Ashwini Deshpande

The Colour Blue: Now a standout in cookie aisles

Elephant Design's packaging for Maliban's Tea Time Cookies revolved around a visually appealing solution that breaks category norms with its distinctive (and unconventional) blue, coupled with a minimalist approach to avoid information overload. The team added tea-time cues and emphasized convenience, which resonated well with consumers. This project exemplifies our commitment to creating impactful, shelf-popping designs that align with brand objectives and consumer preferences.

Two Decades of Transforming India's Financial Landscape

When a century-old bank loses Gen Z faster than you can say mobile banking, you know there's a design problem.'
In our latest blog, we unpack over two decades of transforming India's financial landscape through strategic design. From revolutionizing retail banking with ICICI & Standard Chartered at Y2K to creating smart digital insurance hubs for tier-2 cities today - we've seen financial services evolve from intimidating to inviting.
Discover how:
We turned scepticism into optimism for affordable housing finance
Created 'Insurance Express' to make buying policies as easy as grabbing coffee
Helped traditional institutions compete with fintech disruptors
Built trust through design in tier-2 and tier-3 markets
Want to know our secret sauce for designing successful financial brands? Read our full blog to unlock key insights from our journey of merging finance with design thinking. Head to our website, link in comments.
Because in 2024, your bank's UX might be the fine line between frustration and convenience!


Read the Full Blog Here

Visual Identity Transformation of one of India's most respected Educational Institutions

We at Team Elephant proudly unveil our latest Visual Identity transformation for GITAM Deemed University, one of India's most respected educational institutions.

We transformed their legacy of 40+ years, combining Gandhian values and thought leadership into a contemporary brand identity. Our solution positioned GITAM as a new-age sanctuary of knowledge, with thoughtfully crafted symbolism woven throughout the identity system. From the liberating bird motif representing freedom to the nurturing guiding hand of compassion, every element tells GITAM's unique story. Our identity system can be flexibly applied across digital and physical touch points while maintaining its effectiveness at every scale. We're honoured to have partnered with GITAM in this transformation journey that bridges heritage with contemporary relevance.


Link to the Full Project Case Study

The Magical Crossroads of Wellness & Celebration!

Our latest collaboration with Floryo brings fresh perspective to gifting. Inspired by the dance of sparklers against a night sky, we created a premium gift pack that houses their signature freshly-milled flours.

The design merges festive elements with nature-inspired motifs on a deep midnight green canvas, reflecting Floryo's commitment to natural goodness. Each pack tells a story of wellness, featuring four carefully curated flours and a personalized recipe card that transforms every gift into an experience. Here, thoughtful design meets mindful living and we wouldn't have it any other way.

Transforming the Saffola Millets

How did Elephant transform Saffola Millets into a modern, must-have evening snack? Here’s the packaging story that sets it apart!

How do you position a healthy, traditional grain as a modern, convenient snack? For Saffola’s new millets range, that was the challenge we faced. At Team Elephant, we designed packaging that blends health with a fun, aspirational appeal, making millets exciting without losing Saffola’s core brand identity. The result? A dynamic pack that highlights the product as a quick, delicious snack—perfect for busy evenings or downtime in front of the TV. By focusing on vibrant colors, a fresh horizontal layout, and Saffola’s signature heart-shaped elements, we created a design that balances familiarity with innovation. Ready in 3 minutes, these millets are set to redefine the evening snack game!

Bringing energy to life in Maliban's new protein-packed biscuit

Excited to showcase our latest packaging design for Maliban Energ+ Glucose biscuit. Our team at Elephant Design created a dynamic visual system using an innovative 'Circle of Quality' concept, effectively communicating the product's high protein content and energy-boosting properties. This design has successfully launched in South Indian markets, where "YES" is the crystal-clear response to whether energy can reverberate through powerful packaging!

Brand Transformation of Indel Money

Our new Brand Strategy and Visual Identity transformed Indel Money into a complete financial services provider.

At Elephant Design, we partnered with Indel Money to elevate their brand from being a gold loan specialist to a trusted, comprehensive financial services provider. Through strategic brand positioning and a refreshed visual identity, we reinforced their commitment to trust, transparency, and customer-centricity. Indel Money is now poised to navigate the broader financial landscape with confidence.

Elephant Design representing India at the Asia Meets by The Design Alliance Asia

This week, we are representing India at the #AsiaMeets by The Design Alliance Asia (tDAA) in Hanoi, Vietnam. Hosted by Haki Advertising Limited at the sprawling campus of Hanoi University of Civil Engineering, the week promises highly engaging seminars, talks, workshops, films & exhibitions.
Under the theme of "The Rise Of Asia", explained by Partho Guha, associates from 13 countries in the region will discuss & discover the impact of design rooted in cultural insights.

Ashwini Deshpande was once again invited to be on the GrandJury of DFA by Hong Kong Design Centre

Since 2003, the DesignforAsia Awards are globally acknowledged for recognising design excellence towards betterment of Asian communities.
Ashwini Deshpande was once again invited to be on the GrandJury of DFA by Hong Kong Design Centre along with design experts from Australia, China, Japan, S Korea, Singapore & UK.

Congratulations to Elephant Design for completing a mesmerizing journey of 35 years

"The past is like looking into the rear view mirror in the car, it is good to glance at how far you have come, but if you stare too long you will miss whats right in front of you. " - anonymous
Thirty Five years is a long road to glance back at! Very proud of what we have achieved as India's pioneering design consultancy. But we are even more excited to imagine what lies ahead.
Our sincere gratitude to all those who have been a part of our journey, wished us well, and cheered from the front row.

Ashwini Deshpande on the cover of IMPACT Weekly Magazine

We have always followed equalopportunity equalpay principles. Not just for our core competencies of design or strategy, but also for most other functions including finance administration talentmanagement and businessdevelopment .
It is no surprise to find Ashwini on the cover of IMPACT Weekly Magazine talking about tokenism and how to avoid that trap.

Ashwini Deshpande will be leading the prestigious design jury at the upcoming ADFEST (Official)

#designleadership is neither a coincidence nor a default.
Our teams work relentlessly to stay ahead of the curve to be able to imagine the best future. That also gives us outstanding opportunities such as this one where Ashwini Deshpande will be leading the prestigious design jury at the upcoming ADFEST (Official).
ADFEST2024 is open for delegate registrations and Networking Passes! See the link in comments, register & say HI! hashtag#HumanIntelligence hashtag#HI

Ashwini Deshpande talks to Vinayak Pachalag of Think Bank Live

As a pioneering design consultancy in India, it has always been our endeavour to spread awareness about hashtag#design.
As part of the curtain raiser of Design Education Festival organised by the Pune chapter of Association of Designers of India, Ashwini Deshpande talks to Vinayak Pachalag of Think Bank Live about good design, design education & design in India.