The Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) is a forward-thinking, all-inclusive association that believes in constantly upgrading itself to align with the fast-changing and challenging times. Reimagining its logo is a nonverbal strategy that speaks volumes of the Council’s evolution. Solitaire International looks into the intent of GJEPC for reinventing itself.
Just as each individual has a distinct identity of his/her own, corporate logos, too, project personality. The power of a logo is immeasurable. Besides its instant recall value, it also stands for the principles that the organisation is associated with.
In a world inundated with logos, constant reinvention is the only way to stand out. We as individuals and society at large are in a constant state of evolution and updating a logo can subtly denote the changes that an organisation has gone through in the recent past or envisages in the near future, thereby giving it a distinct corporate identity and professional stance.
Story of the New Logo
GJEPC believed that the new identity should reflect the organisation’s new positioning of putting India on the global stage: becoming the destination the world turns to for gems and jewellery. Therefore, the new identity needed to convey India as a centre of excellence.
Renowned agency Alok Nanda & Company (ANC) designed the new GJEPC logo. The circular symbol is representative of India’s ‘centrality’ to the industry, and GJEPC’s authority and importance as an apex body for the industry. The concentric circles represent a powerful force that radiates outwards from India, reaching out to the world. At another level, the symbol strongly connects to the category: gems and jewellery. The lines represent the facets of a cut gem. The font has the gravitas of an institution; yet has the elegance this category demands. It strikes a perfect balance between classic and contemporary, projecting GJEPC as an authoritative but forward-thinking Council with a contemporary view. “It is a privilege to create the new identity for an institution that has done so much for the country. GJEPC has helped put India at the centre of the gems and jewellery trade worldwide. We wanted the new identity to reflect this stature, but also bring alive in a contemporary way, the finesse and quality that the world looks to India for,” notes Alok Nanda, CEO, Alok Nanda & Company.
Speaking about the new logo, Colin Shah, Chairman, GJEPC commented, “Updating our corporate image was a necessity to adapt to the changing times. We had earlier changed our identity in 2011. Ever since then, the ethos of the Council has also evolved, so we decided to do away with the old logo. Change is the only constant and only the ones who adapt to the change can survive and succeed. As we move on our journey of transformation and evolution, we collectively felt that it’s time to refresh Council’s Brand Identity. The new logo is a potent way to link the Council’s ethos of reliability, inclusiveness and dependability, which the industry has come to recognise over the years.”
Shah added, “The new brand identity presents the GJEPC as an apex body driving sectoral growth by connecting government and trade and promoting Brand India on a global level through various initiatives. It denotes a union of our culture and a forward-looking industry body positioning India as a centre of excellence for the gems and jewellery industry.”
The new circular logo featuring neutral colours with extending spokes showcases the strong role that the Council plays as a facilitator between the industry and the Government. The design has the required attributes in projecting stability and yet having a modern outlook, which was amply proved during the pandemic when the GJEPC pushed for transactional digital solutions and conducted the world’s first virtual B2B buyer-seller meets and IIJS trade shows among others.
Milan Chokshi, Convener, Promotions, Marketing & Business Development, GJEPC, mentioned that the intent was to trigger in the minds of the industry at the global level of the values Council stands for. He commented, “A change of the image means a change of identity,” adding, “The logo should be symbolic of the stature of the Council. “Also, it was time to evolve … the way brands globally are able to adapt to the new technology and these multitudes of reasons impelled us to go into this exercise.
“We needed to communicate that the GJEPC was modern, fresh, and relevant to be able to adapt all kinds of collaterals and above all, be neutral. After extensive iterations, deliberations, processes, presentations, and rejections by our Committee of Administration and ANC, the new logo was finally approved. It demonstrates the extensive role of the Council and its engagement with different segments of the industry in India and abroad.
“The new logo has the gravitas but at the same time it’s not staid or boring. “It was imperative that we projected ourselves correctly. It has a long shelf life as it portrays beauty, balance and stability – the core values that are symbolic of the role the Council plays in positioning the country on the global map as the epicentre for sourcing gems and jewellery.”