Hard Worker, the construction chemicals brand of Ramco Cements, has won three honours at the Kyoorius Design Awards 2026, including the Grand Prix – Grey Elephant in the Design in Action track.
The brand also won two Blue Elephant honours, one in Design in Action and another in Packaging, recognising its design approach and distinctive packaging.
Design-led approach
Launched in 2025, Hard Worker entered the competitive construction chemicals market with a brand philosophy built around the promise “Hard-working products for hardworking people.”
The brand uses animals and birds to represent specific product benefits. For instance, the camel represents the water-retention capability of Hard Worker Eco Plaster, while the cheetah represents the speed and performance of Hard Worker Block Fix.
The animal-led visual language has been extended across packaging, retail, communication, product literature, digital platforms and other brand touchpoints.
Packaging as a differentiator
Hard Worker’s packaging uses bold colours, distinctive animal illustrations and simple visual storytelling instead of conventional construction-category design codes.
The approach is aimed at making product benefits easier to understand and remember across different markets and audiences, including construction workers and applicators.
“For Hard Worker, design was never an afterthought. It was fundamental to how we wanted to build the brand. In a category that is largely functional, we wanted to create a brand that people could recognise, understand and remember instantly. The Kyoorius recognition is a wonderful validation of this design-led approach,” said Ramco Cements, CEO, AV Dharmakrishnan.
“In a category where communication has traditionally been product-led and functional, we wanted Hard Worker to stand apart by making design an integral part of the brand experience. From the distinctive animal-led packaging to our communication across consumer and trade touchpoints, every element was designed to make the brand more memorable and the product benefits easier to understand,” said Ramco Cements, Executive Director – Marketing, Balaji K. Moorthy.
₹350 crore sales in first year
The latest recognition comes as Hard Worker marks a significant milestone in its market journey. The brand crossed ₹350 crore in sales within its first 12 months of launch.
The Kyoorius Design Awards honours add to the brand’s recognition on industry award platforms. Earlier in 2026, Hard Worker’s campaign won six honours at the Kyoorius Creative Awards, including the Grey Elephant Grand Prix for its Eco Plaster film.
Hard Worker offers construction chemical solutions across key construction applications, combining product performance with distinctive design and simplified communication.