Brands
‘Unpack Your Dreams’, advise cricketers
MUMBAI: Aristocrat has appointed Indian cricket champions Rohit Sharma and R. Ashwin as its ambassadors to endorse the brand’s new identity and stylish product line.
Repositioning the brand with a fresh outlook, Aristocrat will now have a new logo with a tagline that says, ‘Unpack Your Dreams’ which is aimed towards individuals who are ambitious and constantly pursue their passion.
Sharma said, “All of us dream, but very few of us live the dream. Somewhere along the way, we lose sight of our vision. Ever since I was a young kid it was my dream to play cricket for the country. Now, when I look back, I know that it wouldn’t have been possible had I not given it my all. It was only through self-discipline and practice that I managed to achieve this.”
Ashwin says, “As a cricketer, I am always travelling, be it for practice sessions or for a series and having reliable travel gear is of utmost importance.” Expressing her views on the partnership, V.I.P Industries managing director Radhika Piramal says, “We are delighted to have two powerful players to endorse Aristocrat. They have passionately followed their dreams and have managed to become one of the best cricketers in the world.”
V.I.P Industries sales and marketing vice president Sudip Ghose added, “With the repositioning, we wanted to extend our product offering with a new collection and create a fresh appeal for the brand, keeping in mind the evolving consumer and industry trends. We believe our new brand ideology and ambassadors will resonate with a younger audience who are passionate about their dreams and follow them no matter what.”
The digital film will go live from 14 January across all social media platforms of Aristocrat.
Brands
Air Canada ceo to quit over “English-only” message after New York plane crash
English-only condolence video after fatal LaGuardia crash triggers outrage in Quebec and hastens succession
MONTREAL: Air Canada’s boss is heading for the exit after a linguistic misstep collided with a national faultline.
Michael Rousseau will retire by October, the airline said on Monday, days after a backlash over his English-only video tribute following a deadly crash involving an Air Canada Express jet in New York. The March 22 collision with a fire truck at LaGuardia Airport killed two pilots and injured dozens, but Rousseau’s message, bookended only by “bonjour” and “merci”, ignited fury in French-speaking Quebec.
Mark Carney welcomed the departure, calling the video a “lack of judgment and lack of compassion”. “It is absolutely essential that his successor is completely bilingual,” he said in Toronto. “He did a good job technically as CEO but as the leader of an organisation you have broader responsibilities. It’s the right decision at the right time.”
The row quickly metastasised. Quebec’s National Assembly voted 92–0 for Rousseau to quit. More than 1,800 complaints flooded the federal languages watchdog. Even Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, a major shareholder, weighed in. “There is no doubt that the video should have been in both official languages.”
The symbolism cut deep. One of the dead pilots, Antoine Forest, was from Quebec. Language, long a live wire in the province, remains entwined with identity and politics, fuelling the separatist Parti Québécois ahead of an election due by October.
Rousseau, 68, had form. In 2021, soon after taking charge, he drew fire for delivering a Montreal speech largely in English and boasting he had lived there for years without speaking French. He apologised then and again last week, saying he was “deeply saddened” his limitations had “diverted attention from the profound grief of the families and the great resilience of Air Canada’s employees.” He had logged more than 300 hours of French lessons since taking the helm in February 2021.
Operationally, his tenure was steadier. He steered Air Canada through the pandemic and its messy aftermath, though labour tensions, most notably a four-day cabin crew strike, dogged the recovery. Shares slipped more than 2 per cent after the news before trimming losses to about 1.2 per cent on the Toronto exchange.
The airline, bound by the Official Languages Act to serve customers in both English and French, said it is accelerating a succession plan already under way, with candidates to be judged in part on their French. Analysts say the next chief must pair operational discipline with strategic clarity amid fuel volatility, labour costs and fierce competition.
A dual crisis—metal on tarmac in New York and politics at home—has now claimed its most senior scalp. In Canada’s flag carrier, competence got Rousseau far. In the end, fluency finished the job.
