2018 Winners & Shortlists

The Campaign

‘Go Beyond’ being the overarching principle, EFTA’s creative expression is inspired by biomimicry — an approach to innovation that seeks to find solutions to human challenges by emulating nature’s strategies. In the case of EFTA’s visual language, flight paths of birds, which for centuries have inspired aviators, was the driving idea. Supporting the visual language is a colour palette that is reminiscent of the luminous colours a pilot experiences from the cockpit and a typography family that is prevalent in the transportation sector; resulting in a brand identity system that has a strong, substantiated presence. EFTA’s visual language extends into its environment and is propelled by various elements. From designs that fuse the visual language and brand values, to walls with aspirational quotes by pioneering aviators, from iconic celestial imagery running through the building to fascinating images of Emirates’ destinations,; EFTA’s environment inspires, ignites and brings to life ‘Go Beyond’.

Creative Execution

DESIGN ELEMENTS AND THEIR INTEGRATION EFTA’s visual language is the key design element that runs through the academy. Keeping in mind the space-function relation, other elements are also incorporated into the space: images of celestial skies, aerial imagery of Emirates destinations, inspirational stories of aviation pioneers, quotes by ambitious leaders, new approaches to thinking and brand values. DESIGN TOUCH POINTS Atrium, auditorium, 36 classrooms, conference rooms, corridors, lift lobbies, management floors, residential blocks, way findings. MATERIALS, STYLE ELEMENTS, DESIGN CHOICES Imagery printed as wallpaper and vinyl, text produced in acrylic and stainless steel, paints, biomimicry lines in forex and glass panels. DESIGN DEVELOPMENT AND PROCESS ‘Biomimicry’ and ‘Go Beyond’ were explored in EFTA’s environment designs. The objective of all elements (mentioned above) was to fuel young minds and capture the spirit of flight. SCALE Almost all cadet and staff facing areas in an academy space that spans 164,000 m2.

Indication of how successful the outcome was in the market

VALUE ADDED TO BRAND EFTA’s strategic design has been more than just a financial cost — it has been an investment that will show demonstrable returns and maximise the value of the assignment over time. Aside from the obvious ROI gains, the branding programme produced significant sustainable benefits for the EFTA brand, the most important being increased brand awareness, recognition and familiarity. VALUE FOR CONSUMER Feedback from all stakeholders has been positive, with many contributing EFTA’s branded environment as key to making the cadets feel at home from day 1. REACH/CULTURAL IMPACT His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President of U.A.E., and Ruler of Dubai, inaugurated the Emirates Flight Training Academy on 13th November 2017. ACHIEVEMENT AGAINST BRIEF In 2018, the Agency continues its strategic partnership with EFTA and will undertake design developments for additional areas throughout the academy.

BRAND RELEVANCE With its world-class facilities and advanced technologies, EFTA provides an outstanding and all-encompassing education for a lifelong career as a pilot. TARGET AUDIENCE Primary: Cadets, instructors and staff Secondary: Parents, airline enthusiasts, partners APPROACH EFTA’s brand positioning was developed through brand audit and positioning exercises. Interactive workshops with key stakeholders, extensive research and visual audits of the aviation-education industry revealed insights that formed the foundation for EFTA’s brand positioning. Understanding how important the right instructional education is for a cadet’s success and how the aviation-education industry today is visually a homogenous landscape, the objective was to develop a positioning platform that enables EFTA to stand out and become synonymous with dedication, excellence and collaboration. Formulating different elements of EFTA’s brand strategy, from brand values to benefits, it is the brand essence - Go Beyond - that continues to inspire all stakeholders and guide the verbal and visual communication.