Dewan Housing Finance Corporation, the flagship entity of the Wadhawan Enterprises has roped in DY Works, India’s largest brand strategy and brand design firm to create a brand for their new foray into the educational loan category – AVANSE. Realizing that education lies at the core of the development and growth of an individual, and consequently, of society, Avanse becomes a natural extension of the core ideology of the group.
From conceptualizing the brand positioning to naming and designing its brand world, DY Works partnered with DHFL for their brand needs at every step.
The Brand essence that DY Works arrived at through an intensive study of the education sector and the culture of young students and parents is “Redefine Karma”. It positions the idea in the societal context that constantly reinforces boundaries, and where such factors as caste were previously markers of discrimination in education. In fact today, financial agency has becoming the essential differentiating factor. Talking about the brand, Alpana Parida, President DY Works, observed, that in this context, “the educational loan becomes the key element, the gateway to an enlightened future with the power to redefine a student’s future karma. It positions the young Indian student as a game changer, a pioneer who can dream of an education without being trapped by monetary limitations”. The idea conveyed by the baseline - “Aspire without Boundaries” - foregrounds money not as an impediment to progress, but as an enabler. Emphasizing the importance of the insight behind the brand essence, Runjhun Pacholi, GM – Strategy who worked on the brand’s strategy, remarked that “the differentiating factor about AVANSE’s positioning is that instead of basing itself on just functional benefits like interest rates or convenience, it brings out the deep emotional aspect of responsibility and self-reliance where the student is able to take control of their future without worrying about financial impediments. The brand therefore becomes a tool for them to move beyond all kinds of boundaries – geographical, economical and socio-cultural”
Both the brand name and identity leverage the theme of unhindered progress. AVANSE comes from the French word 'Avancer' meaning 'The one who advances'. The symbol is created to represent the brand as a forward, upward moving arrow and complements the intent of the company.
Speaking about the project, Imran Patel, Senior creative group head who created the identity, remarked “Through AVANSE, the idea was to manifest the power of education as a catalyst. We felt this identity would empower both students and parents to dream bigger and higher. It's an opportunity for parents to provide their child with a blueprint for success and make him self-reliant and the means for a student to pave their own way to accomplish their dreams.”
Observing the importance of the engagement, Benoy Joseph, Head of Marketing, Avanse said “We were looking for a brand identity that would create a strong impact and establish affinity for the brand as a trustworthy entity with all the new age qualities that makes it a preferred and convenient choice for the consumer. When DY Works presented the idea to us, which positioned it as a fresh, contemporary brand, we knew it met all our requirements.” Avanse brings an entire new facet to the Dewan housing corporation’s vision of progress through financial empowerment.
