You’d rush home from school, hop on your computer, maybe even connect to the internet the old-fashioned way by hooking your device to an ethernet cable, meaning no one else could use the landline while you were online, and call your friends on Skype. It was every kid’s canon event. With over half a billion users, Skype eventually caught the eye of Microsoft, who purchased the app for $8.5 billion.

But that’s when disaster struck. Microsoft began releasing updates that made Skype worse. Ads and bloatware bogged down the user experience. Then, in 2015, Discord launched, which targeted the gaming market and quickly stole a significant chunk of Skype’s user base.

In response, Microsoft pivoted to a business-first approach for Skype. But that strategy crumbled too when Covid-19 came and Zoom entered the scene in earnest. This could have been Skype’s big moment. The world was at a standstill, people were looking left and right for a way to stay connected, and there were tons of new apps in the market.

But Skype, despite having had a legacy of its own and all the benefits of being a first-mover, was unable to compete. Zoom offered a far more convenient solution. And it was web-based as well. One of Skype’s drawbacks was its app, which got worse with updates.

It’s interesting to look back at 2017 when Skype rolled out its redesign, because that’s when the downfall became apparent. Android users got a month’s head start before the refreshed app landed on iPhones. Instead of fixing Skype’s unreliable notifications and syncing, Microsoft added new, less important features like emojis for video calls and a Snapchat-like ‘Highlight’ option.

However, that new look didn’t sit well with Apple users. Almost immediately after its release on the App Store, Skype’s ratings took a nosedive globally. In the UK, the app’s rating plummeted to a mere one star. Similarly, in the US, the ratings dropped significantly from a respectable 3.5 stars to just 1.5 stars. Clearly, the redesign didn’t resonate with a significant portion of Skype’s user base on iOS.

The business space was taken over by Microsoft Teams, which once again showcases just how redundant and arguably ego-driven the purchase of Skype was. It’s not all bleak, though. Microsoft salvaged the tech. Much of Skype’s voice infrastructure now powers Microsoft Teams, which has taken over the business communication space. So, in a sense, Skype didn’t die; it was absorbed.

But for consumers? There just wasn’t enough investment or innovation to keep it relevant.

So the inevitable happened. The president of collaborative apps and platforms at Microsoft revealed in a Feb. 28 blog post that the company would be retiring the service in order to “streamline our free consumer communications offerings so we can more easily adapt to customer needs.”

If you’re one of the millions of people who spent their childhood on Skype, you have until January 2026 to download your data for the sake of nostalgia before permanent deletion.

What was Skype now lives under the hood of Teams. It slowly faded out into the background of tech history. Despite that, it did come with its own benefits, and they will be missed.

Unfortunately, Microsoft Teams (free) comes with a few downgrades compared to regular Skype. Group video calls are limited to 60 minutes and you also can’t use Teams for pay-as-you-go calling and SMS like you could with Skype Credit.

In all honesty, we can’t say we didn’t see it coming. Hardly anyone used Skype, and with WhatsApp having released its desktop version in March 2021 and Discord increasing in popularity from beyond its initial demographic of hard-core gamers, why would anyone?

Eman Ali is a business graduate from NUST and a part-time writer.

The PCC has been formed with the hope of giving Pakistan a body that can develop a regulatory framework for cryptocurrencies, oversee blockchain adoption and help position Pakistan as a regional hub for Web3 innovation. Key objectives that have been announced include:

Crafting policies to legitimise crypto trading, reduce fraud and align with the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) anti-money laundering (AML) guidelines.

Integrating blockchain into sectors like remittances, real estate and agriculture to enhance transparency and efficiency.

Leveraging Pakistan’s 20 million crypto users and young, tech-savvy population to attract global capital.

Despite these admirable goals, the PCC faces an uphill battle and a path to success that is riddled with complexities on multiple fronts.

For starters, the PCC, through no fault of its own, inherits a legacy of distrust owing to past regulatory flip-flops such as the State Bank of Pakistan’s (SBP) 2022 crypto ban. Hence, the Council must now reconcile its progressive vision with Pakistan’s bureaucratic inertia and institutional deficits. Along a similar trajectory, Changpeng Zhao’s appointment as a strategic advisor serves as a double-edged sword.

While Zhao’s expertise in scaling Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange, is undisputed and there is no denying that having a heavyweight name such as his brings unparalleled technical expertise as well as global eyeballs to the work being done in Pakistan, his legal troubles may cast a shadow on how serious the PCC is about regulatory oversight. As reported by The Wall Street Journal in April 2024, Zhao resigned as Binance CEO after pleading guilty to US charges of violating anti-money laundering laws and was sentenced to four months in prison, which he has served. So far, the PCC has not publicly addressed these concerns, focusing instead on Zhao’s technical acumen. However, critics may argue that his appointment reflects a prioritisation of star power over governance accountability, which could be a misstep for a council tasked with building trust in a historically volatile sector. This trust is all the more important since Pakistan has perpetually walked the FATF tightrope. One misstep on this tightrope could have grave implications and therefore it is vital that governance accountability remains a paramount priority amongst the PCC members.

If the Council can get this right, and if it can have key stakeholders like the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan and the SBP singing from the same hymn sheet – a task that in itself is no small feat given the SBP’s largely conservative outlook on cryptos in the past and how bureaucratic inter-institutional alignment can be in Pakistan – the PCC does stand at the precipice of changing how Pakistanis interact with money.

A low-hanging fruit is the remittance market that is ripe for a revolution. With over $30 billion remitted in 2024 according to the SBP, crypto adoption could slash transaction fees and processing times while simultaneously bringing transparency and accounting rigour via blockchain itself. The large freelancer segment – which in recent times has lost out to other Asian or African competitors who have more established payment facilities or better internet connectivity – would also largely welcome a solid means to remit funds from clients overseas.

Next, the opportunities presented by decentralised finance (DeFi) can also help empower the large unbanked population in Pakistan. Whilst it does require considerable investment in knowledge upskilling, the technology itself can offer ways to quickly scale day-to-day banking for both rural and urban populations alongside providing peer-to-peer lending and staking solutions. Tokenisation of state assets, which is also under consideration by the Council, can definitely help boost liquidity; albeit it would require robust auditing protocols to ensure no mismanagement of funds.

All said and done, the real challenge that will make or break the PCC will be whether it can find ways to counter the structural weaknesses that exist. Questions that should be keeping council members up at night are: l How does one solve the lack of internet penetration, which means that over 130 million people (i.e., >54% of the population as per analysis from DataReportal 2024) are still not using the internet?

How does one counter internet shutdowns? There’s no point in having a seamless crypto payment ecosystem that allows you to move money instantly when you can’t use the service because the internet is shut or throttled.

How does one cater for cybersecurity? Pakistan has been plagued by cyberattacks, and cybersecurity remains an elusive yet vital piece of the puzzle.

How does one bring the legacy infrastructure into the new age? The Raast payment network and traditional banking infrastructure require interoperability standards that have yet to be defined, let alone be any closer to implementation. For the ecosystem to work, these standards need to be cemented urgently.

How does one take local start-ups on the journey and make them advocates rather than detractors? If Pakistan is to be at the forefront of the crypto revolution, then the brightest technical minds need to be made to feel welcome alongside more traditional finance experts.

Who can one partner with and learn from globally to supercharge the PCC’s initiatives? For example, can one unlock the UAE-Pakistan crypto remittance corridor, knowing that the UAE is already at the forefront of crypto regulation in Asia?

In conclusion, the PCC’s success hinges on its ability to convert ambition into actionable, inclusive policies. Pakistan’s crypto revolution is not merely a financial overhaul but a cultural shift that needs to happen at all levels of society. By prioritising transparency, infrastructural development, and local as well as global collaboration, the PCC can position Pakistan as a bridge between emerging and established digital economies. Will Pakistan become a blockchain pioneer or a cautionary tale of unmet potential? The answer lies in the Council’s willingness to confront its challenges head-on – a task as daunting as it is transformative.

Jafer Ali Shariff is a financial services sector professional. He lives and works in London.

A: Which companies come under the Digitz Group umbrella?
AJK: Four companies form the Digitz Group. Digitz Digitas, which works on digital marketing for multinational companies. Red Cactus, which is a content development and influencer marketing company and works with our local clients. Digitz Software and Technology Development which is dedicated to tech. Station-01 is an incubation centre and allows us to invest in start-ups such as The Garage Sale Company and Khelo Kricket. 

A: How was Digitz financed at the time of its formation? 
AJK: Imtisal and I invested in it initially. We also took a loan from IAL Saatchi & Saatchi with the promise that we would return it, which we did in less than two years.

A: How did you secure your initial client base?
AJK: Imtisal and Zeeshan had started working on Digitz prior to my joining and they had a few clients through IAL, such as P&G and National Foods. After I entered the equation, we started to gain more clients. We essentially started as a social media agency, as this was the main function of a digital agency at the time. Today, Digitz and IAL Saatchi & Saatchi function as two completely different entities, although Imtisal Abbasi and Nida Haider Khan are also directors of the Digitz Group.

“When Digitz was a very new agency, we learned that globally, agencies in general are shifting towards an integrated marketing and communications philosophy, and we are therefore positioning ourselves as an organisation that can provide end-to-end solutions.”

A: Which services does the Digitz Group provide? 
AJK: We are an integrated marketing communications company. On a basic level, we conduct strategy, which entails research and understanding the consumer, our competition and industry trends. This also includes developing brand strategies with regard to how to roll out a campaign or even conceptualise a strategy for new companies. We also provide creative services, which mainly include thinking up big ideas for campaigns in an integrated way, including D/TVCs, activations, social media, influencer marketing or creating a website or a mobile app. We also provide design-related services which include animation among other things. We also do digital media planning and buying based on data-driven strategies, which clients are increasingly asking for. We are also now leaning heavily into providing hard-core technology and backend software-related services.

A: How have the services you provide changed? 
AZK: There has been a drastic change in these as things have evolved at a rapid pace. At the Digitz Group, we realised that the only thing we can master is the ability to adapt to change. When Digitz was a very new agency, we learned that globally, agencies in general are shifting towards an integrated marketing and communications philosophy, and we are therefore positioning ourselves as an organisation that can provide end-to-end solutions. In fact, we ask our clients to think of us as solution providers. 

A: Into which areas is the Digitz Group expanding?
AJK: We are heavily investing in providing software-related solutions. Software has two aspects. The first is called marketing or agency software and involves creating websites and mobile apps and developing marketing strategies, creative campaigns and design/animations – all of which serve a brand purpose. We also work with clients (especially those located overseas) in developing complex software systems. This is the second aspect of software – hard-core engineering software development – which is entirely related to backend systems. These projects are more attractive from a financial point of view. For example, we had an FMCG client who was trying to figure out how to gauge their point of sale customer profile and the options they had were very expensive and they didn’t have the budget for it. We created a customer relationship management (CRM) platform in addition to a loyalty management programme for them. 

A: What changes do you foresee in agencies given the increase of AI? 
AJK: I don’t have a doom-and-gloom approach towards AI. I am very positive about it and I do not believe that it will take away jobs, because the way people think cannot be replaced by AI. However, AI is an important tool that can help us work more efficiently. For example, at one point, colour grading an image would take several hours; now it can be done in five minutes using AI-based software. Zeeshan and I are working on using AI to internally streamline our operations. As for our clients, we have created AI-based products for some of them and plan to continue in this vein, such as creating AI-based chat assistants or AI bots that can help improve customer service. We are also going to create our own influencer marketing tool; we are developing it for in-house use and may market it to other organisations if it is effective. 

A: Which are the memorable campaigns that Digitz has worked on?
AJK: Being a digital agency, the number of campaigns we work on is very high. One that comes to mind is Coke Studio. Their content was amazing, but how Coke Studio became better known had a lot to do with Digitz, in terms of increasing its reach on digital platforms and creating a dedicated fan base. We also did a campaign for L’Oréal after the Covid-19 pandemic began. As many stores were shut down, L’Oréal were unable to sell their products. At the same time, the French president had mentioned the hijab ban and there was a massive movement against L’Oréal products in Pakistan. After conducting a sentiment analysis, we initiated a campaign called ‘Online is Safe’. The campaign communicated two messages. The first was that people should stay home and shop online. The second was that the products available online were genuine and not counterfeit or products that came through grey channels. We also encouraged L’Oréal to ensure that their products were available on more than one digital platform. As a result of the campaign, we reached our sales target within four days instead of the month and a half we had planned. I think it was probably that single campaign that brought a shift in L’Oréal Pakistan’s way of approaching their marketing.

A: Who are your primary clients now?
AJK: In Pakistan, our clients include Lipton, L’Oréal and Kia Motors; I think 70% of our clients are multinationals, although we do have local clients, such as Bisconni, JS Bank and National Foods. We are also working with Tetra Pak in Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, East Africa, West Africa and South Africa in addition to Reckitt in Nigeria and Kenya on the Dettol account. 

“Why do we have to measure creativity by the yardstick of a 30-second TVC? I think creativity can be applied to anything, and we have to think of new ways to be creative. It is more difficult to be creative on digital platforms since we only have five or six seconds to capture the audience’s attention.”

A: What about your international client base?
AJK: We secured a client in Saudi Arabia recently, which is a start-up, and are doing all their digital work. We have a few clients in Canada including a fintech. If there is a certain function that we cannot do ourselves, we bring in a third party to complete it. However, the ideation comes from our end as well as the creative direction and management. We have pitched some creative concepts to them and the campaign may be partially shot in Pakistan and Canada. However, our primary focus is on software development, marketing tech, ad tech and developing products. 

A: Are you now focusing on becoming a 360-degree ‘conventional’ agency with a digital-first attitude?
AJK: I don’t think we should use the word conventional anymore, because irrespective of the medium, content is content and we can help produce it. We are not trying to become a conventional agency; rather we are telling our clients that we have the capability to carry out any function they require. 

A: What are the most dynamic digital platforms when it comes to attracting younger audiences?
AJK: It would have to be TikTok, not only for young people, but also older ones, as everyone is on TikTok now. 

A: Are brands using TikTok effectively? 
AJK: I think the majority of brands have figured out the correct way to use it. This includes using influencers and most brands have their own channels on TikTok. However, TikTok’s power comes from encouraging people to create content for their brands. For example, asking audiences to create videos by taking part in events such as dance challenges. A risky project we took on for L’Oréal was TikTok-based. Earlier, L’Oréal China had started to use TikTok for live selling. We hadn’t tested this practice here but decided to give it a try. The results were amazing, and we won awards for the campaign. We used a host of TikTok influencers for the campaign.

A: How do you rate the importance of influencer marketing?
AJK: We refer to influencer marketing as advocacy and in some cases, it has an even better impact than Google and Meta. 

A: Do you think that audiences now tend to take a more cynical view of influencer marketing?
AJK: Yes and no. I think people, especially the younger generation, can see through it. However, it still works better than placing ads on digital platforms and boosting them – which has become increasingly more expensive. However, ethics are coming into the equation and brands and influencers are starting to state whether a post is paid for or not.

A: Do you think creativity is being compromised on digital platforms?
AJK: Not at all. Why do we have to measure creativity by the yardstick of a 30-second TVC? I think creativity can be applied to anything, and we have to think of new ways to be creative. It is more difficult to be creative on digital platforms since we only have five or six seconds to capture the audience’s attention. I am currently reading The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt. Haidt says that the “great rewiring” took place between 2010 and 2015, after the introduction of the iPhone, 3G and social media platforms, and resulted in shortening people’s attention spans and changing the way they function. As a result, brands are changing the way they engage with audiences. For example, Bose, the sound company, created an amazing 30-second TVC showing people jumping and dancing wearing Bose headphones. However, the response was low due to its duration and they cut it to five to six seconds, showing the product and communicating the message within the first two seconds. This is the way creativity is shaping up, although perhaps I am not the best person to answer this question because I am, at the most basic level, a technologist and a follower of science.  

A: What are the biggest challenges for digital agencies?
AJK: One of the major challenges is hiring and retaining resources. There has been a massive brain drain in Pakistan and young, intelligent, and talented people are either looking for options abroad or opting to go freelance as it is better paid for them. A lot of people think the younger generation is inconsistent in terms of their approach to work, but I think they face a set of challenges that previous generations did not. Their way of thinking is very different. Another challenge is that marketing budgets are being cut. I don’t hold this against clients. However, as a result of this, cash flows have been affected and at times we can’t pay vendors on time because we don’t get paid on time from our clients. However, I think it’s just a matter of time until the economy improves, although the economic scenario has definitely affected the morale of people across the board. 

MMA: What are the Digitz Group’s plans for the future? 
AJK: We will continue to relearn and pivot. Ultimately, we want to go global and create work that can be seen on a global stage. No client or project is big or small. We will continue to position ourselves as solution providers and overcome challenges related to communications, technology and marketing.

Azam Jalal Khan was in conversation with Mamun M. Adil. mamun.adil@gmail.com

S. AKBAR ZAIDI: IBA Karachi was established in 1955 – supported by Wharton (University of Pennsylvania) and subsequently by the University of Southern California, and in the sixties, it started offering degrees in business administration. In 1994, IBA was given autonomous status whereby it was able to give its own degrees – before that, they were given by the University of Karachi. This is when we began to diversify. In 1995, we started a computer science programme and in 1997 a social science programme, and we have expanded ever since. In 2021, the old Institute of Business Administration was reframed as IBA Karachi, and we set up three schools – the School of Business Studies, the School of Mathematics and Computer Science, and the School of Economics and Social Science. And now in 2025, we have just received accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). This is a huge quality enhancement certificate that puts IBA Karachi at the level of the 1,035 best universities in the world, including Harvard, London Business School, INSEAD and Stanford Business School. It reflects quality assurance, affirmation and recognition.

A: What are the criteria to receive this accreditation?

SAZ: It is a process that takes three to four years. It means opening the institution to scrutiny and evaluation; whether you are teaching properly, the student-to-teacher ratio, the quality of the faculty and the student body. It means ensuring we reach the standards required for AACSB certification.

A: What are the benefits of this accreditation?

SAZ: It is a game-changer. It is like getting the academic Oscar. It is a recognition of our quality and output. It will allow us to access these 1,035 schools in terms of exchange programmes and curricula and to send our students to better universities and help them get better jobs when they graduate.

A: IBA Karachi recently entered into a collaboration with the Stanford Life Design Lab. What exactly is this programme?

SAZ: Basically, it is about the way one thinks about and addresses problems on a personal and work level. The idea was proposed to us by Junaid Aziz, an IBA alumnus who teaches at the Design Lab in Stanford. I visited the Lab and it is a very strange place. There is no classroom per se and it is very interactive. We have entered into a collaboration with Stanford and in December last year, Bill Burnett, the Executive Director of the Stanford Design Lab and Junaid came to Pakistan to run a number of courses and workshops. Forty-two members of our faculty also took the Design Your Life course online, and this semester we are offering the course to our students. It is about pedagogy and bringing problems to do with the world into the classroom. Basically, it is about the individual, his or her role in society, what matters to them and about thinking about the world in an interactive way. It’s about psychology, marketing, management, problem-solving, reflection and social skills. In a nutshell, it teaches one to deal with the world. Next semester we will offer more classes and take it to the private sector; a number of companies have expressed an interest in the course.

A: Given how quickly the world is changing, what are the subjects that interest IBA students the most?

SAZ: Our computer science department and faculty is very, very good. They are doing robotics and AI amongst other things. Two years ago, we started a data analytics programme. There is a huge demand for data analytics and we are now starting a course called business analytics – how businesses are run and how to think about them in terms of the future. Of course, all marketing, management and accounting courses have an AI component in them. We are integrating technology in almost every course. Take history for example; what is a digital archive? We are also hoping to start a course on digital humanities. The other popular programme is psychology. Dozens and dozens of students want to study psychology. To answer your question, AI, data analytics, business analytics and psychology are the new emerging fields at IBA.

A: Why the interest in psychology?

SAZ: Anxiety and stress have become a big concern among kids these days. Three years ago, we started a wellness centre at IBA with trained therapists, psychologists and a psychiatrist who sit on campus. Students go there with issues about their domestic situations; about their parents, their fears and apprehensions. Covid has also contributed to their anxieties – and this continues to be a global problem. Then there are concerns related to climate change. There is a lot more anxiety than there was before. This is an anxious generation and our students are also part of that. They want to understand what is happening and psychology offers an opportunity to do so. In August, we are starting a Master’s in psychology – the undergraduate programme is not enough and people say we want to delve further in order to understand and to cope. Pursuing the degree may not help you solve problems, but it helps to understand what the problems are.

A: How does IBA manage to keep up-to-date with the pace of change that underpins anything to do with AI? Can you even set a course outline that remains relevant for the entire academic year?

SAZ: Everything is affected by AI; our textbooks are becoming less and less useful. No one writes a book on the internet anymore; everything has changed before you end chapter one. I don’t think any university in Pakistan, or in many other places in the world for that matter, is current in terms of what is happening – even the Ivy League universities. The question is how quickly we can catch up. In Pakistan, we are obviously not going to be at the level of a lot of the very good universities.

A:Why not?

SAZ: Pakistan does not have the infrastructure. We are not even on X. We are way behind. A recent global internet survey puts Pakistan as one of the worst countries in the world for internet access. India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal are way ahead. I don’t think we will ever get to a stage where we are where Singapore or Malaysia or Turkey are. Or where many countries in the Global South are – and certainly not where India is. One of the reasons we will always be behind is because of the ecosphere we work in. We are not internet-friendly. The Middle Eastern countries, despite censorship, are doing much better because they realise that this is where the world needs to go. That technology is going to drive the world. As a country we are not doing enough – science and technology are hardly recognised.

A: Looking to the future, what should IBA Karachi be striving for?

SAZ: Better quality education. We are very good, but we can and should improve.

A: How?

SAZ: Better faculty members who can ensure our students are qualified to get into the best universities in the world. As a primarily undergraduate university, our goal must be to ensure that our students get admission to the best universities of the world. Our students are getting into Oxford, Cambridge, Berkeley, Stanford or Princeton – something that was not happening earlier. Young Pakistanis are striving to do better so that they can get admission abroad and this trend is going to continue. Furthermore, now that we are AACSB accredited, we should be able to take IBA global, and I am very particular about internationalisation. We hired seven foreign faculty members in the last year. They live and teach here; it’s not online. I want to attract better faculty with more exposure. People who are dealing with issues such as AI and climate change at a much more practical and advanced level, and I want that knowledge to come here and be given to our students. We also need to expand our infrastructure. I am here only for another two-and a-half years; my second tenure comes to an end in 2027, and someone else will have to take that over. The idea is to make IBA larger. The ambition is better quality students, better quality output, better quality teaching, better quality faculty, and better quality infrastructure.

A: Is there an ambition to expand within Pakistan?

SAZ: I don’t think that is a good idea. Karachi has 30 million people, and we can only take in 1,200 students a year. People go to Harvard and Princeton from all over the world, and if we are of that quality, people will come from all over the world to us. Harvard is not going anywhere. NYU went to Singapore, Yale went to Singapore and the Middle East and closed down. My ambition is to make the IBA an even better university and let people come here. We get students from Gilgit-Baltistan, Sindh and Balochistan. Our financial aid to students is about one billion rupees a year, which is phenomenal. About 30% of our students receive financial aid. We can expand that. We need to do all this better and more in tune and integrate with the world.

A: How is IBA supported financially?

SAZ: IBA has its own finances. It comes from the students, our endowment fund and contributions from our alumni. We also receive some money from the Sindh government. We are a public sector university, and a lot of people forget that. In fact, IBA Karachi is a very good example of how the public sector can work. We have our own board of governors. The chief minister is our patron – he is the head of all universities in Sindh – but we are not dependent on the Sindh government financially. One reason why IBA does so well is because it is financially autonomous.

A: Does IBA have a vice chancellor?

SAZ: I am the vice chancellor.

A: You are appointed by the government?

SAZ: I am. I was selected through an ad process.

A: Recently, the media reported that the government was considering appointing vice chancellors drawn from the bureaucracy rather than academia. What is the rationale behind this?

SAZ: The quality of education in Pakistan is very poor, even at a higher level. There are 264 universities in Pakistan, of which maybe 15 or 20 are good, a lot of them are average and most of them should be closed down. They were established for political reasons… “I need one in my district. I need one in my constituency,” and so forth. There is a crisis of leadership in the universities. I think the governments in Sindh, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa believe that administrators and civil servants are better trained and more competent to run the universities. I don’t think that is the case, but I also think there is a crisis in academia. We don’t have good academics who can lead universities, and this is a problem that needs to be addressed by attracting better academics from abroad or from Pakistan and giving them autonomy. A lot of good academics don’t want to run universities; they prefer to concentrate on their research.

A: Do you see the quality of higher academia in Pakistan going down or up?

SAZ: Very much down.

A: Why?

SAZ: One, the universities are not autonomous financially or intellectually or in terms of what they would like to do. Two, of the 264 universities we have, many don’t have good quality facilities or faculty. There is a major crisis in higher education in Pakistan like there is in primary and secondary education. Most universities are dependent on the Higher Education Commission, and the federal and provincial governments. Only a handful of universities, such as IBA Karachi, Dow Medical College, FAST, NED, NUST and UET in Lahore, are financially autonomous although they are public sector universities, and they are run on professional lines and offer quality education. However, they cannot cater to the millions who want to enrol and this is why I am talking about expansion. The solution lies not in creating more universities but in concentrating on quality, merit and autonomy. Let’s fix the universities that we have; support and expand them and offer better education.

See Bringing the Deep Logic of Design Thinking to the Inner Lives of Individuals

Dr S. Akbar Zaidi was in conversation with Mariam Ali Baig. For feedback: aurora@dawn.com

Out of curiosity, I began compiling a list, asking friends and colleagues to contribute. It turned into a moment of introspection. As a part of both the marketing and financial sectors, I realised that the longevity of brands is intrinsically linked to their ability to evolve, maintain relevance and adapt to changing market landscapes. What are the ingredients for achieving this state of continuity in a brand’s life cycle?

1. Brands That Lost Their Shine

The following are some iconic names that once ruled the market, but have since lost their dominance. Airlift, Amrat Cola, BP Sweets, Bubble Up/RC/Teem, Dentonic Tooth Powder, Ghulam Faruque Textiles, Haleeb Cola, Igloo Ice Cream (competing to survive), Kissan Fruit Juices, Naurus, Naz Pan Masala, Nirala Sweets (alive but no longer vibrant), PECO Cycles/Sohrab Cycles, Polka Ice Cream and Tibet Snow.

Further analysis reveals recurring themes behind their decline, particularly governance failures. Many of these brands were one man shows driven by visionary founders whose leadership was not transitioned effectively into the next generation. When these leaders retired or passed away, the brands lost focus, moving from ‘stars’ to ‘cash cows’ – eventually falling into the ‘question mark’ category of the Boston Consulting Group Matrix, a fate that often ends in irrelevance. For a brand to thrive beyond its creator, it needs a forward-looking organisational structure that aligns with evolving customer demands. As consumers evolve, so must brands; staying ahead to identify yet unrealised needs and consistently innovating. Unfortunately, many companies lacked the frameworks to adapt, leading to their demise.

A common theme running across all declining brands (and subsequently their parent companies) is the fact that although they were once household favourites, over time they faded due to mismanagement, failure to adapt and lack of strategic planning. The companies that owned these brands were unable to continue into the second or third generations with the same zeal, focus, passion and unity. A few families disintegrated and the brands split or the company could not overcome the loss of the original founder. The root cause often lies in weak corporate governance, which undermines the ability to adapt, innovate and sustain consumer trust. This decline often reflects systemic issues in governance, strategy and adaptability – offering crucial lessons for today’s businesses. In fact, the downfall of these brands underscores several interconnected challenges:

Weak corporate governance leading to mismanagement, poor financial oversight and inefficiencies, eroding consumer trust.

Stagnant product offerings and resistance to innovation (Dentonic and RC).

Economic challenges, changing consumer habits, and competition from multinational players overwhelmed local brands (Kissan Juices and Haleeb Cola).

Internal inefficiencies plagued Nirala Sweets and Ghulam Faruque Textiles.

Failure to invest in marketing and brand relevance, allowing new competitors to dominate (Tibet Snow and Igloo Ice cream).

Political changes, inflation, rising costs, and regulatory issues (Ghee Corporation of Pakistan and Amrat Cola.) The decline of these once-iconic brands offers crucial lessons for modern businesses.

Good governance provides a framework for strategic decision-making, transparency, and accountability, and aligns organisations with long-term goals and fosters trust among stakeholders.

Brands must anticipate market trends, invest in R&D and innovate to stay relevant.

Evolving consumer preferences must be at the heart of brand strategy, ensuring relevance and loyalty.

Transitioning from a founder-led structure to a process-driven, professional organisation ensures continuity and mitigates risks associated with leadership changes.

2. The Brand-Governance Nexus

In Pakistan, where 80% of businesses are family-owned, governance challenges are amplified. Splintering family dynamics, external pressures and operational inefficiencies often lead to fragmentation and decline – not to mention that the ease of doing business index does not bring any good news. It is imperative that companies are run professionally. Adopting corporate governance ensures professionalism, efficiency and continuity. Corporate governance goes beyond compliance; it establishes a framework for strategic decision-making, transparency, and accountability. To thrive, companies must professionalise operations, automate processes, and adopt governance practices that transcend individual leadership. When processes take precedence over personalities, businesses can weather market disruptions and maintain relevance. The link between corporate governance and brand equity is undeniable. Governance frameworks strengthen decision-making, risk management and ethical practices, building trust and enhance brand resilience.

3. The Way Forward

Strong governance not only sustains a brand, it also aligns it with ESG principles, fostering trust and long-term growth. Brands with solid governance can manage risks effectively and adapt to market changes with agility. It strengthens investor and consumer confidence and builds enduring equity through consistent quality, authenticity and innovation. Brands that lack such structures are often plagued by inefficiencies, scandals, or an inability to evolve.

From the brand equity lens, we see characteristics like loyalty, trust, consistency, quality, authenticity, reputation, brand promise and credibility as the by-products of adopting corporate governance. At its core, what every brand building book and guideline emphasises is the same message, just presented with a different perspective. This should be the mantra of all brands aspiring to transcend generations. The stories of these fading brands are sobering reminders that legacy alone cannot sustain a business. Governance, adaptability and a commitment to brand equity are essential pillars to long-term success. For today’s brands, these lessons are a clarion call: invest in governance, innovate relentlessly and remain customer-focused. These principles are not theoretical ideals. They are the foundation of enduring brand value.

Raeda Latif is a marketing and business development professional. raedalatif@gmail.com

Like other major languages, Urdu has its informal versions. Featuring abay, tabay, teri tou, and beyond, this version comprises interesting terms, trendy catchphrases and suggestive expressions often too informal to be spoken, written or found in dictionaries. Sifting through the good, the bad and the ugly of Urdu slang and colloquialism is an uphill task. Nevertheless, it is an inevitable part of our everyday language, as shown by many common examples worth mentioning.

Kaddu (pumpkin) may be just another vegetable in other countries, but in the Subcontinent, it is the most emphatic word to convey one’s impulsive emotions. Lassan (garlic), originally lehsan, is another word people use with a befitting verb to express their frustration when things go in undesired directions. Khachar (mule) is used with similar connotations.

Despite their rather blunt, offensive or closer-to-offensive nature, the perennial popularity and strength of colloquialisms lie in their never-ending capacity and elasticity. They help one speak one’s heart out on the spur of the moment without constraining one’s impulsive creativity to steadfast lingual rules or confining one’s wildest (literally) imagination to conform to social boundaries. And even the sky’s not the limit when such expressions are delivered, particularly in anger or spoken during abrupt moments.

With an overemphasis on Urdu alphabets like gaaf, chay, laam, tay and pey, most slang is used within a specific environment and by particular groups of people sharing similar ages, interests, professions, communities and socio-economic backgrounds. However, many colloquial terms, catchphrases and common proverbs tinged with slang are frequently used. From the potpourri of the most popular street lingo and casual expressions, the words abay, chal, bharam, ghanta, tera bhai, patlee gali se, and ‘Hitler’ top the list and are used with a variety of connotations by both the literate and illiterate.

The non-academic version of the Urdu language is predominantly ruled by Hindi, followed by Punjabi. The popularity enjoyed by Indian films has been a great source for inducting slang expressions and catchphrases into everyday vocabularies, such as panga, action Kumar, bol Bachchan, chamiya, chammak challo, dada, siaynpati, tashan, tapori, takla, tulla, chirand, waat lagna, and many more. “Tera kya hogaa kaliya?”, “Kitne aadmi the?”, “Mogambo khush hua”, “Ye Baburao ka style hay” and “Tareekh pe tareekh” are iconic lines from films that have found their way into everyday communication.

Examples of the most common colloquial proverbs are Khaya piya kuch nahi glass tora baraa aanay ka, Jo naa katay aari se, wo katay Bihari se, Lag pata jaey gaa, Baap bara naa bhaiya, sab se bara rupaiyaa, Banda heera hai bas zarra saa keera hai, Kaam karo poora, bhaar main jaey noora, Majboori kaa naam shukriyaa, Ya Shaikh, apni apni daikh, Pappu yaar tang na kar, Hansi tou phansi, and Naqad baray shoq se, udhaar agle chowk se. Colloquial proverbs such as Bharam tight aur pateela khali and Baat croron ki, dukan pakoron ki are used almost with similar connotations, referring to a destitute person behaving arrogantly or making tall claims.

Urdu is never short of befitting expressions to honestly describe a person along with his or her personal characteristics, such as chashmatoo or chashmulli, darhyal, mucharr, heroinchi, afeemchi, akru, lambu, khaimbu, paitu, kodu, tunta, dedh footiya, tat poonjia, foothpathiya, taaru, pakaoo, etc. Similarly, there are scores of analogies and similes, such as pakora for nose, buttons for eyes, bhoosa and khali khopri for the brain, samosa for ears, thobra for face, ghonsla for hair, airport for a hair-free head, kunwan for the stomach, til kaa laddu for a mole-filled face and doodh patti for a person affected by vitiligo.

The localised translation spree has turned the measurement tape into an inchi tape, a water suction pump into a khainchoo, a stapler into a joroo, a megaphone into a bhonpu, a bobby pin into a baal pin, an old, worn-out car into a dhakka start and an old motorcycle into a phatpati. Ironically, a poor man with no means of transportation has to rely on walking called giyara number ki bus. Many words also have clandestine meanings and euphemistic applications, such as dhulai, ragraa, panchayat, merna, maarna, marwana, laina, daina, lagana, banana, pakana, chorna, phainkna, lapiatna, phutna, phootna, hatana, bejana, kaam hojana, halka/bhari/choraa hona, class laina, etc.

Kids are referred to as raiz gari, bacha party, chillars, chillar party, bachaa log and chawwanni athanni, while the word bachoo is used as an intimidating remark. A beautiful girl is mostly painted as bachi, kancha, chanp, piece, popat, hato-bacho and katto, while pappu, pappu bacha, and chikna are used for a clean-shaven, good-looking boy. People use kallo pari to refer to an attractive girl with a dark complexion. Interestingly, my late mother coined the term kallo patra, a distorted version of Cleopatra, to describe those women (mostly her daughters-in-law, her relatives and her neighbours) trying to appear beautiful despite being otherwise.

In a culture that revels in gender segregation, one must never wonder when a doctor is called doctorni, manager becomes a managerni, darzi as darzan, chamar as chamaran, baira as bairan, and banda as bandi. Terms like youthiya, surkhay, jamaati, jiyala and tableeghi depict people’s political and ideological associations.

Counting in Urdu’s colloquial version is much more than just numbers. Children have alternatives for the natural numbers, such as pail (one), dool (two), teel (three), chol (four), panj (five), and so on. Aik number refers to a top-quality product, while dou number is used for a second-rate thing and for those considered dishonest and have immoral characters. Das numbri denotes a clever person or a fraudster, while char so bees, derived from Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code, also reflect similar meanings. Ponay aath refers to a man with effeminate qualities, and chakka and teesri dunya are used for transgenders. A chappan churi person is quarrelsome, while the one-of-a-kind slang proverb De maar, sarray char is often used to show one’s frustration or desperation to achieve results no matter what.

Based on euphemisms and quasi-offensive expressions, many phrases fall into a gentleman’s slang, used mainly by the educated, well-bred lot as an accessible outlet for catharsis without crossing moral thresholds. Venting their anger with a murmured teri tou to quietly calling someone saala, saali and susra, a gentleman’s slang features many words and phrases revolving around bhains (e.g. abay bhains, bhains ki aaknkh/taang/poonch), ullu (e.g. ullu ki dum), kutta (e.g. kutta dimagh), sooar, gadha, khar or khachar.

Due to cultural and historical factors, language, phrases, and words keep evolving, as do their pronunciations. From naalij (knowledge), kaalij (college), paalish (polish), puncher (puncture), lecturaar (lecturer), and custoomer (customer) to laat (lot), plaat (plot), phateek (fatigue), biskut (biscuit), ricaard (record), mainoo (menu), tool plaza (toll plaza), full-flash (full-fledged), kalashan (Kalashnikov), etc., a whole host of non-Urdu words are used with gusto but with localised pronunciations.

The commonality of informal lingual expressions and how they become part of everyday speech is underlined by their widespread use in TV shows, films, and ads. Haath hojana, an offensive phrase, is now a (wrongly) yet widely accepted journalistic term. Lashkara is a common word used in washing powder ads. The phrase lush pash, mainly derived from urban street jargon, was also featured in one of Ariel Excel’s TV ads in the early 2000s. Chief Saab, Sajjad Ali’s trademark song, is a textbook example of urban Urdu slang. Other than the eponymous Chief Saab, the song is littered with such slang words as pinki hona, meter ghumna, raag paat sunana, naqsh-e-bazi dikhana, mawaali and pakhraat.

Be it a mummy-daddy boy, papa ki pari or a burger family, the taap-o-taap journey of Urdu colloquialism is never-ending, coining, mimicking, distorting and scooping up every possible word to help us let it all out. Alat dee!

Faizan Usmani is Senior Editor, Intersys, an international IT firm. faizanusmani76@gmail.com

Pioneers of Pakistan’s ad world, such as Javed Jabbar, Numan Nabi Ahmed and the late S.M. Hashmi, among others, saw the opportunity and used sports in their advertising to reach their audiences. In the late eighties, cricket became the passion and obsession of the Pakistani nation. It was the era of ‘heroes,’ when there were numerous stars with a strong fan following in the Pakistani cricket team. Here are a few examples.

• Fazal Mahmood, hero of the 1954 Oval Test and fast bowler and charmer of his times, featured in an ad for Brylcreem.

• In the late seventies, Pakistani hockey skipper Islah Uddin appeared in a Shezan Samarqand TVC along with one of the most famous jingles of that time. “Muqabaly kai baad hai Jeet Ka maza. Sakht ho muqabala tau aur maza hai”.

• World squash champion, Jahangir Khan became a brand ambassador for PIA.

• In the early eighties, Farooq Textile Mills featured fast bowler Dara Bashir with one of their prints in the background.

• Wills (the cigarette brand), was almost synonymous with cricket. They spent heavily on supporting cricket, featuring Asif Iqbal, Javed Miandad, Imran Khan, Zaheer Abbas and Majid Khan in a series of TV commercials. Wills was a pioneer in Pakistan in terms of their focus on sports marketing. They also sponsored local-level cricket events.

• In the nineties, the era of Taher A. Khan, the head of Interflow, Pepsi linked cricket and passion. They achieved this so successfully and brought the association between cricket and Pepsi to a new level.

The terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team in 2009 had a profoundly adverse impact on Pakistani cricket. No international team was prepared to visit Pakistan, and international matches took place in Dubai. However, whether you agree or not, the credit goes to Najam Sethi for conceiving the idea of the Pakistan Super League (PSL). The first PSL took place in 2016 in Dubai. After a couple of years, it shifted to Pakistan and opened the doors for tours by international cricketers. In the last couple of years, except for India, almost every international cricket team has visited Pakistan.

We at Pulse Consultants have been following PSL advertising since 2018 under #PSLBrandsMania, and helping brands invest in sports marketing based on our data and insights.

PSL has opened new avenues for brands. Apart from Ramzan, PSL is the only event that lasts for an entire month. During PSL, the loyalty factor or love affair with any team is fragile and changes from day to day and match to match. We observed that engagement with teams and tournaments increased and decreased, and this is why brands should encourage audiences to look at the matches as a win for Pakistan, no matter which team wins.

There has been considerable investment in PSL, and it provides opportunities to acquire branding properties. In 2019, 88 brands sponsored or advertised during one or more of the PSL matches. In 2024, 149 brands sponsored or advertised during PSL.

HBL took the lead in 2016 and acquired the title of PSL, so that today, PSL advertises under the name HBL PSL. The year 2025, will be the 10th year of PSL. Advertising opportunities include several touch points: boundary line screens, ground mats, ground activations, overlay commercials, clothing, and kits. Another key area of branding is discussion programmes and late-night shows.

There is fierce competition between electronic and digital media to secure advertising. According to several sources (cumulative), in season nine, an estimated Rs ± 2.8 billion was spent on electronic media (almost the same as the previous year), and Rs ± 400 million was spent on digital (Rs ±500 million was reported in 2023). An estimated ±41.92 million unique urban eyeballs watched PSL 9 (In 2023 it was ± 43.3 million) at any time over 30 days, on electronic screens (source: Kantar/ Media Logic). On digital, there were approximately ±37.7 million unique viewers at a national level (source: PSL.walee.pk). There are two to three TV channels versus several digital platforms (such as Tamasha, Tapmad and Myco) that broadcast the event live. Only a few brands advertise across all TV channels and digital platforms; otherwise, according to their budget, brands are selective in their media choices.

OOH advertising is another battleground. OTT platforms like Tamasha, Tapmad and Myco are trying to convince audiences to use their app for digital viewership. However, many brands that do not sponsor PSL can still capitalise on the season’s atmosphere by their cricket-related communication featuring signs or images of players before and after matches.

In HBL PSL 9, in 2024, ±149 brands of ±151 companies were active. A total of ±151 TVCS were aired on TV, and ±49 ads were promoted digitally. The main challenge here is for brands to break the clutter. Another challenge is the increased costs that come with advertising during PSL.

Given fragmented media consumption patterns, sports remain one of the few moments when millions of people simultaneously focus their attention on the same thing. Furthermore, mega sports events like PSL also provide opportunities to think beyond sports, as many people who don’t normally engage in sports follow major tournaments, especially if their local team is performing well.

The objective of ads is to create awareness and generate trials. Some brands focus on frequency, while others concentrate on quality and the messages. Some companies promote all their brands, whereas others focus on a single brand. However, in both cases, their ads often lacked connection to the event and the audience. Sports marketing experts advise that ads should be distinctive; humour may play a vital role) and they should reflect the positive tone of the event and be clear in terms of the display of their brand identities, logos, products, and messaging.

There is also a language and cultural disconnect prevailing at the tournament. Although PSL identifies and develops players hailing from far-flung rural areas in Pakistan, the overall look of the event is very Western. The predominant language of commentary is English, with a very low share (and quality) given to Urdu commentary. In India, a separate TV channel provides commentary only in Hindi. Also, take for example the fact that HBL PSL 9’s official tagline, “#KhulKeKhel,” was written in Roman English, whereas HBL ran a campaign, Palat do khel, written and communicated in Urdu. In spontaneous recall, the HBL tagline was recalled much more than PCB’s official tagline – highlighting the power of communication in one’s mother tongue, which is missing here.

Involvement in HBL PSL depends on the overall performance of the Pakistani cricket team in international events. If they do not perform well initially, the probability of participation in the early phases of the tournament is significantly lower. It is always advisable for brands to avoid associating themselves with a ‘star’ – until or unless he performs like Arshad Nadeem in the Olympics. Otherwise, there may be a backlash for the brand.

Kashif Hafeez Siddiqui is CEO, Pulse Consultant. kashif.hafeez@pulseconsultant.com

According to Alamgir Janjua, GM, Marketing at the Mezan Group, this response has been a long time coming as the group has been working to build the brand diligently for eight years.

“When Cola Next launched in 2016, I remember there was a lot of negativity from the Pakistani market because we were a Pakistani brand. It was almost as if some people were rooting for us to fail,” recalls Janjua.

He is also of the opinion that most Pakistanis tend to nurse the opinion that local products do not measure up to the standards set by imported products.

“I believed in our product from the very first day I joined Mezan, because I had faith in our superior taste and recognised it was only a matter of time before the Pakistani people would realise the same.” Janjua stresses the importance of having a robust R&D department at Cola Next – one that has been successful in creating beverages that are tailored to local consumers without outright replicating recipes that already exist in the market.

The Mezan Beverages division, a division of the Mezan Group best known for their cooking oil, was established to achieve the goal of providing consumers with an array of locally produced, quality beverages. Their current portfolio includes Cola Next, Fizup Next, Rango Next, Lychee Next, Anaar Next, Dare Next, Green Soda Next and Storm. Janjua firmly believes that the power to choose which beverage to purchase should reside with the consumer, which is why being stocked at shops throughout Pakistan is so important. It allows for variety and guarantees all products an equal chance.

Cola Next, although still a relatively smaller player, has been able to avoid efforts by its bigger competitors to thwart its existence by approaching smaller markets first. Janjua explains that by situating the beverage manufacturing plant in Lahore, they were able to target the smaller cities that surrounded Lahore and Islamabad and establish a steady consumer base. As a result, Cola Next gained a substantial following in the adjoining cities and others like Multan and Gujranwala.

Cola Next’s production plant itself is rather unique in that all processes are completely automated. Their state-of-the-art machinery allows for minimal human intervention, with workers only operating the machines. The plant is powered by solar energy, allowing them to cut back on exorbitant electricity costs.

Following the rapid circulation of the BDS movement’s economic boycott list, the name Cola Next was murmured as a suitable local alternative in social circles and on social media. Soon the wave caught on, with people asking for Cola Next at restaurants and refusing to indulge in non-local varieties. Months later, Cola Next is broadening their consumer base every day, selling out in shops and struggling to meet the overwhelming demand due to frequently exceeding their production capacity. “We have to find a way to keep up with demand and are in talks to expand our production lines.”

Cola Next’s tagline has evolved from “Level Barha, Next Pe Aa” to “Kyun Ke Cola Next Hai Pakistani” following the boycott and the conscious movement to support Pakistani brands.

Their most recent campaign stars Hamza Ali Abbasi, who represents “strong moral values and is a staunch Pakistani,” according to Janjua.

Previously, Cola Next has worked with figures like Saba Qamar, Urwa Hocane, Humayun Saeed, Nargis Fakhri and Esra Bilgiç. The group has invested heavily in their advertising spend through electronic media, social media and OOH. “The idea is that wherever you go or whatever media you frequently tune in to, be it radio, TV or social media, we hope to constantly remind you that we exist.”

Janjua beams when he explains how earlier, members of his team would reach out to restaurants to establish partnerships with them, compared to the present, when they are receiving a plethora of phone calls every day from restaurants clamouring to partner with them. “This shows that even restaurants care about accommodating the demands of consumers.”

For Cola Next, the future holds more opportunities for experimentation, especially regarding expanding their range of fruity flavours and launching a zero-sugar cola variant.

Janjua wholeheartedly believes that the beverage industry has changed for the better in Pakistan. “For the first time, the hold the two cola giants have maintained for decades is weakening.” He reckons Cola Next’s consistency and commitment will ensure they continue to do well even if the boycott wanes because consumers are comparatively more vocal about what they want and less inclined to settle for something just for the convenience it offers.

“People are boycotting as a matter of principle and in the event that they stop doing so, I am certain they will still prefer to support local companies over international ones.”

Janjua views the boycott as a kind of springboard for encouraging Pakistanis to invest in their own country and give preference to local products. “To keep this up and really thrive in the long run, Pakistani brands will need to maintain their quality, stay relatively affordable and invest in marketing. Brands looking to make a few quick bucks during the boycott will not make it as their efforts are unlikely to be sustainable.”

The impact of this change is most visible among younger demographics, who now engage with content on platforms that barely existed a decade ago. Since the launch of 3G and 4G services in 2014, Pakistan has witnessed a surge in smartphone penetration, a shift that has allowed young Pakistanis to explore platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, Facebook and Instagram, as well as over-the-top (OTT) services such as Netflix, Prime Video and home-grown alternatives like Tapmad and ARY Zap (Digital Marketing Journal, 2023). Furthermore, new platforms like Tamasha and Begin.Watch have been introduced in the market. As a result, audiences are able to consume content on-the-go, tailor it to their preferences and interact with brands in a more personalised way.

For decades, Pakistani media was dominated by traditional formats – print, radio and TV. In the early 2000s, a massive shift took place with the entry of private TV channels, moving from the monopoly of a single state-owned channel to over 40 private channels catering to diverse needs – entertainment, news, regional content and more.

Television remained the primary platform for advertisers for many years and by the mid-2000s, with the growth of cable and satellite, TV was reaching up to 85% of households, giving advertisers the ability to target a mass audience.

Ramzan transmissions, game shows like Jeeto Pakistan and large-scale drama productions became staple content, drawing massive viewership (Pakistan Advertising Review, 2021). The challenge for advertisers was to reach audiences across multiple channels, and this was when media research, such as the ones conducted by Gallup and Medialogic, began to play a pivotal role in helping advertisers make informed decisions based on audience behaviour and ratings (Journal of Marketing Insights, 2020).

As more people gained access to mobile internet, platforms like YouTube, Facebook and WhatsApp started to become integral parts of daily life. In 2016, after the government lifted its ban on YouTube, the platform’s active users in Pakistan surged from three million to 10 million in one year, signalling the massive shift towards video content (Pakistan Telecom Journal, 2017). Further changes in viewing patterns came with the rapid growth of short-form content platforms. TikTok, launched in 2016, introduced users to bite-sized video clips that could be consumed in a matter of seconds. The app became a sensation among young audiences, offering both entertainment and engagement. Instagram and YouTube followed suit with features like Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts to cater to growing audience preferences for short, easily consumable content (Journal of Media Studies, 2020). Moreover, the growing popularity of OTT platforms like Netflix and Prime Video also revolutionised the way people consume television and films, marking a further shift from the traditional TV model, where advertisements often interrupted the viewing experience, to an on-demand environment, where audiences could consume content without being interrupted by TV commercials (Media and Entertainment Review, 2023).

Telecom companies were quick to realise the growing dominance of digital platforms, and companies like Jazz launched their own OTT platform (Veon) in an attempt to leverage their networks more effectively. However, the success of these efforts was somewhat limited, as young audiences flocked to global platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook and TikTok, where digital content was more interactive and aligned with their social needs (Journal of Marketing Insights, 2021). Nevertheless, the digital transformation had a significant impact on telecom companies’ strategies. As young Pakistanis spent more time online, telecoms began to offer tailored data packages catering specifically to the needs of content consumers – especially those who favoured video content (Telecom Times, 2020).

As digital media increasingly dominates the attention of younger audiences, advertisers must consider their preferences and habits. Traditional advertising on TV is still effective, but younger audiences (between 18 and 35), spend the majority of their time on social media platforms and OTT services (Pakistan Advertising Review, 2021). Social media platforms, particularly YouTube and TikTok, have proven to be incredibly effective for brand storytelling and engagement. They not only allow brands to target specific audience segments, they provide opportunities for real-time interaction with consumers. The increasing use of influencer marketing platforms like Instagram, TikTok and YouTube has further strengthened the case for digital advertising (A Digital Shift, Digital Trends, 2022), and it is likely that digital platforms will continue to take larger shares of the advertising pie. According to the latest reports, digital advertising accounted for approximately Rs 25 billion of the total Rs 80 billion (approx.) allocated to advertising in 2023 – a figure that is expected to rise further (Media and Entertainment Review, 2023).

With an increasing number of consumers moving towards OTT and digital platforms, advertisers have a unique opportunity to capture the attention of younger audiences. However, to succeed, advertisers must understand the dynamics of each platform and of audience behaviour. While TV remains a dominant force, its role has evolved from being a primary tool for mass reach to serving as a platform for high-impact campaigns that focus on awareness. Digital advertising works best when it targets specific stages of the customer journey, from awareness to consideration and conversion (Journal of Marketing Insights, 2020). Advertisers must recognise the value of video-centric platforms that provide opportunities for both organic and paid engagement. These platforms have a more interactive nature, with audience comments, likes, shares and direct messaging allowing brands to engage with consumers in real-time.

Furthermore, social commerce is on the rise, with platforms like Facebook and Instagram integrating e-commerce features, making it easier for consumers to make purchases directly from social media ads (Pakistan Advertising Review, 2021). However, it’s important to note that traditional TV remains a vital medium in the Pakistani advertising ecosystem. Advertisers targeting a broad audience with high levels of awareness may still prefer TV advertising, which guarantees an extensive reach across diverse demographics.

The rise of short-form video content, particularly through platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels, has redefined how younger generations interact with media as they increasingly gravitate towards on-demand content. These audiences are not just passive consumers of content; they are active participants, engaging with influencers, content creators and brands in innovative ways. This shift signals a desire for more variety and relevance in the content they consume – something that traditional TV can no longer fully satisfy.

Given these trends, the future of infotainment will be increasingly shaped by succeeding digital-native generations. For content creators, media organisations and other stakeholders, understanding these shifts is crucial. The key to success lies in delivering content that resonates with the values and preferences of young Pakistanis, adapting to new formats, and embracing the digital-first world that these audiences are creating.

Yasser Akhtar is GM, Mediavest Pakistan.
yasserakhtar@yahoo.com

It’s not a stretch to say that this tactic is the equivalent of running a poorly targeted ad campaign. Imagine launching a campaign to silence people, but instead of controlling the message, you end up triggering a viral response that slips out of your control and beyond your tracking dashboards. You wouldn’t ignore your customers’ feedback on your latest product, right? So why ignore it when it’s negative press? Qualified marketers know you don’t just shut off the conversation; you reposition.

The advertising and marketing world understands this better than anyone. Brands are defined by what people say about them, not by what brands say about themselves. Crisis management is no different. Ignoring the backlash or, worse, trying to squash it, is like doubling down on a tone-deaf ad campaign and wondering why the ROI is not what you projected.

While qualified marketers have a laser focus on segmentation, targeting and positioning, corporate communications has to juggle more. They are managing all stakeholders: not just customers, but regulators, investors, future hires – and yes, the media. Everyone in the ad industry knows that getting your product placement wrong can kill your message. Well, the same goes for PR. And here’s the kicker: ignoring key stakeholders when a crisis hits won’t make them go away, just like ignoring a bad ROI won’t suddenly make it positive.

Now, things really go off the rails when unqualified marketers are running the crisis communication show. When their solution is to shut down conversations, it’s like handling negative reviews by simply turning off the comment section. Genius, right? No one will ever complain again! Except, of course, they do, only louder. There is something fundamentally flawed about a group of professionals who should understand human behaviour better than anyone; they fail to grasp the simple fact that telling people to stop talking usually results in the exact opposite.

Let’s pretend, just for fun, that a certain Pakistani mobile wallet made a PR blunder: customers were hit with a fee for a failed biometric check. In this pretense, people were outraged, because who wants to pay for failing an ID check? Cue this hypothetical uproar across social media, where anyone with a phone and Wi-Fi can voice their displeasure. Next, an imaginary award-winning reporter covered the story, expecting, naïvely, perhaps, that the PR team would respond with a coherent, timely statement. Instead? Radio silence. The imaginary journalist published the piece, after which an imaginary agency swooped in, not with answers or clarifications but with threats. Defamation suits, access denial and “You’ll never work in this town again” levels of drama ensued in this hypothetical situation.

Here’s the thing. When your PR response is to intimidate rather than communicate, you have already lost the battle. Imagine if Nike or Apple responded to a viral backlash by suing everyone who posted about them. How fast do you think brand loyalty would plummet? People expect more. Hell, people expect authenticity. And isn’t that what every agency pitches these days? ‘Brand authenticity.’ The irony is almost too much. In this case, the journalist’s publication stood firm and the PR agency eventually caved, offering the reporter a statement. But the damage was already done. The threats were unnecessary and only amplified the situation. It’s like launching a rebranding campaign without fixing the underlying brand problem – there is no pill strong enough to cure that kind of self-inflicted wound.

Here’s a nugget of wisdom for the advertising world: the golden age of two-way communication has a downside. Try to censor your audience and you are in a world of trouble. You would never dream of rolling out a product campaign and then refusing to address consumer complaints, so why would you do that in crisis management? If you have spent even 10 minutes on the internet, you know that people talk. And this is where the advertising and marketing industry lead the way. We have learnt that transparency, engagement and quick responses are not just nice to have; they are necessary. You don’t get away with burying bad news in the age of TikTok. If you botch a product launch, the response isn’t to threaten your critics; it’s to fix the damn product. And if your PR agency thinks they can handle negative press by threatening journalists, well, you might want to reconsider their role as your brand’s guardian.

Suppressing conversation, much like launching an ad campaign without understanding your audience, is a surefire way to erode brand credibility. The advertising industry has plenty of research to back this up: censorship, tone-deaf messaging and failure to engage chip away at consumer trust. Brand equity is not built by throwing money at big events with dull speakers or buying your way out of bad press. It’s built by fostering genuine connections, admitting when things go wrong and most importantly listening.

In today’s hyper-connected world, controlling the conversation is a myth. The only way forward is to participate authentically and with the humility to admit mistakes. Because whether it’s a crisis or a campaign, those who listen will be the ones who win.

Ad Mad Dude runs the eponymous Facebook page. admaddude@gmail.com

The sheer rawness and absurdity of the humour somewhat strike a chord with younger audiences, speaking their language and producing content that doesn’t seem forced. With references to viral and trending content and the seemingly natural and crazy places it puts its products in, Crumble has proven that being genuine and young and creating the kind of content people really like to engage with actually works, regardless of how mindless it is. Who needs a heartfelt backstory when a five-second clip of your product photobombing a viral trend does the trick?

With the introduction of vertical-format short videos across social media platforms – especially on Instagram and TikTok – where endless scrolling has us watching one trending video after the next, mindless reels showcasing hilarious scenes and skits performed by regular people have become a household habit for many.

Riding the tide, Crumble simply takes the content of these reels and rethinks how such videos would look in its own ludicrous brand world. While many have attempted similar marketing in the past, only a few have successfully created content that resonates with audiences on a genuine level. With a following of over 300,000 on Instagram alone, Crumble emerges strong in the marketing department.

However, it’s not just the marketing that needs to be spot-on – the product quality should also be strong or the brand risks putting itself at the mercy of trialists who don’t like the product. Another thing to learn from Crumble is the way it maintains its brand tonality across all its platforms and even in comments. Whether it’s a poster, a LinkedIn post or an Instagram Reel, Crumble maintains a consistent tone across its communications, making it seem all the more genuine when it interacts with audiences or creates crazy content.

In short, Crumble has represented social media marketing alchemy at its finest. By putting their products in the craziest scenarios, Crumble has hit the sweet spot. Why bother with logic when absurdity sells? The humour leaves people laughing and, more importantly, sharing – and that’s exactly the genius of it – by pretending not to care, Crumble shows that it really does care about understanding its audience. In a world where everyone is trying to be deep, Crumble embraces the chaotic void. It’s not about being smart; it’s about being shareable, snackable and thumb-stopping. And let’s be honest: when your audience spends 90% of their time watching cat videos, the absurdity isn’t just effective – it’s brilliant!

From an absurd representation of a freaky (free ki) cookie asking a customer what the colour of their waistband (read: naara) is in a rather seductive tone to joking about the idea of introducing ‘bhang walay cookies’ – the brand doesn’t hold back from creating what many would otherwise refer to as cringe-worthy content – and is surprisingly winning at it. Now that’s something to learn from!

Alyan Khan-Yusufzai is an advertising practitioner with over a decade of experience in multiple regional markets.

His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan was not only a spiritual leader. He was a visionary who believed in the fusion of faith with worldly matters. He emphasised that faith should deepen our concern for our worldly habitat, embracing its challenges and improving the quality of human life. This responsibility as an Imam led him to establish the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), an endeavour committed to improving the quality of life for people around the world.

AKUH, part of the AKDN, is a shining example of His Highness’ commitment to excellence and his vision for a better future. AKUH has not only provided world-class medical education and healthcare in Pakistan; it has also become a source of knowledge and talent for the developing world. Its graduates and faculty have gone on to serve in various capacities, contributing to the development of healthcare systems globally.

As a Shia Ismaili Muslim follower who had the privilege of working closely with His Highness and the AKDN, I witnessed firsthand his visionary leadership, meticulous attention to detail and unwavering commitment to excellence. His Highness had an extraordinary ability to plan for the long-term future while remaining deeply involved in the execution of projects, ensuring that even the most minute details were not overlooked.

I recall an incident in the eighties when His Highness was visiting Pakistan. I was tasked with the responsibility of printing the stationery for the AKUH, a seemingly simple assignment that turned into a valuable lesson in quality and leadership. The brand manual, designed by John Lees, specified a particular Pantone shade of red, which was unavailable in Pakistan. As the stationery needed to be printed urgently, the job was distributed among three printers who tried to match the Pantone shade. However, His Highness rejected the initial print due to variations in colour arising from the different printers – he did not want to compromise on the high standards expected from a world-class institution. Realising the challenge, I decided to have a special ink created in bulk to last a few years to match the exact Pantone shade, ensuring the same ink would be provided to any printer for consistency across all printed materials. This experience taught me the importance of pursuing uncompromising quality and the leadership skills required to empower others to solve problems.

The ethos of self-reliance is deeply embedded in the multifaceted development approach of the AKDN. Another shining example, which I had the opportunity to work with in its early days, is the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP), which has been instrumental in empowering rural communities in Pakistan and other countries. Through AKRSP, His Highness promoted the establishment of village organisations, enabling communities to identify their development priorities and implement projects with the support of AKDN.

AKRSP’s work in areas such as natural resource management, education, health and rural finance has transformed the lives of millions, demonstrating the power of community-driven development. By fostering self-reliance and empowering communities to take charge of their own destinies, AKRSP exemplifies the vision of His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan, a vision that continues to inspire and uplift communities around the world.

His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan’s visionary leadership, unwavering commitment to excellence and dedication to improving the quality of human life will forever be remembered and cherished. His legacy lives on through the chain of Imamat, now under the guidance of the 50th Ismaili Imam, Prince Rahim Aga Khan.

Anwar Rammal is Chairman, Asiatic Public Relations; Board Member, Patients’ Behbud Society for AKUH; and Board Member, NAPA.

Then, CDs and DVDs rolled in and we thought, “This is it. We have peaked.” Who wouldn’t be impressed to have an entire album or movie on one shiny disc? It felt revolutionary. We had the power to decide what to play and it felt like a luxury. But then streaming came along and boom – no more trips to our local DVD banks or worrying about scratched discs. Suddenly, we had access to everything, anywhere and at any time. And just when we thought it could not get any better, algorithms stepped onto the scene, offering personalised content just for us. It seemed like magic. It was like having a personal assistant who knew exactly what song we needed on a rainy day or which shark movie to watch next.

Well, that magic is wearing off. Let’s just say it: Algorithms are officially uncool. Remember when they were the ‘it’ thing – those mysterious forces that seemed to know what we wanted before we did? We would open our favourite app and boom – content that felt crafted just for us. Well, that golden age is over. Now, it’s like every platform had a secret meeting and decided: “Let’s not let them explore; let’s just keep recycling the same ideas and selling the same stuff until they give up and become TikTok stars themselves.”

Sure, there was a time when algorithms felt like they were adding value. Remember when Spotify or Netflix would surprise us with that hidden gem – something we had not heard of before but instantly loved? Or when our Instagram feed was full of content that actually piqued our curiosity? That was the golden era of algorithmic curation. It made us believe that the future of content consumption was exciting and limitless, with a world of discovery waiting to be unlocked.

What began as a revolution in personalised content delivery has now turned into a stale, repetitive loop. We are trapped in an endless cycle of algorithmically generated suggestions that feel less and less tailored and more like an exhausting buffet of the same content over and over again. Now, we are tired. Post-millennials, especially Gen Z, are done. We have hit our limit on this algorithmic buffet of AI-generated digital junk. We have realised that what once felt like personalisation was a trap – a loop designed to keep us scrolling, clicking and consuming the same content repeatedly. Now we are craving something fresher, more human, more raw. Algorithms, you tried… but bye.

Algorithms peaked and then crashed like a poorly scripted Netflix series. Somewhere along the way, the algorithm became lazy. How many ‘relatable’ memes or lo-fi playlists do we need to scroll through before it gets to the: “We are over the same predictable content” stage?

And it is not just about entertainment. Algorithms have spilled into every corner of our digital lives. From the news we read to the ads we see, everything is pre-packaged and spoon-fed to us based on an AI’s interpretation of our behaviour. But here’s the thing: we are not as simple as the algorithms think we are. Humans are complex, multi-faceted beings with changing preferences, moods and interests. We want to be surprised. We want the unexpected, something that does not fit into a neat little data box.

However, amid this AI-driven dumpster fire, there is a beacon of hope – humans. Yes, real people with real preferences, opinions, and, most importantly, real discretion. We are talking about digital curators who handpick cool, undiscovered artists. Bloggers who recommend interesting books. Or the one YouTuber who feels like they are talking to us, showing us places and experiences we didn’t even know existed (shoutout to you, Bald and Bankrupt).

Not that AI can’t pick good content. Sure, it can throw together a decent playlist or suggest another K-drama for our next 12-hour binge (no judgment). But it lacks what we crave – unpredictability. That slightly offbeat “I can’t believe I found this” feeling that only humans can deliver. Think about our favourite digital curator or content creator. What makes them special is not that they have access to data points and algorithms. It is their perspective, their unique point of view and the way they present content that resonates with us on a deeper level.

This movement towards human curation is starting to reshape the digital landscape. People are flocking to niche creators and tastemakers because – surprise, surprise – humans know what humans like. Whether it is a YouTuber who breaks down obscure art films or a blog filled with music aficionados recommending underground tracks in the comments section, there is a hunger for content that feels personal, thoughtful and, most importantly, authentic.

This is not nostalgia; it’s authenticity.

We all thought the future would be a kind of AI-driven utopia. Instead, it is becoming a bad sci-fi dystopia where robots serve up content that is as bland as white biryani. However, there is a rebellion brewing – a movement back to human discretion. And no, I am not talking about snooty, elitist gatekeepers. I mean creators, influencers and brands that actually care about what they are putting out and how they are connecting with their audience.

It’s like finding that one playlist that is not just another Top 40 knockoff but a vibe. Or that Reddit thread from a guest user named u/Anonymous#456956 who gives killer recommendations for shows we have never heard of before. It is about people discovering the good stuff and sharing it – not because an algorithm told them to, but because they felt it.

If you are a brand, it’s time to stop leaning on AI like it is the answer to all your problems. Sure, AI is great for automating boring stuff, but it is not where your audience is at anymore. Post-Millennials are savvy. They can spot AI-generated content from a mile away and will scroll past it faster than you can say “SEO optimisation”. 

Here’s to the human tastemakers. The ones who bring taste, discretion and authenticity back into a digital world that is drowning in sameness. Sure, AI will stick around, pumping out content, but that only makes human curation stand out even more. We are the ones who can curate, create and connect. Like only we can.  

Sameer Ali is Creative Director, BBDO Pakistan.

The Easypaisa ‘Audio Nikahnama’ campaign is a ground-breaking initiative that addresses a long-standing issue faced by millions of women in Pakistan – the lack of access to, and understanding of, their marriage contract. In a country where two-thirds of women cannot access their nikahnama due to literacy challenges, Easypaisa has provided a brilliant solution. By launching an audio nikahnama in six languages, including sign language, Easypaisa ensured that women across diverse communities can now fully grasp their rights in marriage by breaking down barriers of illiteracy. This innovative approach not only raises awareness, it empowers women by facilitating informed decision-making about their lives and marriage. It is a powerful tool for change, fostering equality and protecting women’s rights in a society where these issues are overlooked.
Agency: BBDO Pakistan/Impact BBDO
Verdict: Hit. The Easypaisa ‘Audio Nikahnama’ campaign is a game-changer for female empowerment, making sure that no woman is left in the dark about her rights.

Cadbury Dairy Milk – Back Her Dream

Cadbury does it again. Continuing on its initiative to support women’s cricket, Cadbury has launched a new campaign: ‘Back Her Dream’. This campaign supports budding cricketing talent among young women by the people in their lives. The campaign beautifully showcases the mothers, fathers, grandmothers, brothers and countless more who stand by young women to help them achieve their dreams.
Agency: Ogilvy Pakistan
Verdict: Hit. It takes a village.

Mobilink Microfinance Bank – The Invisible Heirs

I guess I am a sucker for brands and campaigns that stand up for women’s rights and get it right. In Pakistan, approximately 97% of women are deprived of their rightful inheritance, making them invisible. Mobilink Microfinance Bank developed and launched the Dost app, a calculator that allows women to calculate their inheritance, thereby empowering them to claim what is rightfully theirs.
Agency: RevX
Verdict: Hit. Empowering women through tech.

Suzuki – Swift Two Tone

Can we please break out of the woman and car fantasy? This ad delivered nothing. A hip-hop Hania Aamir and a two-tone Swift combined with poorly executed production and a clichéd soundtrack.
Agency: RG Blue
Verdict: Miss. Cringe-worthy.

Mostbet – Mostbet x Mathira

A betting site doing the rounds on OOH recently caught my attention and took me by surprise. I thought that betting sites were illegal. The tagline ‘Masti Aur Jeet Ki Guarantee!’ and the provocative placement of the logo on Mathira’s b**bs feed into the s*x sells category. Inappropriate at so many levels.
Agency: N/A
Verdict: Miss by a long shot.

Kenwood eEco Ultra Air Conditioner – Very Smart

Kenwood has managed to change the way home appliances are advertised. Their latest campaign, starring Kubra Khan and Tabish Hashmi, continues to draw on the insights that typify married couples. The ad makes for nuanced and entertaining storytelling whilst keeping the product an intrinsic part of the story.
Agency: Arey Wah
Verdict: Hit. Storytelling that defines the brand.

Seema Jaffer is CEO, Bond Advertising. seema@bondadvertising.com

Required is the sort of talent that understands immersive environments that enhance data diversity to improve marketing objectives. This improvement comes from incorporating multi-sensory data and cultural intelligence, leading to high motivational scores of target audiences. For advertisers, data diversity and AI are powerful tools to analyse consumer behaviour, preferences and cultural nuances to create effective and inclusive campaigns driving relevancy.

In a digital culture, a relevant ad would deliver the right message to the right person at the right time; anything short of that would constitute a narrative failure – an ‘un-storitisation’ dilemma of sorts.

Hence, the richer and more diverse the dataset, the more valuable the insights into cross-cultural communication and behaviour. In such a culture, immersive experiences offer incredible amounts of data. This dataset was created from the detection of heart rate, facial expressions and eye movements. This aspect, according to researchers, reveals emotional and cognitive processes that shape interactions. These interactions show how people behave in these immersive worlds, helping data enthusiasts uncover patterns and preferences. This deeper understanding enhances cultural intelligence, informing effective products, services and even policies.

In real-time strategy (RTS) games such as StarCraft, Age of Empires, Warcraft III, Company of Heroes, Total War, Dota 2, and League of Legends, the environments unfold in real-time. This requires players to make quick decisions and adapt strategies on the go, creating a sense of urgency. These elements keep the players engaged as they simultaneously manage resources, build structures, and command units – adding complexity to the experience. Since advertisers have access to various data points in RTS games, this refines their targeting and engagement capabilities. Other than data on player demographics, such as age, gender and location, in-game behaviour data (session duration, level completion rates and in-game purchases) provide insights into player engagement, crucial to optimising ad placements. Additionally, advertisers can choose to target players in particular cities or neighbourhoods; a feature that ensures the ads are seen by those most likely to engage with them. This is particularly useful for local businesses aiming to attract nearby customers.

Several studies suggest that immersive experiences enhance data diversity by improving cultural intelligence, as they provide the opportunity and the capability to learn from analysing multi-sensory data.

The Immersive Audience Report 2024 indicates that audiences engaging in immersive experiences are more ethnically diverse and representative of the general population than those visiting conventional arts and culture venues.

According to The Emergence of Immersive Advertising, an INFOSYS report, immersive advertising is rapidly gaining popularity. However, as the volume of immersive ads grows, concerns surrounding data privacy, collection and usage will become more prominent, prompting governments to implement regulatory frameworks. While hardware and talent costs may initially pose challenges, the widespread adoption of immersive technologies is likely to lead to increased affordability and accessibility and make immersive advertising a preferred choice for marketers seeking to reach their customers effectively. Instead of relying on 2D graphs, advertisers can step into virtual environments where they interact with data in real-time, examining relationships, spotting trends and understanding audience segments from different angles. A cutting-edge approach, immersive analytics is transforming how advertisers analyse and engage with complex data by using technologies like virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR) and extended reality (XR). Facilitating analytical reasoning through immersive human-computer interfaces by leveraging multi-sensory inputs like visual, auditory and haptic feedback, teams from different locations can explore data in 3D spaces.

This exploration provides a deeper, more intuitive understanding of data patterns, complex relationships, campaign performance and market trends. Companies like IBM, Microsoft, Google, SAP and HTC are at the forefront of immersive analytics and offer a range of tools and platforms that enable users to explore and analyse data in immersive and interactive ways, revolutionising data visualisation and decision-making.

Several studies suggest that immersive experiences enhance data diversity by improving cultural intelligence, as they provide the opportunity and the capability to learn from analysing multi-sensory data. The Immersive Audience Report 2024 indicates that audiences engaging in immersive experiences are more ethnically diverse and representative of the general population than those visiting conventional arts and culture venues. It further highlights that these experiences attract a wider range of participants, including younger individuals and families. This is in contrast to the demographic profiles of traditional cultural spaces. Immersive experiences appeal to audiences with diverse interests and backgrounds.

There are, however, restrictions on widespread adoption due to privacy-related issues, although some companies continue to explore the technology. For instance, the Omnicom Group explored the use of facial technology to measure emotional responses to ads. To measure attention and engagement, Orbs used eye-tracking technology, which is fast becoming an important tool to assess consumer behaviour. For over a decade, Facebook used DeepFace, an algorithm that identified individuals from images, and although the platform may have discontinued using facial recognition for photo tagging, Meta has not yet ruled out future applications. In July this year, Meta agreed to a $1.4 billion settlement over the next five years to the state of Texas for unauthorised use of personal biometric data of users from uploaded photos and videos.

The use of biometric data in advertising raises important ethical and legal concerns. While its potential benefits are significant, to create meaningful and authentic connections, it is crucial to respect consumer privacy and build trust.

As technology advances, the regulations will evolve to ensure data is collected and used responsibly and transparently. Until then, the advertising industry will continue to navigate these complexities, investing in a better understanding of cultural nuances to expand market reach. If the human brain is a storytelling machine, then to create meaning and authenticity, cultural intelligence and data diversity are at the heart of the future of advertising, without which many will plunge into the abyss of irrelevance.

Puruesh Chaudhary is a futures researcher and strategic narrative professional, featured among the world’s top female futurists. She works for AGAHI. puruesh@gmail.com

Given that AI can perform many tasks more efficiently and accurately, does this imply less human involvement and a potential wave of job obsolescence? Will the future be dominated solely by AI, transforming it into a function of algorithmic inputs and outputs?

Consumer behaviour is at the heart of modern marketing and the more we veer away from it, the more likely we are to get the wrong insight – and insights are the seeding ground for any good communication. Data is the backbone of well-conceived and successful marketing campaigns. For instance, before AI, a simple packaging test required the involvement of at least two agencies (creative and research) and a timeline of three to four weeks. Now, we can develop visuals for a new pack and run a quick A/B test within a few hours to determine which packaging is likely to work. The result is that brand managers, free from run-of-the-mill work, can focus more on strategy. On the flip side, however, AI presents several problematic areas.

One of the key uses of AI in marketing is predicting future trends and strategies. However, if AI predictions are based on trends and past success rates, nothing new will emerge, and what differentiates great communication from the basics is its ability to connect and tap into the emotions of the target audience. And it is this innate ability that makes human beings indispensable when it comes to developing campaigns that resonate with their target groups.

The ability to connect to consumers on a deeper level is more important to brand and equity building than developing a perfect product.

Many campaigns fail – especially those led by multinational companies – because their head office, based elsewhere, often insists on using the same copy for the entire South Asian region. This is a one-size-fits-all approach that rarely works. In a similar vein, injecting cultural context and deeper consumer understanding cannot be replicated by AI.

AI algorithms depend on past data, trends and stats, and this helps get the segmentation right. However, although AI may tell you which copy will work best with the target audience, it cannot produce original ideas. AI is not an originator or innovator and marketers will always have to step in to provide original ideas and the right cultural context. Another danger is that an over-reliance on Al can lead to formula marketing and ‘Me Too’ campaigns that end up failing.

This does not mean that human beings will get everything right all the time. We have seen many campaigns left to human ingenuity go wrong. What is required is a measured approach that combines AI and humans. A good example of this is creative augmentation, whereby AI generates the initial ideas and the design templates, which are further refined and contextualised by humans – a process that allows for balance and the best of both worlds: data and creativity.

It is also important to remember that because AI is trained on data, this can perpetuate discrimination when the data is skewed towards what works best for a majority of people.

Think of a situation where Donald Trump’s supporters are only exposed to the fact that immigrants are taking away their jobs. So, before conceiving a world where AI and humans work together, ethical standards need to be set. A regulatory entity needs to be created to check content before it is released into the public sphere (like PEMRA). Left unchecked, AI can tap into the insecurities of people or appeal to biases within certain groups. Audits and standards of compliance can ensure that such instances do not take place. These ethical issues do not stop at the campaign development and deployment stage. Gathering information can be challenging and data privacy issues must be addressed to build trust among consumers.

The future of marketing in an AI-driven world lies in the harmonious integration of AI and human ingenuity. AI will scour the data for better segmentation, targeting and personalisation, and humans will develop ideas based on emotional resonance and cultural sensitivities. Such a hybrid approach will make marketing more effective, distinct and relevant. However, this approach must be monitored by regulatory entities to ensure data privacy so that no one can take advantage of this emerging technology.  

Omar Farooq is a marketer by profession.
omar.farooq@packages.com.pk

Back when the delta was free, we never had to say “yes, sir” or bow down to anyone because we had a direct relationship with nature. Even if we came back empty-handed from fishing, we left the next morning with renewed hope. Just as vast as Allah is, so was the hope and the trust we placed in Him. The delta was a very rich region and the islands were no less than a paradise. The livestock was so abundant that when a boat would appear, local folk wouldn’t let it pass without gifting them milk, yoghurt and butter. Red rice was cultivated on the fertile island plains. My father tells me that in the creeks near these islands, there were so many fish that after having eaten, when we put our plates into the water to wash them, large schools of khagga (catfish) would swarm around them. On the islands, a type of seagrass called soowunn grew, which livestock would graze on all day long.

From these islands, a plentiful supply of desi ghee, red rice, butter and mangoes was brought by boat to the fishing village of Ibrahim Hyderi. From there, they were loaded on camel carts and transported to the city. When the fishermen went out to fish, all the household work and matters of joy or sorrow were managed by the women. They would make rilliyan (quilts), embroider, weave nets and gather firewood from the mangrove forests. When the fishermen returned, the women took over from unloading the catch, boiling and cleaning the prawns, cutting and cleaning fish to salting, drying and packing them in jute bags. They were paid for this work. The making of fishing nets was also a source of employment for women, providing a stable livelihood.

In this way, women worked side by side with men. People were healthy because they ate pure and nutritious food. Women worked through their pregnancies, but their health was never a major concern. In June and July, the sea would become very rough but by mid-August, the sea would return to its normal state. The monsoon rains would arrive on time and the seasons changed according to schedule. The sea was so clear that fish could be found along the shore. In those days, the Indus flowed into the sea in its full glory, reaching as far as Korangi and Phitti Creek – which is why fishermen from Ibrahim Hyderi and Rehri Goth still refer to the sea as the river.

Our destruction began when dams were built on the Indus, blocking its natural flow. The Indus’ final destination is the sea and according to both natural and international law, the people living at the end of the river, particularly the people of the delta, have the first right to its waters. The river’s water is very important for the ecology of the sea and the mangrove forests.

The waters of the Indus are strong and push the seawater away, leaving behind fertile soil that builds the land. They reduce the acidity of the sea and keep the sea’s temperature normal. Now, due to the absence of the river’s water, coastal erosion has swallowed up 4.2 million acres of land (some say it’s as much as 2.7 million acres).

In Pakistan, particularly in Sindh, the effects of climate change are the most severe on the coastal belt. Due to global climate change, not only has coastal erosion increased, but the sea level has also risen. The sea, which would return to its normal position in mid-August, now brings towering waves and high winds throughout September and October. We now only have two seasons (summer and winter), with a shorter winter and a longer summer. The fishing season, which previously lasted from August to November, has shrunk, as by the time the sea settles, the season is over. Rains are either scarce or excessive and untimely.

These changes have resulted in severe repercussions on the fishermen’s livelihoods as well as the environment. There is less employment and the increased acidity in the sea has affected the growth of the mangrove forests. Since fish nurseries are found in the roots of the mangrove forests, fish production has decreased, leading to a decline in employment. As sea levels have risen, most of the over 450 islands in the delta have been submerged. Women have been displaced from their traditional livelihoods, losing their culture. In the past, one person would earn enough to sustain the household, but now everyone has to work just to secure two meals a day. The fishermen try to sell all the fish they catch, as taking some home would affect the wages of other workers. As a result, food scarcity has become an unfortunate reality and proper nutrition is hard to come by.

The Indus is the lifeblood of Sindh. If the river’s natural flow is restored, coal, oil and gas-based power projects are abandoned, marine pollution is controlled and environmentally friendly energy sources are adopted, not only will the Indus Delta be revived but the effects of climate change can also be mitigated.

The destruction caused by the lack of river water and the impact of climate change can be gauged from the fact that we once proudly proclaimed that we lived in a land where the river flows into the sea. But now, with much pain, suffering and grief, we say that we live in a land where the sea flows into the river.

Fatima Majeed is an activist, social worker and Senior Vice-chairperson, Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum. She was recently awarded the Tamgha-e-Karachi.

This piece was originally written in Urdu and translated to English by Ahmer Naqvi.

So earth-shattering was his performance that even his coach, Salman Butt, was surprised by what his protégé had just done, telling Dawn a day later that it was “unbelievable.” The crowd at the Stade de France went wild as Nadeem made Pakistani Olympic history and then ran straight to Butt to celebrate the biggest achievement of their sporting journey yet, embracing each other as the import of the moment set in.

But that’s just the thing. This gold medal and Olympic record belong to them and them alone. In quintessential Nadeem fashion, he generously gifted his medal to the nation as an early Independence Day present. He had taken it upon himself years ago to make the nation proud and give back to his community. However, his feat is not a product of the good sports governance and top-notch facilities that several politicians now claim to have provided him with.

His extraordinary talent, dedication and Butt’s deep knowledge about the sport are what led to this historic performance – and the blessings of his family and community in Mian Channu. This is what carried him to victory in Paris.

The international media was quick to report his win, digging up previous interviews with him and attributing his success to his parents while acknowledging the dearth of facilities he faced. So heightened was the insecurity of various sports bodies at such reports that they began issuing clarifications soon after. The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) claimed to have spent Rs 23 million on Nadeem over the past five years in the form of prize money and expenses for his knee surgery.

By all means, a pat on the back can be given to governing institutions for doing what is expected of them, but the ‘dungeon of a gym’ where Nadeem trained speaks more about the on-ground realities than the hollow claims made by politicians that they gave him everything.

Perhaps the most laudable decision by Pakistan’s sporting bodies was to pair Butt with Nadeem after his fifth-place finish at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Officially, Butt became Nadeem’s coach, but he became his “roohani baap,” his mentor and confidant, taking Nadeem to new heights.

Butt’s expertise comes from an extensive four-year Master’s degree encompassing kinesiology, anatomy, physiology, sports science, mechanics of movement and nutrition, and Nadeem’s 92.97 metre throw was a work of art, fine-tuned by Butt overseeing his every muscle movement, speed and agility. It was this degree of perfection that earned Butt the esteemed directorship of the Asian Athletics Association in 2018. Apart from being the coach to the finest javelin thrower in the world, Butt also manages area development centres in Jakarta, Cairo and Bangkok for World Athletics.

Before heading off to Paris, Nadeem told Dawn that every athlete would go far if they had a coach like Butt, who “gives his 100 percent focus while I’m training, standing right on my head practically.”

The recipe for success has been shared by the champion himself. Pakistan needs to invest in more Salman Butts, who tirelessly reiterates the need for elite training centres. “If we want to compete in the international arena, we must develop accordingly,” he told Dawn earlier this summer.

And none of this is a big ask. The government has the budget; it just needs to invest the money in the right place at the right time. The focus must be on human development rather than building physical infrastructure, which is often done at great speed with little planning by permanent seat warmers occupying positions of power in sporting institutions with little to no sports background.

To be clear, there will never be another Arshad Nadeem in Pakistan. Only Arshad Nadeem can be Arshad Nadeem. But there will be others like him, and that is what the government needs to invest in – the future of sporting excellence. The crores of rupees worth of prize money that has poured in for Nadeem is an excellent acknowledgement of his decade of success for Pakistan. But it is time to go beyond performative gestures and invest that kind of money in actual development.

After 32 years, Arshad Nadeem has opened the floodgates. The government must be wise not to shut them down again. 

Anushe Engineer is a journalist at Dawn, covering sports, gender and human rights.  

Let’s first try to understand the reality behind the impact of Pakistanis supporting the boycott. Take the example of one of the largest consumer goods companies in Pakistan that is currently facing a boycott of their products. The company, despite being one of the biggest in the country, contributes 0.2% to the total global revenue of the parent company and 0.3% of the total global net profit. This is based on the current USD to PKR conversion rate. Therefore, if we look at the P&L impact of the boycott at the global level, the parent company will suffer a loss of less than 0.1% of the value of their total sales, even if the Pakistani affiliate company loses half their sales. Even more interesting is that the cash flow of the global parent company will not be affected because profits generated in Pakistan have not been transferred to the global parent company for over a decade.

The reality is that the boycott will not have any financial impact on the global company. Conversely, the current boycott can very well create unemployment across a lot of sectors in Pakistan that are dependent on the sales of multinational companies.

Or take Fiverr, which is headquartered in Israel and through which Pakistan’s freelance community has already generated half a billion dollars a year. A boycott of Fiverr would potentially result in a loss of revenue and employment opportunities. Half a billion dollars in Pakistan’s current economic situation is no joke.

But Pakistanis are emotional people and it is too much to expect that we would rationally look at the financial implications of a boycott.

Nevertheless, some brands have been affected more than others, including McDonald’s, KFC, Pepsi and Coke. However, as I pointed out at the beginning of this article, no one is talking about boycotting Apple, nor have people emptied accounts held in multinational banks.

No doubt, the boycott has seen several local brands gain popularity in the last couple of months as substitutes for boycotted brands and that is no bad thing, no matter the reasons behind it. The emergence and growth of local brands are good for the economy, assuming those brands can provide a good-quality product or service and use local materials in their manufacturing process. If they are importing their raw materials, then they are doing the same thing as the multinational brands under boycott are doing.

Several local brands have been strongly emphasising their local credentials in their communications. Cola Next’s current TVC proudly proclaims ‘Kyun Ke Cola Next Hai Pakistani.’ This is quite ironic given that their previous four TVCs were shot outside Pakistan, but then times change and opportunity knocks. The fried chicken/burger war has become intense. KFC, once a major key account for Foodpanda, is off the app now, while Kababjees is expanding at a rate we never knew existed. You never know; Kababjees may even launch their own social media platform.

As local brands ride the favourable tide, how should the multinational companies weather this storm, which frankly does not seem to be abating any time soon? Season 15 of Coke Studio has arrived. Strategically, it makes sense to leverage a platform that Pakistanis not only love but proudly own in order to regain positivity towards the brand. However, on the day the first song was released, Coke Studio’s YouTube channel was bombarded with negative comments and calls for a boycott. Anticipating the reaction, Coke’s social media team moderated the comments and today one cannot find any negative comments anymore. Granted, the popularity of the new season was partly affected by the quality of the music, as expectations were sky-high but the music was underwhelming. Pepsi’s passion point in Pakistan is cricket, and with the World Cup around the corner, they should probably stick to the basics and stick to commercial advertising while ensuring on-ground availability.

A tried and tested formula to handle this phase for these multinational brands under fire would be to donate towards humanitarian causes for Gaza, although I doubt if their global headquarters would endorse such a move.

Alternatively, they should just go about business as usual and wait until the tide subsides. From a purely business point of view, this might be the only option they have.

To conclude, it really doesn’t matter if the boycott is affecting Israel financially or not, as long as it positively affects Pakistan’s current account balance. The tricky part is how the boycott will affect our economy and its impact on local employment. If we can find answers to these questions, I am willing to boycott even the iPhone.

PS: I am an Android user.

Note: At the time of this article’s writing, KFC had been temporarily removed from the Foodpanda app. It has since been reinstated. Sincerest apologies for any confusion caused.

Sami Qahar is CEO, Stimulus Productions.
sami.qahar@gmail.com

Despite this, distinctive challenges remain – hindering start-ups in Pakistan relative to other countries. The scarcity of venture capital funding, increased costs of hiring and maintaining employees, the reluctance of international investors, and a decline in consumer spending have all impacted start-ups, making it difficult to secure resources. Mix in the oligopolistic market structure and we have ourselves a muddy mire entrenched at the heart of Pakistan’s start-up ecosystem.

Against this backdrop, Grenlit Studios has acquired the rights to the renowned reality TV franchise – Shark Tank. According to founders Usman Malik, Rizwan Siddiqui and Tariq Qazi, the launch of Shark Tank in Pakistan may well help dredge a way out.

Shark Tank debuted in the US in 2009 and is based on the Japanese series Dragon’s Den. As one of the most (if not the most) internationally acclaimed business-themed series, Shark Tank’s format invites aspiring and established entrepreneurs to pitch innovative business ideas to a panel of six established investors (sharks), who deliberate on whether to invest in the venture, determining the valuation and terms if they choose to proceed. Shark Tank’s entrepreneurial format has received extensive success around the globe, with adaptations in countries like Australia, Bangladesh, India and the UK.

This success has been largely attributed to the positive influence the show has had on the start-up scenes of countries like Bangladesh and India. A notable accomplishment has been the democratisation of finance, attributed to the show’s structure. The initiative has equalised opportunities by providing business owners from diverse locations and backgrounds with a platform to present their concepts and receive funding determined on merit rather than connections. An appreciable surge in start-up applications resulted from Shark Tank India’s national entrepreneurship frenzy. Hence, by questioning traditional notions of entrepreneurship and facilitating a culture of risk-taking, the show provides an opportunity for business success.

The question is: can Shark Tank have similar outcomes in a country like Pakistan? As believed by the founders of Grenlit Studios, the answer is a steadfast yes. In line with Grenlit Studios’ motto ‘create to inspire’, the show’s ambitions are not confined to improving Pakistan’s start-up ecosystem.

If executed correctly, Shark Tank Pakistan can concurrently ameliorate the content landscape of our TV industry, a landscape international media companies have been hesitant to scale into.

Malik, a content licensing specialist with expertise in international media acquisitions, mentions how “rare it is for a standalone content company to acquire the licence for a global franchise.”

Upon Shark Tank India‘s success, Grenlit Studios pitched a relatively smaller format to Sony in terms of the production scale, being cognisant of Pakistan’s content and production capabilities. The team is resolute in enhancing Pakistan’s production quality and content domain, aiming for a 50% to 30% augmentation in the production sphere as an achievable objective. As is the case with other Shark Tank franchises, Sony will keep a close eye on all things production.

In essence, Shark Tank Pakistan is envisioned as a catalytic force that will showcase local entrepreneurial prowess and aid in revitalising Pakistan’s content panorama. “We have to bring the revolution of content,” Qazi notes, acknowledging the necessity of consistently generating sustainable content and investing in educational endeavours to prepare the audience for the show. For Siddiqui, “it’s about creating the culture and that is a long-term undertaking.”

To create culture, one must also be mindful of the cultural dynamics at play. The team at Grenlit Studios aims to have a panel of six investors, including two female sharks, to ensure equitable representation and well-rounded viewpoints of many industries. They do not appear disillusioned about the public’s scepticism, as Siddiqui browses through comments on social media, speculating the likes of Malik Riaz and Nawaz Sharif as the sharks.

In that spirit, at the onset of the selection process, the Grenlit team emphasises the importance of venturing outside the elitist realm of venture capital in Pakistan and finding sharks that are self-made. “We cannot have the same benchmark of investors with 50-100 million net worth,” Malik told Sony, who agreed to establish a benchmark that represents the pool of start-up founders Pakistan does have at its disposal.

By presenting diverse and inspirational narratives, challenging stereotypes, and nurturing a supportive environment for start-ups, Shark Tank will showcase Pakistani start-ups not only to local audiences but also to international markets where other Shark Tank franchises may not be present, signifying a wider outreach and potential influence beyond the domestic audience.

However, the hurdles in enlisting sharks are multifaceted. One of the primary obstacles is the challenge of identifying prominent individuals with successful entrepreneurial backgrounds who are willing to participate as sharks on the show, especially female sharks. Additionally, the team recognises the need to recruit sharks who are not only accomplished entrepreneurs but also charismatic personalities capable of articulating on camera and enhancing the overall allure of the show, necessitating rigorous media training before filming. These challenges underscore the intricacies involved in assembling a competent panel of sharks. Pakistan’s first ever Sharks will now include Rabeel Warraich, the founder of Sarmayacar; Aleena Nadeem, who has already made significant contributions to global fintech deals at Ventura Capital; Junaid Iqbal, CEO, Salt Ventures; Karim Teli, who has already spearheaded over 50 successful businesses; Faisal Aftab, IT venture investor; Romana Dada, Forbes featured entrepreneur and Usman Bashir, veteran of retail and gas stations.

For Grenlit, the target audience is of utmost importance in tackling “the content emergency in Pakistan.” As Qazi iterates, “It is indeed an emergency because content shapes the mind.” In light of this, TikTok has been made the official entertainment partner of Shark Tank Pakistan, which will leverage the platform’s popularity with Gen Z and Millennials, thereby catering to the young people of Pakistan.

The marketing strategy entails making crucial announcements, such as disclosing the sharks involved in the show, to build anticipation and spark interest. Filming is set to begin in July and for now, Shark Tank Pakistan is set to air on November 3, 2024 on Green Entertainment. With a well-thought-out timeline and a comprehensive strategy that accounts for Pakistan’s unique landscape, Shark Tank Pakistan is poised to impact our start-up ecosystem substantially and set new benchmarks for content creation in the country.

IMRAN NASRULLAH: My role is regional. I cover South Asia, the Middle East and Africa. I have been involved in the agri-commodity sector for almost 28 years, and in the last 12 years, specifically with corporate farming-related businesses. I don’t claim to be an agri expert, but I certainly have experience in building businesses in multiple geographies. GAR is a very big player in the agri field. We are among the top 10 corporate farmers in the world, and have one of the largest palm plantations in Indonesia. We work with our own corporate farmers, as well as with smallholder farmers across Indonesia. We are very much an agricultural farming-based company. We are one of the largest players in the palm oil space, and we distribute palm products to over 100 countries. Palm oil is very versatile, and goes from cooking oil to renewable fuel to specialty fats, animal feed to oleo-chemicals and specialty chemicals.

A: When did GAR enter Pakistan?

IN: In 2013, as importers of palm products. By palm products, I mean cooking oil products or palm olein, which is then refined into edible oil. All of the top edible oil players – Dalda, Mezan, Soya Supreme and Sufi – are our customers. They buy the product from us and refine it. We also supply products to make shortening, margarine and biscuit fats; we are working with EBM and CandyLand in that respect. We are also into oleo-chemicals (they go into making soap and shampoo), and about a year ago, we launched our dairy animal feed business. Pakistan is now our hub for animal feed for the region, and we are about to launch in the Middle East using Pakistani resources.

A: In Pakistan, do you have an agricultural presence on the ground?

IN: No. We do not want to be corporate farmers in Pakistan. We want to work with large-scale corporate farmers and bring them up to speed with the best farming practices we have learned over the years in Indonesia. For example, from an edible oil perspective, canola, soybean, rapeseed and mustard seed are indigenous to Pakistan. They can be grown here and the oil extracted could be a substitute for some of the soybean oil that is being imported. We are keen to see the growth of the oilseed industry in Pakistan as a solution to importing edible oil. When these seeds are crushed, a lot of powder – called meal – is extracted and used in the animal feed industry.

A: Do you work with Pakistani cooking oil brands only in terms of supplying the commodity?

IN: Yes, none of them are into corporate farming; they are into processing. They buy the oil from us and refine it.

A: In which areas do you interact with brands in terms of their corporate farming aspect?

IN: In dairy feed. The majority of Pakistan’s large dairy corporate farms are our customers. Last year, we launched a product called GoNutri Energy, which is an ingredient that can be added to animal feed rations to enhance milk fat production for greater yield and quality. The fat content in milk has to be high because it can then be used to make butter. We have dairy experts who work with these farms in an advisory capacity. They are basically veterinary scientists and provide technical advice.

A: Why does Pakistan still have one of the lowest dairy yields in the world?

IN: Dairy yields in Pakistan are estimated at approximately four to six litres per day compared to the 20 to 30 litres achieved by large corporate farms in Europe and the US, and the feed plays only a small part in the overall picture – basic hygiene, the conditions under which the animals are kept, the amount of water and shade they get – all affect yields. This is why multinational farm managers are working with the top corporate farms in Pakistan to introduce best practices. Pakistani corporate dairy farms are doing better than they used to, but they still have a long way to go. This is about the transition or development of the corporate farm industry in Pakistan. When you have a small farm looking at 800 animals compared to 5,000 animals, the scale changes and the overall conditions for the animals vastly improve.

A: Which brands does GAR work with in this respect?

IN: We work with Nishat, Sapphire, Dayfresh, Everfresh and Dada Dairies. They then supply to Nestlé, Milkfields, Prema and Goodmilk, among others.

A: Has GAR not considered entering the corporate farming space in Pakistan?

IN: No, although we have been approached by entities in Pakistan. What we are open to, is sharing what we have learned about sustainable agronomic practices – based on our own experience in Indonesia where we work with 7,000 (our goal is to reach out to 100,000) farmers and teach them best agriculture practices. Corporate farming is a science that is transferable and we can partner in doing this.

A: How would you describe the science behind corporate farming?

IN: It is about putting processes in place to measure performance, improvements and yields, and for this you need players on the ground working on a day to day basis. Then there is the question of traceability. Customers in the developed world want their food to be traceable and to do this, farmers need to be aware of how it relates to them; the fact that if they produce a product that is traceable, they will be paid better. Corporate farming is also about educating and teaching. How do we look at waste? How do we tackle energy and manage water resources? Indonesia’s challenge, and Pakistan will face the same challenge, is land. Indonesia does not want to cut more trees to grow more palm, so it becomes a question of getting more out of the same land. How do you do that? Is it just fertiliser use? Is it about the technology you adopt? Do you use drones to understand soil conditions? All of these things can be developed as part of the science of corporate farming.

A: In your opinion, why is Pakistan’s overall agricultural performance so overwhelmingly subpar? We seem to know the solutions, yet we are unable to implement them. Why?

IN: Pakistan’s challenges around low yields and productivity are not unique; we see this everywhere. Farmers’ incomes are not high enough and the younger generations do not want to farm; they would rather go to a large city and become Uber or Careem drivers. We have an ageing farmer population across the globe. Then there is the fact that smallholder farmers are not receiving the scale of inputs and the financing they require; there are middlemen (arthis) who manipulate part of the ecosystem, and at some point, exploit it. There are multiple problems and you cannot tackle all of them at the same time. It is these layers of challenges that make a corporate farming structure essential for a country like Pakistan. Corporate farming can bring about improvements; we have seen it in the dairy sector. It is also happening in the potato sector with Lay’s. Pepsi is working with contract farmers. They give them the seeds and the credit to grow potatoes. Imagine if this were scaled up to corn, wheat, rice, sugar or oilseed. If that were to happen, you would have a sustainable long-term future that integrates smallholders into the bigger picture. Apart from challenges such as water scarcity and land degradation, over-fertilisation is a problem. When you export bananas to the EU, they are rejected because the lead content in our soil is too high. Another challenge is growing the wrong crops. We need a balanced agriculture policy. Corporate farming has brought significant improvements in Indonesia, and it is now a G20 country. In Pakistan, we have to be patient and take a 20 to 30-year view in terms of getting things right.

A: What is the difference between contract farming and corporate farming?

IN: Contract farmers are individuals and they farm on behalf of a corporate entity. For example, Pepsi did not want to get into farming, so they said, we will help you grow the best potatoes in the world by providing you with the seeds and the financing. There are loads of contract farmers growing potatoes for Pepsi; by the way, the Pakistani potato is now counted among Pepsi’s top potatoes in the world. That is contract farming. Corporate farming is when a company takes on 5,000 acres of land and hires farmers as their employees. In Indonesia, in addition to their own farmers, corporate farms by law have to include a percentage of smallholders, which is a way of bringing people out of poverty – a very progressive way of doing things. It is something that could eventually happen in Pakistan.

A: Is the Lay’s potato you are talking about accessible to the ordinary consumer?

IN: The scale is too small and upscaling this kind of thing is beyond Pepsi’s capabilities.

A: Which means that good quality produce is not available to Pakistani consumers?

IN: Yes. However, good quality milk in boxes is available, although only a tiny minority can afford to buy it. The problem is lack of regulation. Legislation needs to come in to ensure better quality food. At the very minimum, if legislation regarding pasteurisation is passed and implemented, there will be an increase in demand for better quality milk, which in turn will increase demand for better quality feed and hence, a cleaner supply chain. Governments need to draft legislation around food safety and standards, and players like ourselves can help because we work with food authorities around the world. That is where things need to go. If proper legislation is enacted in the milk space, the corporate dairy farm sector will skyrocket and they will be able to produce value added products, such as hydrated milk or infant formulas, and export them. Governments need to play their part in terms of legislation and implementation, and then the private sector will come in and take over. The fact that we do not have good quality potatoes is because there are no regulations regarding food quality, and if food quality is not a requirement, why would the farmer invest in producing it for the mass market?

A: Is this lack of regulation due to apathy or vested interests?

IN: I don’t want to get into a political debate, but agriculture is no different from any other sector in Pakistan. As to whether it is vested interests or apathy, I would say that it is a combination of multiple things. Today, two-thirds of the population is food insecure. Had measures been taken earlier, we would not be in this situation. We would not be massively importing food or, at the very least, we would be exporting food that we can produce well and not importing food we can produce ourselves.

A: Is GAR involved in any other agriculture related areas apart from palm oil and dairy feed?

IN: We also do sugar. We trade about a million tons of sugar. We bought sugar last year from Pakistan and traded it to West Africa. However, Pakistan’s sugar crop is inconsistent and fraught with its own challenges due to government regulations and other issues, so it is not a consistent export. One also has to keep in mind that Pakistan’s water resources are scarce and sugar is a huge water consumer. We are also working with some oleo-chemical players on the production of soap and shampoo in Pakistan. We are also working with top-quality Pakistani food companies. Companies like CandyLand, EBM and Young’s are trying to innovate in terms of their product quality. We work with global accounts such as McDonald’s, Krispy Kreme and Pizza Hut to develop recipes for better quality products and we are trying to build that skill in Pakistan.

A: With brands like EBM or CandyLand are you just supplying a product or is there more to it?

IN: We are certainly supplying product, but we are also having broader conversations with brands in terms of an urban population that is becoming more conscious about food safety and standards. There are 30 million people in Karachi and both housewives and younger generations are asking for better quality food. So brands are asking us questions about how they can make their products better and this is where our expertise becomes relevant. There is a huge opportunity to work with brands to make their product better in terms of taste and nutrition. This is what differentiates us from many of our competitors who just sell product. We have an innovation centre in Jakarta where our chefs are developing better quality products with better flavours and taste. One of our dreams is to have a similar centre in the region, maybe Dubai. A lot more Pakistani companies are participating in Gulfood Dubai.

A: Is Pakistan putting the right emphasis on training top quality nutritionists and food scientists?

IN: There is a lot of potential in Pakistan, but we are not producing the right level of talent systematically. The private sector are training people for their own needs and sending them abroad. It goes back to the question of regulation and legislation. If there is no demand for good quality food, you are not going to have a demand for qualified food scientists; they would rather go to Dubai or elsewhere, because the environment in Pakistan doesn’t exist. There has to be an ecosystem to absorb that talent.

A: Does Pakistan have the rudiments necessary to create an ecosystem that prioritises food safety and standards?

IN: I don’t think there is an ecosystem per se, although I see islands. My hope is that these islands connect and become a big landmass.

Imran J. Nasrullah was in conversation with Mariam Ali Baig. For feedback: aurora@dawn.com

Lals was recently awarded the ‘Pastry Discovery Gem Award’ by La Liste in Paris. La Liste is a selective global guide known for scouting and compiling the world’s best restaurants, hotels, tea and coffee shops, and food gems. The nomination from La Liste came to Majid and Tai as a welcome surprise – with much excitement at the thought of being present in the same room with culinary masters. Majid’s library has always overflowed with cookbooks written by well-known chefs since she had grown up admiring them. The thought of seeing them in the flesh was surreal and dreamlike.

Lals journey began in Karachi in 2006 when she opened Pakistan’s first chocolate shop in Zamzama, Karachi. Since then, Lals has reshaped the image of local chocolates by maintaining quality and adding pastries and gelatos to their menu.

In February 2013, Majid penned Deliciously Yours, a book intended to pass on her recipes to budding and professional chefs alike. To her surprise, the book opened doors to recognition from the global pastry community, earning her the title of the ‘Best Sweets and Pastry Book’ in the world, twice at the Gourmand Awards. The book was nominated along with the others written by the giants in the culinary arts, spreading across 187 countries.

Before leaving for the ceremony in Paris, Majid and Tai created customised chocolate bars infused with traditional Pakistani flavours such as pink salt, ras malai, and almond milk as a sample of their creations. La Liste’s Pastry Awards 2024 comprised 10 categories, including the category Majid was recognised in, which was the Pastry Discovery Gem Award. Lals, along with three other international patisseries, were awarded in the same category. At the ceremony, a total of 25 food gems were selected for the year 2024.

Recently, Lals expanded the reach of their chocolates to Dubai by stocking at Blomma within the Dubai Mall, making Lals chocolates available to the Middle Eastern market. Moving forward, Tai also intends to collaborate with local and international brands with the hope of reaching more people and building a strong community.

Sarah Ansari is in a leadership role in the education industry, runs a daycare facility, and works as a freelance social media manager and writer. sarahansari.sa84@gmail.com

WASIF RIZVI: It means giving our students a breadth of intellectual experiences. In Pakistan, the challenge is that higher education never did develop a coherent undergraduate framework, and undergraduate education was basically either a sort of professional endeavour in medicine or engineering, or a cryptic two or three-year programme. This has been damaging because a high-quality undergraduate experience is the backbone of the higher learning enterprise. It is about curating inspired and engaged citizens who are aware about the world, can think critically and solve problems. Three-fourths of American undergraduates don’t ever go to grad schools because an undergraduate education is in itself comprehensively sufficient. All this was absent in Pakistan and we wanted to create, both structurally and academically, an example of how higher education should be approached. We wanted to create a platform that was hitherto missing; in other words, a four-year, coherent, well thought out and curated programme, irrespective of the discipline a student chooses to eventually pursue. To give them a common core to allow them to understand the world, history, philosophy, languages and other key humanities, as well as scientific subjects, which are the standard for all elite-quality undergraduate programmes. So that even if students are pursuing computer sciences or engineering, they will also have a perspective that allows them to make sense of the world and contribute to it. Bachelor’s programmes have been ignored in Pakistan. Harvard has its world-famous business, law and medical schools, but the core identity of Harvard will always be Harvard College where the Bachelor’s programmes are housed. This is where the university is invested in ensuring that a high-quality intellectual and academic experience is continuously developed in order to give its students the right kind of intellectual richness.

A: Why have Bachelor’s degree programmes been ignored in Pakistan?

WR: Pakistan, like many post-colonial societies, struggled to figure out what to do with its higher education and made a bet in favour of STEM learning and creating medical schools and engineering universities, without thinking about the larger national question of developing a university system that would enable students to become engaged, informed and rooted citizens. Higher education was viewed as a utilitarian entity required to be invested in some form of economic activity. This is a rather impoverished way of looking at higher education – and from the sixties onwards, Pakistan, from a policy perspective, has remained on that path. As a result, when the private universities came along, they did not venture to change the template. The first private university in Pakistan was a medical school, the second a business school, and the third a computer science one. When we were thinking about establishing a university, we wanted to perform a modest national service by developing a well thought out model for a good undergraduate education. This is how we arrived at the clarity of providing a liberal arts programme that would allow students the curricular breadth to pursue various types of majors, whether in STEM or non-STEM, but always armed with a broader, more engaged sense of knowledge and understanding of the world.

A: What were the challenges involved in achieving this, especially given the prevailing mindset that puts a premium on a functional type of education?

WR: Some of the barriers were already crumbling because there was a general sense that things were not working out. In post-9/11 Pakistan, universities were becoming irrelevant in terms of helping our young people make sense of the world around them and questions were being raised about the relevance of our universities in a difficult world. The workplace had become more complex and employers were not happy with the product they were getting. A broader understanding was required of what it means to work in a team, work with women and have the ability to deal with critical questions, and that technical expertise alone was not sufficient. It was, in fact, a way of indirectly questioning the existing higher education framework. Having said this, we had to engage in a lot of advocacy with students, parents and employers. All three had been inculcated with a higher education template that had existed for decades. Another problem was the cynicism towards private universities. The common perception was that they were mushrooming everywhere in order to pry on the desperation among students for some sort of higher education and that they were just money-making enterprises. We had to create trust and confidence, as well as solve the important problem of access.

A: What do you mean by access?

WR: Quality higher education costs a lot of money and automatically disenfranchises 95% of potential students. Habib University made a considered decision to be the first private university, outside of the United States, that would not recover its costs from its student body. In fact, we recover a very modest amount from our students and support 85% of all our students, many of them fully. Furthermore, we made sure that half of our students came from the Matric streams. We have about 5,000 to 6,000 students applying, so we have the luxury of handpicking 300 to 350 of them. Academically, there are flaws and gaps in both the A level and FSc streams. There are content issues like writing, English language, calculus, and computer programming, which require providing students with additional support which any adequate university should be able to provide.

A: How do you overcome the gaps that may occur in the quality of the secondary education imparted to your students?

WR: This was a very serious problem because almost all the enrolment in good universities was drawn, at the very least, from an A level background. We realised that the mission of a great liberal arts education cannot be realised without great diversity in the student body and we were successful in developing ways to craft that diversity. For example, half of our classes must come from local examination board backgrounds, and the other half is open (which means that anyone can apply) – and both sides are extremely competitive. The reality is that when students enter our university, they encounter a curriculum none of them are adequately prepared for, and this creates a healthy sense of being challenged.

A: How do you respond to people expressing scepticism about the value of a liberal arts education?

WR: The idea of a liberal arts education is even more vindicated in today’s world. When everything becomes obsolete so quickly and when technical expertise can become irrelevant two years down the road, students are better off acquiring an education that enables them to be curious and active learners – and no other educational platform prepares them for this better than liberal arts. Today, students have to be good communicators; they have to be able to solve problems by bringing together communities, show empathy and be creative and analytical, and again, there is no better platform that causes students to systematically acquire these skills than a liberal arts education. Since we started, many established utilitarian institutions have been trying to introduce some dimension of liberal arts within their own curricula, if only because employers are starting to see the value of this. Take engineering as an example. There is a big disconnect between what students learn in an engineering school versus what actually takes place in the industry, and a lot of on-the-job training is required. Employers want young recruits who are good at learning, and this is the sweet spot where an institution like Habib excels. The engineers we produce are very different from the ones who come out of a pure engineering school. They are curious, articulate, thoughtful and creative, which is what employers lean towards today – the same applies to banking and other industries. We produce students with strong basics and who are not irrationally invested in a particular method, but are willing to adapt to the workplace.

A: How do you ensure that your faculty is both willing and able to keep up with new ideas and methodologies and is qualified to teach in a way that engages today’s digital native generations?

WR: This debate is taking place within all good universities around the world. How do young people make sense of the world they inhabit; one that is deeply influenced by technology and virtual experiences? Universities need to become more dynamic and they are notoriously conservative institutions. They pride themselves on inspiring young minds and understanding fundamental and profound theories that are largely immutable. The trick is to connect with students in an inspiring way that develops their ability to be curious about learning and have the capacity to adjust to a volatile world. Habib University is a 21st-century university and we have institutionalised certain things that are unique to us and which have been appreciated around the world. They include mandatory reviews of the programmes and courses that form part of our academic calendar so that everything is revised and analysed and does not become ossified. We give our faculty a great deal of freedom to do this. We have made it part of a culture that compels us to look at ourselves critically and evolve accordingly. We have been fortunate to have attracted some extraordinary academics from around the world and who have led the development of that culture.

A: Broadly speaking, how many of your faculty are Pakistani and how many are foreign?

WR: About 15% of the faculty is made up of foreigners and all 100% of them have to hold a PhD or equivalent degree from a high-quality international university. I wish it wasn’t so, but Pakistani universities have failed in their ability to develop adequate academics. Nevertheless, there is a critical mass of academics of Pakistani origin whom we are seeking to attract to Habib.

A: As a private university in Pakistan, how much freedom do you have to challenge received thinking and introduce new ways of thinking when teaching subjects that may be considered sensitive?

WR: The idea of controls and restrictions in Pakistan is overblown. As a high-quality university, we are in a good position to touch upon sensitive or controversial subjects relatively easily. This is not done in the spirit of wanting to be controversial but with a sense of sincere intellectual and academic inquiry, and in that case, there is a calmness about it, whether we are discussing the creation of Pakistan, Islam or the history of colonialism. If a topic is historically sound, it becomes the discourse we want to advance. Habib University has been reasonably effective in creating discourses that have otherwise been thought difficult.

A: Would you agree that, overall, there is a tendency to disregard the value of human capital development in Pakistan?

WR: Habib has replaced the word ‘human capital’ with ‘student centricity’. The objective is to create an institution that views its student body as an intellectual asset. This may not be the case in other universities that are only invested in the programme they are delivering, and that is an adjustment they have to make. In the workplace, while lip service is paid in terms of developing people as assets, there is not a lot of evidence about how that investment is made and this is a conversation that needs to happen between academia and industry, especially in terms of how we can give credence and visibility to the idea of people as actual assets.

A: To what extent is your liberal arts programme focused on South Asia? Conventional liberal arts programmes tend to put the emphasis on Western thinkers, philosophers, musicians, poets and so on. Have you been able to skew some of the curricula towards being more localised, and is there enough research and source material to be able to do so?

WR: This is perhaps the most fundamental dimension of Habib University’s mission. We call it epistemic reparation. A big epistemic disservice has been done by pursuing an extremely impoverished Eurocentric programme in the name of academia. We are one of the few serious universities to address this issue. Almost all of our liberal arts experience is skewed towards creating citizens who can appreciate their reality; their sense of philosophy, their art, music and poetry from the point of view of their own civilisation. This is not easy because, from an epistemic perspective, a lot has been decimated or made invisible. Thankfully, a number of scholars around the world have worked on this and created legitimate content. Some of those scholars are connected with Habib University and some are actually at Habib. So there is a way of building this back. We have a very powerful Urdu literature programme which is a requirement for all students, and a powerful South Asian music programme which is one of our most subscribed electives. In this way, we are creating a balance of content and intellectual analysis that is localised and contextual. It is also one of the reasons why we are respected in global academia. We are not a cut-and-paste university.

A: What are your priorities for the next three or four years?

WR: The first is to create student residencies so that we can enrol students from outside Karachi in larger numbers – and even outside of Pakistan – and engender even greater diversity in our student body. The second is to create mid-career and leadership capacity programmes. To this end, we are working in collaboration with Stanford University to develop a robust programme whereby the industry can have a stronger and wider stakeholding role beyond what we are already doing.

Wasif Rizvi was in conversation with Mariam Ali Baig. For feedback: aurora@dawn.com

Then last week, I suddenly started to see posts about a Turkish man who took part in the shooting competition without wearing any protective gear and actually won a silver medal. The internet was ablaze and his images went viral. People were creating memes and even professionals on LinkedIn were using his success to counter Enzo Ferrari’s quote, “No one remembers who took second place…” It seemed that this man, Yusuf Dikeç, had overshadowed the gold medallist, and that in this instance, no one did care who came first.

However, when Abraham Lincoln, in his wisdom, said, “Don’t trust everything you see on the Internet,” he was apparently right. But we were enjoying the memes, and there was even a story about how Dikeç took up the sport after his divorce and about him wanting his wife to give his dog back to him. That story was a case of Chinese whispers; it had been published as satire and was perceived as factual, although it was not.

All well and good. However, the shock came when my friend Afia Salam shared a post that added context to the story. Firstly, Dikeç won silver in a team event and his partner, who was shooting just as casually as he was, was Şevval İlayda Tarhan. She, however, did not go viral. Dikeç, for his part, has competed in every Olympics since 2008 and, as far as I can deduce, never won a medal. Furthermore, it was the better performance by Sevval that secured the silver for Turkey. Dikeç was also a former officer of the Turkish police, by the way.

I shared Afia’s post on Facebook and in the marketing group I am a member of, and this led to some interesting comments and logic. The post basically theorised that the fact he went viral and no one even spoke about Tarhan was related to gender. Some argued that he went viral because of his pizzazz. Some argued that more women at the Olympics had gone viral than men.

Seeing the virality and popularity of Dikeç and the reaction to the post led me to believe that the memes we share are related to the myths we believe in. In fact, on LinkedIn, James Crawford’s post on ‘Myths and Memes’ says, “Myths are memes and memes are myths.”

Regarding this particular story, what are the myths? The first one would be the hero myth, where a single man is the hero. The second would be the underdog, and that while we love to remind ourselves that nothing good is achieved without hard work, we secretly love stories where the underdog disrupts the competition with their style and skill, making everything look so easy. The reality is that Dikeç’s story is actually the opposite: it is about collaboration and interdependence.

Going back to the divorce story, the site Sports Memery, which first published the story, had this to say: “It’s clear I overestimated the internet’s ability to distinguish between fact and fiction.”

I would go so far as to say that the problem is not the internet; it’s us. We are amazing creatures, but we are lazy and biased. We cannot tell the difference between fact and fiction, or perhaps we do not want to. A friend once gave me an eye-opening book called The Games People Play by Dr. Eric Berne, which talked about the adult, parent, and child in each one of us and how we interact with each other.

In 2024, we need a new book or an upgraded edition that talks about the myths we believe in and the memes we share. Because the memes we share and spread are like my Barcelona badge. They represent something we cherish and value as true.

Tyrone Tellis is Senior Manager, Corporate Sales and PR, Bogo. tyrone.tellis@gmail.com

I haven’t been to Bohri Bazaar since forever (except to buy a Christmas tree last year), because now we have brands like Alkaram, Gul Ahmed, Nishat Linen, Khaadi and Sana Safinaz to satisfy most of our needs. These brands (to name a few) have diversified from being entirely about textiles to going into home furnishings and accessories – although they haven’t veered from their main forte – textiles. “It has to do with a lack of vision in understanding what lifestyle entails,” my designer friend Mohsin Sayeed told me. Sayeed, the co-founder of Pink Tree Company, says: “If you make lawn suits, you have gone into bed or table linens or you are making perfumes. But lifestyle is more than fashion. Where is the crockery? Where are the many innovative products like local makeup, shampoos or candles that are sold by small businesses on Instagram?”

Small businesses operating on Instagram are certainly having their moment. I’m always amazed by what I find – and buy – on the ‘Gram. From home-based bakery items to children’s wear, to crafts to clothes to beauty products, the local industry has a lot to offer, from the comfort of our screens.

According to local trade sources, Pakistan is the 46th largest market for e-commerce, with a revenue of $5.2 billion last year. Thanks to internet penetration coupled with increased smartphone usage, plus safer payment gateways, and of course the convenience factor, more people are buying online.

Andleeb Rana, a former editor who created her own clothing label called Bulbul in 2021, says this shift in habits stems from a sense of pride for Pakistani goods as well. The shift to the ‘Made in Pakistan’ label is “massive,” she says, adding that younger people are experimenting in local textiles and crafts. “Gone are the days when you would travel abroad and fill up your suitcases with stuff.” There is a demand, there is a variety and there is accessibility. Rana herself plans to diversify – she found great success with a limited edition of kantha rallis she made last year – but her focus this year is on the bestselling kantha jacket she creates.

Sayeed too has begun to diversify with a new label, Kitsch, creating lampshades to start with, and he plans to expand to home furnishings as well as offering interior design services.

He says Pakistan is rich with artisans and crafts, and he’s had great success working with them, but wonders why artisanal work is absent in many of the high street retailers, with the exception of Khaadi.

Khaadi, which has 45 stores in Pakistan, the UAE, the UK and the US, stepped outside textiles when it opened a café in 2021. The company now plans to open Home Café sections in flagship stores, says Tinath Saeed, Thinker, Brand Experiences, Khaadi.

“Our target audience includes not only fashion-conscious individuals but also people who value a holistic lifestyle. By launching Khaadi Home and the café, we cater to individuals and families seeking to enhance their daily living experience. Both offer unique, high-quality products and experiences that appeal to consumers looking for style, comfort and functionality in their home and dining experiences.” This is an example of what retail experiences could look like in a few years, but what about now?

I ventured to Dolmen Mall on a Sunday – thinking this would be the busiest day – to investigate. I should start with the disclaimer that I’m not a mall person, especially after the pandemic where the ease of buying online changed my habits. I went in expecting more lurkers than shoppers – given the state of the economy – and this was true for high-end boutiques, which were sparse versus high street retailers, like Sapphire, Gul Ahmed and Khaadi (the latter had long lines at checkout). Then, 10 days later, I had to go back to buy something so I went on a Monday afternoon, thinking it would be quiet, and it turned out not to be the case. I recognise this is purely anecdotal.

As a journalist, I need facts and the ones I have at hand tell me how bad the economy is. Pakistan’s inflation rate rose to 12.6% last month, up from 11.8% in May, after easing for five months, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. The IMF forecasts a 3.5% growth rate for the fiscal year 2024-25, which is a tiny bit lower than the 3.6% target the government has set.

Other signs show how this has (and will) impact retail. Zain Naeem, writing in Profit in February this year, reported that 26% of households were earning more than $10K at the end of 2022 and this figure is expected to fall to 19% in five years.

It makes sense that “consumer spending and ability to purchase products will fall.“However, even if their buying power has shrunk, consumers are still buying, albeit less. In my conversations with a lot of people to gauge their shopping habits, clothes plus home furnishings topped the most cited items, and I saw this too in my non-scientific observations at the mall.

Gul Ahmed was arguably an early mover in diversifying and offers textiles for clothes, home products, and now Western wear with their Salt brand. Shehnaz Basit, COO of Ideas, acknowledges that Gul Ahmed, like many companies, “has been impacted by economic fluctuations that influence consumer spending patterns.” She adds, however, that “proactive measures and strategic adjustments have helped Gul Ahmed navigate these difficulties.”

We tend to think of retail in terms of the big cities like Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad, but Basit says, “demand from second-tier markets forced us to open outlets in the smaller cities of the country.” They have 100+ stores now.  The diversification seems to have paid off, but can it reach a Selfridges level and should that even be a benchmark?

Aamna Haider Isani, a journalist who has covered arts and culture, especially fashion, for at least 20 years, says the expansion of these brands may not reach that level because the consumer and the middle class buying power is much lower than in Europe or other parts of the developing world – especially India. “You don’t have that middle class that is going to buy ready-to-wear or indulge in that kind of shopping, and until we get there, we won’t have a Selfridges,” she says.

But the class that does have buying power has shown excitement at the wide range of goods available for their home. According to Rana, the shift began during the pandemic, when people wanted to make their homes comfortable. “Little businesses popping up had options that were easily accessible,” she said. Women, she said, were making gorgeous linens, candles were big, young folks were experimenting in home accessories and so forth. A visit to any of the markets like The Commons or Mashion, which feature stalls by small businesses, is a testament to how much is available in the lifestyle sector.

Muna Khan researches newsroom culture in Pakistan and tweets @LedeingLady.

BDS began to attract media attention when well-known personalities, including intellectuals, politicians, musicians and scientists, declared their support, sometimes at the expense of being labelled ‘anti-Semitic’.

BDS disposed of great nuisance value, but since last year, it found wider traction in the wake of Israel’s unprecedented military campaign in Gaza, which has so far killed over 30,000 people; most of them unarmed men, women and children. As an increasing number of people began to adopt BDS tactics, the movement used social media to roll out lists of commercial brands which BDS accused of “profiting from the genocide of the Palestinian people.”

The impact of boycotting brands can be immediate, but it eventually withers away (until the next boycotting ‘trend’) and BDS is expected to suffer a similar fate. However, it is also by far the most effective movement and has left numerous giant brands nervous and unsure about how to respond.

The same has been the case in Pakistan, where some established brands manufactured by global corporate giants have suffered losses due to the recent boycott campaigns. No doubt these companies are hoping that this too shall pass, although there is every likelihood of such campaigns becoming more frequent due to governments in the ‘global north’ struggling to chalk out a convincing dual policy both appeasing and bemoaning Israeli actions. As the statistics of losses made by giant brands continue to increase, the belief in the power of brand boycotts is growing.

Global brands often ‘localise’ their products and services to suit the cultural realities of the regions they operate in. However, this has not saved them from the impact of the recent BDS wave. In fact, some brands are now trying to seed the fact (albeit quietly) that in the ‘global south’, they have created millions of new local jobs and economic opportunities. However, the locals working for these brands would love to see the brands condemn the violence in Gaza, but this is an impossibility because the brands are tightly tied to the economic and political interests of ‘pro-Israel’ corporate giants.

BDS is now organising a campaign to further strengthen boycotting sprees. Boycotts are largely emotional in nature and this is what makes them so tough to tackle. In Pakistan, many global brands have been losing business and are starting to be challenged by local brands. Of course, the impacted brands have been wise not to mention anything about the boycott. A response would only strengthen the boycott narrative. But if such boycotts become more frequent, these brands will not be able to entirely ignore these boycotts because they will impact their image and business. So, what is the way out?

Brands need to understand the sentiments of those who boycott them. Only once they do so, will they then be able to shape an appropriate strategy and message. They need to be strong enough to address the issue, but without directly referring to the boycott. Easier said than done.

When people boycott a brand (especially due to a political or humanitarian issue), they are expressing outrage – and they find alternatives to the boycotted brand and in doing so, feel they are contributing to a cause. Such acts are called ‘simulated subversion.’ Simulated subversion is when one simulates an act without actually being in the field where the actual subversion is taking place. For example, (because of Israeli atrocities in Gaza), when a person boycotts a cola giant and starts to consume a local cola brand, the person feels he/she is subverting the power of a cola giant. This is a simulated act which fills the person with the emotion of being part of something noble and powerful.

Brands facing boycotts need to shape directions and messages that trigger a similar emotion. It can’t just be about superior quality and service. When a person consumes the brand, he/she needs to feel that they are a part of something bigger and the message should not only be about instant gratification related to the product; it should be about the fulfilment of a deeper emotion.

When someone decides to drink a local cola rather than a giant cola, he/she is fulfilling a desire to punish Israel. How can boycotted brands match this? Going under the radar for a while is at best a temporary strategy – especially with the possibility of boycott campaigns becoming more frequent. Responding directly to the boycott can further exacerbate the situation. So, brands facing boycotts need to connect in a more meaningful manner, instead of continuing to depend on the rather stereotypical understanding of ‘emotion’ that dominates brand and communication strategies of most brands in Pakistan.

Nadeem F. Paracha is Head of Ideas & Research, Adcom Leo Burnett. He is also a published author and a weekly columnist for Dawn.

If you are of the rational sort, this is illogical because demography is destiny. Without large-scale immigration, most of Europe will not have enough workers to maintain healthy economies.

Immigrants are not “taking our jobs.” Quite the opposite, employment levels are high. Immigrants are doing the jobs that the native population can’t or won’t do.

The stats are startling. They tell you that European populations are not replacing themselves, and some have much, much less than the required 2.1 children per woman. Populations are ageing fast. At current rates, Japan and China will have lost 40% of their populations by the end of the century. The only cure for this is immigration, as attempts to incentivise fertility have been largely unsuccessful.

Very few politicians tell this truth for fear of being ejected by voters. But perhaps branding and communications experts can help by changing the cultural climate and the language we use. Let’s substitute the word “talent” for “immigrant,” not as some kind of trick but as a way of revealing the truth.

When I was at Google, it was like working at the United Nations. Talent from around the world was attracted to the UK and fuelled a dynamic industry of digital innovation through thousands of start-ups. Talented and expert carers and medical staff from around the world made my mother’s final years as good as they could be. I could go on.

Britain can be good at this. It was a moment of pride that Rishi Sunak’s elevation to Prime Minister as the son of South Asians passed without much comment. At a personal level, Brits are friendly and tolerant of diversity. Although our political and media culture can be ferociously xenophobic, this culture can shift. For 20 years, our tabloid papers were routinely and thoughtlessly homophobic. Now, you rarely see homophobia in the media.

The great economist John Maynard Keynes once said, “Never underestimate the power of demographic change to alter the culture of a society.” As the population ages, we have no choice but to attract more talent to the UK. People really want to come. And we should celebrate and be grateful for that. The language we use (and don’t use) is a vital tool we can use to change our culture for the better.

Julian Saunders is a strategist, writer and teacher. julians@joinedupcomy.com

In the rural areas, where resources are often limited, initiatives like the TeleSchool channel and NGO-led programmes are bringing digital education to the doorstep of the underserved. This blend of high-tech and high-touch approaches is creating a more inclusive and dynamic learning environment across Pakistan.

Parallel to these developments, parental involvement, a cornerstone in Pakistani society, is evolving beyond the confines of report cards and parent-teacher meetings. Digital channels like mobile apps and social media have changed the way parents engage with their children’s education and are fostering transparency and collaboration, ensuring that parents are not mere spectators but active participants in the academic journey of their children.

The role of educators has been one of the most impacted. Teachers are transitioning from traditional instructors using blackboards and homework to facilitators and mentors. Training in effective digital communication techniques is enabling educators to better understand and address the diverse needs of a generation inherently more connected and technologically adept.

Feedback is the cornerstone of strategic communication in education. Regular input from students, teachers and parents is indispensable for refining teaching methods and curricula. In a country as diverse as Pakistan, this feedback loop is essential to ensure that educational offerings remain adaptable, relevant and effective.

The current educational transformation is not merely about embracing new technologies. It is about fostering a new mindset towards education – one that prepares students for the complexities of a globalised world and is critical in equipping Pakistani students with the skills and knowledge necessary to thrive in the 21st century.

Hasan Saeed is Head of Strategy and Marketing, JS Bank.

Remarkably low-key for a celebrity, Ahmed is that exceptional public figure who is uncomfortable with praise and quick to credit others. Yet, within that petite frame, there resides a multitude of real life roles – a resilient single parent, a seasoned actor and a versatile professional who has seamlessly transitioned from acting into the realm of production and direction.

Characteristically, she started her journey in the world of entertainment quite unexpectedly over half a century ago. “I went with my family to visit a friend who worked at the PTV station in Lahore, and the friend asked if I wanted to act on TV.” Little did the 17-year-old Ahmed know that her simple “yes” would become the turning point of her life.

Her family had only recently moved into her grandmother’s house in Lahore after the early loss of her father. “In those days, television was a novelty. There were perhaps only 400 TV sets in all of Lahore. Dramas were aired live, which presented a unique set of challenges, as we could not afford to make mistakes.” Intimidated by the prospect of performing live, yet embracing it with unwavering courage, live acting becomes an apt metaphor for how she has lived her life. 

Yet, despite having caught the acting bug, she continued to study for a Master’s in Home Economics. “I was that child who wanted to try everything,” she says. In school, she tried her hand at various extracurricular activities. “I discovered that I could act but that I couldn’t debate.” 

Despite the initial uncertainties, her passion for acting grew. She continued to get work, and the roles grew and she secured her first lead role in Bano Qudsia’s Lagan Apni Apni, which she did while waiting for the result of her thesis.

She then decided to venture into theatre, a move that was initially met with resistance from her mother. Nevertheless, Ahmed’s determination prevailed, and delving into the world of theatre, she found the rehearsal process more enriching than television. “I like the rehearsal process in theatre; you learn a lot when you rehearse for a month,” she reflects. 

Acting in front of a live audience presented a different set of challenges, including the fear of forgetting her lines. In many ways, theatre helped hone the resilience that would see her through the trials of real life. She recalls an incident when a dog bit her foot, yet she still showed up on stage after a brief detour at the hospital. “It is not just about you. The entire team is counting on you and you cannot back out at the last minute,” she says emphatically. 

As her career progressed, so did her desire to understand the entertainment industry beyond acting. Her transition to production and direction marked a significant phase in her professional life. “I have always been very interested in other aspects of production and this is what made me decide to learn more about the business.” And here there is a gleam in her eyes as she becomes engrossed in talking about the intricacies of creating sets. You just know she can talk about this for hours.

Her production, Family Front, was a situational comedy and it made waves when it first aired. It had a four-year-long successful run, showcasing her versatility and her production know-how. Another iconic classic, Jutt and Bond, was also aired under her Lahore-based banner. However, the shift of the entertainment industry to Karachi marked the end of her production endeavours – for the time being, as she continued to dream about directing and producing. 

Talking about the success of Baby Baji, Ahmed recalls that she didn’t think there was anything remarkable about the script. “You can’t predict how the audience will react to a project.” Once on the set, though, she recalls that the cast ‘gelled’ more than usual. “Our director, Tahseen Khan, was extremely supportive. He was responsible for toning down the script – yes the script had to be toned down! – and getting it right for TV.”

“I was travelling when the series started airing so I had no idea how popular it had become, even though a few overseas Pakistanis did tell me they were watching it. Then when I landed in Karachi, someone at the airport called out to me ‘Baby Baji, we love you!’. I was taken by surprise and thrilled by the attention.”

Her selection for the global project, Ms. Marvel, is another feather in her cap. It was a notable departure as she found herself acting in English after a lifetime of performing in Urdu. “When I auditioned for the role, I didn’t know it was Ms. Marvel. I was asked to send in my audition video and was selected a month later.” She recalls director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy making the cast do endless rehearsals, but that it was worth it. “I had the chance to work with Disney and was able to represent Pakistan at Ms. Marvel’s Hollywood premiere.”

She has also been the face of various brands, although she believes she is not an obvious choice for brand ambassador. “I am usually asked to do commercials that have a storyline where I have a chance to act.”

Beyond acting, Ahmed has been involved in several social and cultural endeavours. She has served as chairperson of the United Producers Association and was a founder member of the Actors’ Association. She has been involved with several non-profit organisations that work with women. However, her love for the theatre has turned into a genuine passion and at the moment she is researching and writing a book on the history of Pakistani theatre since Partition. 

A devoted mother, she has raised her son and daughter single-handedly, albeit assisted by “good house help and supportive friends.” When she was working at the Alhamra Arts Council in Lahore, she would sometimes take her children to work. “I was fortunate to be able to take my children along with me and this helped with the daily juggle.” Her children now live in Canada. “My grandchildren say they are cousins with Ms. Marvel because I am their naani and also her naani,” she says with a twinkle in her eye. She has also famously found love again in her seventies, marrying acclaimed actor Manzar Sehbai, their union reflecting a shared passion for the arts.

As she continues to navigate the diverse facets of her family and her craft, in the corner of her living room there stands a table with a collection of trophies that stand as a quiet testament to her 52-year professional journey. The Pride of Performance Award is the crown jewel in her collection, although every trophy is a story of the dedication and resilience that define Samina Ahmed’s legacy. And a reminder that along with her own achievements, they are also a testament to her contribution to Pakistan’s cultural landscape.

Shahrezad Samiuddin works in communications and is an agony aunt.
shahrezadsamiuddin@hotmail.com

Due to the complicated relationship between the two neighbouring countries, we didn’t hear of any Pakistanis who got a seat at the wedding. Yet, the presence of Bollywood celebs in stunning Pakistani designs kind of made up for it. It was fashion diplomacy at its finest, showcasing the influence of Pakistani fashion on the world stage.

Pakistan’s fashion parade started with Bollywood’s sweetheart, Alia Bhatt, who graced the Sangeet ceremony in a jaw-dropping black lehenga by Faraz Manan. Known for blending tradition with a modern twist, Manan’s design was a dazzling masterpiece of embroidery and elegance. Bhatt was a showstopper, and every stitch of her outfit screamed ‘couture perfection’. This wasn’t a dress; it was a statement: Pakistani designers are here, and they are turning heads.

At the pre-wedding bash held in March of this year, Bollywood stars Ranbir Kapoor, Arjun Kapoor, Mira Rajput, and Sonam Kapoor made a bold and stylish statement by opting for Pakistani designers. Their choices at this high-profile event showcased the crossover appeal of South Asian couture on the global stage.

Ranbir Kapoor dazzled in a custom Faraz Manan tuxedo, Arjun Kapoor turned heads in a green embellished coat by the same designer and Mira Rajput embraced Manan’s elegance in an ivory co-ord set. Sonam Kapoor added to the mix with a chic ensemble from Hussain Rehar’s Jugnu line.

Fast forward to the main wedding event and actor Sara Ali Khan, the daughter of Bollywood royalty Saif Ali Khan and Amrita Singh, continued the trend, showcasing two outfits by Iqbal Hussain for the Shubh Vivah and Shubh Aashirwad ceremonies. For the Shubh Vivah, she twirled in an olive green anarkali, a nod to South Asian bridal tradition. Later, she wowed everyone in a golden lehenga that looked like it was dipped in pure sunshine, complete with a long frock that oozed sophistication. Sara’s choice of Iqbal Hussain showcased the timeless beauty and versatility of Pakistani couture, even though it’s a little annoying that she didn’t give credit to the designer on social media. Hussain’s creation deserved the applause.

Kiara Advani was another Bollywood sensation who chose another Manan creation. Her gown featured a corset-like top adorned with crystals and shiny beads, giving it a sparkling finish. The outfit highlighted Manan’s impeccable craftsmanship, as Advani shimmered through the night, leaving a trail of fashion envy in her wake.

Manan was clearly the man of the hour. He dressed not only Alia Bhatt and Kiara Advani but also some of the most talked-about men at the wedding. Indian cricket sensation Hardik Pandya sported Manan’s signature ensemble, featuring a dreamy mix of golden and powder-pink hues. It was the perfect blend of classic and contemporary styles. Even the Punjabi singer AP Dhillon joined the Manan fan club, looking dapper and stylish.

The presence of Pakistani designers at such a high-profile wedding shows how fashion can bridge cultures and create a positive fusion of traditions. These designers are weaving their way into the hearts (and wardrobes) of Bollywood celebrities worldwide, celebrating the rich tapestry of South Asian fashion.

The inclusion of Pakistani designers at the Ambani wedding is a testament to their creativity, craftsmanship and growing influence in the fashion world. As these designers continue to dazzle the global stage, the future of Pakistani fashion looks bright. Here’s to more beautiful fusions and fabulous outfits on red carpets everywhere!

Shahrezad Samiuddin works in communications and is an agony aunt. shahrezadsamiuddin@hotmail.com