Martin Dawe updates Maliban look

Sri Lankan biscuit manufacturer Maliban has this week approved a refreshed identity by Martin Dawe Brand Design, in a project worth more than £100 000 to the group.

The revamped look, which will launch from early next year, will be applied across packaging, stationery, signage, livery, marketing and advertising material. According to Martin Dawe Brand Design managing director Martin Dawe, the consultancy has also created a design manual and is acting as a consultant to ensure print suppliers understand and meet production standards.

Maliban, established in 1954, is the market leader in the Sri Lankan biscuit sector and also exports to a global audience. This is the first major revamp of the brand since the company’s inception. Dawe says increased international competition prompted the company to evaluate its branding.

‘The company has been product-focused for many years and branding and presentation is pretty poor. But competition from multinationals means people are being more exposed to western images and the company recognised it needed a more consistent brand message,’ he says.

Cultural differences, in particular in terms of colour preference, had to be taken into account when creating the new look.

‘Where we would use deeper, richer colours to give quality cues, [Sri Lankans] prefer very bright colours,’ Dawe explains. ‘We also had to build in space for three languages, English, Singhalese and Tamil.’

The consultancy was appointed to the project early this year without a pitch.