Since its establishment in 1932, Air India has been the flag carrier of India. But it became popular because of its mascot ‘The Maharaja’. It was created by Bobby Kooka, who was a commercial director for the airline, and artist Umesh Rao. Since then, it was used for promoting the brand! However, with the airline rebranding itself, the Maharaja may bow out. Here’s what the reports say about Air India and its Maharaja.
Air India Is Rebranding Itself!
According to a Hindustan Times report, two airline officials disclosed that Air India is ready to rebrand itself under the management of Tata Group. However, its iconic mascot ‘Maharaja’ is set to take a backseat. They further added that the rebranding will feature a new logo and uniform as well as a new tagline. This would likely be revealed next month and implemented by the end of 2023.
The orange Konark Chakra motif is displayed on a red swan in the most recent Air India logo. In fact, it has been in use since 2014 and is seen on the aeroplanes of Air India. The current administration of Air India, which took over last year, has stated that the Maharaja will continue to be a part of the airline.
Also Read: Air India Pilot Refuses To Fly Plane With 100 Passengers Including MPs Onboard; Says Duty Over
The officials now think the mascot won’t likely take on the same function, though. To enhance the airline’s branding, the Tata Group recruited McCann Worldgroup India, which is led by Prasoon Joshi. But despite numerous attempts, Air India did not answer questions.
Maharaja Mascot Won’t Play The Same Role?
In 1946, the 76-year-old Maharaja was created. It later became the logo for the airline. Since then, it has been intimately linked to the brand of the airline. The executives claimed that Air India no longer desired to link the Maharaja with the contemporary world.
The Maharajah mascot has been identified with the airline, but an expert suggested the airline would leverage this to its advantage. According to Piyush Pandey, executive chairman of Ogilvy India and brand consultant, if the airline is considering these options, they almost certainly have plans for the mascot and everything will rely on how they use it.
Also Read: Air India BLR-Mum Flight Delayed By 10 Hours, 100 Passengers Stranded At Bangalore Airport
A second official responded when asked when the airline planned to implement the adjustments, that the airline aims to bring in all the changes by the year end.
Cover Image Courtesy: 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐯 𝐆𝐮𝐩𝐭𝐚/ Twitter