Packaging Design & Brand Identity
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Sanguine Genetics Ltd, Chennai
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2019–2022
MY ROLE
Freelance Graphic Designer — sole designer on the project
DELIVERABLES
Packaging redesign across 4–7 SKUs, SKU visual system, print-ready artwork
TOOLS
Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop
THE BRIEF
Padsons by Sanguine is an FMCG brand selling staple food products; pulses, grains, and spices, primarily across Tamil Nadu. When I came on board, the packaging had two glaring problems: it looked dated in a competitive retail environment, and there was no consistency across SKUs. Each product felt like it came from a different brand. Retailers were stocking the products, but the packs weren't doing any selling from the shelf. The brief was straightforward, make the brand look like it belonged in the same aisle as national players, and make every pack feel like part of one cohesive family.
THE PROBLEM
• Outdated visual language that didn’t communicate quality or trust at the point of purchase
• No unified SKU system, each product had its own ad hoc layout and colour approach
• Typography was inconsistent, with no clear hierarchy between product name, brand name, and regulatory information
• Shelf visibility was low, the packs didn’t stand out against competitor products
MY PROCESS
I started by doing a retail audit — visiting stores in Chennai to photograph competitor products and understand the visual landscape Padsons was competing in. I mapped out what the dominant brands were doing: bright colours, clear product photography, strong typography on the front face, and consistent logo placement.
From there I developed a design system rather than individual pack designs. The logic was: if every pack is designed in isolation, you end up back where you started. The system defined a colour palette per category, a fixed logo placement zone, a consistent label architecture with defined hierarchy zones, and a background pattern that would differentiate the brand while remaining production-friendly.
I worked through multiple rounds of iterations in Illustrator, presenting mockups on actual product photography to give the client a realistic sense of shelf presence. Regulatory compliance — FSSAI licensing, best-before placement, nutritional information — was built into the template from the start, not retrofitted at the end.
THE WORK
WHAT I LEARNED
This project taught me that packaging design is never just about aesthetics, it’s a sales tool. Every decision, from the size of the product name to the colour of the background, is a decision about what a consumer sees and understands in the two seconds they spend looking at a shelf. Getting that right requires as much strategic thinking as creative thinking.
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