Vistara launches its first television commercial with brand ambassador Deepika Padukone

The multimedia campaign featuring the newly-appointed brand ambassador targets corporate and frequent flyers.

Vistara, the full-service carrier airlines, launched its first television spot on Aug 22. The multimedia campaign, conceptualised by Mullen Lintas, features Bollywood actor Deepika Padukone who was recently appointed as the company's brand ambassador.

Vistara commenced commercial operations in January 2015. The airline brand is known for its premium pricing and also as the first full-service carrier to introduce the 'premium economy' class of travel. Its core audience includes corporate and frequent flyers who value the service experience and are willing to pay a reasonable premium for it.

Hence, the campaign has been created to highlight the brand promise of 'Fly the new feeling' in a subtle way. The ad depicts how the experience of flying Vistara rekindles Padukone's love for flying by making her feel like a little girl. A hummable background score completes the message.

As a precursor to the campaign, Vistara also ran a Twitter contest #WhichGirl wherein people were asked to guess who will be the face of the brand. A child ambassador was brought in to execute this bit. Padukone's name was revealed on August 21.

Commenting on the execution, Amer Jaleel, chairman and CCO, Mullen Lintas, says, "For an airline brand that has a superior offering, there's always a temptation to put the rational features upfront. We resisted that and took on the more elevated task of capturing the feeling. The simple 'emotionalising' we have pitched for Vistara is a bigger asset for the brand to own."

The integrated campaign will be deployed across multiple platforms including TV, digital, print, outdoor, cinema, as well as at the airports.

On the choice of brand ambassador and the campaign objective, Kishore Mardikar, vice-president - marketing, Tata SIA Airlines, adds, "With many players having taken to the skies in recent years, the aim was to clearly highlight the uniqueness that customers can experience by flying Vistara. And, who better to communicate that thought than Deepika Padukone, a high-achieving role model who exemplifies the aspirations of the new generation."

Tata Sia Airlines, known by the brand name Vistara, is a joint venture between Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines (SIA), with Tata Sons holding the majority stake of 51 per cent in the company and SIA holding the remaining 49 per cent. In a span of 19 months, it has expanded its network from its hub in New Delhi, and now serves 17 destinations across the country with 11 Airbus A320 aircraft flying 475 flights a week. By the end of this year, Vistara aims to grow its fleet to 13 Airbus A320 aircraft, and will fly over 500 flights a week to 18 destinations.

Flying high

Appreciating the ad, Bikram Bindra, vice-president - strategic planning, Grey Group, says, "The idea is a strong one and I quite loved the creative element of using a child to take us back in time. The device of nostalgia is oft-used these days, but still manages to charm; we all know that we lived in a better world when we were younger!"

Bindra, however, questions the need of a brand ambassador for this, or any other brand for that matter. Giving an example, he states, "If I look at the communication in this category that resonated with me in recent times, it was the British Airways film because it stemmed from a strong consumer insight. And, this piece also comes from a lovely little human truth."

But, Bindra acknowledges that Padukone does add "her own child-like charm to the film, adding to the overall viewing experience."

He also points out that the minimalist execution of the ad would make perfect sense to the corporate and frequent flyers -- the brand's core TG. "Fare is, honestly, the last thing on their (flyers) mind; they would, in fact, lay a greater premium on the comfort and amenities that an airlines can provide. This type of flyer now has a very jaded and unenthused opinion of the whole airport and flying experience. To remind him that there could be joy existing here is a great unlock, and one that should work wonders for the brand," he notes.