IPG Mediabrands India’s Initiative will be handling the media duties of Air India. The media planning and buying group’s victory gave the advertising holding giant, IPG, a double win, especially because the group’s creative partner, McCann Worldgroup India, secured Air India’s worldwide creative mandate in 2023. Following a protracted pitch process last year, the mandate tasked the agency with revamping the advertising and communication of the heritage airline brand.
Tata Group has been in the process of consolidating its entire airline business under Air India. The salt-to-software conglomerate bought Air India for Rs 18,000 crore as part of government disinvestment in 2021. In early March 2024, Singapore’s competition watchdog granted approval for the merger between Air India and Vistara, a joint venture between Tata Group and Singapore Airlines, subject to certain conditions.
In 2022, the airline company also hired former MakeMyTrip executive Sunil Suresh as its chief marketing officer. Seasoned marketer Colin Neubronner, who has worked with brands like Singapore Airlines and Jet Airways also joined the company’s brand team.