Vertical is a pioneering British eVTOL (Electric Vertical Take-off and Landing) manufacturer, developing an industry-leading aircraft that meets the highest international safety standards. Electric aircraft are at the forefront of the future of urban mobility, with significant investment and rapid progress in recent years.
Pentagram was asked to refresh and modernise the existing Vertical brand ahead of the launch of the Bristol-based company’s new prototype aircraft, Valo. Designed by OMI, Valo is fully electric, sustainable, and convenient. It has a cruise speed of 150mph and a range of up to 100 miles, with agile vertical take-off and landing and capacity for four passengers. Designed to greatly reduce travel times across the city, the 52-minute car journey from Heathrow to Canary Wharf would be just 12 minutes in Valo.
The team was tasked with aligning the brand through an updated and reimagined brand strategy, encompassing both a new verbal and visual identity. The naming of the new vehicle was also a key part of the project, with Pentagram working closely alongside internal stakeholders to define and name the new vehicle.
The verbal and visual refresh was applied through a clear strategic framework. Vertical had been a major player in the eVTOL space for several years and already possessed key elements of brand equity, particularly its distinctive hummingbird symbol which served as a metaphor for vertical take-off, hovering and flight—all qualities inherent in the vehicle itself
