Reeling in Success: My Fishing Boat Awarded India’s Best Design Project 2023

The project involved creating a branding system for My Fishing Boat that makes the fish buying and consuming experience easy and fun for the Indian customer.

Addressing Challenges of the Seafood Market

After two years in the market, My Fishing Boat (MFB), a Hyderabad-based seafood company, identified a significant challenge: making the fish buying and consuming experience more accessible, particularly in landlocked cities like Bangalore and Hyderabad. Their goal was ambitious: to offer high-quality, fresh seafood in all forms—raw, ready-to-cook, and ready-to-eat—across all regional cuisines, through both digital and physical stores.

Overcoming Key Challenges

MFB faced several hurdles in achieving their vision:

1. Simplifying the fish buying process and improving the consumer experience.

2. Effectively communicating the wide range of offerings available.

3. Standing out in a crowded meat market.

4. Developing a cohesive and scalable design system across all touchpoints.

Creating Accessibility & Engagement

To differentiate the brand, the designers focused on the concept of “Fish made easy,” emphasising ease of access and a comprehensive seafood experience. This approach included:

• Providing a one-stop solution for all seafood needs, from raw fish to ready-to-eat meals.
• Implementing an omnichannel strategy allowing customers to pick up, dine in, or have their orders delivered.
• Educating consumers about seafood and offering the widest variety of fish.

Introducing Meenu: The Face of MFB

Central to their strategy was Meenu, a witty mascot inspired by Indian grandmothers, designed to engage and educate customers with a touch of humour. Meenu has become the brand’s persona, addressing customer concerns while adding a playful twist.

Translating Vision into Action

MFB’s brand promise was translated into tangible outcomes:

• Introducing a new brand identity with distinct colour systems for fresh fish and kitchen products.
• Launching Meenu as the mascot, enhancing customer interaction and education about seafood.
• Streamlining the ecommerce experience with extensive filters, detailed product information, fish guides, and regional recipes.
• Implementing user-friendly interfaces for regional cuisine purchases.

Design Systems for Cohesive Branding

To maintain consistency across physical and digital platforms, the designers developed comprehensive design systems:

• Creating scalable signage systems tailored to different store formats (fresh fish + kitchen, fresh fish only, kitchen only).
• Designing environmentally friendly packaging that enhances the appeal of regional cuisine through warm, inviting illustrations.

Through these initiatives, My Fishing Boat achieved their goals of creating scalable, user-friendly systems that blend accessibility with premium appeal across physical and digital mediums. Their efforts not only transformed the seafood buying experience but also reinforced their commitment to quality, freshness, and customer satisfaction.

Credit: Small Town Folk