Designing a creative identity for collective impact on improving the quality of life of waste pickers
CLIENT:
PROJECT TYPE:
Branding and Identity Design
ASK
We were tasked with creating an identity that represented collective impact. Its aim was to target an improvement in the living standards of waste picker households in Bengaluru while building resilient systemic change in the waste management ecosystem.
Key Considerations:
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There is a group of organisations working together to make this happen
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This is about the waste picker community
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The primary audience for the campaign is Governments, Policy Makers, Press (International and National) and the Academia
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The on-ground work with the waste picker community, may or may not use this logo
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The campaign to change perceptions about waste pickers too may not use this identity as it will be designed based on insights from the ground
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Keep it Indic if possible - No Hindi
SOLUTION
Based on the given research, two ideas that stood out for us were:
The Collective
The idea of the Collective was strong and consistent among all the members of the group. Keeping the idea of collective and community at the centre, we started to explore Kannada words.
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Positive Change
The other element that stood out for us with the campaign is the idea of dignity, the positivity and the need for change - be it in real lives, policies or perceptions. Next we explored the words that bring forth the idea of positive change.
‘The strength of the collective coming together to uplift one another’
The core idea behind the identity we arrived at is :
SOLUTION
We arrived at the Indic name Saamuhika Shakti. Since waste pickers form a community, here is a campaign that strives to bring a positive change through collective action. Saamuhika and Shakti, though Kannada words can be easily understood by people speaking any Indian language therefore resonate across the country. While the name has a broad context, the kannadiga element brings in the regional identity and the by line explains exactly what the campaign is all about.
SOLUTION
The solution is a modern and bold statement that clearly states ‘with and for the waste picker’.
This logo is inspired by the shape of a garbage heap. A heap that comes with a negative connotation has been turned on its head to create a positive metaphor. The pyramid shape brings in a feeling of growth and dignity. And the movement in the symbol brings in the sense of change intended by the campaign. As a united whole, the identity speaks of collective action.
While modern in its approach, the logo is very people-centric, making it sensitive to the cause at hand.
DESIGN
Saamuhika Shakti represents a collective and not an individual. It is a collaboration built on respect and trust. Therefore, it is never about the ‘I’ and always about the ‘we’. The partners along with the waste picker community form the ‘we’ in Saamuhika Shakti. Therefore the voice of the Saamuhika Shakti must always be one of the collective; which is inclusive in nature.