MAM
Pushing boundaries for Vistara
MUMBAI: The Indian aviation sector welcomed another member last week when Tata Singapore Airlines, a 51:49 joint venture between the Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines, announced to fly high in the Indian skies.
Christened, Vistara, it aims to will bring the pleasure back to flying by treating passengers as individuals and not seat numbers.
The Ray+Keshavan | Brand Union has created the brand for the new airline; it developed the strategy, name, visual identity and brand experience for the full-service airline.
R+K | BU chairperson Sujata Keshavan wants every single aspect of Vistara to reflect its global standards and Asian soul.
Hence, the extensive project took over six months, since, it involved a deep dive into customer and market research, in India and globally. The entire team committed to the project. “From our naming experts to our strategists, our designers to our studio, everyone has been living and breathing Vistara for the last few months. We had to be super careful about secrecy and we managed that, even though it was a large team,” says R+K | BU lead engagement manager Neethi Isaac.
The name and the logo were well thought of. R+K | BU focused on names that are Indian in their origin, but can be easily pronounced and remembered by a global audience. The name development involved culture and phonetic checks in over 20 countries. Vistara is derived from vistaar means ‘infinite expanse’ in Sanskrit.
As for the logo, Vistara star is derived from a yantra, a mathematical form that depicts an unbounded, perfectly balanced universe. The colours aubergine and gold were chosen because they are distinctive and cue premium experiences, anywhere in the world. The name Vistara is written in hand-drawn letters, the mix of contemporary uppercase and lowercase letters signaling that the brand is inclusive and warm.
The agency feels proud to get the coveted project, something that every agency in the world wanted to be part of. The Tatas and Singapore Airlines – both extremely sophisticated and savvy organisations – evaluated a number of agencies and before pinning on it. “I think we won the project because we could match their expectations. We have a deep understanding of India, a global network and a history of being quite obsessive about every brand we have worked on,” proudly says Isaac.
When asked about how involved the client was in the whole procedure, Isaac says, “We follow a very rigorous process with clearly marked milestones so the project was run very tightly. We have a set calendar for updates, conference calls and face-to-face meetings. The client was very involved as you can imagine. We spend a lot of energy upfront, on making sure we get it right the first time and avoid iterations that waste time and energy – neither side wants that. The brand positioning and name struck a chord with everyone immediately – it was a unanimous decision. From there to the identity and brand experience was a really smooth process. This was greatly helped by the fact that all teams had this sense of shared purpose. Everyone involved with this project knows that they are creating history!”
With the limitless boundaries to cover, the airlines’ through its brand positing wants to make it clear that it will provide seamless flying experiences, thoughtfully delivered.
Brands
Kwality Wall’s reports standalone losses following strategic HUL demerger
Ice cream major faces Rs 64 crore Ebitda loss amid commodity inflation and muted Q3 sales
MUMBAI: Kwality Wall’s (India) Limited (KWIL) has released its first set of financial results as a standalone entity, revealing a challenging start to its independent journey. Following its successful demerger from Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) on 1st December 2025 and its subsequent listing on 16th February 2026, the company is navigating a transition period marked by structural changes and high input costs.
For the quarter ended 31st December 2025, the company reported revenue of Rs 222 crores. Despite the revenue base, the bottom line was impacted by several factors, resulting in an Ebitda loss of Rs 64.2 crores. When calculated on a Pre-IND AS 116 basis, the Ebitda loss stood at Rs 83.8 crores.
Organic Sales Growth (OSG) declined by 6.5 per cent year-on-year during the quarter. Volume growth, however, saw a marginal increase of 1.2 per cent. The company reported a gross margin of 41.5 per cent. Additionally, exceptional expenses amounting to Rs 94 crores were recorded, primarily linked to non-recurring costs during the transition phase.
Performance across portfolios and channels was mixed. Within the impulse portfolio, brands such as Magnum and Cornetto recorded mid-single digit volume growth, indicating steady demand in on-the-go consumption. However, the in-home portfolio, which includes take-home packs, experienced muted consumption. The company is planning a relaunch of this category with improved offerings ahead of the 2026 season.
Quick commerce (Q-Com) continued to emerge as a strong growth driver, delivering robust double-digit growth during the quarter. Meanwhile, the company also expanded its physical distribution network by increasing the number of company-owned cabinets across markets.
Margin pressure during the quarter was driven by a combination of one-off factors and broader cost inflation. Gross margins were impacted by around 600 basis points due to trade investments made for stock liquidation. Additionally, cocoa price inflation contributed to another 400 basis points of pressure on margins.
Deputy managing director Chitrank Goel attributed the muted performance partly to prolonged monsoons and transitional challenges linked to the GST framework. Operating expenses also increased as the company invested in establishing its standalone supply chain, operational systems and corporate infrastructure following the demerger.
Looking ahead, the management remains focused on a volume-driven growth strategy. To restore profitability, the company has initiated a cost productivity programme aimed at reducing non-consumer-facing costs. It is also working on building regional manufacturing networks to optimise logistics expenses and improve operational efficiency.
The commodity outlook for the near term remains mixed. Dairy prices are expected to remain firm due to tight supply conditions and rising fodder costs. Sugar prices may also move higher following increases in the Minimum Selling Price (MSP). While cocoa prices have moderated recently, currency depreciation has offset some of the potential cost relief for the company.
