United Airlines

[tBBP]

Gotta love military assignments...

I wanted to post this before I left from where I was at, but when you got orders in hand, well...

In any event, welcome to the next part of my series, United Airlines. This is the second installment of my Airline Football League series. (For those who missed the first part, look here.)

First of all, I gotta explain something that might throw some people: exactly why United went to using the bolder blue on their livery I haven't the foggiest. But compared to the previous look, I think it's a MAJOR step up. The triple-fade stripe's a nice touch, too. (Guess where THAT element showed up in my concept??? ) Anyway, I think United just used that bolder blue because it looked nice. Funny thing is, though, this current livery uses NEITHER COLOR in United's logo.

One other interesting point: pay real good attention to the tail logo. Yes...IS THAT A GRADIENT? Look good on the plane, huh? That seemed like something I could utilize quite well in my concepts. Interested?

KEEP SCROLLING.

I believe the roadies in this set mimic the look of the airliner best. (This is inherently true of most of my concepts, as most airlines tend to go with a white body trimmed in some other color/colors.) Yes, the numbers are Texans-style, but after trying out many others, this style looked best. (The stylized numbers also matched up well with the stylized "T" in United's wordmark, so that's my justification.

As for the third outfit, take one good look at this. I think I did a REALLY GOOD job of translating that look into the third set.

Now, as for the names/numbers, United's history can be traced back to the roots of Varney Air Services (or something like that--don't have the exact facts right in front of me), started by a guy named Varney in 1926. As for the third outfit, 1968 is the year United debuted the old livery, and Patterson was the chairman of the airline at the time.

So, without any forther ado, I present the second set in the Airline Football League series: United Airlines Football!

C&C...lay it on me!

[fonz]

I think your helmets need a stronger, more defined logo.

[Derby]

I think your helmets need a stronger, more defined logo.

Really? I like the blue helmet logo myself.

[Moser316]

These are really nice designs, the home/away set kinda reminds me of the old Boston/New Orleans/Portland Breakers of the USFL (only with blue helmets instead of white ones). Wonder if you had that in mind when doing these concepts. I also like the throwback alternates, and that red tip on the pant stripe really helps break up the monotony and ties into the logo nicely. Well done.

[fiasco!]

i don't usually comment on stuff like this, but you did a great job incorporating the United logo into your concept. i really like this set alot. a lot.

did i mention that i really like these?

a lot.

[OB33]

I think you should ditch the helmet stripe on the primary helmet, if you go with a bold helmet design using a gradiented logo (which is awesome here BTW) it is strong enough to stand without a helmet stripe and with the stripe clutters up the helmet.

Other than that minor issue there are absolute perfection.

[zman65]

What I like about your style with this and the AA concept is that you go for designs that are simple, clean, classic. If you were to join the Nike braintrust the world would improve just a little bit.

I guess the only criticism I would offer here is to go for that stronger helmet logo. If you think about this helmet conceptualized in real life, the fading white gradient wouldn't show well in a sunny game.

[andrewharrington]

I was researching the branding of United once, and I found that they incorporate the 68 degree angle of the U logo into many branding areas. For example, the cofee cups have 68 degree sides. Thus, I think it would be appropriate to use numbers italicized to match the angle of the U logo, since the company is so proud of its proprietary 68 degree angle. Also, the white stripe ruins that blue helmet. Also, I think the full color logo on the pants looks strange with the monochrome scheme of the rest of the uniform.

[MrAsterisk]

PRIMARY HOME:

Good, but as stated before: Lose the full-color logo on the pants (Make it blue and gray, to pay homage to their old design, or use the same gradient one.) and ditch the helmet stripe. I would also suggest putting the helmet logo back to its original orientation. Finally, the light blue doesn't seem quite bright enough.

PRIMARY AWAY:

Same as above. Otherwise, looking really sharp.

ALTERNATE/3RD:

I think I did a REALLY GOOD job of translating that look into the third set.

I'm going to have to disagree.

The colors and the broken line on the pants seem to be the only places the livery design shone through. The lines on the plane seem to taper and bulge a bit, so why not go for a more appropriate, bolder look with the old colors rather than confining them to the boring old classic template.

If not, at least indulge me by sticking the "U" (Or should I say "UUUU"?) logo in between the colored pants stripes.

[Alphabet Man]

i really like this idea, your AA work was nice and sweet and i liek the United ones this time around, i think you got a fair bit of talent there, mate

[tBBP]

These are really nice designs, the home/away set kinda reminds me of the old Boston/New Orleans/Portland Breakers of the USFL (only with blue helmets instead of white ones). Wonder if you had that in mind when doing these concepts. I also like the throwback alternates, and that red tip on the pant stripe really helps break up the monotony and ties into the logo nicely. Well done.

About the Breakers thing...I actually knew/know nothing about them. Guess coincidences can be a funny thang sometimes...

I was researching the branding of United once, and I found that they incorporate the 68 degree angle of the U logo into many branding areas. For example, the cofee cups have 68 degree sides. Thus, I think it would be appropriate to use numbers italicized to match the angle of the U logo, since the company is so proud of its proprietary 68 degree angle. Also, the white stripe ruins that blue helmet. Also, I think the full color logo on the pants looks strange with the monochrome scheme of the rest of the uniform.

Interesting factoid. Had no knowledge of that. I guess that's the kind of stuff I need to know to do when/if I start making a side career of this type of stuff, which actuallyis EXACTLY what I want to do. But hey--that's why I'm in here, putting these up, just so the joes as well as the PROS can give me an adequate rating. But yeah--I had no idea about the 68 degree thing. I do, however, find it odd (nay, "coincidental") that you brought that up, considering 68 is the year/number which appears on my third set for United. Coincidences, coincidences...

As far as the blue/red logo on the pants, that was only because that is United's actual logo, and I wanted it to be on there somewhere, just like it is on the plane itself. Looks out of place there, too. Guess there is such as thing as following something TOO closely...

Well, I wanted to put up my concept for Delta Air Lines or Continental Airlines next, but someone decided to play sticky fingaz and deebo'd my flash drive outta my computer, so now I've got to do those over again, or HOPE I've got them on back-up at the lab at my school where I first started to put all these together.

In the meantime, I think Northwest will be next out the gate...unless I find either of those two concepts before then.

Stay tuned...