Air Tahiti Nui

An airline is seen as the ambassador of a nation in the skies. It’s a golden opportunity to communicate everything that a country stands for – from its unique brand of hospitality to traditional art and creative expression. Airline brands are also often the first experience of the journey. For tropical destinations, these experiences are becoming increasingly homogenous, meaning that regional islands in the Pacific risk not fulfilling their potential as drivers of choice and tourism. With Air Tahiti Nui, we had the opportunity to open a window into the heart of all French Polynesians, communicating the warmth and depth of culture and storytelling passed on from generation to generation.

Air Tahiti Nui’s role as an airline far exceeded that of flying planes, or even, flying people. It was clear that it was already an engine of growth and prosperity for the region itself as well as one of the most potent symbols of the people’s spirit. Consequently, the strategy wasn’t about reinventing the wheel, but rather evolving, adding depth and providing a focus for the brand to better channel that spirit and communicate the best of what the Islands of Tahiti have to offer.

If there is anything unique about the people of French Polynesia, it is a genuine strength of heart. Warmth flows into everything they do, and so too the brand’s purpose became that of creating exceptional and heartfelt experiences to help build a positive and sustainable future for the Islands of Tahiti. The brand experience had to be vivid, sensorial and immersive, and ultimately had to channel the brand idea ‘Nui’– meaning an intense and vivid connection to a culture and its people.

Because the strategy revolved around a central aspect of French Polynesian culture, the identity similarly focused on leveraging the full significance of the Tiare. We needed to bring the Tiare to the fore, staying as true as possible to its pure form – a white flower with seven petals, full in its curves, beautiful in its imperfections, organic in its rendering. The focus was to have it experienced as naturally as as you would as a flower in the Islands of Tahiti – unique and proud. To do this, we worked with the local artist, Alexander Lee, to ensure that the mark was in keeping with the French Polynesian people and their traditions. All designs were also created in collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders to ensure that cultural authenticity was at the focus of all design.

This is a momentous time for Air Tahiti Nui and its people. On the dawn of welcoming a brand new fleet, world-class CRM and operating systems, and internal energy and optimism that knows no bounds – Air Tahiti Nui is on an epic journey of modernisation that will safeguard the future of the airline and its impact on tourism in the Islands of Tahiti.