INDEX

INDEX

INDEX

Role:

Creative Director:

Duration:

Every Indian's first drink was probably Old Monk

Old Monk Rum is an iconic Indian dark rum. A favourite of the masses, also colloquially referred to as the ‘national drink of India’, and for the longest time, the biggest Indian made liquor brand, Old Monk’s legacy is almost 66 years old. It was introduced in the Indian military in the 1960s and became the top selling spirit by 2002.Always easy on the pocket, it still smells of the first time it was sneaked into the hostel probably with a pack of cheap cigarettes for the first-ever drinking escapade with friends, of the first night of drinking alone on the terrace after that college breakup, and of so many firsts for so many different generations.

Role:

Creative Director:

Duration:

Every Indian's first drink was probably Old Monk

Old Monk Rum is an iconic Indian dark rum. A favourite of the masses, also colloquially referred to as the ‘national drink of India’, and for the longest time, the biggest Indian made liquor brand, Old Monk’s legacy is almost 66 years old. It was introduced in the Indian military in the 1960s and became the top selling spirit by 2002.Always easy on the pocket, it still smells of the first time it was sneaked into the hostel probably with a pack of cheap cigarettes for the first-ever drinking escapade with friends, of the first night of drinking alone on the terrace after that college breakup, and of so many firsts for so many different generations.

Role:

Creative Director:

Duration:

Every Indian's first drink was probably Old Monk

Old Monk Rum is an iconic Indian dark rum. A favourite of the masses, also colloquially referred to as the ‘national drink of India’, and for the longest time, the biggest Indian made liquor brand, Old Monk’s legacy is almost 66 years old. It was introduced in the Indian military in the 1960s and became the top selling spirit by 2002.Always easy on the pocket, it still smells of the first time it was sneaked into the hostel probably with a pack of cheap cigarettes for the first-ever drinking escapade with friends, of the first night of drinking alone on the terrace after that college breakup, and of so many firsts for so many different generations.

Why Rebrand?

British monk's symbol and Gothic typeface - nothing to do with India

The ease of import restrictions in the early 2000s led to high competition in the alcoholic beverage industry. Changing tastes and preferences to more cocktail suitable liquors led to a decline in Old Monk's sales and popularity. Dependency on solely word-of-mouth and customer loyalty has not worked in the fast-paced world of today.Moreover, the brand feels overly inclined towards men due to it's introduction in the military. The visual identity has stayed the same since inception - the face of a british monk with a german gothic typeface.

Why Rebrand?

British monk's symbol and Gothic typeface - nothing to do with India

The ease of import restrictions in the early 2000s led to high competition in the alcoholic beverage industry. Changing tastes and preferences to more cocktail suitable liquors led to a decline in Old Monk's sales and popularity. Dependency on solely word-of-mouth and customer loyalty has not worked in the fast-paced world of today.Moreover, the brand feels overly inclined towards men due to it's introduction in the military. The visual identity has stayed the same since inception - the face of a british monk with a german gothic typeface.

Why Rebrand?

British monk's symbol and Gothic typeface - nothing to do with India

The ease of import restrictions in the early 2000s led to high competition in the alcoholic beverage industry. Changing tastes and preferences to more cocktail suitable liquors led to a decline in Old Monk's sales and popularity. Dependency on solely word-of-mouth and customer loyalty has not worked in the fast-paced world of today.Moreover, the brand feels overly inclined towards men due to it's introduction in the military. The visual identity has stayed the same since inception - the face of a british monk with a german gothic typeface.

Objectives of the Rebrand

01

Unapologetically invoke the feeling of nostalgia and cater to a more inclusive, modern audience of today.

02

Initiate all-round communication that would aid existing popularity and catapult the brand back

03

Position at a higher price level and niche-down product line to 3 types of rum and ready-to-drink cocktails

04

Formulate a fresh look and visual identity that the Indian audience can relate with and feel as their own

Objectives of the Rebrand

01

Unapologetically invoke the feeling of nostalgia and cater to a more inclusive, modern audience of today.

02

Initiate all-round communication that would aid existing popularity and catapult the brand back

03

Position at a higher price level and niche-down product line to 3 types of rum and ready-to-drink cocktails

04

Formulate a fresh look and visual identity that the Indian audience can relate with and feel as their own

Objectives of the Rebrand

01

Unapologetically invoke the feeling of nostalgia and cater to a more inclusive, modern audience of today.

02

Initiate all-round communication that would aid existing popularity and catapult the brand back

03

Position at a higher price level and niche-down product line to 3 types of rum and ready-to-drink cocktails

04

Formulate a fresh look and visual identity that the Indian audience can relate with and feel as their own

competitor analysis

Who's out there and what can we learn from them

Who's out there and what can we learn from them

DIRECT COMPETITORS / POPULAR RUM BRANDS IN INDIA

DIRECT COMPETITORS / POPULAR RUM BRANDS IN INDIA

INDIRECT COMPETITORS / INSPIRING BRANDS WORLDWIDE

INDIRECT COMPETITORS / INSPIRING BRANDS WORLDWIDE

Learnings from competitors

Personality is key!

Clear distinction from the rest of the products in the market is key. The visual identity needs to be ownable by the audience.

Sell the experience

People think bout the experience they had and not the actual product. This has worked in the case of all competitors

Artistic expression

Creating platforms for creative expression in fields like art, music, theatre, photography, etc has done wonders for these brands.

Niche Product Line

Having a clear product line of 3-4 types of spirits combined with a range of pre-made cocktail drinks has led to success.

RETHINKING THE BRAND NARRATIVE

Old Monk's values, reimagined with a fresh perspective

Live in the moment

Our nostalgic factor is at the core of our brand. We use this to convey the importance of living in the moment, savouring every experience without being stained by life’s complications.

Aspire to inspire

We represent a bold, expressive new world. We must take an inspiring tone in our communications. We’re a creative powerhouse, an unstoppable force always pushing the limits.

A trusted companion

We’re all about being friendly, trustworthy and authentic. We represent the old friend that sees you through the ups and downs of life. Moreover, we are human. We are every Indian drinker’s sweetheart.

Wild and free

We’re reinventing the meaning of living wild and free. We’re all about great experiences and memories. We represent a highly dynamic youth. We’re carefree but always sensible.

VISION STATEMENT

MISSION STATEMENT

tagline / a new creative platform

Visual Identity

Creating a visual identity that appeals to such a diverse country

India is a land of diverse colours. Truck art has been a part of India’s visual lexicon and heritage for decades. Highways transform into runways for chunky vehicles drenched in hues of tangerine, canary, plum, and jade green. Truck drivers go to various lengths to personalise their trucks - their nomadic homes.

This extends to every single person, from a child making personalised labels for their notebooks, to rickshaw drivers modifying their vehicles - artistic expression is at the centre of every Indian's life. I wanted to symbolise this with Old Monk's visual identity.

DRIVERS ADD A MIXTURE OF ILLUSTRATIONS AND QUOTES THAT REPRESENT THEM, AND INSTRUCTIONS TO HELP OTHER DRIVERS OVERTAKE THEM IN HIGHWAYS

HOW TRUCK DRIVERS ACROSS INDIA PERSONALIZE THEIR NOMADIC HOMES

Custom typography based on the lettering found in above examples. A fresh new logo that every Indian can own!

Custom typography based on the lettering found in above examples. A fresh new logo that every Indian can own!

Custom typography based on the lettering found in above examples. A fresh new logo that every Indian can own!

A FLEXIBLE LOGO THAT CAN INCORPORATE FLAVOURS, COLLABORATIONS, PARTNERSHIPS, ETC

COLOUR SCHEME

TYPOGRAPHY

CAMPAIGN activation

Exploring ways to get the word out

Advertising alcoholic beverages is banned in India and hence I wanted to find creative campaign ideas to catapult the brand back into the market. Adhering to the brand value of artistic expression and "Aspire to Inspire", Old Monk will take the route of sponsorships and collaborations with up and coming indie music artists and stand-up comics. This would open up opportunities to sponsor shows and events.

Meme-vertising is also a great way to relate with the youth of India. This would also do wonders in terms of collaborations with other products.

FINAL WORDS

India's Sweetheart, Once Again

Through numerous rounds of discussions and brainstorming with the creative director, I was able to create a comprehensive strategy and visual identity that achieved all the objectives of the rebrand. I now feel that the brand truly portrays it's heritage and popularity, in a way that is ownable by the Indian audience.

"Vinayek, the work is strong. From the strategy to the design everything makes sense. Your sense of typography is really great and I would continue developing that skills. Every piece of the story feeds into the design choices and it makes a lot of sense."

Diego Marini

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