MUMBAI: Zee has onboarded Hyphen as a strategic and design partner for the launch of its new channel, Zee Zest. Hyphen will look after channel positioning, strategy, design direction, design execution, computer graphics and production of all films executed in-house.

Zee Zest has four categories including food, travel, wellness and home decor and these were harnessed in the design philosophy while developing the brand identity as well as channel graphics.

Zee Zest TV and digital business head Amit Nair said, “Brand Zest embodies the Indian essence and seamlessly, confidently navigates the international. It tells the story of our times, creating a space where conversations about culture take place in an entertaining manner. What caught our imagination also was the ‘logo identity system’ rather than the standard logo design. Set to a foot tapping score, the overall packaging delivered on all three parameters and has stood apart for its differentiated philosophy, the visuals aesthetics and the functionality of it."

Zee Zest programming head Srikant Malladi said, “The design theory suggested by Hyphen was organic and showed a keen grasp of design trends worldwide and how an Indian brand can locate itself in it. The multiple routes that were explored gave us a lot of options and helped us to funnel the brand’s vision.

Hyphen founder Prasanna Sankhe mentioned the brand personality of Zee Zest was meant to communicate the dynamism and energy of the modern Indian. “Therefore we arrived at the value of ‘unstatic/unlimit’ this was translated in the moving medium, as the motion and kinetic energy of spheres. This also gave the necessary vibrancy to visually communicate the zing of Zest.”