MAM
R K Laxman’s ‘Common Man’ to endorse Air Deccan
BANGALORE: Air Deccan, the low-cost and no-frills airlines seems to have found a common ground with RK Laxman’s famous cartoon character `Common Man’. Both are symbolic of the teeming Indian mass’ aspirations.
Hence, it seems fitting that the `Common Man, who has been made famous on the pages of Times of India, has been chosen to be the brand ambassador for an airlines, which aspires to make flying affordable for every Indian, irrespective of his social and economical status.
An advertising and marketing campaign is in the offing. The campaign will be handled by Orchard Advertising.
Laxman, the multi-faceted creator of the ‘Common Man’, who is known to be a man of few words, while speaking of the hand shake with Air Deccan, said, “My ‘Common Man’ is the voice of every Indian and I feel every Indian must fly regardless of his economic situation. I feel Captain Gopi’s vision for his airline, of empowerment of every Indian, perfectly fits with the persona of the ‘Common Man’.”
According to Air Deccan MD Capt. Gopinath, “The ‘Common Man’ and Air Deccan share a commonality …they are both ‘for the people, by the people’. Mr. Laxman has indeed honoured us by allowing us to use the ‘Common Man’ as our ambassador for the airline.”
Gopinath added: “What will drive us is very simple. It is not what the common man can do for us, but, rather, what Air Deccan can do for the common man.”
This brand deal comes after Air Deccan has flown over a million passengers with a fleet of 17 aircrafts and 111 flights a day since inception. While the airlines operationally works towards 60 more aircrafts being inducted into the fleet, the `Common Man’, embodying “simplicity (and) no frills approach,” is expected to connect with the people.
The `Common Man’ has been a silent observer to the social, political and economic change in India for decades and his silence has been more eloquent than reams of paper and deluge of words used for commenting on the state of the nation.
On the occasion of this tie-up, Laxman also suggested to Gopinath that he should introduce fares beginning with Re 1, a proposal that would be definitely explored, according to the airlines.
So, at a time when the yet-to-be launched low-cost Kingfisher Air looks at jazzing up the domestic air travel sector with customized in-flight entertainment, Air Deccan takes a more earthy approach to connect with the Indian masses whom it dreams to fly across the length and breadth of the country.
Brands
Emami names Dhruv Aggarwal as chief growth officer
Former Bain partner steps in as FMCG firm sharpens growth playbook
MUMBAI: Emami Limited has appointed Dhruv Aggarwal as its chief growth officer, effective 25 March 2026, following the resignation of Giriraj Bagri.
Aggarwal joins the FMCG major from Bain & Company, where he most recently served as partner. With over two decades of experience across consulting and strategy, he brings a global perspective shaped by work across India, the US, the UK and Germany.
During his tenure at Bain, Aggarwal advised consumer, retail and media companies on large-scale transformations, business turnarounds and growth strategies. He was also closely involved with India’s startup ecosystem, guiding early-stage ventures on scaling and digital expansion, while supporting private equity and venture capital firms on investment decisions.
His earlier stints include a brief role at Barclays Capital and operational experience at Jindal Power, giving him a mix of financial and industry exposure.
Academically, Aggarwal holds an MBA from Indian Institute of Management Bangalore and has also been associated with University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign as a PhD candidate and teaching assistant.
The appointment comes at a time when Emami Limited is looking to sharpen its growth strategy in a competitive consumer market. With a seasoned strategist now at the helm of growth, the company appears set to double down on transformation and expansion in the months ahead.
