COLONY is a Delhi-based agency that specializes in brand storytelling, strategy, research and writing informed by anthropology. It was founded by Meher Varma in 2015. 

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BRANDING + STORYTELLING

I work with a team of talented anthropologists, trained in the US and India. Once the research is in, the story begins.

KAMA AYURVEDA

Ethnographic Research, Storytelling, and Content Creation
 

Kama Ayurveda is one of India’s leading Ayurvedic beauty brands. Since it was established in 2002, it's been known for its pure and effective formulations, soothing fragrances, zen retail stores, and powerful online presence.

In 2015, Kama Ayurveda commissioned Colony to do ethnography across Delhi, Bombay and Bangalore. Through a combination of structured and semi structured interviews, and conversations with walk-in customers, we collected data that got to the heart of what Kama’s founders wanted to know in order to shape their strategies. Questions included asking what Ayurveda means to urban consumers in India, and to what extent their other life choices were related to their interest in tapping an age-old science for everyday beauty solutions.

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CHUMBAK

Ethnographic Research, Storytelling, Content Creation

Chumbak’s home products are loved for their poppy, larger-than-life prints. The brand is unafraid of color and bold print, even when minimalism seems like a non-negotiable, global aesthetic.

But what happens when Chumbak’s iconic language translates to apparel, and womens apparel in particular? What are the limits of expression for wardrobes as opposed to homes?

Between 2015 and 2017, Colony conducted ethnography in order to create future women’s apparel for the brand, and improve details on existing collections. Our methodologies included online research, home-visits, and semi structured interviews with walk-in consumers to reveal surprising findings about what lines women cross and obey when it comes to clothing choices.

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Ethnographic Research

Nicobar is a leading Indian lifestyle brand. Their home products and apparel are inspired by Tropical Minimalism, and a boundless sense of geography.

In 2018, two years into the brand, the founders commissioned Colony to figure out how their brand mission was translating to popular audiences. We conducted ethnography in Delhi and Bombay to understand how this sense of tropical living, so fundamental to the brand, was intersecting with daily living and the demands of work. With this data, we were able to provide Nicobar with new guidelines for messaging.

2018 - 2020

Advisor to Board, Content Strategist, Storytelling
 

Vana Retreats is an multi-award winning wellness retreat, and is known across the world for its wellness offerings. Located in a forested sanctuary in Dehradun, it is home to visitors looking to retreat from their fast-paced, urban lives and immerse themselves in self-reflection, therapeutic treatments, and  rejuvenating activities.

Since 2018, Colony has been working closely with Vana Retreats in multiple content-creation roles, informed by Meher’s experience on the Vana Board for two years. Newsletters, campaigns, social media strategies, and  curated stories have been created by our team to cater to the Vana family and their communities.

Storytelling

Bhaane is one of India’s most recognised hip ready-to-wear brands. In 2019, when Nimish Shah took over as Creative Director he sought out to give the brand a new identity and widen its consumer base by giving it a sharper aesthetic. Colony was commissioned to create a new brand deck to capture what this new identity would look like for communication, and to exemplify its new pillars, we created several stories, including the much loved piece that anatomized the quintessential desi softboi.

Brand Strategy, Storytelling
 

Specialists in curating travel and cultural experiences, The Soul Company (TSC) was established to change up the way people move around and learn about the world. From incredible dinners to cultural walks through some of India’s most spectacular towns, TSC is led by cultural experts – that include historians, chefs, and critics – who are amazing at sharing their knowledge.

Colony was commissioned to help TSC develop its core brand identity and philosophy. We then worked with the founding team to consult on experiences, select the Experts, and create communication for the website and relevant collaterals.

This project also led to the creation of an amazing online boutique called The Rooted Company that we were commissioned to create from scratch. We made a shop that did not only sell beautiful products, but brands that create responsibly.

 TWO MOONS
INSTAPIZZA'S FROZEN SNACKS

Research, Product Copy
Two Moons is a frozen snacks company by Instapizza, a popular Delhi-basd pizza brand,  that focuses on ready-to-heat pizza snacks. Once the product was tried and tested (and made as yummy as a frozen pizza could be), Colony came in to work on textual communication. What should the products be called? What is the Two Moon’s tone of voie? Could we include recipes in the boxes – what kinds? As usual, we turned to consumer research to answer these questions, and worked closely with the design agency to make the smartest and most fun frozen pizzas we could.

RAW MANGO

Consumer Research

Raw Mango is a fashion and textile brand that  has a cult following of some thousands. Women across India and the world love their refined saris in particular. When they approached Colony in 2020, they were just about getting to 10 years in business. Despite a hugely successful business and growing fan base, they wanted to think about future directions for the next decade. Had they become synonymous with the sari and in what ways was this both empowering and limiting? What did consumers ‘want’ from Raw Mango products and how could these perceptions be used to decide which product categories they could explore in the next 10 years?

Website Copy, Product Descriptions
Saurabh Dakshini, the founder of Studio Organon, has done lots of remarkable architectural projects. Colony created a website for his studio, so they were all in one place.