LAN and TAM become LATAM, the airline of Latin America

The largest airlines in Chile and Brazil, LAN and TAM, merged a couple of years ago to form the LATAM Airlines Group. The two airline brands have remained in use and LATAM was merely a holding company, until yesterday when new LATAM brand was unveiled. The new corporate identity was developed by Interbrand.

The LATAM name is not only a union of the merger partners' names, but also an abbreviation of Latin America. It thereby allows the brand to claim the entire region as its home and market.

Interbrand developed a logo that can work in different settings, including as 3D animation. Its shape is a not overly literal interpretation of the shape of the continent, with lines alluding to flights taking off across the world.

Previous logo(s).

Launch video:

"Our logo represents our origin. A symbol that values Latin America and holds up the sens of pride and belonging in our people. A company that transcends territorial barriers, bringing together an entire continent of cultures seemingly different, but essentially connected. From LATAM for the world, from the world for LATAM.

Our symbol takes an ascendant form, which represents our strength, dynamism and willingness to always go further. It is formed by the harmony of different elements, since we are born of the richness of diversity." - LATAM's logo page (my translation from Portuguese)

"The logo was inspired by the identity and heritage of the region, incorporating the best of LAN and TAM. For this reason, we selected indigo and coral as the main colors for LATAM. The first represents the best of both worlds as it falls between red and blue which are the main brand colors for TAM and LAN. And the second, symbolizes energy and passion, essential attributes of the new brand. These two colors are supported by secondary colors that bring to life the diversity that is found in Latin America. The implementation of rebranding in our industry is a gradual process and requires a long period of development. It will require a lot of time and effort, but as we work on the implementation of the new brand, we will continue to work in parallel to unify the in-flight experience offered by the LATAM Airlines Group airlines" - Marketing VP Jerome Cadier in a press release

"With the new brand, we will continue the legacy of leadership that started decades ago with LAN, TAM and their respective affiliate carriers. Both brands contributed for many years to the growth and development of the region, and today more than ever, we are committed to the future of Latin America and connecting it to the world. The new brand allows us to offer a better, consistent service throughout our network, which in turn strengthens our position in the region." - LATAM CEO Enrique Cueto Plaza

Read and see more on LATAM's dedicated brand page
Interbrand (archive)