Arnab Ray’s unmute with Beyondesign

Bhavika Shah (BS): Tell us about your time at Landor and Fitch
Arnab Ray (AR): In the past three years, I have had the privilege of working on big brands like Coca-Cola, Tata, Nestle, Marico, Apraava, along with exciting start-ups like Freo, Giga Foods, Ceres Foods.Working with good people has always been a priority for me. I love the diversity of people and work in a place like L&F, and I draw my energy from the amazingly talented folks around me. 

BS: Where do you look for inspiration to tackle a creative block?
AR: I look for inspiration all around me. People, environment, art, music, films, places, and the internet are all rich sources from which I draw inspiration. I pursue the Art of Looking with keen interest and find different visual interpretations of a particular object quite fascinating. This provides new perspectives and ideas and helps in the work we do as well. I enjoy visually playing with different perspectives and bringing in relevance.

BS: India is one of the largest consumers of packaged items in the world. What are the growth prospects for packaging in India? What kind of impact does packaging have on a brand?
AR: Packaging has come a long way from being just something to safely store products in. It has become a strong medium for brands to communicate, strike a conversation with consumers, and reflect a brand's ethos. The shelf is a cluttered space, so it depends on how simply and memorably a brand can present itself and make a difference. With the aforementioned aspects, new innovations, materiality, printing technology, and structural implications will see further growth in the packaging in India. The X factor lies in using relevance and differentiation as powerful tools to make a brand stand out through the medium of packaging.

BS: Will eCommerce change the rules for the industry in 2023? Are we ready?
AR: Ecommerce has already impacted the creative industry, and we can see changes in our approach to designing as well. The D2C platform comes with its own set of rules, and if we don't adapt to it, brands will suffer. The meaning of the shelf has changed from retail to digital, and products sold on these platforms have to be packaged, shipped, and presented in a way that caters to online users. 

BS: Are we ready for the change?
AR: Designs need to evolve to have an impact in the digital space - let's call this a Scroll Stopper! Real estate has become smaller - phones, desktops - so we have to be mindful of that. Our work for MOI SOI, an Asian condiments D2C brand, was designed specifically for the digital shelf and yielded good results for the clients.

BS: What do you see as the biggest challenges facing print and packaging brands today, and how do you and your team aim to address these challenges?
AR: Challenges can be opportunities. Real estate, consumer behaviour and affinity, global trends, and technology are evolving every day. If we don't address, evolve, and use them to our benefit, we will be left behind. Brands are becoming more conscious of the environmental impact of packaging, and we are working to make sustainability a core driver of design rather than an afterthought.

BS: How do you stay up-to-date with the latest trends and technologies in print and packaging, and how do you keep your team updated on them?
AR: On one side, we are constantly on the lookout for the latest developments in our field that we can apply to our projects for various brands. Whether it is a new sustainable material or the latest printing technique from the likes of HP, we evaluate how they can seamlessly fit or help improve the output of our projects. Being part of a large global agency also helps as we are in constant touch with our peers in other countries, exchanging knowledge and work to inspire and inform our decision-making.

BS: How important is design and aesthetics when it comes to creating a successful print and packaging brand?
AR: Design and aesthetics are crucial in bringing ideas and personas to life and helping brands have a unique presence in their environments, whether in print or retail. So, yes, both are important in creating distinctiveness and preference for consumers. 

BS: How do you envision the future of print and packaging, and what opportunities and challenges do you see emerging in this space?
AR: People are exposed to hundreds of products, brands, and content, but it is the one that is beautifully designed with relevance and does justice to the medium that stands out.

BS: What advice would you give to up-and-coming print and packaging brands looking to create a successful and impactful presence in the industry?
AR: Stay true to your purpose and express it uniquely and generously across mediums. Create work that is relevant and differentiated to stand out and be accepted into people's lives.

BS: Share three snippets of advice for the next generation taking a leap into the brand and design space.
AR: Stay hungry, stay open, and stay humble. Be hungry for new opportunities, upskilling, excellence, and experiences. Stay open to ideas, experiments, failure, and collaboration with others. And stay humble in your achievements, wins, demeanour, and acceptance.
 

Unmute in print is a platform where Beyondesign invites designers, printers, artists and anyone from the industry live and/ or in print to share with others and learn together. The platform started online and the response was overwhelming. WhatPackaging? is the print-packaging partner for Unmute with Beyondesign. Do reach out to us on reachus@beyondesign.in to be a part of this platform.