Air India Express turned Indian English into a brand voice with a dictionary.

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.

Own the language its passengers actually speak

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.

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.

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.