'pterodactyl'

Designers have reacted with somewhat less than enthusiasm to Qantas's revamped logo - rolled out this week with the usual fanfare of trumpets. Qantas's logos through the ages The new-look roo, the fifth incarnation of the original 1944 marsupial, is an adaptation of the 1984 design which saw Skippy's wings clipped but …

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  1. Ash

    "Most recognised symbols"

    "The Qantas logo is one of the most recognised symbols of Australia in the world"

    Hats with corks from the brim, Castlemain XXXX, the phrase "What a beauty!", and sticks on the end of string you whirl around to "make a telephone call" surely!

    I only see 4 different logos in that picture. Someone's been had.

  2. Chad H.

    Um

    Is it just me, or do they both look exactly the same?

  3. dodge

    Stylearoo

    I rather like the new logo. It's elegant, it's got a nice flowing line, the font has a nice balance. It's contemporary, it's a little bit zany with the curls (serifaroos?).

    The old one with the wings just looked kooky. What, it's a roo-angel? The bewinged spirit of a kangaroo hit by a road train? Or did one of the plates just slip badly in final repro?

    The previous logo is nice enough, but the roo looks like he's just clubbed his head against the right hand margin.

    Now, can they stop mucking with their logo, and do something about their shite baggage policies and high prices?

  4. ian

    The most important question

    What we need to know is why the kangaroo started hopping in a different direction in 1968. Can you find out, Lester?

  5. Steve ten Have

    At least it's not...

    It'll do - people just like to whinge about change... change is good mmmmkay.

    Having said that, looking like an extinct flying lizard is better than a family cartoon character giving oral pleasure - London Olympic Logo.

    I agree with Dodge, airlines need to stop worrying about jamming more people on the plane and more about the customer again. On a recent First Choice package flight I discovered that the seats on the plane were so close together that getting the life jacket out from underneath was impossible. I feel so much safer.

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Munted

    I learnt a new antipodean slang word the other day (thanks to the Reg), so here's my chance to use it:

    "It looks like their logo has been munted."

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Hmm...

    I think it looks fairly nice. OK, it's got a bit of a freaky feel to it, but you can't make a swoopy kangaroo without getting some of that. If you insist on being an Aussie company using a kangaroo as its logo ("Look! We're *AUSTRALIAN*! See? The Kangaroo? AU-STRAL-IAN!") then this is as good a way to go as any.

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I don't see what the fuss is about...

    ... I like the logo. It definitely is more flowing - Fewer angular lines, more curves and the problem is exactly... what?

    A lot of hullaballoo about nothing.

  9. Mark

    Could be worse

    They could've used the designers of the London 2012 Olympics logo!

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Ouch!

    At current exchange rates

    100,000,000 = approx 43,000,000 GBP

    London Olympic Logo = 400,000 GBP

    Although the Australian logo comes out slightly less spastic.. I realised I'm in the wrong profession..

    re-branding here I come!

    I'll get my hat.

  11. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    It could be better, it could be worse

    As an Australian, I suppose I have more of an attachment to this.

    I do like the logo design, but the font immediately caught my attention as being pretty wrong. As a designer myself, I would've never picked that typeface. It looks like a bad version of someones hand writing to me. But personal taste and what not.

    I don't mind so much that they've modified it, but it does pose the risk of leaving itself open to confusion as to what it might be to those unaware of what the logo previously was, and recognition through icons is a big part of branding/image of a product.

  12. DV Henkel-Wallace

    it's great!

    OK, I'll miss the 'roo I grew up with (oi, oi, oi!). But who wouldn't want to fly with a pterodactyl? Take that you wimpy Lufthansa eagle!

    WE WILL RULE THE SKY!

  13. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Tie me kangaroo down sport

    Does anyone really pay any attention to "logos" any more, other than designers who wish they could get paid serious wonga for performing minor tweaks to existing "icons"? Anyway, why can't Qantas just put a F&%$ing great "Q" on the tail plane in Trebuchet? How many airlines in the universe begin with Q for F%$£'s sake!!?

  14. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Exaggerating just a bit

    Hey, Lester, you've implied the design cost is AU$100 million and the design company copped the lot. I seriously doubt that; I'll bet that's the cost of the design (probably less than AU$400 thousand), AND the cost of rebadging the entire fleet of aircraft (aircraft paint ain't exactly cheap), AND all the company's signage at all airports they service (gotta be a couple hundred of those), AND all the company stationary/websites/brochures....etc. and so forth.

    I like the design, I think the font's OK (remember, it wasn't 'chosen', but designed especially), so I'm OK with the changes. Besides, I'd rather "fly the roo" than "fly the Q". :)

  15. wim

    RE Tie me kangaroo down sport

    Wasn't Q the enemy of the Enterprise in Star Trek ?

    Q was also a James Bond Icon famous for things that James can blow up.

    Maybe not the best letter to use on your plane ?

    I'll be out for a bit of fresh air now.

  16. Lee Humphries

    Should go down well in the outback

    The new one looks like the roo's body has vanished, replaced by a giant tail - which they don't have anymore thanks to Airbus.

    All my aboriginal mates reckon the best part of a roo is the tail. So they'll probably be wondering where in Aus you can get one of these - maybe Longreach?

    When did they do the first change? Was that after their first and only fatal air accident back in the 50s?

  17. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    "Munted"

    Antipodean yes, Australian NO.

    Munt, munted, munting = 100% New Zealand sayings.

    A universal antipodean saying would be "Buggered"

    As in: "Gee, they buggered that up didn't they"

  18. the Jim bloke

    as an Australian

    its a seriously deformed roo.

    looks like its had a head-on with a roadtrain, shoving all its body into the tail.

    What it brings to mind is the phrase "All arse - no brain", which may or may not be appropriate to Qantas, and several other organisations.

  19. Martin

    Dress to left or right?

    I would imagine the logo changed direction so it faces in the direction of travel.

    This apprently gives a more progressive forward looking dynamism to a logo and its perception!

    ....it must be true, a man in the pub* once told me how he had secured a post at acompnay by recommending they change the direction of the arrow in their logo based on this very principle!

    Did any one complain when they added or removed the wings? - how much 4X or fosters do you need to have drunk to see flying Kangaroos?

    (* - ok it was a health food shop, but then the cultural reference doesnt work!)

  20. david Silver badge

    hated the 1984 logo

    And this one has front legs again, which works for me.

    The 1984 logo was a fine example of logo designers so far up themselves that they couldn't see the sunshine. And from their comments, they stayed there.

    (melbourne, australia)

  21. Chris Fryer

    How many airlines in the universe begin with Q for F%$£'s sake!!?

    Seven. Qantas, Qatar Airways, Qeshm Air, Qiantang Air, Quadrotour-Aero, Queensland Regional Airlines and Quick Airways Holland.

    Qantas is a good acronym to know for pub quizzes. You'd be surprised how many people get it wrong.

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