Air India undergoes brand overhaul but iconic mascot Maharaja isn’t going anywhere

India’s former flag carrier Air India is amidst a major brand overhaul, but its iconic ‘Maharaja’ mascot is going nowhere. The companyunveiled its new logo Thursday (August 10), a move aimed at overhauling the brand and reflecting the merger of its two full-service carriers Air India and Vistara.

Tata Group acquired Air India in January 2022 after offering $2.4 billion and now faces the uphill task of reviving its fortunes.

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New logo named The Vista

The previous logo, which featureda red swan along with a distinctive orange Konark Chakra, has been replaced by a livery of three colours—red, white and purple. The new logo has been named The Vista.The airline also revealed its new tail design and theme song as part of the event.

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VIDEO | Air India unveils its new livery and logo pic.twitter.com/IZCy5PLOqx — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 10, 2023

While red and white have been taken from Air India’s old theme, purple has been taken to reflect incoropration of Vistara, the other private airline of Tata Group.

“Colours, patterns, shapes and how they come together and what they represent matter, but our actions speak so much louder. We are in the midst of a total transformation to reimagine the role of India’s flagship airline”, Air India CEO Campbell Wilson said.

Maharaja will no longer serve as a mascot; instead, its presence will be reduced to premium class and airport lounges.

Watch:Air India, Vistara merger kickstarts

“The Maharaja will live on. It has a deep connect with people over a certain age who form a significant part of the flyers.

The airline wants to retain that nostalgia,” Financial Express reported citing some sources familiar with the development.

The Maharaja fits in well with the airline’s efforts to project itself as a “global brand with an Indian heart”, they added.

History of Maharaja Mascot

Since Air India’s inception in 1946, Maharaja has been an integral part of its identity. The creators of Maharaja later revamped the mascot to make it more relevant and modern, countering claims that it portrayed an outdated and inaccurate image of India.

Additionally, Air India (AI) integrated the Maharaja into real-life conversations, allowing him to engage with the public in a unique manner, much like the Amul girl. Consequently, he became a genuine figure for many of his admirers and the company’s flyers.

Furthermore, Haris Bijoor, a brand-strategy expert, expressed that the Maharaja has enduring significance.

“I do believe the Maharaja is forever. It’s easy to erase the old with the new. Very few can preserve the old and make it new! AI must attempt that. In the era of hard-touch and hard-tech and hard commercial practice, the soft old mascot of yesteryears doesn’t belong to the dustbin of history. Instead it belongs to the future,” he said.

London-based consultancy leading rebranding efforts

In December 2022, the Tatas joined hands with London-based brand and design consultancy company, Futurebrands, to lead the rebranding efforts for Air India. Subsequently, they appointed McCann Worlgroup India to manage brand promotion initiatives.

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