Zerodha, one of India’s leading online brokerages, provides a cutting-edge trading platform to buy and sell stocks, mutual funds, and other financial instruments. With a first-of-its kind, brokerage-free model, which eliminates traditional commissions, Zerodha’s overarching vision is to create a brokerage-free world.

Zerodha had a multitude of branding requirements including the need for a strong brand identity. Other requirements included crafting a compelling tagline, designing an impactful brandmark, developing a user-friendly website, and producing effective marketing collateral to support its launch. Compressed timelines meant we had only 90 days from start to finish.

We researched the world of online trading focussing on prevalent branding practices prior to creating a distinct brand identity and marketing assets. The name Zerodha is coined with the English word ‘Zero’ and the Sanskrit word ‘Rodha’ meaning barrier. In combination, Zerodha means “Zero Barriers.” To position Zerodha, we crafted the tagline “The Free Trade Zone,” succinctly conveying the brand’s core differentiator: brokerage-free trading. Next, our design team designed a logo with the numeral ‘0’ rendered in block format and cropped stylishly to form an upward-pointing arrow. This visual metaphor embodies the trajectory of success that traders can anticipate when using Zerodha’s platform. We then undertook website development planning the site’s structure, crafting page content, and designing landing and interior web pages. We even developed an online Know-Your-Customer (KYC) form to replace paper-based ones, an industry-first, to reduce onboarding time for new applicants. Our work extended to developing key marketing collateral including signage systems, direct mailers, outdoor advertising, and more, to promote Zerodha’s brand visibility.

Within a year of launch, Zerodha successfully onboarded over 10,000 customers, and today, boasts a staggering 6.48 million active users. As one of India’s largest brokerages, our efforts in shaping a cohesive brand played a pivotal role in catapulting Zerodha to leadership position in the market.