Peter Saville gives Aston Martin (new) wings
The wings. The speed. The luxury. The Bond associations. Aston Martin’s image is one of the most well-known and prestigious pieces of branding in the world, so reimagining it is not something to be taken lightly. But for the first time in almost two decades, and on only the eighth occasion in its history, the British marque is refreshing its persona with a concept dubbed “Intensity. Driven.”
‘Building on our return to the pinnacle of motorsport in Formula 1, the launch of “Intensity. Driven.” marks the next phase in our evolution of the Aston Martin brand, as we unleash its global potential and maximise our unique position at the cutting-edge of ultra-luxury and high performance,’ explains Renato Bisignani, head of global marketing and communications. ‘Retaining the elegance and sophistication that our brand and products are revered for worldwide, this emotionally led creative direction dials up the bolder, edgier and more intense characteristics that have always underscored Aston Martin.’
It follows, then, that the marque’s iconic winged emblem ought to be given a once-over, and who better for the job than British graphic design pioneer Peter Saville? ‘The Aston Martin wings update is a classic example of the necessary evolution of logotypes of provenance,’ he says of the project.
In much the same way as Saville did when recreating Burberry’s logo in 2018, he has carefully refined the wings – which first appeared in the brand’s lexicon in 1927, and were inspired by the scarab beetles in Egyptian hieroglyphics – into a contemporary emblem that feels fresh, and sets the marque up for the many challenges that the automotive industry will face in the ensuing decades. Bisignani certainly feels that way: ‘While engaging our fiercely loyal customer base, we believe this new dimension will capitalise on the growing demand from a new generation of Aston Martin customers, with more than 60 per cent of our current sales new to the brand.’
This new winged design will be brought to life in Birmingham’s jewellery quarter, where artisans from 203-year-old silversmith Vaughtons will handcraft badges for application on the brand’s next generation of sports cars.
