MEMOGRAPHER | Travel Photo Journal

Paying tribute to Delta, my home airline, I continue ‘Delta Air Lines – The History In Magazine Advertising’ series, dedicated to Delta’s 85th Anniversary.
As in previous posts, I start with history facts and finish with the images of magazine advertisements. Today’s subjects are The History of Delta’s Logo and Magazine Ads From 1960s.

Delta Air Lines Logos

	1928-1966 Originally created in 1925 for the Huff Daland Dusting Company. Thor, the Norse god of thunder, war and agriculture, symbolizes the fight against the boll weevil insect in the 1920s.
	1929-1930 First passenger service logo featured Mercury, the Roman god of travel and commerce. The triangle represents the “D” of the Greek alphabet, which is “Delta.”
	1934-1951 This winged triangle logo represents the Greek letter “Delta” and was used from 1934-1951. From 1934-1939, often seen the inscription “AM 24” (Air Mail Route 24) inside triangle.
	1945-1953 The “Flying D” logo was used by Delta from 1945-1953, with variations of the logo appearing up to 1959.
	1953-1955 Delta-C&S logo combines Delta’s “Flying D” logo and Chicago & Southern Air Lines, which merged with Delta on May 1, 1953. For two years, the airline was known as Delta-C&S.
	1955-1959 Return to the “Flying D” logo used before merger with Chicago and Southern Air Lines.
	1959-2007 The Delta jet red and blue “widget” logo was introduced on the first Delta jet in 1959 and was used in some variation until 2007.
	1959 Jet “widget” logo introduced during Delta’s “Royal JET Service” promotion for its first jet, the Douglas DC-8, in 1959.
	1959-1960 Sideways widget logo represented the speed of jets.
	1962-1965 Widget in oval logo.
	1963-1993 Large widget extends over the top of the word DELTA. “AIR LINES” may be included in smaller letters.
	1976 U.S. Bicentennial logo.
	1980-1990 Widget + Delta logo.
	April 1, 1985 Signature Service logo.
	1993-1995 Full corporate name logo.
	1995-2000 Full corporate name logo updated.
	2000-2004 Updated Widget Logo. Dropped the words “Air” and “Lines” from the previous logo and softening the arch in the triangle.
	2004-2007 Based on employee feedback and nostalgia associated with Delta’s 75th anniversary, the Heritage Widget replaced the softer widget logo.
	2007-Present 3-dimensional red widget logo. On April 30, 2007, Delta Air Lines presented a completely new look, the same day the airline emerged from bankruptcy. The triangle is now all red, with one side in a slightly darker shade to give the symbol some depth.

Delta Air Lines Magazine Ads From 1960’s

Delta was the first airline to use Jet Service. In 1959, with introduction of the Jets, the airline’s slogan is The Airline with the BIG JETS, and most of the advertisements created with this slogan in mind. In the end of 1960s, Delta highlighted the importance of customer service in its “The One…” advertising campaign- The One Plane Airline, The One Family Airline, The One Passenger Airline, etc.

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