Case Study

Bhendi Bazaar

Authentic, stylish and timeless. Welcome to Bombay, the city of dreams. Imagine a tale of the Old Bombay, where traditional bustling eateries are filled to the brim; where authentic dishes are served, roadside, to fuel the melting pot city. Bhendi Bazaar; an area in the Old part of South Bombay; it is home to one of the many ‘khao gallis’ or eat streets that pepper the streets of Bombay.

  • Project Outline

    Bhendi Bazaar is predominantly a carnivorous affair, coming to life famously in the nights of the month of Ramadan. Sitting near, what the British used to refer to as “Behind the bazaar.” The locals soon picked this up as “Bhendi Bazaar,” and so, a classic was born.

    Our challenge was to develop an identity for a premium spice brand that enables authentic Indian dishes to be created from the home. Since spice has played such a pivotal role in landscaping India’s rich culture, it was important to capture the heritage upon which they derived and graciously bring it into the present. Ultimately, we were tasked with not just selling a product but evoking a sense of curiosity and excitement, and most of all, telling a great story.

    Through the identity, packaging, web design and art direction, we have created a brand that oozes style, tells a story and attracts those who appreciate quality and great craftsmanship with nostalgia at its helm.

  • Details

    Year

    • 2017

    Origin

    • Mumbai, India

    Sector

    • Food & Drink

    Team

    • Laura Evans

      Design Director

    • Philippa Vernals

      Designer & Illustrator

    • Conal Birtles

      Web Development

02. Brand Direction

Indian culture may have rapidly transformed over the years but the importance of spice within Indian cuisine remains unchanged.

It is precisely this that the narrative is based on, allowing the consumer to get a taste of authentic Indian cuisine and feel like a part of the story. We developed an identity for this premium spice brand that enables authentic Indian dishes to be created from the home. Since spice has played such a pivotal role in landscaping India’s rich culture, it was important to capture the heritage upon which they derived and graciously bring it into the present.

Vibrant, bold colour-ways paint a picture of vivid flavours and the bustling market culture of Bombay – flavour comes first at the Bhendi Bazaar.

The Bhendi Bazaar word-mark takes shape in the style of a printed stamp – reminiscent of shipment packages and freshly shipped produce from distant lands. This combined with a Kraft stock pouch pays homage to a bustling market culture and to allow the packaging to feel like a treasured relic.

A carefully curated collection of stamps, details and flourishes sets the scene on pack.

After studying classic Indian stamp designs from the past, hand-illustrated details were carefully crafted. The palm tree and the tuk-tuk add the element of time and location – taking the consumer to exotic far-away lands. These help to create a visual difference between the two spice ranges; the tuk-tuk belonging to the street grills and the palm tree belonging to the core spice blends.

We’re creating an experience not just a pack of spice – creating taste appeal and the suggestion of making culinary magic.

Through considered art direction and styling, the stylish photography paints a picture of luxurious, fine quality ingredients combined with a feeling of ‘creation’ and ‘mastery’ in the kitchen. Premium accents and delicate prop selection are balanced with dynamic food placement, to align perfectly from the culture to which it belongs; Bombay.

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