Air India
On Thursday, Air India revealed a new logo that represents endless possibilities. The Tata-owned airline spent up to 15 months developing the new logo. It will take the place of the previous emblem, which had an Ashoka Chakra-inspired crimson swan with orange spokes inside.
The Vista, the new brand emblem for Air India, features a contemporary style with golden, crimson, and purple hues.
The firm explained in a press statement that the design was “inspired by the peak of the gold window frame, signifying limitless possibilities, progressiveness, and the airline’s bold, confident outlook for the future.”
Air India has historically used a classic and recognisable Indian window form as the basis for its new emblem, which the airline feels represents a ‘Window of Opportunities’.
“Our transformative new brand reflects an ambition to make Air India a world-class airline serving guests from around the globe, and that represents a new India proudly on the global stage,” stated Campbell Wilson, Air India CEO & MD.
Actions speak so much louder than colours, patterns, shapes, and the way they are put together and what they stand for. He continued, “It is undergoing a complete transformation to reimagine the role of India’s flagship airline.”
From December 2023, when Air India’s first Airbus A350 enters the fleet with the new livery, travellers will be able to see this emblem on the airline’s aircraft, which was created in collaboration with FutureBrand.
FutureBrand, a brand and design company based in London, has worked on branding projects for American Airlines, Bentley, a British luxury car manufacturer, and the 2012 London Olympics. In order to compete with upscale airlines like Emirates and Qatar Airways, it is presently working to revamp Air India’s brand.
The Maharajah mascot retreated as the Tata Group, which had assumed control of the national carrier in January of last year following its privatisation, started a long-awaited brand-revamp.
Since 1946, the Maharajah has been synonymous with Air India. Over the years, the centaur, the rising sun, and a flying swan have also appeared in the company’s emblems.
The brand image was developed in 1946 by Umesh Rao, an artist with the marketing firm J. Walter Thompson, and Bobby Kooka, Air India’s Commercial Director. At that time, flying was a supremely opulent experience reserved mostly for the very wealthy and famous.
However, according to Air India CEO Campbell Wilson, the iconic mascot of a happy Maharaja sporting an enormous moustache and a red turban won’t entirely disappear as a result of Tata’s rebranding.
According to CEO Campbell Wilson, it will still be present in some design components but would be less noticeable, and by 2025, all of the airline’s widebody aircraft will have received the new livery.
Since the Tata Group took control last year, Air India has steadily worked to enhance its reputation with customers. The airline will do this by updating its cabins, adding additional seats, and retiring older planes through the following year.
The Tata company acquired ownership and administration of the airline in January 2022 after paying the Indian government Rs 18,000 crore for it. Air India later in September 2022 presented Vihaan.AI, a multi-stage transformation strategy for become a “world class global airline with an Indian heart.”
Air India recently announced a major order for 470 aircraft as well as significant expenditures for IT upgrades and aircraft refurbishment.
By the end of 2026, the airline hopes to operate a totally new long-haul fleet.
A phased introduction of the new Air India website, mobile app, loyalty scheme, and interior upgrades will also take place.
Air India would use the greatest artificial intelligence and machine learning, according to Chandrasekaran, who is also the airline’s chairman. He also highlighted that the airline is not simply another business for the group but a passion and a national duty.
On a thorough rebranding frenzy, Air India has also updated the menus on domestic and international routes, introduced Premium Economy seats on some long-haul flights for the first time, and insourced some of the crucial customer care tasks.
