Decoding Brands

Decoding Brands is a podcast by Anurag Bansal that aims to uncover the hidden secrets of the marketing and branding industry, explaining them in a way that’s both enjoyable and a solid guide for future marketers to apply in the real world.

This project was done in collaboration with the amazing folks at Matar Media. Anurag, Founder of Decoding Brands, needed a visual identity that would stand out in YouTube’s crowded space. The goal was to craft a brand that not only feels retro and comfortable, but was also exciting enough for a knowledge-sharing channel to set itself apart on the screens.

So many insights waiting to be dug up

During the brainstorming call with Anurag, he shared that his initial idea for the logo was robot hands digging out insights. Although that could work, it created visibility challenges when the logo had to be fit in really small spaces, like corners of a YouTube video. The interesting bit was that the concept was unique—it represented discovery, curiosity and drive the audience could relate to (think about how you tried to find answers to topics you were passionate about on YouTube). It also fit perfectly with the word “Decoding” in the brand name. 

We realised that although this is an educational brand, it needs to be fun and evoke curiosity in the audience, striking a careful balance was necessary between being a reliable source of information and a fun brand.

Refining curiosity

We sailed the internet to gather and create two distinct visions for Decoding Brands, eventually settling on a direction that was heavily inspired by pop culture and retro designs. With this strong base, we began crafting and refining a logo that felt curious, friendly, and trustworthy to an audience seeking industry insights.

Combining the eye with letter A worked like a charm and captured the brand’s core values of curiosity while the soft edges corners overall gave it a more friendly look. The colour palette and typography were also carefully curated to support the retro and comfortable feel of the brand. We also designed a logomark that works really well in small spaces, carrying the same meaning and weight as the primary and secondary logos did. The customised “A” doubled as a door, giving a nod to the drive that it takes to uncover hidden insights.

Applications

What was the experience like?

"Working with Pawan on the identity presentation and brand guidelines for Decoding Brands has been an absolute pleasure. He has a knack for truly understanding a brand and translating that vision into a clean, cohesive, and visually striking design. What I love most is that Pawan’s work is both beautiful and functional—he doesn’t just design for the sake of it, he creates something that’s easy for teams to actually use. If you're looking for someone who can take your brand to the next level, Pawan is your guy!"

Divyam - Team Matar Media