Reimagining Domino's brand persona via a re-branding & packaging solution
Elephant Design recontextualized Domino’s offerings with ‘slice-of-life' stories for younger, emergent audiences in a hypercompetitive last-mile delivery experience
Last-Mile Delivery Dominance
Retained Market Share
Core pizza range
Chicken Feast range
Viva Roma range
Visual system development
Brand storytelling approach
Revolutionized Domino's packaging across pizza, chicken, and gourmet ranges, transforming ingredient-focused designs into moment-celebrating experiences that resonate with evolving consumer preferences.
Pizza Heritage India
Domino's entered India before last-mile delivery existed, introducing pizza to a generation hungry for global cuisines. For nearly 30 years, it has been synonymous with convenience and shared memories - fuelling late-night study sessions, first dates, movie marathons, and family gatherings. The brand witnessed countless milestones, becoming a cultural touchstone that evolved with India's changing relationship with food and convenience. However, facing Gen Z's diverse food options and experience-driven preferences, Domino's needed comprehensive portfolio transformation - from core pizza packaging to new category expansions and premium gourmet offerings. 
Pizza and Beyond
Domino's pursued comprehensive brand evolution through design-led innovation across multiple product categories. The brand's transformation encompassed emotional storytelling in pizza packaging, a range of chicken-focused offerings, and lastly, providing an authentic gourmet Italian experience. Each category required distinct positioning within the brand family while maintaining cohesive brand values. The chicken range established Domino’s as a delightful choice within a new category while the gourmet pizza line celebrated the authenticity of an Italian heritage via carefully crafted naming and visual storytelling. This multi-faceted approach demonstrated Domino's commitment to meeting diverse consumer needs while maintaining its core identity as India's beloved pizza destination.Emotions Over Ingredients
The idea of ‘It happens only with pizza' was conceived as the reflection of slice-of-life moments in the day of a pizza consumer. The design team discarded photorealistic pizza close-ups to storytelling on pizza boxes. Vibrant stylised illustrations capturing genuine moments - friends celebrating startup breakthroughs, families bonding during movie marathons, nervous first daters finding common ground, each design embraced colours inspired by pizza ingredients, weaving them into stories of human connection rather than mere toppings.
"It happens only with pizza" became our philosophy, positioning every delivery as a catalyst for memorable occasions. These boxes transformed into storytelling canvases that resonated with Gen Z's hunger for authentic experiences. Vivid illustrations depicted brainstorming sessions fuelled by melted cheese and celebratory moments where pizza became the unlikely hero.
The complete Chicken Feast packaging family showcases how brand extensions can honour heritage while forging new paths.
Premium Chicken Territory
Domino's team returned with a different challenge - launching their first chicken range in India required premium positioning within the brand family while maintaining distinct territory. This wasn't about extending pizza narratives; this demanded creating a new chapter for younger audiences craving elevated fast-food experiences. Typography became cleverness itself - subtle shadows within letterforms whispered chicken silhouettes while bold sans-serif fonts pulsed with street art energy.
The design balanced delight with approachability, ensuring Gen Z consumers could experience elevated quality without pretence. Every element needed quick impact while creating long-term loyalty. Graffiti-inspired treatments and playful typography created sophistication that felt authentic, speaking to a generation valuing genuineness over artifice.
Italian Authenticity Reimagined
The rooster emerged as centrepiece of a visual language celebrating every texture and preparation method that makes chicken irresistible. From crispy fried satisfaction to smoky grilled perfection, each illustration captured the sensory journey awaiting inside every package.
Gen Z lingo integration elevated this beyond typical food branding, creating icons that felt like conversations between friends rather than corporate marketing. Our visual storytelling represented a lifestyle, which resonated with this generation that views food choices as personal brand statements. A flexible system maintained cohesive premium identity across various products.
The complete Chicken Feast packaging family showcases how brand extensions can honour heritage while forging new paths
The Viva Roma experience converts familiar fast-food into genuine Italian fare.
The Gourmet Quotient
Domino’s was launching a gourmet pizza range. This required a name that celebrated authentic Italian heritage without compromising Domino's accessibility. "Viva Roma" instantly evoked indulgence and joy while connecting Global-Indian consumers to Italy's rich culinary tradition. The name shifted focus from generic "gourmet" labelling to emotional celebration of authentic pizza craftsmanship.
The team’s packaging structure solution enhanced the unboxing experience through unique dual-container design. Customers could select preferred ingredients while maintaining Domino's familiar consistency. Black became the primary colour, reminiscent of stone ovens used for authentic Italian pizzas, balanced with Domino's signature blue accents for brand recognition.
Universal Italian iconography dominated the design through playful mini doodles of Vespa scooters, Coliseum arches, and glorified ingredients like olives, burrata, and pomodoro. The Typography emphasized the handmade craftsmanship going into every pizza. This treatment provided variety-seeking customers with an elevated experience that transformed fast-food into the celebration of authenticity and gourmet charm.
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