Celkon, a mobile phone manufacturing company, required branding and packaging for a new entry-level smartphone. The client wanted to rejuvenate the brand by launching four mobile phones over a period of one year, each catering to a different audience. This change is set against the backdrop of tough competition Celkon faces from giant mobile manufacturers like Oppo and Vivo, which have swept the Indian market.
This project was undertaken by the Design for Retail Experience Department, National Institute of Design, Bangalore, in collaboration with Celkon and Papercats Creative Solutions.
(With Anwesha Patnaik and Midhun Murali.)
Brief
Celkon was one of the first mobile phone companies to come out of South India. They held a near-monopoly in feature phones in the five southern states, particularly Andhra Pradesh.
However, over the years, despite investing in advertising campaigns with local film stars and television personalities, Celkon lost its consumer base to newer brands that flooded the market with more aspirational offerings.
Celkon's brand identity was not uniform across products and media. It needed a unique identity. The company needed a brand overhaul that was sensitive to its past.
Approach
Celkon wished to market an entry-level smartphone with a 5" HD display, 8 megapixel camera, 2000 mAh battery, and fibre body.
After performing a comparative study of brands with similar offerings, we determined that the target audience for this mobile phone are customers looking for an affordable smartphone to stay connected, particularly homemakers and pensioners in the older demographic.
We noted that Celkon was given shelf space in a corner by multi-brand phone stores, which left it ‘bullied’ by the marketing material of other makers. Additionally, sales staff told us that selling Celkon was difficult because their current packaging was ill-equipped to deal with a consumer who wanted to see the phone.
Celkon's packaging had to speak on its own, without the support of advertising, both in-store and otherwise.
Visual Identity
Celkon's existing identity, with its extended typography, looked dated.
We played around with type and colour, keeping in mind that the existing customer base should not feel alienated from the brand. We had to bring the brand into the 21st century and its future, but empathetically.
Concept
The new identity was a means to update the brand so that it could surpass its competitors. We opted for a friendlier, less corporatised appearance, but maintained the colour and proportion of the logo.
Given the nature of the audience, we wanted a simple and relatable word that's used commonly, in everyday life, for the phone. We arrived at Celkon Link: a bridge to new possibilities, an affordable way to build a bridge between people and technology. The name taps into the 'feel good' nature of staying in touch with family and friends through your smartphone.
Packaging
Celkon Link's packaging has two layers. The first is the outer covering that protects the contents during transit. Once opened, almost like a line of luxury chocolates, the inner box holds the phone and earphones that sit proudly on display. An added bonus is the simple phone-stand that comes with the packaging, which keeps in mind the need for value for money in every aspect of the phone.
The inner box is devised as a method of display on the store shelf, where the customer may see the product, and its perks, first-hand.
Graphics
The concept of a 'link' is incorporated into every aspect of the box because the graphics are the in-store advertising for the product.
We tried different easy-to-understand approaches to visually represent Celkon Link.
Shelf Impact
The vibrant red of the logo in the outer packaging reflects the celebratory nature of the phone, making it look like a gift box. This also allowed the packaging to stand out in the dingiest shop, among other phones that feature predominantly white boxes.
The outer box, in two parts, reflects the name ‘Link’ over both. The network lines, running across the packaging, amplify the most important function of the phone: connection.
The windows in the inner box display the phone and its perks, convincing the buyer to pick it up.
