That Aviation was born in the early 2000s with a logo that characterized the company and clearly identified it over time: the triplane of the Red Baron.
However, compared to its launch on the air charter market, the company has grown and evolved, expanding its services and its own reference market. r it would be better to say that the company is constantly evolving, because the sector of the air charter is constantly changing.
Therefore, there was the need to communicate this renewal with a new identifying image that could more directly communicate the continuous innovation in the services offered, and the correspondence of the services proposed by THAT! in response to the charter flights market requests.
THAT! is now renewed and presents its new image with the restyling of the logo: a new image that does not depart from the previous one, but rather, maintains its essence revealing the history and philosophy of the Company.
Discover it with us through an interview with its two founding partners – Tommaso Maria Pannilini and Luigi Annichini – and Christian Baratti, CEO of GBC Srl – Global Brand Communication, who is responsible for the restyling logo.
1) THAT AVIATION ITALIA: AIR CHARTER BROKER SINCE 2003
2) HOW THE LOGO WITH THE RED BARON’S TRIPLANE WAS BORN AND WHAT THE ACROSTIC THAT! MEANS?
4) WHY CHOOSE THAT AVIATION ITALIA?
5) THE RESTYLING OF THE LOGO: WHAT STORY IS ENCLOSED WITHIN THE NEW LOGO?
6) WHAT THE LOGO OF A COMPANY COMMUNICATES? EXPLAINS THE CEO OF GBC Srl – GLOBAL BRAND COMMUNICATION
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(1) THAT AVIATION ITALIA: AIR CHARTER BROKER SINCE 2003
D.
Good morning Tommaso, I will start this interview with you, because you are the person who founded THAT!, which then became That Aviation following the meeting with Luigi.
How the idea of creating an Air Charter Broker came about?
Tommaso
Actually, it was not that difficult to come up with this idea. Let’s say that after so many years of flights contracting in the Tour Operating it was almost a natural consequence.
The fact of creating something and to be able to totally manage it in first person was absolutely captivating, but at the same time I knew that it would have been difficult especially at the beginning.
The experience and knowledge in this field have made everything easier and the first satisfactions arrived immediately.
The arrival of Luigi with his professionalism in the field of agency, as well as in incentive and commercial fields of airline company, closed the circle and allowed us to work in all possible directions.
Relationships and mutual knowledges allowed THAT! to be immediately competitive on the market and to be on a par with the brokers already present for years.
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D.
What was the charter situation on the market at the time of the THAT! establishment and how has it changed today?
Tommaso
Obviously, times were different, and the work was so much for everyone. There were many possibilities.
The establishment of the low-cost air carriers on the market decimated these possibilities, offering an increasingly large number of solutions for those destinations which historically were outside of the classical programming.
Therefore, many operations have passed from charter to scheduled low-cost flights, making the operators seek for more advantageous solutions at the price level, perhaps sacrificing the advantages of charter service with its selected timetables and exclusive aircrafts.
The economic crisis has done nothing but increase the “low-cost culture” by inexorably lowering the level. A new mentality has been created.
Not to mention the market of Tour Operators, which by now can be counted on one hand, each with its own solutions and its own air carriers.
This is why, with great satisfaction, we chose to enter the market of incoming and high-level foreign Tour Operators.
Now we find ourselves having to offer the best product at the lowest price, but we still have a standard under which we refuse to operate.
THAT! has been able to follow this evolution over the years and has remained constantly on the crest of the wave, often changing its course in order to create new situations. This chameleon-like face allowed us to open new doors, new opportunities, expanding the range of our services and our client’s base.
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(2) HOW THE LOGO WITH THE RED BARON’S TRIPLANE WAS BORN AND WHAT THE ACROSTIC THAT! MEANS?
D.
The logo with which THAT! was born depicts a triplane: is there a particular story behind this choice?
Tommaso
A friend of my childhood Marco Carpiceci, (now an accomplished architect) to whom I asked for the idea of the logo, sent me the draft in which at the centre and in the foreground was the shape of our triplane. The logo was different from the one adopted to date and with different colours.
I liked it immediately. It gave me the feeling of the simplicity I was looking for and at the same time recalled historical adventures.
The acrostic THAT means Tourism, Hotels, Aviation and Travel, and it was perfect for the situation that we were going to face.
Once the activity was started and gave its first results, the logo was almost immediately modified into something more modern and professional and the inclusion of the exclamation point of THAT! clearly wanted to say: “We are here!”
The passion for the aeronautics led us to change the Company name in That Aviation to which we then added Italia, because we are Italians and we are sure that the national operators do not need to look elsewhere. In short, just patriotism!
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(3) WHERE THAT! IS PLACED TODAY? FROM ITS DEBUT ON THE MARKET UNTIL TODAY, THAT! HAS ALWAYS BEEN IN THE FOREGROUND!
D.
Hi Luigi, Tommaso explained very well how the idea of creating a company specialized in air charter was born, but how did it evolve over time?
Luigi
That Aviation Italia was born thanks to the experience of its founding partners in response to a charter market needs which were starting to change.
I am talking about the early 2000s when, the airline deregulation, (which allowed European airline companies to fly anywhere within the EU) and the advent of the euro led to a real structural change in the system of the air transport in Europe. This profound change still continues to affect the context in which we operate.
At the time, the aeronautical brokers of the Italian national territory were very few and aimed mainly at the Tour Operators market.
Our personal history and our professional path suggested us to start an activity oriented instead towards the market of incentives, of the conventions and of the Sport . This direction was absolutely intuitive and spontaneous.
I believe that having approached this segment so much ahead of our competitors puts us at the top of the companies operating in this sector today. Our balance sheet consists largely of ad hoc charter flights and we believe that one private flight after another, one airport after another, one carrier and handler after another, we have accumulated a unique experience that we put at the service of our clients and in exchange they recognize and appreciate it by rewarding us with their loyalty.
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D.
Compared to the time of its establishment, how has the service offered by That Aviation Italia changed? To what potential clients are directed its services?
Luigi
When we talk about air transport, we talk about an extremely regulated world in which a considerable number of institutions and operators work at the same time.
Over time – and now it’s been more than fifteen years – we have learned to move better and better in this complex world, and we keep learning something new every day. There is also a component of curiosity behind the success of our company.
I have recently read a phrase that seemed to be perfectly in line with our work, that says:
“Of the leaves I like the constancy of the preparation for a flight in just a few seconds.”
And it is so true also for us.
Everything that happens during the preparation of a charter flight is not perceived by the passenger, but behind it there is a lot of work.
Also, the choice of the airline company to be offered to our customers starts from afar, from scouting, if one can call it that way, of the air carrier. This is an operation that we carry out constantly throughout the year in order to always have the best solution for the specific needs of the client.
In the world of charter flights this is an essential peculiarity. To make an analogy, we can say that you have to be a good “tailor”. You need to have the right fabric, but you also need the ability and intuition to know how to “tailor-make” the flight in order to satisfy the client’s requests.
This attitude has been refined over the years and today I believe that we have succeeded in creating an absolutely complete, reliable and efficient service offer based on the long experience and on the collaborations with renewed professionals of this field.
And this is the reason why the main Incentive House of national fame come to us for the charter flights organization for their best clients: Banks, Insurances, Automotive, Telephone Companies etc.
Their names are in our archives!
We are also proud to have direct contracts with numerous Sports Teams starting from the first three Italian A Series football teams, that regularly take part in European competitions, the Italian national team, etc.
And I would also like to mention our consolidated relationship with the first Italian basketball team and the National Italian Basketball Team.
A separate chapter, which I consider a small gem born from a personal passion, consists of charter flights which we carry out from 2016 on the occasion of the Valencia Marathon.
This idea came to life in a vaporous dressing room at the end of a winter race and now it is a consolidated proposal that is highly successful and is always sold-out.
For me the possibility of taking 350 Runners every year to Valencia to run the Maraton Trinidad Alfonso is something that goes beyond the business and that combines my personal passion for this discipline with a passion for the world of aviation and for my work.
When the philosophy that guides you is tied to passion, the positive results are a natural consequence.
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D.
Luigi, what are the short/medium term objectives?
Luigi
To consolidate, to innovate and to grow …
It is easy to say, although more complicated to do, but only with a real passion and curiosity that I was talking about before, it is possible to keep up with foreign brokers who now also look forward to coming to the Italian market.
Considering our sector as a niche one, we feel the competition with foreign companies more and more every day, in particular with those from the UK, that take advantage of a more favourable fiscal regulation and try to establish themselves in our Italian market.
For us it is a continuous challenge, but it also allows us to bring out our strengths and our widespread knowledge of the territory.
It would be nice to cite some recent examples but for “fair play“, I will not do it!
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(4) WHY CHOOSE THAT AVIATION ITALIA?
D.
Luigi, why choose That Aviation Italia?
I also asked Tommaso to answer this question.
Luigi
Okay, you’ve made the same question! And the answer is the continuation of the previous one.
When the Company was just born we were offering simple trading services, today we have clients in every sector of our business: sports team, incentive House, Tour Operator, private individuals who request executive flights and also 19 airline companies that use our professionalism to acquire new aircrafts.
For us every quote is a fanlike offer with various solutions.
In the initial phase we offer the consultancy necessary to guide in the choice, we have a transparent contract without surprises, an airport assistance both at departure and at destination, accompanying service, airline ticket office to complement charter flights or small groups on scheduled flights, I would say a complete list of services in the area of flight on request.
Over the time, we have expanded our offer to BBJ “Full business class” flights, which until a few years ago was a rarity, but now, thanks to consolidated agreements, we are able to provide a further flight choice to our clients.
I close by citing the collaborations we have with our partners in Spain, England, Greece that allow us to have a reciprocal exchange in terms of support, and privileged access with the respective markets. In short, a complete 360 ° servicewith a global vision of what goes on in our world.
Tommaso
From my part, I would like to add that with us clients find great professionalism and motivation, enthusiasm and passion that create the best partnership and allow to obtain the best result.
We have such an experience in this field that no one else can boast of, from all points of view.
The founding members have built their professionalism in all the fields of the tourism and of the commercial aviation in first person, and therefore we know all the problems that might be faced within each new project. It is no small thing!
D.
It is a nice guarantee of quality, no doubt!
And now I would like to mention some data:
- Over 5,360 flights flown from the beginning of the activity until today;
- 250 different airports reached;
- More than 900,000 passengers accompanied, of which:
- 33% standard Tour Operating flights;
- 67% hoc Incentive, Convention, sporting events and pilgrimage flights.
From 2003 until now you have organized the flights for football teams and supporters on the occasion of numerous editions of the Champions League and you have accompanied to Sarajevo the national Italian and French Volley youth teams on the occasion of EYOF 2019.
Among your regular clients the most important names are related to the national Incentive Travels, A Series Football and Basketball teams, as well as General Aviation private flights for Management and Sports athletes.
Well, guys, congratulations!
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(5) THE RESTYLING LOGO: WHAT STORY IS ENCLOSED WITHIN THE NEW LOGO?
D.
Christian Baratti, GBC Srl CEO – Global Brand Communication – responsible for the restyling logo of That Aviation Italia. How this logotype was born and how did you come up with the new image? What philosophy is enclosed within the new logo?
Christian
Hi Daniela, it is a pleasure to see you again and to answer to the questions related to the projects I followed.
I would like to start this interview by quoting Paul Rand – one of the most influential graphic designers of all time. Paul claimed that the design “is one of the most complicated fields in which to excel“ and I assure you that, especially in this case, for what concerns the restyling requested by That Aviation Italia, nothing is more truthful.
The design of a logotype represents a creative process which we can enclose in the three “P”: passion, perseverance and professionalism.
Of course passion feeds the creativity and this is why every day, every year, I get up and enter the office with a smile, surrounded by genuine and always positive people. In other words, it is found when you loves what you do – I really think that the secret of happiness comes from passion for what we do!
No less important is the perseverance which, if I have to be honest, put me to the test in this particular case.
The perseverance, from my point of view, allows to overcome all kinds of obstacles.
You know you can’t win them all and not all projects allow us to reach the desired result in the short term. For this reason, we must continue to search for the most suitable solution for the Brand.
It is necessary to analyse and think like the client, reworking the real expectations of the Brand until the final stage of the creative process: it is necessary to read the requests through the eyes of the client.
But the most important feature, in my opinion, is certainly represented by the last “P” or the professionalism, or the way we communicate, the way we treat the client and react to criticism.
For better or for worse, the design is based on the relations, intuition and creativity which must be innate in the process of creation of the designer.
You know Daniela, many clients forget a fundamental factor of the process of creating a logo: you can know how to use all possible programs, but at the base of everything, there is the imagination that is an innate gift, you can’t learn it!
Therefore, it is important to always reflect on the choices, and not to take anything for granted, it is important to be honest, aware and sincere with oneself until you fulfil the request of the client and only when the result meets the demand and the essence of the brand, then it is necessary to assert your ideas and explain what led to the realization of the new logotype.
But back to the question: “how did you come up with the new logo of That Aviation Italia and what philosophy is enclosed within”, I can answer the following way: The logo must contain the essence of a company, it must be communicative in a quick and simple way. Easy right?
It must express emotions and tell what product/service the company is offering, transmitting to those who see it for the first time the values represented by the Brand. And it is precisely on these values that I made the restyling of That Aviation Italia.
In my opinion, the logo of THAT! communicates on different levels:
the starting point was the selection of the colour range for the logo. Colours and shades had to reflect the company and should have been revisited on the old shades that the brand used before. We were looking for the shades that would have been able to reflect the identity and values of the Brand and therefore to transmit the visual sensations of the blue/light blue tones:
- Relaxation ;
- Serenity;
- Sea and sky;
- Cold and ice.
The choice of the colour range is not only a stylistic choice but also a technical one.
It is necessary to study the colour in order to make it reproducible and recognizable. Prada, Gucci or Ferrari, would not have come to identify their pantone/colour if they had not persevered in choosing a reproducible colour on each format, don’t you think?
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D.
Sorry if I interrupt you Christian but, at this point, the question naturally arises: why the blue?
Christian
Well, because THAT! flies and makes you fly, because the sky above us is blue and often when we fly, below us there is the blue sea;because when you fly with THAT! you are relaxed and because only when you fly with THAT! you have the feeling of serenity, because you chose the ideal broker for your air travel… isn’t that so?
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D.
Absolutely, you convinced me!
What was the next step after choosing the colour range?
Christian
Subsequently, it was important to identify the correct layout of the logo in order to offer the user a correct reading of the brand: the mind is particularly attentive and responsive to each type of image, so it was primary to define the methods of the logo usage over time and in various applications to perceive the visual content and the final message of the brand.
But let’s get down to brass tacks, because I know that you want to know more about the lettering I used; about its shape and the idea that led me to its realization, right?
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D.
Yes, indeed I am very curious. Also, because I know it’s a custom-made lettering for THAT!
To paraphrase Luigi’s statement from before, “you have tailor-made it” according to the needs of the client; of THAT! in this case.
Christian
Exactly Daniela: the shape, the composition, the spatial correlations, the position and even the aspects of the font’s grace were completely redesigned and structured recreating the fin of an airplane.
It was really difficult to find an effective idea capable of reconstructing the logo of THAT!
I didn’t want to reproduce the classic fonts that often can be glimpsed based on the trends of the graphic designer, I had and I wanted to offer to THAT ! a customized solution capable of creating a b and long-lasting concept over time.
You know Daniela, to produce a logo it is necessary to go through multiple variations of each single letter until its realization and, in this case, the design has been carried out for each part of the logo, in particular, for the word THAT which I will now explain to you:!
- The double T
The main idea was to identify the two T’s as the wings of an airplane seen from the front.
Therefore, it was necessary to create them in the lettering by associating the shape and proportions of the Red Baron’s airplane viewed from the front.
The lettering of the T could not be linear. Thus, the gracefulness of the vertical shaft was altered making it curved and, semiotically speaking, more in line with the stylistic requirements I wanted to offer as the final result by overturning the right side of the letter T;
- The letter H
It represents the connection between the client and the provider, like a handshake between two CEOs or between the Marketing Director and the Account Manager of That Aviation Italia;
- The letter A
It represents a runway seen by the pilot from the cockpit. It is the simple visual representation of what the pilot sees: the arrival and the departure of every flight. It represents the landing runway and the take-off of a plane.
Everything else was very simple: I trivially structured the remaining part of the lettering following the guidelines previously set for the lettering THAT.
I have updated the graces, aligned the height, the spacing and the tails of the lettering until creating the perfect union of the logo in all its forms and for any use.
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D.
And what about the ideogram?
Christian
Right, I forgot the ideogram!
Well Daniela, in reality, as simple as it may seem, the creation and the choice that led me to the structure of such ideograms are varied and twisted.
I wanted to create a container capable of “protecting” the Brand for the eventuality of any possible combinations with other brands and/or collaborations. But, at the same time, I needed not to enclose the airplane/icon in a fence. It’s not a bird!
Therefore, the initial idea was to represent the triplane inside of a stylized airplane wing.
The blue tone was chosen because I imagined a pilot’s view of an airplane flying lower. I explained myself wrong, right? Can you view it?
Imagine being on an airplane, flying high in the sky and suddenly seeing a triplane flying under you. Can you see? Can you imagine it?
Ok, imagine being a pilot who is flying a triplane… Now, imagine the white trail of a triplane while veering towards a new journey… Ah here, I see your smile! So, you too have entered into this vision…
Finally the airplane is flying over and coming to its destination.
This destination is represented by the left wing that changes its colour: imagine an airplane that passes over the sea heading to land and approaching the runway…
Perhaps Daniela, it is complicated to perceive, but isn’t the beauty of the storytelling that led to the logo restyling is the story that led to the creation of the same logo?
D.
Christian, you’ve managed to take me on a real journey with you and I’m sure it’s true for our readers too!
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(6) WHAT THE LOGO OF A COMPANY COMMUNICATES? EXPLAINS THE CEO OF GBC Srl – GLOBAL BRAND COMMUNICATION
D.
But why the logo is so important for a company?
Christian
Good question Daniela!
But before answering, I prefer to ask you a parallel question: Why do you look in the mirror in the morning? Why do you wash your face, comb your hair, get dressed and do the same routine every day before going out and going to work?
We do it to present ourselves at our best, right?
We like to go out in the morning feeling beautiful and unique, don’t we?
So why for a company it is so important to have a logo?
It is important because we live in a society where you must be beautiful and it is necessary to appear original, distinctive.
Do you know that as many as 80% of Italian companies do not have a digital identity and do not have a logo able to identify it?
Do you know how many companies in Italy still have their logotypes with simple black writing on a white background with a generic font, maybe ARIAL?
There are lots of them: As many as 80%!
Did you know?
So, to answer to your question I can only say that it is very important.
It is important because today you must be incomparable: your image must be exclusive and to be capable of representing your own identity/product offered by the company with its colours and a unique ideogram.
Not having a logo is equivalent as to not having a face. Italian companies have not yet understood how important it is to have a distinctive character that represents and identifies them.
Did you know that we are fourth among European countries in digital skills?
Perhaps the most relevant datum concerns the SMEs which over time maintain an obsolete ideogram thinking that by renewing it, their clients will not able to recognize them anymore.
Perhaps these companies should take a step back and think about how to stand out, not only in the services offered, but also in their image.
Today, it is important to build and have an adequate digital reputation but without an innovative logo/ideogram it becomes difficult to start this process.
I think – and I always say it to companies – that there are so many lost opportunities in the digital market. The logo represents the first step to differentiate and give the idea of being modern and dynamic company, just like its services and its people.
Clients change over time. For SMEs this generational change represents the opportunity to innovate and make a restyling of its image in order to be beautiful and unique among the other companies, exactly as we do it every day.
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D.
Ok. Certainly, from now on, I will look at the logo of various Brands with different eyes and I fear that after your complete explanation, I will not be able to do it without criticism.
One last question Christian: GBC Srl is a Communication Agency. What other services do you offer?
Christian
You know Daniela, in Global Brand Communication, it is not the services that make the difference, but the people who carry out the projects for our clients. In Global Brand Communication it is the group that makes the difference.
Today we live in a digital ecosystem made of sharks, aggressive marketers of the web.
It’s a bit like the Far West: everyone shoots the latest novelty, everyone looks for innovative funnels in order to destroy the competitors, making masterclasses to “find new clients”.
I think that companies need to have professionals who are capable of listening, humble professionals aware of the importance of looking for the right solution for each individual client; professionals who know when the client makes an economic effort to reach new goals. Because not everyone is Ferrari and not everyone can afford to invest large amounts of money in the digital market.
I do not think it is important to tell you how many services we can do for SMEs, but I think it is appropriate to tell you how much we listen to, observe companies, study their market and their products in order to propose customized marketing mix solutions that would increase their turnover.
It is important to know how to communicate to the appropriate audience (prospect) in the right way and in the right time.
It is important to say that our team is represented by updated people, with over 15 certifications, from Google Ads to SemRush up to the Platforms necessary for management and implementation of functional and above all sustainable marketing plans.
That’s why I think it’s important to explain who we are before listing the services we can offer.
It is important to establish the correct relationship with clients and make them understand the advantage of teamwork.
Only then can we explain what we can offer.
The services offered are only the list of pieces that forms the strategy for the client.
D.
Christian, your concept is exactly the philosophy of THAT! and maybe that’s why you’ve managed so well to visualize it and tell it. Because both of your companies put the relationship with the client on such a level which is not the classic supplier/client but, rather, that of a partnership. It is the collaboration and not a simple supply of services, where the success of one party corresponds to the success of the other.
What else can I say?
Congratulations on the result!
That Aviation Italia: quality Air Charter Broker.
For any further information and flight price quotation, please contact us.
