A Fresh Identity Rooted in Legacy
For this branding project, I chose Vikatan, one of Tamil Nadu’s most iconic media brands. Known for its bold journalism and rich legacy, Vikatan has built trust over generations — but like many heritage brands, it needed a fresh lens to speak to younger, digital-first audiences.
The goal of this rebranding was not to reinvent the identity, but to refine, modernize, and expand it — retaining its essence while making it scalable across formats and platforms.
1. The Logo: Modern Heritage
The original Vikatan mascot is instantly recognizable. Instead of replacing it, I created a clean, vector-based version of the iconic character.
- The updated illustration maintains the same personality and color palette, but with simplified lines for clarity and scalability.
- This allows the logo to work across print, web, and mobile — without losing impact at small sizes.
- The Tamil logotype is paired with a neutral sans-serif for English, blending tradition with modernity.
2. Brand Guidelines
The brand book includes core elements like:
- Mission: Evolving storytelling rooted in truth and Tamil identity.
- Purpose: To engage, inform, and challenge, while remaining relevant to every generation.
- Visual Language: Strong red, black, and white palette — bold, expressive, and unmistakably Vikatan.
- Typography: A blend of classic Tamil letterforms and minimal English fonts to suit bilingual content needs.
- Target Audience: Tamil-speaking Gen Z and millennials, without alienating long-time readers.
3. Design Strategy
This rebrand considers Vikatan as a multi-platform storytelling brand — not just a print magazine. The refreshed look supports formats like:
- Digital magazines
- YouTube thumbnails
- Social media posts
- Event banners and merchandise
The brand is now positioned as both culturally proud and digitally fluent — ready to continue its legacy in today’s fast-changing media landscape.
Reflection
Rebranding a legacy media house like Vikatan taught me the balance between respecting identity and embracing change. The result is a system that feels both nostalgic and new — honoring the past while speaking to the future.
