Having launched in India in 2015, Vistara recently launched its first Television commercial featuring brand ambassador, Deepika Padukone. Sanjiv Kapoor, Chief Strategy & Commercial Officer, Vistara talks about what makes the carrier different and the route its charting for its future in India.
By Samarpita Banerjee
Q] You launched your first brand campaign ‘Fly the new feeling’ sometime back. Tell us about the thoughts behind the campaign.
Vistara had heard that many domestic Indian travellers feel flying has become a chore, an experience that is almost ‘mechanical’. It only helped people to get from Point A to Point B. Vistara aims to redefine air travel in India for millions of Indians who value experience above everything else. The idea behind the campaign was simple: to communicate that there’s now a new way to fly that offers a superlative experience inviting all to ‘Fly the new feeling’. The campaign embraces some of the qualities that formed the way we serve our customers. Our first TVC establishes an instant emotional connect with viewers, portraying the wonder and joy of flying just as anyone would have experienced on his/her first flight, instantly taking one back in time and bringing broad smiles.
Q] How has roping in Deepika Padukone worked for the brand? How has the campaign been received?
The synergy between Vistara and its brand ambassador, Deepika Padukone, is unmistakable and therefore she was the natural choice for our brand campaign. Known for her elegance and modern outlook, yet known for her humility and warmth, Deepika is the ideal fit to Vistara’s brand personality. The creative thought behind the campaign encapsulates how flying with Vistara invokes the feeling of flying for the first time as an awe-struck child in Deepika, and we’re truly overwhelmed that the same feeling resonated with millions of people across the country, with our high-decibel brand campaign.
Q] What is your core target audience?
Our target audience is a mix of corporate and leisure travellers. The travellers in India have evolved and they value an experience that’s worth their time and money. They seek an enhanced travel experience, which begins from the very first touch-point and it is our endeavour to give them exactly what they want i.e., a seamless flying experience that brings joy back into flying.
Q] What differentiates Vistara from the competition?
Vistara carries the lineage of Tata Sons Ltd and Singapore Airlines Ltd, the two global conglomerates respected for highest standards of service excellence and customer-centricity. We introduced many industry-firsts in our product and service offerings which include being the first Indian carrier to pioneer a new class of travel - Premium Economy – in the skies, offering a lot of privileges and greater comfort for a lot less (in terms of price). The introduction of Premium Economy in itself brought another set of unique features, including priority check-in or boarding and deplaning, which was earlier a privilege only reserved for those flying Business Class. Vistara also offers Club Vistara, the fastest rewarding frequent flyer programme in India, which is also the least restrictive of all. We have served more than 2.5 million happy customers in a short span of 20 months, and they especially loved our in-flight food with careful menu selection. Vistara offers the broadest seat pitch in the domestic market.
Q] What is the uptake and occupancy rate of the Premium Economy class compared to Economy?
We are delighted that passengers are increasingly opting for this new class of travel. We have observed many senior and mid-level corporate executives are choosing this exclusive cabin and appreciating it. Sectors that have traditionally been hubs for major commercial and tourism activities in the country, like Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Pune, Goa and Kolkata, have seen an upsurge in the demand for Premium Economy, considering that these attract a large number of corporate and leisure travellers.
Q] How difficult is it to establish a premium airline brand like Vistara in a price sensitive market like India? How do you plan to make its appeal more universal?
Our pricing strategy is determined by our unique value proposition. We are focused on approaching the market differently and this reflects well in all the innovations we have introduced in our product and service offerings. Being a full service carrier, we price our product at a premium, and people are willing to pay that reasonable premium for the flying experience that Vistara offers. However, we do continuously incentivise our customers for buying in advance and build up our loads rather than offering unsustainable fares at the last minute.
Q] Vistara is on the verge of an expansion with both international operations and fleet expansion on the cards. Do we expect bigger campaigns?
We aim to stay close to our potential customers through constant, personalized engagement at all consumer touch-points. We will continue to surprise our customers and invite more travellers to ‘Fly the new feeling’ with Vistara in the most appealing and thoughtful ways, whether through brand campaigns or simply by doing small things that make a big difference and bring genuine smiles.
Q] What is your media mix?
Vistara is reaching out to consumers in different and interesting ways. The integrated campaign was deployed across multiple platforms including TV, Digital, Print, Outdoor, Cinema and Airports.
Q] Airlines in India are far behind their global peers in using the social media space to spread brand awareness. Is that changing? What is Vistara doing?
Vistara’s intent of being more connected with its customers and staying tuned to their needs and experiences can clearly be felt by its conversations online. At Vistara, many of our announcements and launches are approached with a ‘digital-first’ strategy that helps us keep our communication direct, to-the-point, transparent and engaging. The pace at which this transformation happened makes us believe that catching up on our global peers wouldn’t be far-fetched at all.
Q] Considering you were a late entrant in the Indian market, what are the challenges that you faced?
Vistara’s journey was mired with a few challenges, but we faced them with enthusiasm, optimism and the will to succeed. Vistara is a learning organization. Each day presents us with learning opportunities which we seize to keep improving on our product and service delivery. We focus on exceeding customer expectations continuously and consistently. We do this by engaging our customers and understanding their needs, and refining our product and service based on their feedback. We have realized that the Indian traveller is a discerning one who does not mind paying a little premium for a seamless and personalized experience. It is difficult to believe that we are barely two years old, and we have a product that is well liked by travellers, and is ‘the most-loved airline’ (as per Skytrax).
Q] What is your marketing strategy for the next few years?
Our marketing strategy revolves around our customers and their feedback about our products and services. With a rapidly expanding network across the country, we want to win more hearts, invite more customers to ‘Fly the new feeling’ and expand the Vistara family as well. We started operations 20 months ago with the vision of being a global airline, and as we get closer to it, our marketing strategies will naturally be more disruptive.
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samarpita.banerjee@exchange4media.com
