Life of a Graphic Designer at ZET

According to a recent report, India now tops the world in terms of number of apps installed and used per month. And with this rapidly maturing economy, a role that has emerged as increasingly popular in app-based startups is that of a designer.?

Be it a product designer developing an uber-cool UI for the app, a visual designer setting a brand theme and style guideline, or a communications designer lending not just visual appeal but also voice to a marketing campaign, we just cannot do without designers.?

The most crucial element in any marketing strategy, design acts as a bridge between the product and the user. For the third edition of our ongoing series, therefore, we caught hold of our Sr. Graphic Designer, Purvi Gupta, to splash our feed with some vibrant hues and walk us through her work at ZET.?

But before we dive in, let’s get to know her better.?

Purvi is a design graduate from Banasthali University, Rajasthan, and has been working since the last five years. While her styling finesse and aesthetic sensibilities seem to convey otherwise, she in fact stumbled into designing by accident. After having explored the Kota route for her JEE preparation, and exhausting herself with the tireless rat race, it was her brother who identified the creative spark in her and urged her to get into graphic design. A slight nudge in the right direction, landed Purvi in the world of design, where she was an instant and effortless fit.?

Originally from Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh, she moved to Bangalore in January 2023, whence she joined ZET. Prior to her corporate stint, she worked as a freelancer with renowned brands like Reebok, Oyo, Rangriti (House of Biba), and Kerovit by Kajaria to name a few.??

So Purvi, how would you describe your role at ZET?

My role at ZET is majorly that of a communications designer. I am tasked with creating brand-specific graphics or visual elements that can be used to communicate a broader message to an audience. For instance, every time we run marketing campaigns to promote new credit cards or loan brands that go live on product, I am responsible for designing marketing creatives that would effectively communicate the value that these brands offer to the end customer.?

What is the most interesting project you worked on so far at ZET?

When I joined the company in January this year, we were transitioning from OneCode to ZET. As a part of the rebranding initiative, one of the first tasks assigned to me was to create a new brand identity for ZET, incorporating the new logo and various other brand elements. I worked on creating a unified brand language for our users, ensuring visual symmetry across all platforms. This entire process of giving our brand a new face felt very empowering.?

What are the various fields of design that you have worked in, and which one do you enjoy the most?

In my final semester of graduation, I worked on two projects- one was UI/UX (app) design for a fashion brand called FableStreet, and the other was industrial experience with an advertising agency. Though I got good exposure in both these diverse fields quite early on in my career, it was the latter that I enjoyed more. Post the internship, a full-time role with them, working with clients like DLF, made me realise my proclivity towards branding and art direction.?

The terms “design” and “finance” seem on two different ends of the spectrum. How was your transition to a fintech startup like ZET??

In the past, I have freelanced for a variety of clients ranging from fashion, hospitality, F&B to even actuaries. While this helped in enriching my portfolio, it also gave me a lot of exposure to diverse industries including finance. However, one major difference, which I felt here was the audience to whom we were catering. In the past, I have mostly worked for metropolitan clients whose requirements in design used to be minimalistic, left to interpretation. Catering to a TG based in remote towns and cities in India, made me move out of my comfort zone and reimagine my designs. I started working towards simplistic yet effective designs. For instance, when setting the brand theme for ZET, we took a conscious decision to move away from illustrations to real-life images of people that would make the creatives seem more relatable to our audience.?

Is a degree in design necessary to become a designer? What is a piece of advice that you’d give to aspiring designers?

A degree in design is important to the extent that it introduces one to basic design principles and elements such as line, shape, colour, texture, space, composition, balance, and various rules like the rule of thirds. These serve as a foundation for any and every design, beyond which it is your creativity and imagination. The stronger the grip on your foundation, the better would be your final designs. To all aspiring designers, I’d suggest developing a strong grip on these design principles and revering the brand guidelines as your bible.?

What do you like to do in your spare time?

In my free time, I like to cook, learn about new design styles, and work on my portfolio. I also enjoy crafts that involve a lot of handwork like sculpting. If I’m not doing any of the above, you’ll probably find me at some party, dancing.?

So this was Purvi, giving us a peak into her creative world. Thanks to her and a wonderful team of designers, ZET is dazzling in colour and candour.?