Mitti Ki Chitthi — A Lay’s x PepsiCo India Campaign

Soil. Potato. Chips.

Every great brand story begins beneath the surface.

Mitti Ki Chitthi — meaning “A Letter from the Soil” — is a powerful brand campaign by Lay’s and PepsiCo India, conceptualized and creatively led by Thaldev Kaim, Associate Director of Design at PepsiCo India.

The campaign reimagines how a global snack brand can reconnect with its local roots. It uses the power of Strategic Design and Packaging Design Innovation to remind consumers of one simple truth:

“Great chips begin with great soil.”

The Seed: Designing From the Ground Up 

When you hold a bag of Lay’s chips, you’re holding the result of countless hands, endless care, and the living earth that makes it possible. But how often do we stop and think about where it all begins?

That’s the question at the heart of Mitti Ki Chitthi — translated as “A Letter from the Soil.” The campaign was born from a simple yet profound idea: to reconnect consumers with the source of their food and honor the farmers who make it possible.

Through storytelling rooted in authenticity, Thaldev Kaim and his team designed a campaign that celebrates the humble origins of every potato chip — the soil. This was not a marketing exercise; it was an invitation to feel, to remember, and to respect the foundation of our food system.

The Craft: When Design Becomes a Feeling

Design has the power to evoke — to make you feel something long before you even think.

Mitti Ki Chitthi embraces that belief through a deeply tactile and emotional visual language.

The design direction stemmed from the soil itself: earthy textures, imperfect typography, and honest, unfiltered imagery. Every creative decision — from the color palette inspired by rural farmlands to the grainy finish of the visuals — was intentional. It aimed to mirror the raw beauty of the Indian countryside, where simplicity meets strength.

The typography carried the warmth of a handwritten note — personal, emotional, and direct. It spoke like the earth writing to us — reminding us that nature has always been our silent collaborator. The textures were not polished or perfect. They were alive, breathing, and grounded, echoing the campaign’s essence: authenticity over gloss.

As Thaldev Kaim describes, the project was about creating a sensory bridge between the consumer and the farmer. The goal wasn’t to sell chips — it was to remind people that great chips begin with great soil.

Strategic Design That Builds Meaning, Not Just Messaging

At its core, Mitti Ki Chitthi is a story of Strategic Design — where every creative choice serves both brand purpose and social relevance.

For Lay’s, a globally loved brand, the challenge was not just to communicate quality, but to connect emotionally with India’s agricultural roots. By reframing the brand’s origin story through soil, the campaign built a new narrative: Lay’s isn’t just about taste; it’s about trust — the trust between farmers, the earth, and the brand.

Packaging Design Innovation: When the Pack Tells a Story

Mitti Ki Chitthi also redefined the meaning of Packaging Design Innovation.

In an era where packaging often focuses on visual attraction, this campaign demonstrated how the pack itself can become a storytelling surface.

The limited-edition Lay’s packs, inspired by earthy aesthetics, carried the visual textures of soil and hand-drawn typography that connected directly with the campaign’s theme. The design was not loud or flashy — it was quiet, thoughtful, and rooted in authenticity.

Each pack became a messenger, a symbolic letter from the soil to the people — urging them to appreciate the origins of their favorite snack.

This approach elevated packaging from a commercial medium to a cultural artifact, something that stands for values, not just visuals. That is the hallmark of true Packaging Design Innovation — where form, function, and feeling converge.