Collins Aerospace

Alpha Bravo Collins brand creation

United Technologies had just completed a $30 billion acquisition of Rockwell Collins, resulting in the largest aerospace supplier ever: Collins Aerospace. The two merging parties worked with Iris to build their new brand. Having recently launched another United Technologies brand (Otis Elevator Company), we were poised to give Collins a strong identity that, like Otis’ brand, honored a long legacy but embraced a promising future. 

In an industry where blue skies, distorted angles and over-designed renderings reigned, Collins opted for the opposite: minimalism. Almost all of what Collins produces is complicated – they make nearly everything that goes inside a plane, after all – so a sleek, stark brand helped eschew the complexity and instead show the massive emotional impact of aerospace on the world.

My roles: Brand strategy, creative direction

Collection of circular objects with images of rockets, helicopters, an airplane, the moon, and abstract designs.
Facebook page for Collins Aerospace featuring a header with various aerospace images, their logo, and profile picture, displaying sections for about, photos, posts, and a blue 'Create a Page' button.
Two dark gray coffee mugs with aerospace-themed text and logo, one displaying "ALPHA BRAVO COFFEE" and the other stating "REDEFINING AEROSPACE TAKES A LOT OF ENERGY" with the Collins Aerospace logo.
A billboard with the words 'We know aerospace. Now we're redefining it.' and various names and words related to aerospace technology, with an airplane flying in the background in the sky.
A laptop, tablet, and smartphone on a gray surface displaying the website of Collins Aerospace, with content about business aviation and aircraft. The laptop shows a black and white image of an airport interior with the text "ALPHA BRAVO COLLINS." Th
A black leather lanyard with silver metal clip featuring the text 'ALPHA BRAVO COLLINS DELTA ECHO FOXTR' in white and red letters, laid out on a plain light gray background.

Unleashing intelligence Elevating relationships Redefining aerospace

It was important for the Collins team that we emphasize partnership and customer-driven solutions, as it was the personal dedication paired with vast expertise that would fuel the final outcome: redefining aerospace. The “passionate purpose” and the personality traits (INTELLIGENT, BOLD, CAPTIVATING, AUTHENTIC) were the ingredients that led to our brand identity and visual language.

Diagram of the Collins Passionate Purpose Framework with concentric circles labeled Core Offer, Context, Conviction, Character, and the central Passionate Purpose, focusing on unleashing intelligence, building relationships, and delivering value.

The high contrast black & white photography, limited palette, and simple lines were a true manifestation of Collins’ brand purpose: redefining aerospace. They were changing the way we look at the industry – moving from manufactured and corporate to profound and promising. The copy did some heavy lifting, too. Iris took the NATO alphabet, commonly used in aviation, and quite literally redefined it, changing “alpha bravo Charlie” or “alpha bravo Collins.” That alphabet construct became central to our launch campaign.

Collins Aerospace presentation slides showcasing aerospace engineering and innovation, including a woman in a red jacket smiling, aircraft components, and a child looking out an airplane window.
Design for Alpha Bravo Collins, featuring a black tumbler, a black cylindrical container, a promotional card with a drink and mint garnish, and a diagram with legend of drink ingredients.
Two tall glasses of orange-colored cocktails with mint leaves garnishing the top, placed on a dark surface with a menu and various bottles and a glass with mint leaves in the background, and a detailed infographic on the right side of the image.

To raise a glass and celebrate the launch of Collins Aerospace, we did so with a classic, the Tom Collins. In the spirit of our new brand, we redefined the traditional cocktail with the help of a local mixologist. Recipe cards and engraved Collins glasses we’re delivered as a gift to select clients.

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