Brands
Godrej Group to unveil Design Dekko on 2 February
MUMBAI: Godrej Group has announced that it will soon launch a unique brand-agnostic platform for architects, interior designers, and allied community, called ‘Design Dekko’. This comes soon after the launch of its food (Vikhroli Cucina) and lifestyle (L’Affaire) spaces.
The platform, which will be launched on 2 February, will enable professionals associated with the architect and design industry to connect, engage, showcase, and build strong connections with professionals in the design space.
Commenting on the initiative, Godrej group vice president and head corporate brand and communications Sujit Patil said, “We are excited to launch Design Dekko, a platform dedicated to architects, interior designers, and allied community. We, at Godrej, have always been active advocates of design-led innovation and collaboration. Design Dekko is our initiative to bring together the collective wisdom of the thought-leaders from design space on one platform to cross-pollinate ideas and collectively raise the bar of the industry.”
As part of the line-up at ‘Design Dekko,’ renowned professionals will be providing perspectives on a wide array of subjects. In the first session, mother-daughter duo of Brinda Somaya and Nandini Sampat will deliver a keynote on the theme – A Family in Design.
Later, conservation architect Vikas Dilawari, will engage the audience with a session on adaptive re-use; while ace photographer Jatin Kampani will share his perspective on spaces. The power panel of the day will witness Shabnam Gupta, Karishma Bajaj and Santha Gour in conversation with Kamna Malik on the subject ‘Women in Design.’
The platform will also provide an opportunity for budding designers and students to get mentored by leading professionals of the industry. Design Dekko will have a presence on the digital and social media universe on channels like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Brands
Godrej clarifies ‘GI’ identifier after logo similarity debate
Says GI is not a logo, will not replace Godrej signature across products.
MUMBAI: In a branding storm where shapes did the talking, Godrej is now spelling things out. Godrej Industries Group (GIG) has issued a clarification on its newly introduced ‘GI’ identifier, addressing questions around its purpose and design following a wave of online criticism. At the centre of the debate were two concerns: whether the new mark replaces the long-standing Godrej logo, and whether its geometric design mirrors other corporate identities.
The company has drawn a clear line. The Godrej signature logo, it said, remains unchanged and continues to be the sole logo across all consumer-facing products and services. The ‘GI’ mark, by contrast, is not a logo but a corporate group identifier intended for use alongside the Godrej signature or company name, and aimed at stakeholders such as investors, media and talent rather than consumers.
The need for such a distinction stems from the 2024 restructuring of the broader Godrej Group into two separate business entities. With both continuing to operate under the same Godrej name and signature, the identifier is positioned as a way to differentiate the Godrej Industries Group at a corporate level.
The rollout, however, triggered a broader conversation on design originality. Critics pointed to similarities between the GI mark’s geometric composition and logos used by companies globally, raising questions about distinctiveness.
Responding to this, GIG said its intellectual property and legal review found that such overlaps are common in minimalist, geometry-led design systems. Basic forms such as circles and rectangles appear across dozens of brand identities worldwide, the company noted.
It added that the identifier emerged from an extensive design process and was chosen for its simplicity, allowing it to sit alongside the Godrej signature without competing visually. While acknowledging that elemental shapes may appear less distinctive in isolation, the group emphasised that the mark is part of a broader identity system that includes a custom typeface, sonic branding and other proprietary elements.
Following legal and ethical assessments, the company said it found no impediment to using the identifier, reiterating that the GI mark is a corporate tool not a consumer-facing symbol.
In short, the logo isn’t changing but the conversation around it certainly has.
