Mill+ Spearheads Cartier's First Ever Diwali Campaign
Creative Georgia Paes tells us how The Mill Design Team balanced the spirit of Diwali with the shimmer of Cartier...
Diwali. One of the biggest festivals in the world, celebrated by millions across the globe. Our friends over at Cartier came to us to help launch their first campaign to celebrate the occasion. Naturally, we jumped at the chance.
Community and collaboration were at the heart of this project. Working alongside our team in Bangalore, we carried out an extensive research phase exploring colours, textures and patterns which resonated within the South Asian community.
The Rangoli stood out to us. It’s an iconic symbol resonating with millions of people across the South Asian diaspora. We wanted to take this marked symbol of tradition and balance it with the stripped back elegance of Cartier’s world.
You cannot underestimate this process. Every detail, moment, added to crafting a story that is not only beautiful but resonates.
Bringing this idea to life was made possible by the incredibly talented Art Director Sam Singleton and the might, that is, The Mill Design Team. Sam adds,
Using tactile materials like paper and gold we constructed a flower pattern to house the Cartier box within its centre. We also used shimmers and caustic lighting to celebrate the magic and energy of Diwali.
A full design-pipeline for this project offered so many possibilities. It enabled us to create a complete visual language which feels distinct but also encapsulates the energy and emotion that runs deep during Diwali.
And then we had to consider, how do we take this piece of storytelling and unleash it to a global audience?
This is so important in creative narratives today. We’re speaking to disparate audiences across different formats so we created multiple different assets. From the hero film to stills, banners & invitations - it’s always our goal to say something meaningful and emotive.
Naturally when I think about this project, there were a lot of highlights. On one hand creating a beautiful, elegant spot for one of luxury’s biggest brands. But on the other hand, being a South Asian creative and having a nuanced understanding of the culture. It’s invaluable. It makes the connection between concept, craft and design that much more seamless and natural. That’s where you want to be - both as a creative and brand.
