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karatecatman · Guest

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ECONOMIC TIMES
Praful to decide brand, logo of merged AI-Indian family
G GANAPATHY SUBRAMANIAM

TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ MONDAY, MARCH 19, 2007 01:19:38 AM]

Quotes:

NEW DELHI: Key decisions related to the mega merger of Air India and Indian continue to hang in balance even as the government races against time to meet milestones set for the creation of India’s largest airline.

Headquarters of the merged entity, the brands to be used by it, logos for various segments of business and the selection of top management are significant issues that have to be wrapped up in the next couple of weeks, government sources said. The final word on these issues has been left to civil aviation minister Praful Patel, they added.

While the Air India building in Mumbai is considered the favourite for housing the headquarters of the merged entity, there is a demand for having the headquarters in Delhi since the merged entity would be a prestigious central PSU. In the case of brand and logo, continued use of the Air India Maharajah as mascot for the premium airline is under consideration. The low-cost services of the merged entity may use the Indian brand, it is understood.

...

Indian has four functional directors while AI has three. Since all of them cannot be accommodated on the board of the merged entity, some of them would be deputed as heads of the special business units which will deal with airline operations, low-cost services, engineering, ground handling, cargo and other services.

Interestingly, speculation is also rife within AI and Indian about the possibility of retirement age being increased by two years.

sanjay744 · Member Joined: 19 Mar 2007 Posts: 1

I hear it would take some time to decide on the colours.....for the new entity.

Nimish · Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 4:18 pm Post subject:

VABBy · Member Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 823 Location: DEL

Since its controversial its better to have an autocratic type of descion making rather than wait for commitees, to answer as to what they feel abt
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HAWK21M · Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 4:46 pm Post subject:

Was thinking of the same.Shouldn't a Joint committee of both AI & IC decide on the brand.
regds
MEL
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787 · Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 7:24 pm Post subject:

As for the logo they should keep the peacock because it is our national bird as well as it is the sign of royalty.
For name,I am confused. They have used the best options that is Air India and Indian airlines. Air Indian ................naaaaaaaaaaaa.very awkward.
Indian Air mmmmmmmmmmm Question

(still better) Confused

Here is the livery which i have designed keeping our traditional design in mind.
Don't bother about the name.

HAWK21M · Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 7:59 pm Post subject:

Nice Livery.
I think AIR INDIA should stay.
regds
MEL
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Think of the Brighter side !!!

777-237LR · Member Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 140

Heard today that the mergred airline will be called "India National Airlines", with a tiger as the new mascot, replacing the Maharaja.

Aseem · Member Joined: 15 Dec 2006 Posts: 2841 Location: YYZ

although it is rather pointless debating what it should be, but due to the very nature of our interest we will continue to do so.

Personally, I see no harm in copying PK's tail concept along with uniform fusalage pattern. We have enough variety to come up with more than 100 tails. I somehow have a sinking feeling, typical of when one person is to decide the fate of something so passionately adored by many.
rgds
VT-ASJ
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the_380 · Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 10:26 pm Post subject:

shivendrashukla · Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 10:38 pm Post subject:

the_380 · Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 10:47 pm Post subject:

AKLDELNonstop · Member Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 1066 Location: Auckland

Birendra · Member Joined: 15 Feb 2007 Posts: 1411

Our aviation minister makes bidis so he wants some recognition guys.....what next, not the logo also as one Rolling Eyes

Aseem · Member Joined: 15 Dec 2006 Posts: 2841 Location: YYZ

I am really concerned that if they change the mascot to tiger, then it might prompt an investigation by US DHS about AI/IC's alleged links with LTTE. Laughing

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C-GHKR · Member Joined: 26 Dec 2006 Posts: 626 Location: yyz

karatecatman · Guest

HAWK21M · Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2007 6:08 pm Post subject:

Stick to AIR INDIA.Im sure majority will like that Smile

regds
MEL
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Think of the Brighter side !!!

Birendra · Member Joined: 15 Feb 2007 Posts: 1411

shivendrashukla · Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2007 8:23 pm Post subject:

the_380 · Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2007 9:12 pm Post subject:

I wouldn't agree... for that would mean Indian Airlines has been worth nothing all these years!
I however suggest Air india + Indian = "Air Indian"
Well are we forgetting Indian Airways? Wink

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stealthpilot · Member Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 2325 Location: BLR, DXB

I personally prefer Air India. Changing it to Air Indian just to remember Indian airlines isn’t a good reason.

XBValk · Member Joined: 27 Jan 2007 Posts: 124 Location: NYC/COK

777-237LR · Member Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 140

Almost missed this article on the merger and formation of
National Aviation Company Limited (NACL= AI+IC)

Work on Indian-AI merger begins

Posted On Thursday, March 22, 2007

Naveeta Singh

Mumbai: The much talked about Air India (AI) and Indian merger is taking shape with the formation of a new company, National Aviation Company Limited (NACL) in the next 10 days.

“We have completed all the formalities and do not see why it should not happen soon,” said an Air India official who would join the managing board of the new company.

The board of the new company will consist of 15 directors – four from Indian and three from AI and the remaining from the Civil Aviation Ministry. There will be 51 executive directors from both the airlines.

To make sure the merger process is smooth, a body named – Integration Champion (IC) will be created. “IC will handle the merger and see to it that all issues, including that of employees, are addressed,” the director said.

According to a highly placed source, there will be no retrenchment of employees. “We will see to it that nobody loses job and the entire 100 per cent staff will be maintained. This is, basically, because giving voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) is costlier than retaining them,” he added. A special Employee Grievance Redressal Committee will be formed to take care of the employee’s problems.

NACL will have five units - airline passenger unit, cargo unit, Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) unit, ground handling and low cost carrier.

The low cost carriers of both the airlines – Air India Express of AI and Alliance Air of Indian – will also be merged into one with a functional director.

Link: http://www.mumbaimirror.com/net/mmpaper.aspx?Page=article&sectid=5&contentid=200703220317223902f0d2a09#

the_380 · Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2007 12:28 am Post subject:

Btw what will the merged LCC be called? 'Sasta Airways?'
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Birendra · Member Joined: 15 Feb 2007 Posts: 1411

karatecatman · Guest

If the gossip is right, it will be INDIAN!!!

... An important article, that hopefully doesn't start off an acrimonious Air India versus Indian debate.

http://inhome.rediff.com/money/2006/jan/25bspec.htm
Why Indian Airlines changed logo, name

Prerna Raturi
January 25, 2006

It's tough not to be sidetracked from focussing on a company's image makeover when industry analysts, competitors and customers are falling over themselves saying what else needs to be done.

There are a lot of expectations riding on Indian, formerly known as Indian Airlines, which has changed everything from its name to the logo -- and plans a lot more. (The company name, however, remains unchanged: Indian Airlines Limited.) But more on that later.

Analysts agree on one point, however -- the timing of the strategy. "An Indian today is considered as making a difference, and his say is of significant value. That positive image of an Indian is being utilised well with the dropping of the suffix, Airlines," says Harish Bijoor, brand consultant and CEO, Harish Bijoor Consults Inc.

Wind beneath the wings

A makeover was long overdue. The last change at Indian Airlines Limited (IAL) was way back in 1967. That's when it changed its name from Indian Airlines Corporation to Indian Airlines and the green, winged logo was replaced by a slanting IA painted in white on an orange background. In the company spokesman's own words, every airline must revisit its brand every 10 to 15 years.

Besides, competition in the Indian airspace is increasing exponentially. Civil aviation ministry estimates place the growth in domestic passenger movement at over 50 per cent in the past three years: from 26.36 million in 2001-02, to 40.09 million in 2004-05.

Granted, IAL is also reaping the benefits of that increased traffic. Its balance sheet is also looking a lot better these day -- the state-owned carrier posted a post-tax profit of Rs 65.61 crore (Rs 656.1 million) in fiscal 2005.

But aviation analysts point out that was more due to focused cost-cutting initiatives, than actual attempts to increase the customer base. Initiatives such as a better insurance deal and thrifty fuel tanking plans, that is, buying fuel from states where it is cheap, worked.

"We also looked at non-productive areas and ruthlessly cut costs there," says a senior company official.

Marketshare, meanwhile, was crashing. From close to 100 per cent in 1990, when private carriers were allowed to operate in Indian skies, IAL's share dropped to about 30 per cent in 2004.

Compare this Jet Airways's now-50 per cent market share (following last week's Rs 2,300-crore -- Rs 23 billion -- acquisition of Air Sahara). Even the three new, low-cost airlines together account for 15-16 per cent of the market. Their advantage (apart from the oh-so-obvious cost)? A youthful, vibrant image.

"With a young staff, ad campaigns and offers galore, the newly-launched airlines are a force to reckon with," says an industry analyst. The ministry of civial aviation estimates that air transport grew 24 per cent IAL needed to act, and fast.

Three, a proposed initial public offering is on the agenda some time in the next financial year. "That would mean a complete new set of stakeholders. The IPO was yet another impetus for us to look at our brand and image," says the company spokesperson.

That's where the timing comes in. The new, leased A-319s were the first aircraft to bear the new logo.

"An airlines' biggest asset is its fleet," says the IAL spokesman. With 43 more to be acquired this year -- including A 319s, A 320s and A 321s -- IAL's older fleet will slowly be converted into cargo aircraft.

The A 319s are IAL's newest aircraft after 1993, when it bought 11 A 320s. The airline is likely to spend more than Rs 9,500 crore (Rs 95 billion) on the new aircraft and, as an industry analyst points out, "it would be silly not to make the most of it."

In flying colours

IAL obviously felt the same way. The empanelled agencies of the company were asked to submit their concept for the makeover. "The brief we were given was to come up with something that signifies change, but with an element of continuity," says Ajit Shah, executive director, R K Swamy BBDO, the agency that created the new logo.

The creative team considered several options -- the national flag, birds, animals and colours -- before zeroing in on the wheel from the Sun Temple at Konark, Orissa. "It signifies motion and represents the Indian image perfectly," adds Shah.

That was phase one. What followed were intense discussions and brainstorming to develop the idea further. The final result is quirky blue spokes -- "signifying the sky, aviation and modernity," says Shah -- against a lively orange background, an attempt to establish continuity with the old logo.

More important was the dropping of the suffix "Airlines" from the name. "It seems simple, but is anything but that," says Bijoor, pointing out how the image and name change also involves a change in mindset -- from a plodding public sector undertaking to an airline that is ready to take on private airlines.

"But why change the name at all? "When we were named Indian Airlines, we were the only Indian airline. Now you have so many 'Indian' airlines. It's only fair that we attempt to change that," says the IAL spokesman.

Not everybody agrees. "Indian is such a generic name. It represents 100 crore (1 billion) people, their emotions, their movies... everything. I find it tough to accept it as a brand," declares A G Krishnamurthy, chairman, AGK Brand Consulting and founder and former CMD, Mudra.

Dipstick surveys also show that though people associate the new logo with the old one instantly, they aren't too comfortable with the name change.

"It is slightly controversial, and it will take some time to get used to," defends Shah. But the same exercise by several other airlines shows that it works. After all, American Airlines is now American and Sri Lankan Airlines is referred to as Sri Lankan.

But designers and brand consultants haven't accepted the new logo wholeheartedly, either.

"The wheel in the Konark temple, which was the inspiration for the new logo, is a 12-ft large, bulky monolithic structure. It is set in stone, static. How can it portray a service that means travelling across the skies?" questions Tarun Deep Girdher, graphic faculty designer, National Institute of Design (NID). (Incidentally, NID created the earlier logo, which has now been scrapped in the makeover exercise.)

Looking beneath the surface

IAL announced its new look with a television campaign -- also created by BBDO -- that ran for two weeks across all major cable channels. But Indian Airlines becoming Indian is such big news that the coverage it generated left all paid advertising in the dust. News channels covered the makeover extensively, as did all the major newspapers.

Almost all the dailies ran photographs of the new A 319, the new logo and the new name -- creating more publicity for the airline through word-of-mouth than any paid ad could ever hope to achieve.

But a logo and name change is just part of the story. More important is the overall image of the airline. If the new look has to seep into every visible part of the airline, that means rejigging close to 60 touch points -- from the ticket, the counter, the colour of the floor inside the aircraft, to the uniforms and the standard of service.

"The logo and the livery make up just 5 per cent of the entire image," points out Preet Bedi, president, Rediffusion DY&R. Changing all that is a much more onerous task, but IAL promises it is up to the challenge.

"A new look comes with strings attached," warns a brand analyst. "Indian will have to pay attention to the customer-airline interface as well." "My only worry is the company struggling to live up to the expectations. A brand is not just about cosmetic changes but about the experience, too," seconds Bijoor.

That's going to happen, says IAL. In the pipeline are new uniforms for the staff (although the saree may still not make way for western outfits for the female cabin crew); new interiors for the craft and new crockery and flatware; and upgraded in-flight entertainment such as personal screens, radios and so on.

"The average age of the cabin crew will come down; hardware in backoffice operations is being upgraded, as is the reservation system," details the spokesman.

The new brandname will find its way onto everything associated with the airline over the next month -- signages, tickets, baggage tags, stationery, boarding passes and so on. "I am a regular flier but I haven't seen any change yet. It is vital for the company to bring about uniformity in the look and feel of the airline at every touchpoint," says Bedi.

Of course, the bigger physical changes will take time. While all the new aircraft will be emblazoned with the new logo, the old aircraft will be repainted only during their "major maintenance" cycles -- every 12 to 18 months -- when they are painted anyway.

By end-January, six aircraft will have been repainted; that number will increase to nearly 20 by the end of the fiscal year. All in all, IAL hopes to have the makeover complete in the next 12 to 18 months.

"It is taken for granted that a private company will have a fresh image and a PSU needs to look like a drab dowager," says the IAL spokesman.

Nimish · Posted: Mon Mar 26, 2007 5:14 pm Post subject:

himmat01 · Member Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 1392 Location: DEL

The merged airline will be called "Air Indian" and will retain the IATA code AI. The Maharajah will continue to be the mascot. Smile

A new company called National Aviation Company Ltd has been registered by the government to amalgamate the two airlines along with their low-fare subsidiaries.

http://www.agencyfaqs.com/news/stories/2007/03/29/17412.html

I am not too impressed with the new name. They could have either retained "Air India" or "Indian" but clubbing the two into "Air Indian" is a silly idea. Only a babu could have come up with something like this.
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Nimish · Posted: Thu Mar 29, 2007 11:17 am Post subject:

karatecatman · Guest

So name change again for "Andhra Pradesh"?

May be thats why 3 777s still on the ground. Wink

the_380 · Posted: Thu Mar 29, 2007 2:27 pm Post subject:

himmat01 · Member Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 1392 Location: DEL