Lufthansa
German flag carrier and Europe's largest airline group, recognized for the Otto Firle crane, the Ulm corporate design system, and a contemporary premium identity.
Key-Facts
Brand Chronology
Lufthansa flies a giant crane to mark 100 years
2025
Lufthansa reduces its claim to a single 'Yes'
2024
Lufthansa moves to 'Say yes to the world'
2020
Lufthansa sharpens its premium identity in 2018
2018
Logo Redesign
2018
This version of the Lufthansa logo returned to the brand’s classic design, combining a wordmark with the iconic crane symbol inside a circle. The crane, shown in dark blue, represented elegance, lightness, and flight, while the circular frame conveyed balance and completeness. Compared with earlier versions, the lines became thinner and more refined, and the blue tone was darkened. The wordmark was also updated with narrower letterforms, including the removal of the lower serif on the “a.” The typeface was created by Hannes von Döhren, while the logo redesign was led by Ronald Wild.
Lufthansa adopts 'Nonstop you' as its claim
2012
Lufthansa's 'There's no better way to fly' era
2000
Lufthansa's 1988 warm-up and the flying canary
1988
Logo Redesign
1963
In 1963, Lufthansa redesigned its logo by enclosing its iconic bird symbol within a circle. The bird was placed at the center of the emblem, and the lines were made bolder and more prominent. The circular icon appeared to the left of the Lufthansa wordmark, while all elements adopted a deep blue color, creating a cleaner and more unified corporate identity.
Otl Aicher turns the crane into a design system
1962
Wir sprechen überall Ihre Sprache
1960
The campaign emphasized Lufthansa’s commitment to being “a leader in service.” The slogan “We speak your language everywhere” reassured passengers that they would be well cared for, no matter where they were in the world.
Reflecting the reading habits of the time, lengthy newspaper copy was used to reinforce and explain the service promise expressed in the headline. Alongside striking illustrations, the growing use of photography led to the inclusion of real images of pilots and flight attendants, helping to build trust and strengthen the airline’s image.
Logo Redesign
1953
The original logo featured a stylized flying bird resembling a stork, crane, or heron, symbolizing the company’s aviation focus. With its long neck, legs, and outstretched wings, the bird conveyed motion, freedom, and an aspiration toward the sky. Beneath the figure appeared the company name in large lettering, while all elements were set within a blue rectangular frame.
Fly to the Seaside Resorts
1940
At the time, scheduled flights operated by Lufthansa primarily served destinations within Europe. One of the era’s most iconic campaigns, “Fly to the Seaside Resorts” (“Fliegt in die Bäder”), promoted regular flights to spa and beach destinations.
Although the slogan may seem plain by modern standards, it worked effectively alongside hand-drawn beach scenes to inspire dreams of summer vacations. For many people, who rarely traveled at the time, the advertisements evoked the allure of a relaxing holiday on the North Sea or Baltic Sea coasts.
How Otto Firle's crane became the Lufthansa mark
1918