I like drinking hot beverages. Do you?
It seems, coffee has become a major addiction with the working class, hot chocolate is a kids delicacy & Green tea is turning to be a favorite with the health conscious. Talking about tea, we in India don’t start our day until we brew a hot cup & relish it. The smooth running of offices is possible because it is supported by mini ‘Chai breaks‘. ‘Adhrakh-wali-Chai’ (ginger tea) is a winter delight & Iced teas help to keep cool when the sun is harsh.
As interesting is the fact that while Darjeeling tea is exported to the Westerners, Assam tea is what makes a daily cup for almost the entire nation. But, I don’t understand why small tea growers get small margins of negligible profit out of their business here. The North-Eastern state of India, Assam has an abundance of small tea growers. Majority of what they churn out is the inorganic variety-Orthodox. But, with the increase of endorsements by health magazines & considering its international demand, Green Tea is taking the lead in Tea business in Assam. There are a few environment conscious tea growers who have realized the potential of green tea & are marching ahead in the path to manufacturing tea in natural, organic environments in Assam. Chenehi Tea Farm is one such a Small Business Initiative. Founded by an agriculturalist & a pioneer of organic tea farming in North-East India, Dhiren Phukan, Chenehi Tea Estate produces natural, hand-made Assam Tea. It also takes pride in being one of the first tea gardens’ from Assam to export Green Tea overseas to Canada.
In one of the talks by the Chief Minister of Assam that I attended, the audience giggled when he said ‘We Assamese (people of Assam) don’t know how to market ourselves well’. I chuckled too at his statement. But somehow I find his words correct when it comes to the branding scenario of SMBs in Assam. Businesswomen/men readily pick Adidas, Allen Solly, Revlon etc. just for brand name-sake but they hesitate to invest in branding their own business/products. Some because of ignorance, budget etc. Others, because of lack of good branding knowledge & direction. I’m yet to find out the reality that so many smart business people still don’t understand the power of a brand. While working with Small businesses, I realized that the one thing which has the most dramatic impact on the success or failure of a modern-day business is also sometimes the least understood.
While volunteering with a friend cum entrepreneur for development of small scale industries in North-East India, I happened to meet Dhiren Phukan-the man behind Chenehi Tea Farm. On one of the occasions, he gifted me a sealed pack of fresh Green tea from his new batch. I brewed some of that tea when I got back home. Such was the flavor & aroma that I am now an official fan & an addict of Dhiren’s tea. But, when my eyes turned to the logo on the packaging, I was disappointed. Such good tea needs to be respected. And by respect, I mean branded well. I don’t blame this man from rural settings for holding no knowledge about branding & identity. I am unhappy with the designer from the city who charged him heavy for such a logo. I felt as if it was my responsibility to help Dhiren & his awesome Green tea. My personal love for the beverage was another reason for taking up this re-branding project.
‘Cheneh’ or ‘Seneh’ in Assamese means ‘Love’. ‘Chenehi’- means ‘loving/containing love’. Chenehi Tea Estate is inspired by this vernacular word besides taking origin from Dhirens’ late Mother’s name, to whom he is so emotionally attached. It was annoying to say “Dhiren’s tea -Dhiren’s tea” everytime someone asked from where did this amazing liquor come from. Plus to call it ‘tea from chenehi farms‘ was time consuming for the tongue. So, I named it as Chenehi Greens. Later, this came to be known as the brand name. As discussions about branding & marketing broadened with Dhiren, he seemed to grasp them. He immediately requested for a change of logo. I was happy to help. Firstly, because of my love for green tea and secondly for the trust he had in my endeavors in building small businesses.
Working for small businesses is an enriching experience. You learn what you lack and you give what hasn’t reached them. SMBs struggle to get recognized, to promote & build themselves. I aim to serve SMBs in a way that they can reach out to the larger hemisphere of their industry, thereby strengthening themselves. Growth of SMBs is a thrilling aspect to me. I understand the importance of Brand Identity for small business. I believe ‘Good Design is Good Business‘. Branding helps in giving a marketing push to the company to move ahead. What better is an opportunity than to serve SMBs in your own land, your own town. I re-created the Identity & the business collateral for Chenehi Greens. Dhiren seemed happy with it. 🙂
Here is a snapshot of the logo taken from the Business Card (below).
The keywords inspiring the identity design are- organic, natural, love, flow, peaceful, delicate, smooth, leafy, hand-made.
More about Chenehi Greens on my Behance Portfolio.