Shivtara
rebranding
The Brief
Complete brand refresh for Shivtara, a 100-year-old wheat milling company in India, to establish a new and consistent brand image for B2B and B2C segments.
Design Challenge
The existing branding was inconsistently scattered across all the collaterals in terms of the logo, brand identity and overall look and feel. The new visual language needed address this issue and take inspiration from the legacy of the brand while staying unmistakably Indian, added to a tight deadline and budget constraint.
The Outcome
A simple, elegant logo inspired by the form of a wheat crop gives Shivtara a classic, timeless feel, while coming across as a premium and experienced seller for good quality wheat. The logo marries beautifully with the visuals on the packaging inspired by Deccani miniature painting.
Project Team
Brand managers - Muralidaran K, Nishant Kaushik
Art - Alexander Zachariah, Diya Susan Pallikal, Smitha Rao Aluri
Copy - Sajan Prathap Singh, Vishal Sudhir
Illustrator - Narendar N.
Food Retouching & 3D - Nei Ramos
My Role: logo, brand guidelines, proposed packaging concepts
Duration: 5 months (Jun - Oct 2020)
Recognition: Featured on Packaging of the World website
Existing products in the market did not have a consistent logo or visual language
Ideation / Sketches
Proposed logo and packaging options presented
Packaging option 1
This route follows a half-and-half layout showing the flour variant and the final food product on a plate. The silver motifs on the base and around the black plate are based on Bidriware - a metal inlay handicraft tradition from the Deccan region, and a great symbol of wealth and prosperity.
Packaging option 2
This is a simple and direct route with the main focus being the large delicious food shot set against a brightly coloured background. The pattern using different wheat motifs is an extension of the wheat grains used in the logo. The subtle background gradient adds a glow and a sense of regality cuing years of Hyderabadi heritage.The juxtaposition of the food shot and wheat pattern signifies the direct connection between wheat fields and fresh food on the table. These colour coded packs allow the end user to instantly recognise and easily distinguish the variants.
Packaging option 3
These packs are based on vintage Indian stamps from the 20th century signifying Shivtara's 100-year-old heritage. The cusped edges frame intricate illustrations of flour set against wheat fields, with a food shot that not only breaks the strong contrast between the deep flat colour and white, but also forms the immediate focal point on the pack. This makes it easier for a customer to pick out a variant from the shelf.
Final logo and packaging
The packs were designed as a direct reference to Shivtara’s legacy going all the way back to 1920 when the Sahuwala family started making chakki atta (whole wheat flour) in traditional stone grinders. While the brand had its origins in Rajasthan, the family later took its operations to the Deccan city of Hyderabad,
Inspired by the miniature style of painting that was popular in Rajasthan and the Deccan region, the packaging introduces the rich history of the brand to the current generation. We built on this traditional art form to tell the story of how fresh wheat is bought from the farms to the table - incorporating food shots that looked delicious but at the same time, carried a sense of homeliness.
Brand Guidelines
