The encyclopedia · Marketing & Brand · Marketing decision · 2026
Air India Express turned Indian English into a brand voice with a dictionary.
A playful dictionary of everyday 'Inglish' words let a low-cost airline position itself as India's most culturally engaged carrier, drawing 25M interactions.
Air India Express
the move
Air India Express was a low-cost carrier competing largely on price with little brand affection, in a market where the country with the second-largest English-speaking population speaks a distinctly Indian English.
Most airlines reach for sameness: impeccable, globally polished English. Instead Juice (TBWA) published the 'Inglish Dictionary', redefining everyday Indian words - 'biscoot', 'one-by-two', 'Foreign Return', 'time pass' - with witty definitions and Sohrai folk-art design.
Printed as a limited hardback and offered free online, it celebrated the language rather than correcting it, positioning the airline as the carrier that gets how India actually talks and tying that to its exploration-and-inclusion brand line.
The campaign drew over 25 million downloads and digital impressions within months and went on to win the Grand Prix plus two Silvers at Spikes Asia 2026.
why it works
- A dictionary is something people keep and share, unlike an ad they scroll past.
- Celebrating a language people are often told is 'wrong' earns affection price cannot buy.
- It gives a price-driven airline a distinctive voice, which is exactly what it lacked.
what transfers
When you cannot outspend rivals on craft, claim a piece of shared culture your audience owns; a voice that mirrors how people actually speak is a cheaper, stickier differentiator.
what came after
The dictionary became an ongoing platform and won the Print & Publishing Grand Prix along with two Silvers at Spikes Asia 2026; Air India Express cited it as proof that a distinctive expression of identity is a differentiator against 'prescriptive protocol' competitors.
references
- Air India Express bags Grand Prix, multiple metals at Spikes Asia 2026
- Air India Express' 'Inglish Dictionary' soars with Grand Prix and multiple metals at Spikes Asia 2026
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