Nirgi

How can the essence of Maharashtrian culture be expressed through the rebranding of Nirgi?

Project Brief
Collaborate with a non-designer brand, understand its needs and rebrand it to reflect its true identity.

Rebranding
Logo design, Packaging, Website, Brand activation

Project type
Academic Project, Client project

Role
Brand Designer, UI Designer

Team size
1

Duration
2 months

Tools used
Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Figma

What
A rebranding project for Nirgi, an Indian brand that creates handcrafted brass artefacts rooted in Maharashtrian culture (from the western state of India called Maharashtra). The aim was to reflect the brand’s rich cultural identity and reconnect with younger generations.

Why
While Nirgi was created to preserve and promote cultural roots, its original branding didn’t express this clearly. The rebrand was essential to celebrate the Maharashtrian heritage, make sure the brand’s identity reflected its rich cultural roots and purpose and reconnect younger generations with their roots.

How
The rebrand focused on going back to the roots of the Maharashtrian culture and drawing visual inspiration from it to express Nirgi’s rich heritage.

The logo was inspired by the face of Lord Ganesha, a widely worshipped deity in the region, symbolising wisdom and tradition. The packaging drew from the elegant peacock motifs found on the traditional Paithani saree, an iconic symbol of the state’s craftsmanship, elegance, beauty and grandeur.

Moodboard

Logo

Logo ideation - The form of the letter “G” in the logo is derived from the face of Lord Ganesha who is very sacred to the state of Maharashtra and the Hindu culture. The letters R and G together resemble the face of Lord Ganesha thus, showing the cultural significance of the brand.

Packaging

Website

Brand Activation - Campaign

Nirgi is rooted in culture and tradition, but today’s younger generation is becoming disconnected from their heritage.

The campaign, titled “Stories from the Land of Dadis and Nanis,” (Stories from the land of paternal and maternal grandmothers) aimed to bridge this gap between modern life and timeless traditions.

The campaign poster featured a Nirgi product paired with a quote from a grandmother to her grandchild, sharing the cultural significance behind the artefact.