Merchandising Egyptian Pride
5 April 2011, 5:54 am
Nearly two months after the January 25 Revolution, which ousted President Hosni Mubarak, a sense of pride and patriotism can be found on the corner of every street in Egypt. Small-business owners, street vendors and designers are now selling Egyptian flags, bumper stickers, T-shirts and revolution pins instead of boxes of tissues and heart-shaped balloons on Valentine’s Day.
For them, the revolution is not only a great business opportunity, it is the beginning of a new era of freedom for the country. Many are young entrepreneurs who supported the ideals behind the revolution and are ready to capitalize on the unprecedented branding opportunity it presents.
Mohamed Nour and Rana El Shafei are one example. Founders of Tashkeel Designs, the two decided to start their own business selling notebooks and bookmarks featuring graphics that reflect Egypt and the January 25 Revolution.
“After the revolution of January 25, we started making designs and banners. We all have the same goals of unity and a better Egypt,” says Nour.
Tashkeel Designs offers notebooks in various sizes that cost between LE 5–30. All are designed, hand printed and produced in-house, which makes it difficult to make a profit, but they hope that sales will continue to pick up as election fever hits. The products can be found and ordered on the Tashkeel Designs Facebook page.
Equilibrium Designs is another small company created by a group of six architecture students in their early 20s. The company is making a name for itself designing unique T-shirt logos and graphics that sell for LE 60.
Ahmed Khalifa, one of the founders, says they want to do their part to support the pro-democracy movement as well as profit as entrepreneurs. The group plans to give 20% of proceeds from sales to charity.
Voice of the future
Aside from marketing efforts at public events and festivals like the Maadi and the Korba Festivals, social media networks and online venues are an important means of exposure and advertising for these young entrepreneurs. Equilibrium also shares its designs and takes orders for T-shirts via Facebook.
Ahmed Nagy, a 22-year-old graphic designer whose work has been featured on several websites prior to the revolution, also sells his designs online. The noted designer has created a series of January 25 Revolution-inspired pieces that can be found on Souq.com.
“During the revolution, I created these designs hoping that people could go to Tahrir wearing them and that it would encourage people to support the revolution and strengthen it,” says the designer. He showcases his work on Facebook as well.
His revolution designs have become quite popular, but like many aspiring entrepreneurs, his inability to economically mass-produce his products pushes up the price of his work. Nagy plans to change his production model to increase the number of T-shirts he can produce and eventually reduce the cost of his products that now sell for LE 100.
Business for a cause? Egyptian pride has also made waves for established businesses looking to capitalize and support the revolution movement.
Nihal Basha and Set El Banat are two well-known accessory designers whose popular products can be found on the online Egyptian boutique Style-Treasure.com. Both have introduced patriotic fashion accessories — Basha’s include a passport cover decorated with an Egyptian flag for LE 220 and an army clutch with the Egyptian eagle symbol that goes for LE 450.
Although Basha says she had always wanted to produce Egyptian-themed designs, it was the revolution that inspired her to finally create accessories that reflect her pride as an Egyptian.
Set El Banat produced an Egyptian-themed jewelry line with pieces including LE 400 gold-plated necklaces with engraved slogans such as Ana Masreya (I am Egyptian), Belady (My Nation) and Horreya (Freedom) in Arabic.
“It was an important event and everyone was involved. I think the messages on the necklaces express how people feel,” says Hala Samy, one of founders of the brand.
Another concept born out of the revolution is the House of Egypt, a consortium of eight of the most renowned Egyptian fashion designers and brand names, which include: Amina K, Malak El-Ezzawy, El-Horreya, Nana’s Closet, Nuniz, Rimal, Tasmeem: Design for Life and Aya Textiles. They are currently showcasing their designs at Amuse Concept Store in Zamalek.
While some are trying to revive Egypt’s economy through tourism and stock market initiatives, small businesses and entrepreneurs have been banking on revolution fever and buying merchandise under the “Made in Egypt” campaigns that unite Egyptian consumers. Bt
“During the revolution, I created these designs hoping that people could go to Tahrir wearing this and that it could encourage people to support the revolution and strengthen it.”
5 April 2011, 5:54 am
Nearly two months after the January 25 Revolution, which ousted President Hosni Mubarak, a sense of pride and patriotism can be found on the corner of every street in Egypt. Small-business owners, street vendors and designers are now selling Egyptian flags, bumper stickers, T-shirts and revolution pins instead of boxes of tissues and heart-shaped balloons on Valentine’s Day.
For them, the revolution is not only a great business opportunity, it is the beginning of a new era of freedom for the country. Many are young entrepreneurs who supported the ideals behind the revolution and are ready to capitalize on the unprecedented branding opportunity it presents.
Mohamed Nour and Rana El Shafei are one example. Founders of Tashkeel Designs, the two decided to start their own business selling notebooks and bookmarks featuring graphics that reflect Egypt and the January 25 Revolution.
“After the revolution of January 25, we started making designs and banners. We all have the same goals of unity and a better Egypt,” says Nour.
Tashkeel Designs offers notebooks in various sizes that cost between LE 5–30. All are designed, hand printed and produced in-house, which makes it difficult to make a profit, but they hope that sales will continue to pick up as election fever hits. The products can be found and ordered on the Tashkeel Designs Facebook page.
Equilibrium Designs is another small company created by a group of six architecture students in their early 20s. The company is making a name for itself designing unique T-shirt logos and graphics that sell for LE 60.
Ahmed Khalifa, one of the founders, says they want to do their part to support the pro-democracy movement as well as profit as entrepreneurs. The group plans to give 20% of proceeds from sales to charity.
Voice of the future
Aside from marketing efforts at public events and festivals like the Maadi and the Korba Festivals, social media networks and online venues are an important means of exposure and advertising for these young entrepreneurs. Equilibrium also shares its designs and takes orders for T-shirts via Facebook.
Ahmed Nagy, a 22-year-old graphic designer whose work has been featured on several websites prior to the revolution, also sells his designs online. The noted designer has created a series of January 25 Revolution-inspired pieces that can be found on Souq.com.
“During the revolution, I created these designs hoping that people could go to Tahrir wearing them and that it would encourage people to support the revolution and strengthen it,” says the designer. He showcases his work on Facebook as well.
His revolution designs have become quite popular, but like many aspiring entrepreneurs, his inability to economically mass-produce his products pushes up the price of his work. Nagy plans to change his production model to increase the number of T-shirts he can produce and eventually reduce the cost of his products that now sell for LE 100.
Business for a cause? Egyptian pride has also made waves for established businesses looking to capitalize and support the revolution movement.
Nihal Basha and Set El Banat are two well-known accessory designers whose popular products can be found on the online Egyptian boutique Style-Treasure.com. Both have introduced patriotic fashion accessories — Basha’s include a passport cover decorated with an Egyptian flag for LE 220 and an army clutch with the Egyptian eagle symbol that goes for LE 450.
Although Basha says she had always wanted to produce Egyptian-themed designs, it was the revolution that inspired her to finally create accessories that reflect her pride as an Egyptian.
Set El Banat produced an Egyptian-themed jewelry line with pieces including LE 400 gold-plated necklaces with engraved slogans such as Ana Masreya (I am Egyptian), Belady (My Nation) and Horreya (Freedom) in Arabic.
“It was an important event and everyone was involved. I think the messages on the necklaces express how people feel,” says Hala Samy, one of founders of the brand.
Another concept born out of the revolution is the House of Egypt, a consortium of eight of the most renowned Egyptian fashion designers and brand names, which include: Amina K, Malak El-Ezzawy, El-Horreya, Nana’s Closet, Nuniz, Rimal, Tasmeem: Design for Life and Aya Textiles. They are currently showcasing their designs at Amuse Concept Store in Zamalek.
While some are trying to revive Egypt’s economy through tourism and stock market initiatives, small businesses and entrepreneurs have been banking on revolution fever and buying merchandise under the “Made in Egypt” campaigns that unite Egyptian consumers. Bt
“During the revolution, I created these designs hoping that people could go to Tahrir wearing this and that it could encourage people to support the revolution and strengthen it.”
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