Instead of opting for a modern appeal in the wordmark, Astra can benefit from a typeface that evokes a sense of the past. Similar to brands like The New Yorker, Volvo, and Fujitsu, embracing vintage typography can enhance the company’s image. While you can’t add years to the company’s history, a brand that reflects a respect for earlier generations through classic typography can create a sense of enduring value and credibility.

Based on Friz Quadrata, a typeface designed in the 1960s, we can achieve a strong yet classic look and feel. This typeface has been used by governments such as Chile, and cities like New York, Quebec, and Portland. For Astra’s wordmark, a broken crossbar was specially integrated to create an arrow tip pointing upwards. This design choice also adds a sense of age to the typeface, making it more fitting for the Latin name.

For the visual language of the brand, we can leverage Astra’s name to position the brand as a guiding star. Astronomical maps, with their intricate details, reflect a hidden truth: the human ability to measure vast distances from a single point in space. This achievement, made possible through trigonometry, can inspire us to reflect the brand’s capacity to handle and measure large-scale quantities with precision.

The concentric design of the logo not only references geometric and minimalistic logos from the 1970s, but it also offers multiple interpretations. It can be seen as a gyroscope, a model of the solar system, or a metaphor for growth. This isotype aligns with the industry trend of overlapping elements while adding its own unique twist.

A selection of cases where branding was used to support critical shifts in direction, leadership, and market position.