What makes a service truly stand out?
For me, it’s a blend of three things:
- Skill at its peak
- Swift action
- Costs that make you nod in approval.
Welcome to India. A place where excellence meets efficiency at a price that’s just right.
“Water finds its level,” they say. Similarly, India’s outsourcing journey has found its way, despite the West’s doubts.
I speak from limited knowledge, but there are two areas of work, where outsourcing to India has more to offer than the world has dared to demand – cybersecurity and branding.
Cybersecurity’s caution, I get. But branding? Honestly, it’s a head-scratcher for me – why are so many brands from the USA, UK, Australia, and the Middle East hesitant in outsourcing brand and design work to India?
Design and branding are the soul of your business; sure. But skipping India for design services? Surely that’s missing a trick.
- India is on a fast track to becoming one of the world’s top economies by 2030.
- More English speakers here than in all of the UK.
- Quality work for 30-40% less? Yes, please.
- A nation thriving on IT, tech, and top-notch service.
- A design industry as mature as any in the world
Excuse my bias, but outsourcing design and branding to India isn’t just viable, it’s necessary for any brand that wants to stay competitive.
In my experience as the founder and director of a design and branding agency, I’ve seen both types – CEOs that want to outsource everything other than a few core competencies, and CEOs who are skeptical about outsourcing to India.
So, let me guide you through 12 reasons why you, aiming to build an unforgettable brand, should consider this move.
13 reasons why it’s smart business sense to hire design and branding agencies in India.
1. Cost Efficiency: You Pay Less, Get More
Design and branding can often see budgets ballooning. Leaders fear this.
But, here’s a twist. When you hire a design and branding agency in India, this fear fades away.
Why?
The cost advantage is just too good. The same quality you’d expect from a London or New York agency, but at 40% less cost.
Let’s break it down with a quick comparison:
| Role | Annual Salary in USA | Annual Salary in India |
| Graphic Designer | $50,000 | $10,000 |
| Brand Manager | $70,000 | $14,000 |
| UX/UI Designer | $85,000 | $17,000 |
Honestly, it feels a bit funny trying to spell out something so clear.
An Indian design and branding agency has access to the same talent as you, but at almost half the cost.
2. Talent: You’ll Find What You Need
1,455 top-notch design colleges across India – and that’s not even the latest survey.
That’s a massive pool of talent for all kinds of design and branding projects. Whether it’s a graphic designer, a brand strategist, or a UX expert, Indian branding agencies have the right person for the job. And they’re ready to bring your vision to life.
This abundance means you’re never short of options. Excuse the food metaphor but you’d best imagine this as an all-you-can-eat buffet of design and branding expertise.
3. Mature Industry: A Global Force
Since 2007, India’s focus on design has been laser-sharp, thanks to the National Design Policy.
Fast forward, and the Indian design industry stood strong at 188.32 billion rupees in 2020. That’s roughly $7 billion, considering purchase parity.
This number is enough proof that India’s design industry has strong roots, strong arms, and an ambition that won’t be curtailed.
It’s an industry ripe with experience, and ready to take on the world.
So, when you think of hiring a design & branding firm from India, you’re getting in relatively early into a market whose wares are worth more than what the price tag says.
If that isn’t smart business, I don’t know what is.
4. Competitive: A World-Class Awards Landscape
The design scene in India doesn’t just match up to the West; it stands tall and proud.
The proof is in the countless awards and competitions that keep designers on their toes.
The prestigious Forbes India Design Awards, AD100 list featuring the Top 100 Architecture and Interior Design Firms, and the Kyoorius Awards for advertising and design – these are just examples.
Then there’s Kyoorius Digital Awards and the Exchange4Media Entertainment Awards – you’ve only got to look at the work of the winners, to get a sense of the quality of India’s design companies.
These design contests and awards are a sign of an industry that not only rewards excellence but pushes its boundaries.
So when you hire a design and branding firm from India, you’re engaging with a community that values competition.
5. Global: The Internationalization of Indian Design
Indian branding design firms are global players. Here’s how.
Consider Elephant Strategy + Design aligning with npk design from the Netherlands and Design Continuum from the USA. Or Onio Design partnering with Style Vision from France.
These are just two of the many examples, where Indian design companies have gone global.
And it’s not a one-sided affair. Giants like Ogilvy and JWT have found a second home in India.
This global give-and-take shapes a design and branding firm from India into a world-class partner for your brand.
6. Regulated: Shaped by Top Design Bodies
India’s design caliber is no accident. It’s crafted by leading organizations.
The India Design Council, National Institute of Design, and associations like Association of Designers of India and Institute of Indian Interior Designers (IIID) are just a few names driving excellence.
They ensure Indian design firms are leaders in the field. That’s the kind of leadership and vision you want on your team.
This network of design bodies fosters a rich exchange between academia and industry, ensuring that when you outsource design and branding to India, you tap into a well of established expertise and innovation.
7. Curiosity and Celebration: India’s Design Festivals
A good indicator of the maturity of an industry in a nation is the quality of its industry-festivals.
In India, festivals like the CI-NID Design Summit and the Pune Design Festival turn the spotlight on the country’s creative genius every other weekend. These events are melting pots where the best of design minds meet.
Think about it. When the world’s leading brands flock to India to witness these spectacles, it’s clear there’s something special here.
You might wonder, “Can my brand be part of this vibrant scene?” Absolutely, by choosing to hire a design firm from India.
8. Design Is Everywhere in India
Now, let’s zoom out a bit. The India Design Report 2015 revealed a remarkable truth: design isn’t just a big-city affair in India. It’s everywhere. This spread of talent across the country means you get a piece of this creative pie no matter where you look.
Source: India Design Report, 2015
Why is this exciting for you? Because it shows that the passion for design in India is not a passing trend – it’s a movement. And movements create waves, the kind of waves that can carry your brand to new heights. So why not ride this wave?
9. If It’s ‘Design’, India Does It
And here’s the clincher. Need a graphic designer? Or a branding guru? India’s vast design landscape has got you covered. The diversity here is staggering.
In a market like this, when you hire a design and branding service; you expand your brand’s horizons. With such a wide array of design services, you’re spoilt for choice.
Source: India Design Report, 2015
As you mull over these points, consider the possibilities. Engaging with a branding firm from India isn’t a one-time transaction. The moment you shake hands, you build a relationship that can be your access point to a network of related design and branding services.
10. Made In India, Loved Everywhere
Now, for a moment of pride.
It’s one thing to play the game, another to win it. Indian design and branding firms are winning. And they’re winning it on the world stage.
Cannes Lions 2023 – Indian agencies brought home 25 metals.
Ogilvy India snagged a Grand Prix for a campaign that would make any agency in the world think ‘wish we’d thought of this’.
And there were more – golds, silvers, a dazzling display of India’s creative prowess.
Every single one of those awards was hard-earned recognition of Indian creativity and impact.
So know this – when you hire a branding firm from India, you’re choosing from a pool of internationally acclaimed talent.
11. Speed: Continuous Workflow
While the USA sleeps, India works. That’s the 24/7 cycle you unlock when you hire a design & branding firm from India. Thanks to the time zone differences, there’s always someone on the clock. This doesn’t just mean work gets done; it means it gets done fast.
For you, it’s like having a team that never hits the pause button. Imagine what this does to your projects.
It’s a bit like magic – you close your eyes at night, and by morning, fresh designs await your review.
12. English Proficiency: More English Speakers Than The Population of UK
Now, let’s talk about language. Smooth communication is key, right? Here’s where India shines. With one of the largest English-speaking populations, the language barrier is as thin as air.
When you outsource design and branding to India, you’re speaking the same language (in more ways than one). This means your ideas get translated into designs without getting lost in translation.
13. A Nation Where ‘Jaw Dropping’ is the Standard
India is a feast for the senses. To grab attention here, you must be extraordinary. That’s why Indian designers are masters at creating designs that make you stop and stare. Can you imagine the design caliber of someone who can make an Indian shopper stop and stare at a poster in an Indian marketplace?
In India, for marketing communications to work, the design has to battle with more colors, sounds, and smells than you can count. Still, Indian designers get this done, day in, day out.
When you hire a design firm from India, you’re tapping into this power – the power to enchant, to hold attention in a world brimming with distractions.
The Past, Present, and Future of Design – India
To wrap this post up, let me take you to 2500 BCE. and in the bustling city of Mohen-jo-Daro, in the north of India (now in Pakistan). People were crafting art in their everyday lives – pottery, jewelry, and sculptures. Meanwhile, across the seas, Europe was getting the hang of farming for the first time.
It’s clear, isn’t it? Art and design aren’t new to India; they’re as old as the Indus itself.
To look past India for your design and branding needs is like walking by a treasure chest and not giving it a second glance.
It’s all here: the past, the present, and yes, the future too.
