The Focus
Plug and Play Ltd., a startup within the broadband/DTH segment wished to develop a device that would transform non-Smart TV homes and introduce them to a new age viewing experience
The device’s key selling points are its affordability and ease of installation that would help expand the consumer base and increases accessibility
Approached the team at Elephant to create a new brand revolving around this device, along with giving it a fitting name and visual assets to enable a successful launch & promotion of the concept and product
The Design
Using the proprietary process, the team ideated for short, simple, memorable names aimed at a large, mass-market segment while differentiating it within the space.
Playing on the connotation of ‘threads and connections’, the name DorPlay was finalized. ‘Dor’ refers to thread (in Hindi) implying the bond that family & friends would experience through the ever-expanding range of content made available through the device.
The team also developed a visual identity with bold interconnected letters and youthful colours. The identity is versatile, easily scalable and allows for extensions and future applications as the brand expands its reach.
The Story
India’s media ecosystem is bursting with content, befitting the subcontinent’s size and diversity. A few factors have contributed to the changing habits when it comes to Indians consuming audio-visual content.
The first is the rise of OTT platforms that expose audiences to a variety of shows with interesting premises that deviate from the mainstream. Second, newer forms of technology like smart devices (from the phone to your television) facilitate content consumption in many forms: on the fly, atop a mountain or within the confines of your home. Binge-watching is a common affair, even on a smartphone. The third is the foray of many companies – from telecom & media giants into the OTT-device space, which converts ordinary, non-smart TVs into entertainment powerhouses.
However, the spread of these technologies and benefits is not uniform – being concentrated largely in the upper-middle/upper classes in largely urbanized environments. This is where Plug and Play Ltd comes in. A company founded by veterans from the media and entertainment industries, they wished to offer a larger chunk of Indians the benefits of an interconnected, smart entertainment system which does not let your TV remain an idiot box – but upgrades it instead.
Plug and Play had developed their own device and approached the team at Elephant with the task of creating a fresh, new brand followed by a distinct visual identity and other assets that would aid its launch and help in carving out a share in this ever-evolving market.
Threading the Needle
With the primary task of giving the brand a robust identity, we provided Plug and Play with options for an apt name that would connect the audience with the brand. The name ‘DorPlay’ was finalized: a simple, easy-to-remember yet thematic name that differentiated itself from the competition.
‘Dor’ stands for ‘thread’ in Hindi, where we played on the theme of bonding over entertainment, a take on the community-driven exercise of watching TV together. Gone are the days where you simply watch what’s airing. Instead, you choose the entertainment you want while also accessing a variety of infotainment, games and other activities previously only available for expensive Smart-TVs. DorPlay aims to be that element of accessible, affordable connection where there’s something for everyone in the family – individually and collectively speaking.
The ‘Dor’ also refers to the interconnected world of new-age devices (particularly the CTV) and an ever-expanding web of content that’s available at your fingertips. This name lends itself to future endeavours beyond India, to markets across the world because can be easily pronounced while also being memorable.
Actualizing the Connection
The name firmly in place, we set out developing a visual identity that would be suit the brand and its purpose. The visual identity plays on strings + connections as the central theme.
With the bold, youthful colours iconic Red and Blue, the team decided to use lowercase fonts to make it more approachable and friendly, especially for the emergent Indian.
The ‘dor’ in DorPlay, as can be seen, is a play on interconnected letters that seamlessly flow into each other. The result is an easy to use, highly versatile visual identity that can be scaled as per need to be used on a variety of applications: from being a central element on the device itself, the remote and the device’s splash-screen to visiting cards, letterheads, prospective websites and more. The identity also has provisions for extensions and future applications, as and when they’re developed.
DorPlay, India’s first wifi based subscription TV is available exclusively on Flipkart.
