Otl Aicher was a German graphic designer known for simple and clean design. He lived from 1922 to 1991 and is considered one of the most important designers in modern branding.
In 1962, Aicher worked with his team, including Hans Roericht and Fritz Querengässer, to redesign the Lufthansa logo. The original logo was created in 1918 by Otto Firle and showed a crane bird, which became a symbol of the airline.
Aicher did not completely change the logo. Instead, he improved it. He made the crane simpler and more modern. The bird became a clean, sharp shape and was placed inside a circle. This made the logo easy to recognize and consistent everywhere.
He also used Lufthansa’s blue and yellow colors carefully. These colors helped the brand look professional and trustworthy.
One of the most important things Aicher did was use a grid system. This means everything in the design followed a structure. Because of this, Lufthansa’s branding looked the same across planes, tickets, posters, and advertisements. This consistency made the brand strong and global.
Aicher’s sketches show how the logo developed over time. At first, he tried different ideas. Some designs even used a simple arrow to represent flight and the future. But in the end, he kept the crane because it had history and was already familiar to people.
He slowly refined the crane into a simple and elegant shape. His process was very thoughtful. He balanced old ideas with new design thinking.
You can also learn about the Ulm School of Design here: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Ulm-School-of-Design
Aicher’s work on Lufthansa shows that good design does not need to be complicated. Simple, clear, and consistent design can last for many years.