MAM
Etihad Airways soars with Katrina Kaif as brand ambassador
Mumbai: Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has announced its partnership with Bollywood superstar Katrina Kaif as the new brand ambassador. This collaboration marks an important milestone as Etihad strengthens its presence in the Indian market and reunites with one of India’s most celebrated Bollywood stars.
Katrina Kaif, renowned for her global appeal and elegance, embodies the shared commitment to excellence as she reunites with Etihad. Her association with the airline will be unveiled through a captivating series of videos to be showcased across Etihad and Katrina’s social channels.
Katrina Kaif shares her excitement about the association: “I am thrilled to be back with Etihad Airways, a brand synonymous with world-class travel experiences. The airline’s commitment to excellence and its dedication to bringing people together resonate with my own values. I am excited to be part of a team that aims to create thoughtful connections and memorable experiences. I look forward to representing Etihad and being a part of their journey.”
Etihad Airways vice president of brand, marketing and sponsorship Amina Taher explains the significance of this collaboration: “We are thrilled to welcome Katrina Kaif to the Etihad Airways family as our brand ambassador. Our partnership with Katrina is far from ordinary, it embodies the spirit of innovation and sophistication our airline represents while celebrating our commitment to uniting cultures and communities. With her remarkable journey and global recognition, we’re not only showcasing Etihad’s offerings but also fostering authentic connections that genuinely resonate with Indian travellers and celebrating our commitment to India.”
The new partnership builds on Katrina’s collaboration with Etihad in 2010 when she was featured as a discerning traveller showcasing Etihad’s travel experience. Her prior partnership showcased her appreciation for the airline’s commitment to comfort and top-notch service. Returning to partner again, Katrina and Etihad are showcasing Etihad’s strengthening relationship with Indian communities both domestically and in insignificant global markets such as the UAE, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada.
As the brand ambassador for Etihad, Katrina will be featured in a series of creative and engaging campaign videos that highlight the airline’s commitment to unparalleled comfort, flawless service, and seamless global connectivity. Her partnership with the airline bolsters its foothold in the Indian market, where it currently serves 8 Indian cities, further solidifying Etihad as the preferred choice for travellers and aligning seamlessly with the airline’s strategy for sustained growth in India.
The first video from the collaboration to be unveiled features Katrina Kaif on board Etihad’s newest A350 aircraft, offering a cinematic journey filled with emotions akin to a Bollywood film – featuring drama, love, and delightful surprises. The film also highlights the exclusive Armani-Casa dining wear, luxurious bedding, and complimentary in-flight Wi-Fly service, beautifully encapsulating the very essence of Etihad’s unwavering commitment to excellence. The captivating film can be seen on both Etihad and Katrina’s social media channels now.
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Abhay Duggal joins JioStar as director of Hindi GEC ad sales
The streaming giant brings in a seasoned revenue hand as the battle for Hindi television advertising heats up
MUMBAI: Abhay Duggal has a new desk, and JioStar has a new weapon. The media and entertainment veteran has joined JioStar as director of entertainment ad sales for Hindi general entertainment channels, adding 17 years of hard-won revenue experience to one of India’s most powerful broadcasting operations.
Duggal is no stranger to big portfolios or bruising markets. Before joining JioStar, he spent a brief stint at Republic World as deputy general manager and north regional head for ad sales. Before that, he put in three years at Enterr10 Television, where he ran the north region for Dangal TV and Dangal 2, two of India’s leading free-to-air Hindi channels. The north alone accounted for more than 50 per cent of total channel revenue on his watch, a number that tends to get attention in any sales meeting.
His longest stint was at Zee Entertainment Enterprises, where he spent over six years rising to associate director of sales. There he commanded the Hindi movies cluster across seven channels, owned more than half of north India’s revenue across flagship properties including Zee TV and &TV, and closed marquee sponsorships across the Indian Premier League, Zee Rishtey Awards and Dance India Dance. He also handled monetisation for the English movies and entertainment cluster and the global news channel WION, a portfolio that would stretch most sales teams twice his size.
Earlier in his career Duggal closed what was then a Rs 3 crore single deal at Reliance Broadcast Network, one of the largest in Indian radio at the time, before that he helped launch and monetise JAINHITS, India’s first HITS-based cable and satellite platform.
His edge, by his own account, lies in marrying data and instinct: translating audience trends, inventory signals and client demands into long-term partnerships built on cost-per-rating-point discipline rather than short-term deal chasing. In a media landscape being reshaped by streaming, fragmented attention and AI-driven advertising, that kind of rigour is increasingly rare and increasingly valuable.
JioStar, which blends the scale of Reliance’s Jio platform with the content firepower of Star, is doubling down on its advertising business at precisely the moment the Hindi GEC market is getting more competitive. Bringing in someone who has spent nearly two decades doing exactly this, across some of India’s most watched channels, is a pointed statement of intent. Duggal has spent his career turning audiences into revenue. JioStar is clearly betting he can do it again, and bigger.
