Rethinking Relief
Redesigning & Rethinking the structure and packaging of India's No. 1 pain balm.
CLIENT
Emami Limited
CATEGORY
Packaging Design
YEAR
2023
ROLE
Jr.Industrial Designer
DESIGN STUDIO
DESIGNLIPI PROJECTS PVT.LTD
01 / OVERVIEW
The Legacy Challenge
Honoring historical ayurvedic heritage while radically improving utility and modern retail presence.
Zandu Balm has been India's most trusted pain relief solution for over a century. As consumer expectations around usability, portability, and shelf appeal evolved, the iconic green jar needed a structural rethink - one that could honor its ayurvedic heritage while meeting modern ergonomic and retail demands.
The project targeted physical pain points of the packaging: hard-to-open small plastic caps, messy product extraction, and poor structural rigidity that led to messy spills in travel bags.
PROJECT METRICS
TIMELINE
8 Weeks
TOOLS
SolidWorks, KeyShot, FormLabs SLA 3D Printing, Pen & Paper
DELIVERABLES
80+ sketches, 12 refined directions, 4 functional prototypes
02 / RESEARCH
Understanding the Landscape
"The medicinal-product aesthetic had become a sea of sameness - an opportunity to borrow visual cues from the cosmetic sector without losing clinical credibility."
© Copyright of Designlipi Projects Pvt. Ltd.
02 / RESEARCH
Understanding the Competitors & Packaging
The Chronicles of Comfort
Amrutanjan Strong
Amrutanjan Pain Balm
Vicks VapoRub
Iodex Expert
Tiger Balm Red
Emami Mentho Plus
An archival survey of legendary topical formulations. From cooling menthol rubs to warming herbal pastes, these six household remedies have served as pillars of daily relief and restorative comfort for generations.
VISUAL MERCHANDISING & SPATIAL AUDIT
Shelf Location & Product Category
High-Density Countertop Display
Immediate cash-wrap proximity. Products are loosely cataloged in glass bins alongside high-turnover daily sundries.
Multi-Tier Eye-Level Cabinet
Structured layout displaying clean size-blocked variations. Green packaging secures high visual contrast against dark backgrounds.
Traditional Glass Pharmacy Unit
Dense packing on glass shelves. Low light conditions and reflective surfaces decrease individual SKU standout capability.
Traditional Glass Pharmacy Unit
Dense packing on glass shelves. Low light conditions and reflective surfaces decrease individual SKU standout capability.
Mixed-Brand Counter Spread
Open counter display with direct consumer interaction. BabyRub, Zandu Balm, and VapoRub co-exist at point of sale, competing for immediate attention.
AUDIT TAKEAWAYS
Core Observations
1. Block Color Dominance
The repetitive green, blue, and black package branding across all audited locations establishes a powerful horizontal visual block on shelves.
2. POS vs Open Bins
Dedicated branded shelf strips (Zone D) significantly improve visual hierarchy compared to unstructured mixed-brand glass displays (Zone A).
3. Vertical Positioning
Mid-shelf and countertop eye-level areas capture premium spatial allocation compared to dark, lower-cabinet zones.
FIELD OBSERVATIONS & USABILITY STUDY
User Studies
Usability testing done on users to observe how they use Zandu balm
Note: Faces have been obscured with black strips to protect the identity and privacy of the participants involved in this study.
User I
In testing demonstrating initial grip, product retrieval technique, and localized application patterns across 5 micro-actions.
STEP 01
Balm pickup process
STEP 02
Initial finger swipe
STEP 03
Applying sequence
STEP 04
Balm application gesture
STEP 05
Lid handling posture
User II
Friction point observations focusing primarily on container grasp stability and final step sealing behaviors.
STEP 01
Holding container
STEP 02
Single finger lift
STEP 03
Application pressure
STEP 04
Lid closing attempt
User III
Detailed hand-coordination study mapping tactile interface limits and lid closure integrity.
STEP 01
Opening motion
STEP 02
Finger scooping
STEP 03
Both hands grasp
STEP 04
Failed seal state
Observations from Usability Testing
User uses both hands while applying balm
User can use only one finger while taking out balm from container
CONFIDENTIAL · DESIGN RESEARCH REPORT
© Copyright of Designlipi Projects Pvt. Ltd.
03 / DEFINING
Exploring Every Possibility
© Copyright of Designlipi Projects Pvt. Ltd.
VISUAL RESEARCH & MOOD BOARD
Inspiration Board
Note: Due to copyright of Designlipi and NDA agreements, the complete inspiration board is not being shared.
Let's build something remarkable
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