Cleveland Hopkins Unveils New Logo and Brand Ahead of Airport Transformation
CLEVELAND, Ohio – First comes a new brand – and then a new airport.
Cleveland Hopkins International Airport unveiled a new brand and logo Thursday, timed to coincide with the development of a new terminal, set to open in 2032.
Megan O’Connell, the airport’s assistant director of marketing, communications and guest experience, said it made sense to develop a new brand and logo as early phases of Hopkins’ $1.6 billion transformation are completed. Those projects include a new parking lot scheduled to open next year and a new parking garage in 2029.
“It made sense to weave in a new brand as the new airport comes to life,” she said.
The new brand and logo can also help guide architects as they design the new terminal, she said.
Related: Plan to rebuild Cleveland Hopkins now includes 2 new concourses, but construction is years away
The new logo retains the previous logo’s blue and green color scheme and includes the tagline, “Where the Land meets the Sky.”
It also incorporates the three-letter airport codes for Cleveland Hopkins (CLE) and Burke Lakefront Airport (BKL).
O’Connell said Burke was included in the brand redesign because the small lakefront airport remains part of the Cleveland Airport System.
For years, Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb has advocated for the closure of Burke, although his efforts have stalled in recent months. In August, both of Ohio’s U.S. senators and the head of the Federal Aviation Administration voiced opposition to the airport’s closure.
“This is not a statement about the future of Burke,” said O’Connell, following the brand unveiling Thursday at Cleveland Hopkins.
Rather, she said, the inclusion of Burke acknowledges that it remains part of the Cleveland system.
The new logo will be rolled out gradually across airport signage, social media, employee uniforms, vehicles and other material. It could take several years for the transition to be complete, O’Connell said.
The airport worked with Cleveland-based Recess Creative on the brand development. The project cost about $50,000, not including expenses to update signs and other infrastructure.
Cleveland Hopkins’ previous logo, which featured blue and green triangular shapes set alongside the airport codes, was at least 20 years old and due for an update, O’Connell said.
Last year, the airport surveyed travelers, employees and other partners about what they would like in a new brand. The airport received more than 1,300 responses, O’Connell said.
The final design incorporates many of their ideas, she said.
“Think about some of the best airports you’ve traveled in,” she said. “How did they make you feel? Was the experience intuitive? Was the wayfinding clear? Did everything feel consistent, cohesive and easy to navigate? Those experiences aren’t created by a logo but a strong consistent identity helps enforce them.”
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