About us
We started this journey because we believe in honest storytelling. Just like individuals, brands are meant to be unique. We help them find their voice and work with them to express it through strategy and design.
Because we are highly committed to our work, we focus on constantly honing our skills by learning & unlearning through our environments and the people we work with. We are proud of our varied backgrounds and use our multidisciplinary skillsets across brand strategy, design and creative content, to focus solely on creating exceptional brand experiences.
Our values
Everyday, we strive to create the perfect environment to bring out the best in all of us. So we thought it would be a good idea to jot down what we believe in - our values. Needless to say, these are constantly evolving and growing just like we are!
+ Say hello
We, at Small Town Folk, love saying hello. Say hello and watch as the world becomes a nicer, happier place. We’ve gotten some of our best projects by just walking up to people and having interesting conversations.
+ Have fun
This may be the most important rule of them all. Go ahead and love what you do. Open briefs are the best things in the world. Dive in head first and splash about. Make Bryan Adams proud and have the best days of your life.
+ Share freely, accept openly
“I have a thought.” is one of the most used phrases at Small Town Folk. Closely followed by “What do you think?”. Our policy is that you’re never going to know how good a batsman you are unless you take a swing at it. Remember, share without fear and listen without bias.
+ Hold each other up
If you ever feel bogged down in any way, just look up and ask for help. There are no stupid questions. Reach out, we’re nice people. We don’t bark. Well... Eva might, but that’s probably because she wants to help too.
+ Join forces
Phil Jackson famously said that “The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.” It’s time to take our individuals skills and multiply them together. It’s almost exactly like those Captain Planet cartoons.
+ Be honest
Honesty is the best policy. A little cringey, we know. But hey, it’s the truth. Working with a lot of different people can be a little daunting at first. So, if you ever feel a little lost in translation, try the truth. It’ll (we’re going to make you cringe again) set you free.
+ Save the day
We’re all here to do the same thing - solve problems. So, don’t worry about which department you’re in or which project you’re working on. If you can jump in and save the day with a kick-ass idea, we’d never ever stand in your way. In fact, we usually brainstorm with the whole team because you really never know where the ‘big-idea’ is going to come from.
+ Welcome the unknown
It’s okay not to know everything all the time. The wise thing to do in these situations is to embrace it as an opportunity and learn. Every project we do makes us better because every project we do teaches us something new. The moment you stop learning, you stop growing.
+ Make the world better
You have the power to use design for good. Break barriers, cross cultures and be selfless. There can be no brave new world if there is no brave new design.
Our process
At Small Town Folk, the client, the consumer and us are playing a continuous symphony using the below steps. We deeply believe that none of the following steps have to be followed in a linear fashion. We are continuously discovering, exploring, critiquing and sharing ideas with the 3 part triangle - the client, the consumer and us.
1. Discovery
We work with clients on understanding the specific needs and wants, even the latent ones. During this phase we help them lay out all the hopes and dreams for a project.
2. Research
We dig deep into our client's business, markets, and cultural movements that are currently shaping the world. With that knowledge, we identify opportunities that they can uniquely own and help them differentiate in the industry.
3. Strategy
Once we have the background research in place we conduct collaborative workshops with the core team to crystallize the brand messaging.
4. Exploration
After all the building blocks are in place, we now look for inspiration. We search in all corners - online and offline. We look at work done by people that inspire us across design, art, music, history, food - almost anything and everything until we have that 'Aha' moment.
5. Critique
And then ideas are laid out and shots are fired. We like some, we build some and some just don't make the cut. Every thought is chosen only if it does justice to the brand and its audience.
6. Execution
And finally, bring the baby to life. We use our creative prowess to give the brand or campaign the shape that it deserves.
Meet our team
Everyone at Small Town Folk comes from different backgrounds and is equipped with more than one skill set. We don't pretend to have all the answers but we can promise that we'll leave no stone unturned in our quest to find that great idea.
Aashika Mahajan
Curious mind and an empathetic heart, is what makes Aashika passionate about design. She is a creative thinker wanting to bring fresh perspective to a wide array of projects. Newness is what interests her so keep the conversation interesting else you will find her wandering in space.
Aayush Wykes
Forever trying to find a balance between art and design, Aayush loves exploring tools and softwares that aid in storytelling. He finds solace in music and loves to be the one in charge of the songs at a party.
Ashish Arora
Growing up in Dehradun, a town full of mystery, stories and nature, the visual medium for Ashish was a natural extension of his very being. He is always ideating and is known for not resting until he converts that idea into a tangible creation. He has dabbled in photography for over half a decade, and has had some of his work displayed at the Indian Habitat Centre, Delhi.
Ajin Kunju
Born a millennial, Ajin has grown up watching every possible animated film available in the 90's. The creation of a virtual alternate universe has always fascinated him. The process and unconventional ways of storytelling constantly keep him searching for more.
Avinash Arora
Avinash has been passionate about production for as long as he can remember. Growing up, he would spend every waking minute watching movies, dreaming of someday making his own, maybe even starring in them. He is our official client-charmer, always adhering to deadlines and a stickler for staying within their budget.
Carl Fernandes
A pop-culture enthusiast, Carl’s interests range from classic films to the latest graphic novels. A marketer with over 10 years of experience, he has worked with brands like Nikon, Essilor, DNA & others. His interest lies in sharing stories in ways that are unique; always looking for the joker in the pack.
Eva
The oldest member of the team (atleast in dog years), Eva is our Chief Happiness Officer. An old Bangalore soul, Eva has dabbled in several creative roles in the past. She’s been a street model, a food taster and the occasional doorbell. Eva believes rubbing her belly sparks creativity and encourages everyone to do so.
Gurpreet Kaur
An eye for beauty in everyday mundane mixed with an incessant love for aesthetics, Gurpreet spends her time curating all things design and creative. She also speaks the language of UI/UX and front-end development. On some days, you'll find her behind a camera's lens and on some, baking a fine batch of chocolate brownies.
Mrunal Kulkarni
The in-house type nerd, Mrunal is fascinated by the rich history of Indian scripts & culture. Her love for lettering and calligraphy evolved into her deep knowledge of graphic design, art and typefaces. Her curiosity for typography fuels her photography too. Perhaps, she’ll share her collection of hand-painted street signages with you over a delicious cocktail.
Ridhi Rathi
A child of the universe and an enthu-cutlet, Ridhi absolutely enjoys anything to do with design, drawing and the art of eating food. Once you know her, your conversations are bound to be fueled by her many stories.
Rucha Thigale
As an illustrator, Rucha combines her passion for storytelling to create engaging visual narratives. She eagerly experiments with both analogue and digital mediums, incorporating a mixed-media approach into her practice. When she’s not creating, Rucha enjoys the playful company of her cats, often finding inspiration in their quirky antics.
Sanjana Selvan
Sanjana loves design, history, football and language. She is fascinated by how things work, how tools can be used, and how facts can be put together to create immediate and satisfying results. Hooked on learning, Sanjana is eternally anticipating her next challenge.
Shruti Koundinya
A Goan heart with a Bangalorean spirit, Shruti is on a quest to explore the concept of identity, within design and beyond. In a world of minimalist and simplistic expression, she finds herself gravitating to the bold and disruptive. She channels her love for rock music and comic books into her illustrations; and her passion for psychology into her design systems. She will try to guess your MBTI within the first 5 minutes of meeting you.
Shweta PS
A visual problem solver and an illustrator with an undying passion for design, Shweta is on a quest to find her niche in this creative world. She prefers to express her emotions through art and loves experimenting with different mediums. She's also low-key obsessed with the colour mint.
Tanisha Jain
Tanisha is our very own movie star. Her appreciation for all things beautiful gives her the elite taste that she has for design. Her passion for visual communication shines through both in her unique and vibrant design language and her impeccable fashion sense. She can floor you with dialogues from Bollywood classics and will always be the best-dressed person in any room.
Yash Kunzarkar
Our most athletic designer, Yash embraces all things active and out-doorsy. A runner and footballer, his energy and discipline come through in his design process. His passion for technology keeps him on his toes and on a look out for new learnings to apply to his design. He’s got a taste for the finer things in life, something that is evident not just in his design sensibilities, but even in his photography.