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Air India underwent an image makeover on Thursday with a new logo and red-gold-aubergine themed aircraft livery as it charts out its growth plans.
The airline’s new identity has evoked mixed reactions. While some saw it as bold and innovative others have panned it as too much bling. Brand experts however feel that airline’s transformation will depend on how soon it improves customer service and matches delivery with vision.
“The logo with its unique font is endearing. The colours on the aircraft livery, though, could have been subtler. Overall I feel the new visual identity signals Air India’s transformation. The vision will have to be matched by delivery. Customer expectations are high and they will experience a definite change over time,” said N Chandramouli, CEO, TRA Research, Mumbai-based brand intelligence and advisory firm.
“The new identity signals a positive change. The logo type looks modern and contemporary. The underbelly branding is an innovative move too,” said Ambi Parameswaran, brand strategist and founder of Brand-Building.com.
Air India said its new identity and livery captures the essence of a bold new India. The new look reimagines the iconic Indian window shape, historically used by Air India, into a gold window frame that becomes central to the new brand design system - symbolising a ‘window of possibilities,’ it said in a press statement.
“The core theme of a window is a positive. A window is always endless in what it can look out into,” remarked Harish Bijoor, brand strategy specialist and founder of Harish Bijoor Consults.
Shashank Nigam, founder and CEO of aviation strategy firm Simpliflying offers a different take. “The new Air India brand is bold and bright, like the colours one may see during Holi or at a Punjabi wedding. It clearly sends a signal that the airline is reinventing from its old image. The red is striking, the gold aims to add a premium touch and the purple brings a bit of Vistara. To the untrained eye, it may be overwhelming. There seem to be too many elements to the brand on the design, which makes it appear like “khichadi,” Nigam said.
“Ultimately, the turnaround will depend on how much Air India can improve customer experience,” he added.
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