Project Type: Conceptual Brand System / Brand Identity
Context: Apprenticeship Brand Exercise
Scope: Brand strategy, visual identity, system applications
The project involved designing a complete brand identity system from the ground up for a regional airline, balancing aviation clarity, Colorado-based regional identity, and alignment with its parent company while ensuring the system could scale across real airline use cases.
The Challenge
Denver Air Connection required a complete brand identity system that could:
- Establish a clear, competitive airline presence
- Reflect the company’s Colorado roots without leaning on clichés
- Function across aviation, digital, and environmental applications
- Maintain a visible relationship to its parent company, Key Lime Air, without being visually dependent on it
Strategic Design Approach
The new identity was built from the ground up with a focus on clarity, motion, and regional relevance.
Core principles:
- Aviation-first design: legible, confident, and operationally practical
- Regional grounding: a palette inspired by Colorado’s state colors and landscape
- Brand architecture: retaining typographic continuity with Key Lime Air to signal lineage and trust
Visual Identity System
Core Identity
- New logo and identity system designed specifically for Denver Air Connection
- Color palette derived from Colorado’s visual identity, signaling place without novelty
- Structured layout and hierarchy suitable for aviation contexts
Applications
The identity system was designed to scale across:
- Aircraft livery
- Airport and environmental signage
- Digital platforms and marketing materials
- Passenger-facing touchpoints
Outcome
The conceptual brand positioned Denver Air Connection as:
- A modern, confident regional airline
- A brand capable of competing visually with larger carriers
- An identity that respected its parent company while standing on its own
