Italo
A new Italian story
NTV stands for new passenger transport and was created with the goal of competing on Italian high-speed lines following liberalization of the European Union rail travel industry. Italo, the name chosen through an ideas competition promoted on the web, is the transport service’s commercial brand entrusted with the task of beating the incumbent status quo.
A friendly, almost cosy style using a “classic” Italian name and a brand mascot able to generate empathy, chosen with a view to claiming the role of player attentive to customer expectations.
The project is underpinned by the “informal” simplicity of the name and the brand icon, the elegant impact of the train livery, balanced marking with personalized carriage interiors, and an eye to sustainable packaging of catering products.
The Italo brand is flanked by the image of a hare seen in full sprint momentum. The silhouette is in profile, sending messages of speed and agility, typical of the service and easily picked up by all audiences, adults and children, Italian and international. The streamlined stroke conveys the sense of strength and lightness, clearly interpreting the innovative characteristics of the new train and the expectations of users: Italo is fast, safe, green and, thanks to its performance, cuts down distances. The hare is usually perceived in all cultures as a charming, playful, reassuring character with a docile, soothing nature. A hare is the friend you take on your journey and whom you can trust. Above all, the hare is the main player in a new Italian story.
The letters composing the Italo logotype were designed specifically to harmonize with the symbol and strengthen the brand’s sense of welcome and connection.
Burgundy and gold speak of Italo’s identity of great temperament and elegance, and characterize the livery, in part the carriage interiors, and more generally the brand language of the various communication tools/channels.
