Air India Express launched its #VoteAsYouAre campaign, an initiative aimed at empowering and encouraging the nation’s youth, while helping mitigate against low voter participation among first-time voters. With this campaign, Air India Express reiterated its commitment to making meaningful connections that help people transcend boundaries, reinforcing its positioning as ‘New India’s Smart Connector’.
The Air India Express #VoteAsYouAre campaign is designed to mobilise first time voters to fly home to exercise their constitutional right and help guide the flight path of the nation. In the run up to the airline’s 19th anniversary, Air India Express is offering 19% off domestic and international flights, exclusively for first time voters (between the ages of 18-22), carrying a valid voter ID, flying to and from airports close to their home constituencies.
#VoteAsYouAre was launched as a response to mitigate the concerning voter participation rate among India’s youth. At the time of this general election, nearly 130 million Indians are between the ages of 18 and 23. The United Nations Sustainability Development Goals include the mandate to ‘Reduce inequality within and among countries’, with the intention of ensuing enhanced representation and voice for the under presented in decision-making. Despite being the world’s largest democracy, a majority of eligible first-time voters do not participate in the electoral process due to various barriers, including logistical challenges, with a large proportion of them working, studying or otherwise based outside their home state or country.
Speaking about the campaign, Siddhartha Butalia, Chief Marketing Officer, Air India Express, said, “As a brand that champions connectivity and inclusivity, Air India Express is committed to empowering the youth and fostering active citizenship. With a fifth of the world’s youth demographic, India’s demographic dividend can also be the world’s democratic dividend. The fact that #VoteAsYouAre trended organically across India on the eve of the first phase of the world’s largest democratic exercise ever, in the midst of a myriad topical conversations, is a tremendously gratifying validation of the movement capturing the imagination of an aspiring India seeking a voice of representation and the power of their collective voice.”
The significance of #VoteAsYouAre extends beyond incentives on flights. It serves as a critical call to action, urging India’s youth to actively engage in the democratic process. The Lok Sabha elections, commenced on 19th April 2024 and continue till 1st June 2024.
