Embodying Indian hospitality via identity design at the Tokyo Olympics
Elephant Design created a cultural brand identity for India's first Olympic hospitality pavilion, delivering authentic Indian experience for global visitors and athletes.
Inaugural Representation
at a global sporting event
Online and offline experience design
Developed distinctive brand identity for India's first-ever Olympic hospitality pavilion, showcasing authentic Indian culture and hospitality at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics through thoughtfully selected cultural symbolism and visual elements.A Historic Opportunity
India House represented a milestone achievement in India's Olympic participation history. While many nations have established hospitality pavilions during the Olympics, 2020 marked the first time India would have its own dedicated cultural space, thanks to a collaborative vision between the Indian Olympics Committee and JSW. Elephant Design, with extensive experience in sports branding including the Commonwealth Youth Games, Champions League T20, ATP Chennai Open, Indian Super League, and Ultimate Table Tennis League, was selected to bring this significant project to life.
India Takes the Global Stage
India House aimed to serve as more than a pavilion - it would be a cultural bridge uniting athletes, officials, and fans under the banner of global sportsmanship while providing a taste of authentic Indian hospitality. The experience needed to resonate with both those familiar and unfamiliar with Indian culture, creating meaningful connections through activities, performances, food festivals, and game celebrations. The pavilion would facilitate unique interactions between celebrities and fans while showcasing Indian sports, art, crafts, and cuisine to the diverse global audience attending the Tokyo Olympics.A Truly Indian Identity
The identity pairs each core value with prolific Indian symbols: magnificent arches from heritage architecture representing welcome, a dancing peacock in full glory expressing celebration, and the lotus flower embodying grace. This symbolic approach creates an immediately recognizable association with Indian culture while remaining accessible to international audiences.
Sign, Symbol and Cultural Meaning
The design approach identified essential Indian virtues that represent true "Indianness," focusing particularly on traditional hospitality principles. The brand identity revolves around three core values—Welcoming, Celebratory, and Graceful—translated through culturally significant visual elements.
The visual language incorporates colours from the Indian flag and Devanagari script elements, resulting in a rich identity. This system extends across both digital platforms and physical spaces, generating excitement before the event while creating a cohesive experience during the Olympics.
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