The logo

Bangalore

Spelling was never his cup of tea, but RJ churned out many wonderful sketches. He finally gave me what I had in mind. It was quite close actually!

For me what made the logo attractive was :

- the letter design
- the colours used and
- the sketch which was influenced from a Pulluvans art.

If the name "The Blue Yonder" had come from Chicago, the logo came from Dubai!. And, this was all for a company based in Bangalore and operates in Kerala! Truly, "the world was flat! even before Thomas Friedman's book!".

© GP 2006

Typo!

The work for an attractive logo was equally exciting.

Once again, it was coordinated between various places, amongst various friends. I had given a brief about the company, what we intend to do and how it should be perceived.

Ideas were shared with some of my friends, sent them various sketches, some pictures that I shot while I stayed in my village and then RJ called me from Dubai and said, "I am going to do it!".

RJ was the one who understood my style, my expectations and kept on sending various designs all of which I refused, mostly for the reason that there was too much of "Kerala" in all of them. RJ was a wonderful artist (he still is!), he brought in many fresh ideas, and looked totally out of place in Tirur, where there was nothing much for him to explore.

I enjoyed working with him, until one day he made me run for cover because of a "typo" in one card he designed for our college chapter of SPICMACAY.

As usual we were the typical lastminute.com's and organised some programs including an inauguration of the regional chapter and we needed our badges at any cost within a day.

It was delivered on time almost two hours before the event!!

The proof I gave read like this:

SPICMACAY
Society for Promotion of India Classical Music And Culture Amongst Youth

And, what was printed on the card was this:

SPICMACAY
Society for Promotion of Indian Classical Music And Culture Against Youth!

I still don't know where we got the energy to print the expansion of SPICMACAY on a paper and spent rest of the time pasting it on to all the badges before the inauguration!

© GP 2006

What's in a name?

Bangalore

Everything!

I can't remember the time or the day when I decided to set up a company with the concept of promoting Bharatapuzha (river nila) as a destination and maintaining the same as a financial engine to support the nila foundation. It was rather, a process.

When we started, there were 'n' number of travel companies promoting various destinations in Kerala. Most of them were doing regular stuff and it was into this space that we had to position ourselves. Kerala tourism was going through a growth phase, it was a Super brand. "With a dynamic tourism-trade community and sustained Government support", Kerala was one of the most well known destinations in India by then.

We needed a name that would :

-capture the imagination
-that would have a recall value and
-represent what we intend to provide our guests

"Experience!"

AV and I had couple of meetings in Bangalore, exchanged emails while she was away in Chicago, and one day there came the email! She had suggested a list of names including "Blue and Green", "Green and Blue", "Floatels" (relating to the famous houseboats of Kerala) and then; there was the gem!

The Blue Yonder!

J wasn't convinced.
For me, there was nothing much more to think about.
I fell in love with the name. This was it!


©GP 2006