Airtel
Visual Identity System Redesign
The country’s biggest and most reliable telecom network, Airtel, was in need of a digital rebranding exercise. And, in we stepped. The objective was to create a fresh visual language without disturbing the association that has been built over the years. The result? A distinct visual motif intrinsic to the brand and yet contemporary in style. A motif that’s flexible and extendable across media.
We gave India’s oldest and most reliable telecom
network a much-needed makeover.
Airtel’s digital VIS sees its use on social media, digital, and
email marketing. The system is designed to adapt itself to
newer mediums as and when required.
BLOBS
We made the iconic Airtel blob, the centerpiece of our VIS, so that
now it features even more prominently in Airtel's communication –
both offline and digital.
In offline usage, the blob has been assigned the role of a 'text holder'
while for digital, we've devised two new ways of using the blog.
This new avatar of the Airtel blob can be rotated and reflected
within a particular creative, which creates multiple permutations and
combinations to play with. The blob can also be adapted to any
possible size, thus ensuring there is enough visual variation.
ILLUSTRATION
Our approach to illustrations doubles down on Airtel’s philosophies of highlighting a friendly, genuine, and human side of the brand. The style we've chosen features people in postures and scenarios we see around us every day – interacting with their devices, empowering their lives digitally, and using a host of our services. The illustration style's simple structures and clean, contemporary forms make it more adaptable to a variety of tones and use cases.
PEOPLE OF AIRTEL
To make our illustrations human, deep, and engaging, we’ve developed a comprehensive style that features people actually interacting with and using Airtel services. People of Airtel depict the folks around us as they are – relaxed, leaning, gesticulating, grooving, et al. The style also allows for a more inclusive depiction of our users, without needing to showcase facial features.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
Delightful | Storytelling | Organic | Youthful | Indian.
PHOTOGRAPHY
Just like our illustration, our approach to photography aims to bring out the human touch as well. Our vision is to steer clear of any ‘stock-like’ stylisation so that our photography becomes a slice-of-life snapshot of the myriad ways in which one interacts with their device(s). The strategy we've developed insists that the protagonists are always diverse, ‘real’, and depicted in organic, authentic, quirky, fun ways.
The vision is that all pictures – whether exciting, amusing, adorable,
or mundane – should always look like moments in time.
ROLE
Art Direction
TEAM
Creative Lead: Kunel Gaur, Sayantan Chaudhary
Art Direction: Clementine Le Gall, Yash Prajapati, Naveed Hussain,
Parul Aden, Samya Ghosh, Sugandha Kharya
Illustration: Naveed Hussain, Parul Aden
Copy: Prakhar Khandelwal, Sheetal Raghav, Simran Bhalla
Motion Design: Pranay Patwardhan, Vishank Kumar
Photography: Colston Julian
BRAND
Airtel