3M: The signs, they are a changing…

A brand that helps build brands, would best describe 3M’s business in India. One of the leading signage solution companies in the country today, 3M India is the Indian arm of the $20 billion 3M USA (which, to the uninitiated, is the inventor of the all pervasive post-its and scotch tape among others). Over the past 15 years of Indian presence, it has been offering customised design solutions to its client list, which reads like a “who’s who” of corporate India across product categories like telecom, banking, FMCG, automobiles and retail among others.

3M recently announced the launch of their Graphic Design division, which will offer customised design solutions for the workplace and help companies to brand their office space. As S. Sashidharan, General Manager, 3M, points out, “There is approximately 17.5 to 20 million sq. ft. of new office space, which was created during 2003-2004. With the age profile across workplaces like BPOs and call centres getting younger every year, companies require a young and vibrant workspace.” Debashish Gupta, Division Manager, Commercial Graphics, recounts, “One of our clients, Intel, wanted 15 years of their history printed and put all around their workplace.”

The signage industry in India, valued between Rs 2.5 to 3 billion in India and growing annually at the rate of 30 per cent, has come a long way from its cottage industry days. It has travelled a long way from the painted boards, neon lights and illuminated boards of yesteryears to the sophisticated seamless signage today that goes beyond conventional shapes to suit the design solution of clients. Since signage is one of the first contact points between the consumer and the brand, companies have to ensure consistency of imagery and quality of signage across the various touch points spread across various states in the country.

To read the entire story, grab your copy of Impact Advertising and Weekly magazine issue dated May 2-8, 2005