First it was the Remai Modern, then DTN YXE. Now the Saskatoon Airport Authority has rebranded itself with a new name and logo.
From now on, the airport authority will be known as Skyxe (pronounced sky-ex-ee).
A statement from the authority said the new title combined references to aviation, Saskatchewan’s living skies and the Saskatoon Airport operating code of YXE.
The new Saskatoon Airport Authority brand: Skyxe (pronounced sky-ex-ee). (Skyxe Saskatoon Airport)
“The Skyxe brand comes on the heels of a newly expanded air terminal building and significant strategic transformation towards our new corporate vision to be Canada’s most valued airport experience,” said Skyxe Saskatoon Airport president Stephen Maybury.
The new brand only applies to the airport authority. The terminal itself will still be called John G. Diefenbaker International Airport.
What’s in a name?
University of Saskatchewan marketing professor David Williams said he liked the new branding, although he thought it looked similar to the Skype video calling logo.
“It has more of an identity than Saskatoon Airport Authority, which is this faceless kind of entity with no public presence and most people wonder, ‘Well what does it do?'” he said.
“It’s kind of behind the scenes.
“It links in, it gives it an emotional presence or a tangible essence to this faceless body.”
University of Saskatchewan marketing professor David Williams says the new Saskatoon Airport Authority brand is a good one. (Steve Pasqualotto/CBC)
Williams said the new branding was probably designed to attract businesses to the airport, rather than to appeal to the public.
He said there was a variety of reasons why Saskatoon’s buildings and neighborhoods were getting catchy new names, codes and logos.
Branding is big
“Everything’s being branded,” said Williams.
“And don’t forget one of the reasons they are doing it is because more, kind of, public services and utilities to justify their presence and importance, and also, kind of, you know, tax dollars don’t always cover everything. ”
He said branding was often a way to get funding for big infrastructure projects, and the public could act as a barometer of when branding was appropriate.
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