AirAsia India positions itself as a 'family airline' in digital spot

A look at the campaign titled #FlyWithAirAsia.

AirAsia India, the low-cost air carrier part-owned by Tata Sons, has launched a digital campaign in line with its brand promise 'Now everyone can fly'. The larger theme of #FlywithAirAsia is depicted in this film, which was released recently across the brand's key social media channels. So far, the video has received 1.6 million views on Facebook, 9 lakh views on YouTube, and has been among the top trending topics on Twitter on Republic Day.

AirAsia India positions itself as a 'family airline' in digital spot

Touching upon the aspirations of a child who wants to fly, the film begins with a young boy playing a traditional Indian children's game called 'Chidiya Udd', where he is laughed at for believing that people can fly. When his father attempts to explain to him that 'people don't fly', the child reasons that he felt so because his uncle could 'fly from Delhi, just like a bird'. His father then explains that only when 'everyone has an opportunity to fly, will they be able to say that people can fly.' Years later, the kid grows up to take his entire family on a trip through AirAsia.

Team AirAsia India says the brand aims to change the overall picture of air travel in India. Kiran Jain, commercial director, AirAsia India, says, "The film targets new and aspirational flyers across all destinations, especially the north, and our target group falls in the age group of 25-45 years."

The last film by the brand was a showcase of the

film promotion of Kabali

', starring southern star Rajnikanth. On the timing of this new film's release, Jain says, "Republic Day is a time when all of India reflects upon the kind of opportunities that are available to so many of us today, flying still being one of the more aspirational services. This day is all about realised dreams and celebrating all the things that we as citizens have access to."

While Contract is the company's creative agency, this film was conceptualised by Circus Elephants, who had approached them for a project. "Ritesh Shastri and his team were briefed to come up with a campaign idea that will help connect with flyers and non-flyers at an emotional level. We worked with the team, right from conceptualisation to execution, and believe that we managed to achieve what we set out to do," adds Jain.

Ritesh Shastri, business director, Circus Elephants, says, "Air travel is growing rapidly, yet its benefits haven't truly reached the masses. 'People can fly' - is a fact that we sought to highlight with the film that challenges the exclusivity of air travel. We drive the story through an innocent protagonist who questions the belief that people can't fly. The brief was the positioning of the brand itself- Now Everyone Can Fly. Through the retelling of the children's game, we observe the changing dynamics of the aviation industry because of AirAsia."

Will the communication take off? Experts speak.

Deepak Singh, chief creative officer, The Social Street, feels the execution could've been better. "I think it is a sweet plot and surely something that the masses would relate to. But it could have been done better, especially in terms of the storytelling as well as the execution. It somehow becomes predictable towards the end, so it could have been written in a more interesting and gripping manner," says Singh.

While he is of the view that there are no specific rules to be applied while creating communication for this category, he however says, "Marketers in the same category have come up with quirky communication too, while others have taken the emotional route. At the end of the day, it's for the brand to decide what works best keeping in mind its TG and its tone of voice."

Vandana Sethhi, director, Water Communications, feels that for a middle class Indian, travelling by air for the first time is a huge emotional event in life. She says, "Chances are that they would fondly remember their first air travel with details. So the first-time traveller subject is perfect to communicate affordable travel."

Commenting on the creative, she says, "The game of 'Chidiya Udd' is also a good hook to set an emotional tone. Economical travel is not new but the before-after execution has given that edge, so overall it works well, but vis-à-vis your average digital film, this is very safe."

Also reasoning that the digital medium provides a platform to experiment and risk more, Sethhi asserts, "We must make best use of this creative liberty, we've finally got thanks to digital medium. Digital media allows us to experiment, entertain and engage in a more impactful way. A good example in a similar category is the 'Uncancel' ad by Make my Trip."

On using childhood as the go-to emotional hook, Sethhi says, "Why drag kids in every communication, be it any category - be it Santoor, Nirma, Nivea, Godrej hair colour, Good Night...the list is endless. I think the advertising club should start a category of awards for 'Innovative films without kids'," she quips.

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