Mudra Group rebrands itself; revamps logo

Drawing on its 'can-do' spirit and heritage of entrepreneurial ambition, the Mudra Group has moved forward with a new look, logo, website and perspective

Close on the heels of turning 30 earlier this year (March 25), the Mudra Group has now unveiled a fresh brand identity. The group has rebranded itself and has put its new foot forward with a revamped brand logo.

This news was conveyed at a press event held in South Mumbai, in the presence of the group's executive board members. The board comprises Madhukar Kamath, group chief executive officer and managing director, Mudra Group; Ajit Menon, executive director, organisation development; Bobby Pawar, CEO; Dilipkumar Upadhyaya, chief financial officer; Jude Fernandes, ED, Mudra Group and CEO, Mudra India; Pratap Bose, chief operating officer, Mudra Group and CEO, Mudra Max; and Sandeep Vij, ED and chief knowledge officer, Mudra Group and CEO, DDB Mudra.

Water, Mudra Group's strategy and design unit, has created this fresh vision, marked by rapid change and progress. Based on the pillars of empathy, experimentation, expression and dynamic integration, Water has crystallised the group's new brand platform as 'Inventive Brand Solutions' as the Mudra Group will now offer clients just this - inventive brand solutions.

This will be done through the group's four agency networks, namely Mudra India (the branding and communications agency), Mudra Max (the integrated engagement and experiential agency), DDB Mudra (the influence and behaviour change agency) and Ignite Mudra (partnership for entrepreneurs agency).

The new corporate brand now sees the historical symbol of Mudra - the hands - 'freed' from the rigid red roundel. This is symbolic of the spirit of inventiveness. Replacing the solid, red circle is the graphic device of the 'brush stroke'. This denotes experimentation, energy and dynamism. Specifically, the brush stroke signifies the most common human behaviour when trying something new.

This brush stroke is also an integral part of the branding of the four agency networks. Each agency is now qualified by a unique symbol - the quote mark (a symbol of conversation) for Mudra India, the degree symbol (denoting influence) for DDB Mudra, the forward mark (symbolising maximal impact) for Mudra Max, and the 'on' button (that stands for a spark of ideas) for Ignite Mudra.

The brand also reveals its new, revamped website, www.mudra.com, created and designed by Tribal DDB, the Mudra Group's digital and new media agency. The new website carries forward the Mudra Group's spirit of inventive experiences, with its design as a simple yet powerful conversational tool. The objective of the new website is to incorporate a search tool that facilitates exact information and a two-way interaction with the users, rather than posing as a mere one-way, passive source of material.

Commenting on the re-branding, Kamath stated at the event, "The dancer's hands have been freed from the confines of the roundel; this is based on research that shows how a stroke is the starting point of anything new - it shows that you're free to invent, to be bold and aggressive. This brush stroke will now onwards serve as the red background on which the dancer's hands are placed."

Kamath added that this change positions the Mudra Group for the future and will help take the brand international as well.

It may be noted that group had re-designed its logo in March 2005. At the time, the hands, portraying a classical Indian dance pose (that is, a 'mudra'), were meant to stand for the agency's cultural roots, while also depicting its contemporary bend. The re-branding had coincided with the agency's silver jubilee celebrations.