brand strategy
“What we're doing is creating brand cultures.”
"A key insight that drives our approach at PRD is the profound impact of human experience on brand interactions."
The Pavitra Rajaram Design brand strategy method is grounded in a qualitative and intuitive approach. Our focus is on storytelling and experiential immersion within the brand's world. We take the time to understand a brand's objectives, products and the emotional responses it hopes to evoke. We consider the human element in evaluating all aspects of brand strategy, from consumer interactions to brand proposition.
A key insight that drives our approach at PRD is the profound impact of human experience on brand interaction. Our strategy centres on understanding how the human element influences consumers, their emotions and their sense of loyalty. We work with brands to uncover stories and we have in-depth conversations with customers to map sociographic and demographic influences on their life journeys. We conduct detailed analyses of customer groups to identify their responses to new ideas, as well as their purchase behaviours and unspoken needs.
From this analyses, we help develop a brand myth or story, which serves as the foundation for defining brand values and brand pillars. Through the use of sociology models and the concept of source myths, the PRD method embeds values and rituals at the core of the brand world. We examine the impact of these values across product design, retail experience, content, communication and internal culture. We prioritise conversations, storytelling and the building of communities.
The PRD method embeds values and rituals at the core of the brand world.
Our method involves an immersive, multiple-day workshop, which we conduct at the start of our engagement with a brand. A project typically spans three to nine months. Our comprehensive workshop lays the groundwork for building strategy that brands can then incorporate into various facets and verticals of their businesses, including product development, marketing and operations.
Over the years, PRD has collaborated closely with Centre of Gravity, a team of brand strategists based in Bangalore. Together, we conduct extensive primary and secondary research, engage with customers and gather data on brand perception. This process informs the creation of brand touchpoints, values and pillars, forming the brand's foundational framework. The result is a document we call the brand bible, which will serve as a roadmap for decision-making that aligns with the brand's essence.
To help brands implement our findings, PRD orchestrates the vision in tandem with a diverse range of industry experts, including research specialists, content writers and graphic designers.
The impact of the PRD brand strategy method is evidenced most significantly in brand recall and customer loyalty. Among our select group of clients, the implementation of our framework has led to substantial growth in business. In some instances, key business metrics have grown by a factor of 3x as a result of our collaboration.
ZOYA
For Zoya, a subsidiary of Titan under Tanishq, Pavitra Rajaram Design developed a comprehensive brand blueprint that articulated a distinctive positioning for the jewellery brand in the market.
We began our work with Zoya with a focus on storytelling to establish and articulate purpose. PRD drew threads from popular culture, philosophy, sociology, and mythology to weave the brand narrative. An approach we titled ‘The heroine's journey’ served as the foundation for Zoya's branding. This project encompassed strategy development and the implementation of key creative campaigns.
In addition to developing the strategy and detailing experience points, PRD conducted workshops with Zoya’s designers to inspire innovative thinking. We collaborated with brand managers on creating imagery and marketing films, and offered guidance on defining communication strategy. Our work for Zoya took a two-pronged approach that addressed overall strategy development as well as the implementation of significant ideas.
TULAH
Pavitra Rajaram Design has helped craft a strategic narrative for Tulah, a ‘clinical wellness’ centre in Kerala that specialises in the integration of modern and traditional therapies. The scope of our work encompassed product design and innovation, interior design, business expansion and guest experience.
Tulah Clinical Wellness Retreat offers holistic well-being through the integration of clinical testing methods, allopathic interventions, and natural Ayurvedic remedies. PRD worked with the brand to define its unique selling points and shape a strategic narrative anchored in the Indian context and relevant to its location in Kerala. We extended this vision into Tulah’s physical space through interior design and the development of a one-of-a-kind crafts-led product line.
Our team initiated the project by using a cultural framework to establish Tulah’s brand myth or creation story. Once the universe of the brand was firmly established, we helped to define its purpose, pillars and values, and clarify the product value proposition. Among our significant contributions at Tulah was a series of guided activities that helped integrate local, cultural nuances from Kerala and India into the brand’s wellness offerings. This has added depth and richness to the guest experience, and further defined the language of the brand’s content and communications.
Tulah lends itself beautifully to brand extensions and the PRD team is currently working on a line of Tulah-branded products as well as a series of B2B product inventions. For example, we developed a special bed that integrated a Vichy shower with an Ayurvedic therapy bed, complete with the ergonomics and flow vital to the practice. It is contemporary in design even while adhering to the standard of best practises for traditional therapy. This innovative bed design by PRD is now patented.
Naturally, the interior design of the Wellness Retreat plays a critical role in realising Tulah’s wellness philosophy. PRD has designed the property’s villas and public spaces to reflect its holistic approach to health. Finally, PRD has addressed the challenge of scaling Tulah’s business beyond its physical location by developing the ‘Urban Tulah’ concept. This allows the brand to extend its offerings through assets like podcasts, films, and collaborations.
OUR CLIENTS INCLUDE
THE AMAN GROUP OF HOTELS
TITAN WATCHES PVT. LTD.
Apollo hospitals
ASIAN PAINTS
SEEMA JAJODIA
