American Airlines, a Second Opinion

Due to popular demand — flattered, thanks folks — and to the reality that it’s very hard to hold back my opinion on such a significant redesign I feel both the need and urge to provide a second opinion to Mark Kingsley’s refreshingly optimistic view of the American Airlines identity. Although by no means I share his same enthusiasm or praise for the work I will preemptively state that I do not feel this is the design crime deserving of capital punishment that many designers were either expecting or have made it out to be. In few words: it could have been worse. In far more words: read on.I’m as much a fan of Massimo Vignelli as anyone and I believe in what he stands for and appreciate the strictness and spareness with which he and his Unimark brethren approach