Agency Feature : All you need to know about ABND

Who Are We? 

Founded in 2010, ABND was founded with a simple aim to build brands that not only stand out but resonate deeply with their stakeholders. The agency focuses on creating purposeful brands that bridge the gap between meaning and profitability. From ideation to evolution, the agency ensures that every brand it works with aligns with its guiding principles and drives business success.

The agency has clearly defined practice areas, each supported by dedicated teams, B2B practice, consumer practice, Edunoia, culture Practice, and Signoia (Spatial Practice).

Founded by Kunal Vora and Priyanka Shahra in 2010, with Sveta Vora joining as a partner in 2014, our leadership team also includes Ekta Banodkar as Creative Director and Maghan Varkey as Strategy Director. The agency’s team is a blend of strategists, designers, researchers, writers, architects, and branding enthusiasts, all working together as brand practitioners.

What’s in the Name?

In 2010, it began as ‘A Brand New Day,’ a name that encapsulated its mission to solve business and brand-related challenges. With each day bringing fresh brands and insights, the name felt fitting. However, as it evolved, the company wanted to be recognised for its research and strategy-driven approach. To move beyond the ‘design agency’ label, it rebranded as ABND, a name the clients already knew, making it a natural next step in the journey.

What We Do? 

A holistic branding company with strategy at its core. It believes in building brands that create impact and reach their full potential. 

Strategy

• Brand & business alignment  

• Research, analysis & insights  

• Brand audit  

• Brand purpose, positioning & strategy  

• Brand & portfolio architecture  

Design

• Naming & verbal identity  

• Visual identity  

• Brand toolkits & guidelines  

• Brand communication  

• Sonic & motion Identity  

• UI design  

• Packaging & retail Design  

• Branded experience  

Culture

• Organisational culture Branding  

• Employee Value Proposition (EVP) & Employee experience  

• Employer branding  

• Living the brand  

Why We Do It?

The agency is driven by a shared passion for building brands. Its mission is to connect the dots between the target audience, business objectives, and the brand itself, all while ensuring each brand carves out a distinct space in a crowded marketplace. This is the challenge the agency embraces daily.

How We Evolve?

The agency embraces a mindset of lifelong learning. At the agency, it is believed that ‘teaching is learning twice.’ The team is constantly sharing knowledge, with each other, with clients, and even with interns. This daily exchange of ideas fuels its evolution and growth.

Lessons Learned 

In 2010, eager to build credibility, the agency accepted every project that came its way. While this brought in well-paying work, it drew the agency away from its core passion, branding through strategy, research, and design. Over time, it realised the importance of saying ‘no’ to projects that didn’t align with its vision. This focus allowed the agency to create impactful brands and set the foundation for its success.

Who Works with Us? 

• Alembic Pharmaceuticals  

• Roche Pharmaceuticals  

• Storia Foods  

• GMM Pfaudler  

• FLAME University  

• Vidyashilp University  

• Raisoni Group  

• Precision Pipes  

• Bharat Realty  

• SK Finance  

• Ratnaafin Capital  

• Sabka Dentist  

• Lavie  

• Saundh  

• Grab (A Reliance Jio Company)  

• Ridlr (An Ola Company)  

• Yash Birla Group  

Industry as We Foresee It 

The future of branding lies in the convergence of authenticity, purpose-driven strategies, and immersive design. Successful brands won’t just be recognised by logos or taglines but by their ability to form deep, value-driven connections with their audiences.

A Day Without the Internet 

Without the internet, we’d rediscover face-to-face conversations, books, and maybe even contemplative moments by the window, much like in a 90s sitcom. It would be a reset from our hyper-connected lives. But let’s be real, it would also be a day of awkward fidgeting as we try to adjust to the luxury of time.

Gender Ratio and Policies 

The agency takes pride in a balanced workforce, with an equal ratio of men to women. Both its Directors of Strategy and Design are women.

Employee Benefits  

• Pension Plan: All employees are eligible for the Employee Provident Fund (EPF) scheme.

• Group Medical Insurance: Upon successfully completing the probation period, employees are eligible for comprehensive group medical insurance coverage.  

• Incentive Policy: 5% of the project value is uniformly distributed among team members who contributed to the project.  

• Birthday Bonus: Employees receive a monetary gift and a day off on their birthday.  

• Diwali Bonus: Employees are entitled to an annual Diwali Bonus.  

• Tuition Reimbursement: For every two years of service, employees are eligible for a professional course or subscription relevant to their role.  

• Maternity & Paternity Leave: We offer six months of fully paid maternity leave for all employees.  

Work Culture and Values

At the agency, a ‘Culture of Brand Practitioners,’ is fostered, which represents the team of diverse professionals from marketing, advertising, design, product development, public relations, digital, and branding. It breaks silos between strategy and design, treating the brand as a holistic entity rather than isolated elements. The agency doesn't stop at creating, recognisable brands but also focuses on futureproofing them, ensuring their ongoing success.

Agency Growth

Since its inception, the agency has expanded to include two sister companies, Edunoia and Signoia, both part of the ABND Group. Edunoia is India’s dedicated brand consultancy for the learning and development sector, working with schools, colleges, universities, and L&D arms of corporates. Signoia is an experience design company, dedicated to connecting graphics with architecture.

Awards

The agency has been recognised at the India’s Best Design Awards for six consecutive years by DesignIndia. Our projects have also made it to the CII’s Jury List.