Alaska Cab never had an established brand other than their name and their city registered colors of navy blue and white. With this client, I looked at their two primary audiences which are quite different. One is the tourist, who is primarily in Alaska for adventure, detoxing, and they love looking out of the window. The second primary audience is the local, who needs to feel welcomed consistently, is on a strict time schedule, and needs a cab company which can be trusted as a friend.

The first step in establishing the visual brand of this company was to identify the brand characteristics which needed to be conveyed. The brand would need to complement the local environment, as well as the mentality and needs of the consumer. I looked at benchmark brands of other cab companies around the country, but found almost none which had developed their brand past a name. I began looking at a number of iconographic subjects for the identity, starting with mountains, fireweed, the northern lights, the raven, and other trademark symbols of Alaska. These were filtered out as Native Alaskan mythology added connotations, they were found to be too stationary for a symbol of movement, or generally didn't add the value which was needed. The final direction was a combination of a snowshoe rabbit and a leaf in the wind.

The final identity represents agile mobility even in winter, the emotion of explorational change, environmental respect, and approachability. The chosen color palette incorporates the familiar navy blue, but is complemented by a fresh yellow-green that brings energy and light into the identity which helps it better transcend the seasons, as well as makes it much more recognizable from a distance.

Entering into brand application, I looked at a number of ways the company could expand beyond the traditional methods of taxi cab branding. Proposed extensions included brochures to be placed in airports and tourist locations, possibly listing some seasonal long-distance tour packages, partnership programs such as bar and event bracelets, a website which allows local riders to schedule regular pickups and drop-offs, useful handouts such as safety whistles, driver uniform options such as shirts, jackets, or hats, and a full internal stationery standard.

The idea was to push a traditional cab company beyond the public perception of a dreaded but necessary mode of public transportation, into the market as a competitive and efficient option. A cab doesn't have to mean you don't have access to your own car. Instead, it can be its own symbol of power, convenience, and utility.

copyright © 2006 anthony d paul
anthony@onfoc.us