Makro
Makro
Giving one of Uzbekistan's largest retail chains the identity of a neighbor you can always trust
Giving one of Uzbekistan's largest retail chains the identity of a neighbor you can always trust
Brand Designer, LINII Agency, 2024
Brand Designer, LINII Agency, 2024
( Brand Identity ) ( Design System ) ( Illustration )
( Brand Identity ) ( Design System ) ( Illustration )
MAKRO is one of Uzbekistan's largest retail chains, with over 10 years on the market. Despite its scale, the brand had always carried a warmth that set it apart, something closer to a neighborhood market than a big-box store. To sharpen that difference and make it work harder, MAKRO brought in LINII for a full rebrand: positioning, visual identity, and retail concept. The strategic team found the right metaphor in the mahalla, a traditional Uzbek neighborhood where community life spills into the streets and everyone knows everyone. That idea became the foundation: MAKRO as "a neighbor who turned into a true friend" — honest, warm, and always there when you need something.
MAKRO is one of Uzbekistan's largest retail chains, with over 10 years on the market. Despite its scale, the brand had always carried a warmth that set it apart, something closer to a neighborhood market than a big-box store. To sharpen that difference and make it work harder, MAKRO brought in LINII for a full rebrand: positioning, visual identity, and retail concept. The strategic team found the right metaphor in the mahalla, a traditional Uzbek neighborhood where community life spills into the streets and everyone knows everyone. That idea became the foundation: MAKRO as "a neighbor who turned into a true friend" — honest, warm, and always there when you need something.
As brand designer, I developed the visual identity that brought this character to life. The central element — illustrative hands — carries real cultural weight in Uzbekistan, evoking greeting, gratitude, generosity, and the sharing of food. A fresh green and sandy palette, bold friendly typography, and a mix of product photography with hand-drawn illustration give the brand energy and humanity. The retail concept made by LINII retail team extended the mahalla idea into the store itself: natural materials, warm lighting, market-style counters for meat, cheese, and freshly baked tandyr bread — a space that feels less like a supermarket and more like a place you actually want to be.
As brand designer, I developed the visual identity that brought this character to life. The central element — illustrative hands — carries real cultural weight in Uzbekistan, evoking greeting, gratitude, generosity, and the sharing of food. A fresh green and sandy palette, bold friendly typography, and a mix of product photography with hand-drawn illustration give the brand energy and humanity. The retail concept made by LINII retail team extended the mahalla idea into the store itself: natural materials, warm lighting, market-style counters for meat, cheese, and freshly baked tandyr bread — a space that feels less like a supermarket and more like a place you actually want to be.
