Project: United CleanPlus
Role: Lead Designer, Branding
Duration: Spring 2020 to Summer 2020
Bringing traveler confidence back to an industry that was deeply impacted by the pandemic
Due to the devastating impact the pandemic had on air travel in 2020, the Marketing team at United knew it had to gain back the confidence and trust of travelers by delivering an industry-leading cleanliness program that put health and safety at the forefront of everything. In a span of two short months, our team stood up a comprehensive design solution across the entire customer experience, including app, web, email, in airports and onboard United aircraft.
The challenges
I:
Create a comprehensive design solution within a two month timeframe, during an extremely imperative time for the airline
II:
Develop a scalable design solution that works for multiple channels and touchpoints
III:
Be cognizant of two partners (CLOROX and The Cleveland Clinic) with varying levels of participation, and their legal considerations
Setting a new standard for cleanliness
United CleanPlus set the new standard for cleanliness within the travel industry. This video shares a quick overview of the program and shows branding elements across some of the customer touchpoints when we first launched at O’hare International airport.
Competitive research along the way
Initial research outside of the airline industry showed that other large-chain brands were partnering with trusted cleaning and medical institutions to instill confidence in their customer base.
Given that no airline had done anything similar within the travel space, we recognized the opportunity to become an industry leader.
As the virus developed, airlines began branding their cleanliness efforts, but none had a comprehensive design system or a distinct partnership.
Building out the design system
Given the United CleanPlus initiative was to be a branding effort under United’s master identity, I knew the focus of the design system had to be around elements that make it unique, like color, iconography, imagery and the placement of visual elements. Over the course of two short months, and with the help of the Brand Management team, we were able to develop a style guide that established master and partner logo usage principles, a program-specific color palette, an icon set and imagery guidelines. I also established guidelines around the Pacific Blue, United Blue and Rhapsody Blue color blocking that is seen on most collateral.
Design considerations
Scalability:
No one knew how long the pandemic would last, or which twist would lead to which turn. As a result, I knew I had to keep the creative simple in order for it to scale. We never thought we’d be creating individual snack bags for our aircraft, installing foot-powered hand sanitizing stations, or creating wall decals for social distancing on the jet bridge, but the design allowed for all of these items and more to come to life.
Trust:
Aside from including the CleanPlus logo, or partnership lockups on materials, the overarching identity had to instill trust in travelers. Through color, a simple, but strong color blocking system of Pacific Blue, United Blue and Rhapsody Blue all represent a wealth of confidence and trust. The overall design also has an air of approachability to it. A now-familiar pandemic-focused icon set, custom photography, plus strong copy all intend to set the traveler’s mind at ease.
Uniqueness:
While the CleanPlus sub brand had to adhere to the established architecture of the master identity, a primary goal was to make sure the design stood out against regular United creative. Infusing Pacific Blue into the visual identity made creative pop against the Rhapsody Blue at touchpoints where traditional United blue is often the main player.
Communication channels
For launch of the program, we worked with our advertising, airport operations, digital, PR/corporate communications, sales, social media, and targeted marketing teams, and proposed an all-out blitz in hopes that the initiative would garner worldwide attention. Below are some of the channels we launched in. I worked closely with each group to develop out creative, provide direction and ensure proper adherence to the visual identity for CleanPlus.
Selection of IG stories
Addressing the challenges
Challenge I:
Create a comprehensive design solution within a two month time frame, during an extremely imperative time for the airline
Solution:
Time was my biggest constraint with this project. We had a very short time frame to launch the initiative given the importance of getting something out at the onset of the pandemic. I did not have a lot of time for iteration, so I decided to base the overall design direction off the principle that the design system had to be versatile and easy for other design teams, agencies and vendors to follow. This meant a pared down color palette and uncomplicated visual elements.
Challenge II:
Develop a scalable design solution that works for multiple channels and touchpoints
Solution:
It was certain that United CleanPlus was going to evolve alongside the pandemic, which meant United would need to pivot quickly to get varying creative out. Knowing this, and in line with the solution for the first challenge, I kept things super simple, yet uniquely recognizable for the initiative. Using horizontal color blocks, typically at the top of creative to introduce Pacific Blue and United Blue, kept a consistent look and feel to all creative. I also knew that this would be scalable across most collateral in the future, so it became a primary visual element. I also limited background colors to Rhapsody Blue and White (white helped reduce printing costs when used). Custom photography was shot and distributed to keep a consistent look and feel to imagery. A straightforward icon set was also developed to help support the in-airport experience.
Challenge III:
Be cognizant of two partners (CLOROX and The Cleveland Clinic) with varying levels of participation, and their legal considerations
Solution:
There were a lot of stipulations around when we could and couldn’t use CLOROX and Cleveland Clinic as part of our branding efforts, so we had to be sure this information was shared with our internal teams, partners and vendors. For example, with CLOROX, no food was to be shown when using the CLOROX lockup, as the brand was never to be associated with ingestion. We laid all of this out in our style guide, and made sure that our photography was void of any items or practices that might put the CLOROX and Cleveland Clinic partnerships at risk. In other examples: Showing no other cleaning product brands for CLOROX, and simplifying our photo shot list in case medical guidance changed from Cleveland Clinic.
Takeaways and successes
The launch of United CleanPlus was a huge success. We rolled the initiative out to all airports after testing at O’hare International airport, and pushed in all channels to ensure our message about our commitment to the health and safety of the customer was heard. Since the launch, the program has expanded, validating the investment in better cleaning and health practices both on the ground, and onboard.
United became an industry-leader, and industry-first in developing out a cleaning initiative that has instilled confidence in the traveler during the pandemic. It has garnered worldwide media attention, and within the industry, executives from Delta said “United hit the nail on the head” with its branding, roll-out and strategic thinking around the COVID-19 pandemic.
From a design perspective, I’ve seen the program grow and am proud to say that the initial design-thinking and system I put in place has set production teams up for great success as things continue to grow across multiple channels and mediums.