“I love showcasing culture through my art so getting to do that for Gujarat’s vibrant culture was a humbling experience and a great honour.” – P.S. Rathour
Brands are always on the lookout for unique ways to engage with their consumers, and collaborating with content creators has become their way of blending creativity with commerce. Illustrator and content creator, P.S. Rathour, known for his storytelling, either on canvas or Instagram, collaborated with quick-commerce company, Blinkit. This collaboration perfectly aligns with the brand, which is recognised for its imaginative paper bags.
Known for his distinctive artistic style, Rathour has crafted a unique art collection for Blinkit’s bags, inspired by the culture and beauty of Gujarat. The artwork masterfully captures the lively streets, flavorful food, and colorful vibrancy that define the state’s rich heritage, making this collection a true celebration of Gujarat’s cultural legacy. Rathour shared a Reel showcasing the process of creating this beautiful artwork, and it has been receiving an overwhelming amount of love from viewers.
The Reel takes fans behind the scenes, highlighting Rathour’s creative journey and offering a glimpse into the intricate details that bring the streets of Gujarat to life on Blinkit’s exclusive bag collection. Considering how prevalent brand-creator collaborations have become, Rathour sat down with us to discuss and share his thoughts on this collab, representing Gujarat’s culture through his art, importance of brand transparency and more.
Here’s what he had to share
How did this collaboration between Blinkit and you come to life? What was the initial idea behind it?
The collaboration with Blinkit happened very organically. Being an artist, I always have an eye out for art. And the doodles on the Blinkit bags have always caught my attention. I mean, if there’s anyone who doesn’t find those bags interesting, there has to be something wrong with them. When my ‘DOODLING MY DAY’ videos went viral, it was a turning point in my career as an influencer. Up to that point, I was mainly an artist and not as much of an influencer, in the prima facie sense of the term. I guess it was my image on the internet as “THAT ARTIST WHO DOODLES” that caught the attention of Blinkit, or it was my sheer manifestation that got me to work for them. But yes, they reached out, and I was more than happy to be making an artwork for their iconic brown bag.
The initial idea was that these bags were to be launched in Gujarat and I had to make an artwork revolving around the Gujarati theme. I had never been to Gujarat, nor did I have anyone who could help me learn more about their culture in my social circle, so I looked up online for colloquial Gujarati phrases and popular Gujarati food items and clothing. I did my research as an artist and tried to put it all together into a single doodle and where else could all these elements fit so seamlessly if not in a busy marketplace? So that’s how this collaboration came to life!
Your art has a distinctive style. How did you adapt it to represent Gujarat’s vibrant culture while staying true to your artistic identity?
To be honest, my artistic identity, even if you were to look at my Instagram handle, has always been “THE ART EXPLORER”. So, to explore any and every style of art is actually my passion. And the artwork I did for Blinkit was in alignment with the doodles that I have already been making, so it was not that hard. But yes, to make every element, be it the shops or the pedestrians or their dialogues, appear cohesive as though they were all a part of one single scene instead of a collage of different scenes, was something new to me. I love showcasing culture through my art, so getting to do that for Gujarat’s vibrant culture was a humbling experience and a great honour. And I would thank Blinkit for giving me that privilege.
How do you think this collaboration enhances the connection between art and everyday experiences like shopping?
Every buyer is a person first and what are people devoid of a touch of art in their lives? Blinkit has done a marvellous job at connecting its buyers with art. Anyone would take a second look at those quirky bags. It is as if that bag speaks directly to our inner child. And art is very impactful in that way. I mean, look at Amul, their utterly butterly girl has given us political opinions, current event updates and quirky slogans besides being just an artwork on some packaging. She is ART after all, but she is also a household favourite for our parents’ generation. The Blinkit bag is definitely a household favourite for our generation and I am truly happy to have contributed my work to it. I don’t know if this collaboration enhances the connection between art and shopping in general because I don’t think I am there yet to make that huge of an impact. I have miles to go before I reach that point in my career. But yes, I am sure people who receive that bag in their homes would take a few seconds to appreciate my artwork and if they have a smile on their face doing that, my work would have become worthwhile. Those few seconds of happiness are when the connection between art and their shopping experience actually happens.
Do you see this project opening doors for more cultural collaborations in the future?
Sure, I am looking forward to more such collaborations. Creating an artwork on a particular culture is backed by a lot of research and understanding of that culture, to be able to make my art do justice to the same. So it is a very enriching and humbling experience.
As a creator, how do you think brands can be more transparent with creators and their collaborations?
Transparency is crucial in brand-creator collaborations to build trust, foster long-term relationships, and also to ensure authenticity. It’s quite simple to do so. Brands can be more transparent by spelling out exactly what they need, like deadlines, goals, and what “success” looks like, talking money openly and not hiding behind jargon in contracts; creators should know who owns the content and where it’ll be used. Brands should also give creators creative freedom while openly discussing feedback and revision processes. Honesty between brand and creators builds trust, and trust means better content and happier audiences. It’s a win-win!
What do you think of collab? Let us know in the comments below.
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