Talking Heads
Aurora polled Pakistan’s leading agency, media and corporate heads on their thoughts about the evolution of advertising over the last seven decades in Pakistan with the focus on iconic brands, memorable campaigns and industry pioneers who shaped the advertising industry in Pakistan.
1 What are the top three achievements that Pakistan’s advertising industry can be proud of?
2 Name three individuals whom you believe have made a significant contribution to the advertising industry in the last 70 years.
3 In the last 70 years, name the three Pakistani brands you consider to be the most iconic and why.
Here's what they had to say
Numan Nabi Ahmed
CEO, The Brand Partnership
1 For growing from a profession into an industry (it has taken quantum leaps over the last 70 years in every sphere of the business). For having helped the media in Pakistan grow by providing quality HR, a very important component in the development of the media. The top names in the media industry in strategy, marketing and content production are mostly from advertising agencies. For improving the quality of advertising and helping to build local brands such as Peek Freans, Kolson Slanty, Shezan, Muslim Commercial Bank, QMobile, Tapal, Rose Petal, Milkpak, Hilal, Habib Oil, Jam-e-Shireen, National Foods, Express Detergent and Polka. These brands were built on stable foundations that were the result of strategies (trends) and not simply tactics (fads).
2 S.H. Hashmi (Founder, Orient Advertising, now Orientm McCann Erickson). Javed Jabbar (co-Founder, MNJ). Taher A. Khan (Founder and Chairman, Interflow Communications). All made a significant contribution to the advertising industry. Each one ruled the scene for at least a decade and added a new dimension to the industry, giving it a boost at critical stages. Hameed Haroon (CEO, The Dawn Media Group) for playing a critical role in helping the industry develop.
3 National Masala. Rose Petal. Dentonic. TeeJays for having an impact on the lifestyles of Pakistanis and serving as a platform for innovation.
Shahnoor Ahmed
Chairman & CEO, Spectrum Y&R
1 For building strong home-grown brands which gave multinational companies a run for their money. For using the power of communication to bring positive social change and improve lives. For embracing new technologies to create work that has enhanced Pakistan’s profile in domestic and international markets.
2 Imran Mir (Founder, The Circuit, now Circuit DraftFCB). Javed Jabbar (co-Founder, MNJ). Mariam Ali Baig (Editor, Aurora).
3 Tapal for building a house of brands that are the ambassadors for the different cultures of Pakistan. Bonus Tristar for giving lower SECs access to a modern lifestyle. Easypaisa for the financial inclusion of millions of unbanked people.
Sohail Aziz
CEO, Message Communications
1 For encouraging clients to break the barriers of a traditional mindset. For becoming a self-sufficient industry; a slow but definite deviation from formula-driven work.
2 Raihan Merchant (Founder and Chairman, M Holdings). Masood Hashmi (President, Orientm McCann Erickson). Taher A. Khan (Founder and Chairman, Interflow Communications).
3 Qarshi for retaining brand loyalty despite the entry of other competitors. Shan Foods for revolutionising the way Pakistanis at home and abroad cook. Khaadi for becoming the brand everyone wants to be.
Muhammad Arif Bumbia
CEO, Fab Communications
1 Print media advertising initially launched by DAWN and Jang. Radio Pakistan. PTV for kicking off TV advertising.
2 Taher A. Khan (Founder and Chairman, Interflow Communications). S.H. Hashmi (Founder, Orient Advertising, now Orientm McCann Erickson). Ziauddin Jaddi (former Controller Sales, PTV).
3 Dentonic. Tibet. Hamdard.
Aleem Durrani
CEO, Media Pulse
1 For a growth that continues to be in line with global trends. For reshaping and directing the local ad industry to match evolving audiences.
2 Every decade has had its fair share of ad gurus whose work turned brands into behemoth proportions.
2 Tapal Danedar for being synonymous with Pakistan’s love of tea. Habib Oil for being part of every household and a trusted name for decades. Easypaisa for being synonymous with branchless and mobile banking, transforming the financial services landscape and giving hundreds of thousands of unbanked Pakistanis access to financial solutions.
Faraz Maqsood Hamidi
Co-Founder, Partner & Chief Creative Officer, The D’Hamidi Partnership
1 For migrating from a cottage community into a parallel industry made up of business and creative professionals. For becoming a viable career for young people interested in commercial and communication arts. For being poised for the next creative leap, as local brands discover the power of identity and brand design.
2 Javed Jabbar (co-Founder, MNJ) for being the iconic copywriter to whom we owe our only decade of creative revolution. Imran Mir (Founder, The Circuit, now Circuit DraftFCB) for being the classic art director; for his love of design, his passion for typography and his eye for a line that draws the heart. Adil Mirza (co-founder, The D’Hamidi Partnership) for his burning belief in dreams, turning the impossible into the obvious and breaking all the rules.
3 PIA for surviving the onslaught of nepotism, prevailing against the clouds of disruption and flying high when the chances were low. Rooh Afza for 100 years of authenticity and 100 years of the same herbal recipe, loved equally by all generations. Hashmi Surma for 200 years of integrity, 200 years of empathy and 200 years of curative application and seductive beauty.
Faraz Hasan
CEO, Publicis Pakistan
1 For finding an identity. For being worth billions and helping employ people across a wide spectrum. For providing an international platform for women. The number of women in advertising and brands today is a testament to the freedom that the industry has brought.
2 Almost everyone in advertising has had an impact. Every person has nurtured and grown the following generations. The contribution of all the people in the industry is to be applauded.
3 Lipton Tea for being a brand almost every household in Pakistan associates with. Dalda for being a brand every Pakistani can relate to. PIA for being the brand everyone loves to hate. No matter what it is or was, it is still the most iconic representation of Pakistan.
Jawad Humayun
Chairman, Channel 7
1 For the sheer resilience and strength in an unpredictable business environment. For injecting a sense of belief in the minds of consumers. The feel-good factor that is the essence of any worthwhile campaign, has shaped the mindset of every Pakistani, especially in the last 30 years. For developing brand top-of-mind recall. This has played a key role in economic growth. For unprecedented growth – a reflection of the mantra that ‘advertising does get results’ and Pakistan is no exception.
2 Shahzad Nawaz (Founder, Imagineer, Change Artist and Communication Advocate, Shahzad Nawaz Design). Taher A. Khan (Founder and Chairman, Interflow Communications). Javed Jabbar (co-Founder, MNJ).
3 Rooh Afza for being one of the biggest brands in the history of Pakistan. ‘Mashroob-e-Mashriq’ is one of the most powerful brand positioning statements ever created. Gul Ahmed for setting the standard for some of the most creative advertising campaigns in the 90s. Moblink/Jazz for establishing a loyal customer base. This brand set the tone for some of the best campaigns in the telecom industry.
Seema Jaffer
CEO, Bond Advertising
1 For making strides as a robust business worth Rs 80 billion from a zero beginning in 1947. For engaging some of the finest minds in Pakistan and being a source of employment and support to great artists such as Bashir Mirza, numerous writers, composers, singers and actors. For being a creative springboard. For being adaptive in nature, therefore enabling it to be perfectly positioned to leapfrog into the digital era.
2 S.H. Hashmi (Founder, Orient Advertising, now Orientm McCann Erickson). Jamshed Qureshi (Founder, Bond Advertising). Javed Jabbar (co-Founder, MNJ).
3 Rooh Afza for ‘Mashroob-e-Mashriq’ which has become a cultural icon representing home to every Pakistani. A symbol of eastern hospitality and tradition, refreshment and Ramzan. A brand steeped in our values and traditions. Pakola for being the ultimate Pakistani cola and withstanding the test of time in the face of competition by global colas. A patriotic identity and unique colour and taste make it a true Pakistani icon. Habib Bank for epitomising financial strength and trust and spawning new banks in the form of HBL, Bank AL Habib, Habib AG Zurich and Habib Metropolitan.
Umair Kazi
Partner, Ishtehari
1 For lining up ever-increasing, enthusiastic graduates outside agency doors. For the rise of the activation industry, which has provided a livelihood to a large number of young people – especially women. For having retained its ‘given enough money, nothing is impossible’ attitude.
2 Taher A. Khan (Founder and Chairman, Interflow Communications) for a new generation of advertisers and agencies.
3 Burnol for breaking into the cultural lexicon so fiercely that the 2017 generation still uses the brand reference perfectly. Pakola for its (unintended) cult following that has weathered the ages. Pepsi for its genre-defining work with sports and music across the decades.
Shahvaar Ali Khan
CEO, COO & Managing Partner, Farigh Four
1 For the iconic jingles that created brand recall (‘Amma Tullo Mein Pakao’, ‘Ae Khuda Mere Abbu’, ‘Nauras Le Kar Ghar Aana’, ‘Chai Chahiye’). For the emotional communication that represents a Pakistani ethos (old Milkpak ads, current Shaukat Khanum ads and Nesvita). For the newfound, original Pakistani humour (Ufone).
2 Javed Jabbar (co-Founder, MNJ) for being everyone’s guru. Jamal Mir (Managing Director, Prestige/GREY Communications) for leading the way in making commercials in Bombay and enhancing production benchmarks locally. Shoaib Mir (former Creative Director) for being one of the most intellectual copywriters to date and giving us memorable slogans. Matin Khan (former Design Director) for revamping design and for revolutionising packaging concepts across categories. Ahsan Rahim (filmmaker) and Faisal Qureshi (actor and TVC director) for giving Pakistan an original genre of advertising humour. Taher A. Khan (Founder and Chairman, Interflow Communications) for everything.
3 Nesvita for being an optimistic symbol of Pakistani women empowerment – ‘Bones Strong Toh Mein Strong’. Shaukat Khanum Hospital for giving hope and bringing emotion to Pakistani advertising. Ufone for humour that has never been done better in Pakistan. It is synonymous with Ufone.
Ahsen Idris
CEO, Blitz Advertising
1 For phenomenal growth (in the 2000s when given the opportunity, advertising and media took a giant leap forward) and helping businesses grow in the process. For awareness about real issues (women empowerment, malnutrition, personal hygiene and population control). For original content (Coke Studio has led the way, and in sports entertainment, PSL is great content).
2 Javed Jabbar (co-Founder, MNJ) for the campaigns he conceived; some of them so powerful that if we ran them now they would still have the potential of scoring high in terms of ingenuity of idea, relevance and affinity. Raihan Merchant (Founder and Chairman, M Holdings) for changing the face of media planning and buying in Pakistan when no one else had a clue about how to plan and buy media.
3 Tapal for having the nerve and doing the hard work to establish a brand able to compete against Lipton. Sooper for being the biggest brand in its category. Tarang for being the fastest brand to reach the billion-rupee club.
Azam Jalal Khan
CEO, Digitz
1 For promoting women empowerment through advertising. For a bolder approach to societal issues and raising awareness (more can be done). For developing content platforms such as Coke Studio.
2 Naseer Haider (Executive Director, International Advertising Limited, now IAL Saatchi & Saatchi). Asim Raza (filmmaker). Javed Jabbar (co-Founder, MNJ).
3 Coca-Cola. Pepsi. Lipton.
Shakeel Khokar
CEO, Interflow Communications
1 For bringing in international agency brands. For creating a professional environment and processes.
2 C.A. Rauf (Founder, Lintas, now MullenLowe Rauf) for his entrepreneurship. Javed Jabbar (co-Founder, MNJ) for being a great mind at work when writing copy. Taher A. Khan (Founder and Chairman, Interflow Communications) for changing the game by his business and creative wit. He is perhaps the only adman to have launched the largest number of successful, integrated media and communication companies.
3 HBL for having grown and changed with the times, while always being there. Dalda for bringing a mother’s love to the table. Mitchell’s for being present in most households in Pakistan.
Jamal Mir
Managing Director, Prestige/GREY Communications
1 Local film directors for enhancing the quality of film production. Design institutions for improving the quality of design through their graduates. Global affiliations for being mutually beneficial partnerships and providing opportunities for growth.
2Javed Jabbar (co-Founder, MNJ) for organising AdAsia ’89 in Lahore and putting Pakistan’s ad industry on the world map. Taher A. Khan (Founder and Chairman, Interflow Communications) for initiating the diversification of the agency’s role. Asim Raza (filmmaker) and Asad ul Haq (filmmaker) for raising the standards of quality in Pakistani film productions.
3 Sooper for maintaining the highest sales and brand equity for 14 years. HBL for being a leading bank that has withstood the test of time. Tapal for successfully competing with Lipton.
Asim Naqvi
CEO, Ogilvy & Mather Pakistan
1 Nothing.
2 C.A. Rauf (founder, Lintas, now MullenLowe Rauf) and Taher A. Khan (Founder and Chairman, Interflow Communications).
3 Shan, Supreme and Peek Freans for withstanding the test of time, maintaining their appeal to their target audiences and delivering memorable campaigns that live in the hearts and minds of people.
Mahmood Parekh
CE, MCM Advertising
1 For hosting the Ad Asia in Lahore in 1989, bringing delegates from across the globe and boosting Pakistan’s image. For the revival of the Pakistan Advertising Association (PAA). For the introduction of specialisation.
2 Credit should be given to the CEOs of all ad agencies who played a key role in advertising in Pakistan.
3 Tapal for being a leading household brand. DAWN and Jang for having emerged as iconic and household brands and playing an important role in marketing brands and Pakistan’s image.
Shoaib Qureshy
CEO, BE DDB
1 For trying hard to catch up with the world standards and attracting better talent. For gaining global and regional recognition.
2 Javed Jabbar (co-Founder, MNJ). Taher A. Khan (Founder and Chairman, Interflow Communications). Javed Wahedna (Managing Director, Wahedna D'Arcy). As all three were creatives, not suits.
3 Lipton. Pepsi. Dalda.
Khalid Rauf
Chairman & CEO, MullenLowe Rauf
1 For helping to nurture, grow and develop the media industry in the same way they have, in turn, supported us. For providing a base for creativity to shine – agencies were often the environment for creative talent to find training and a voice, especially in the pioneering days. For embracing new technology in ways that have reshaped and redefined the way we work.
2 C.A. Rauf (Founder, Lintas, now MullenLowe Rauf) for establishing the iconic Lintas brand, now the MullenLowe Rauf Group. Javed Jabbar for co-founding MNJ, one of the industry’s first creative ‘hot shops’.
3 Dalda for growing with the nation and with generations of mothers; remaining relevant and never forgetting that mamta is timeless. Surf for being the first brand to take the laundry experience from a soap bar to a powder. Surf Excel for being the first brand to create a positive image for ‘dirt’ with the ‘Dirt Is Good’ platform.
Ali Rez
Regional Creative Director (Middle East and Pakistan), BBDO
1 Winning Gold at Cannes Lions. Twice. Developing the fastest growing retail market in the world. Using advertising media to influence social behaviour and good causes.
2 The duo of Javed Jabbar and Majeed Ahmed (co-Founders, MNJ) for setting the bar high on creativity. Taher A. Khan (Founder and Chairman, Interflow Communications) for expanding the reach of TV through channels. The creative department at BBDO for putting Pakistan on the map at international award shows.
3 Shan masala for possibly being Pakistan’s most iconic brand internationally. PIA for being the resilient fighter that refuses to be grounded. Rooh Afza. For its stickiness; literally.
Ali A. Rizvi
CEO, What’s Next Entertainment
1 For establishing multiple advertising bodies; none of them operational. For introducing Peoplemeters as Pakistan’s TV audience measurement tool.
2 S.M. Akhlaq (Founder, Adcom, now Adcom Leo Burnett) having the vision to establish a creative agency in 1965. Javed Jabbar (co-Founder, MNJ) for introducing the industry to modern day advertising. Taher A. Khan (Founder and Chairman, Interflow Communications) for putting Pakistan advertising on the global map.
3 Tapal for starting as a single shop and becoming Pakistan’s most popular brand in tea, giving international tea brands a run for their money along the way. Shan Foods for making homemade recipes in Soldier Bazaar and finding their way to kitchen cabinets across the world. QMobile for becoming Pakistan’s largest selling mobile brand in a short time span and taking market share from global giants such as Nokia and Samsung.
Kamran Sarfaraz
Director Operations, Arey Wah
1 For creating engaging content. For integrating new media, such as digital and OOH, and increasing campaign effectiveness. For bringing social issues like women empowerment to the fore.
2 Javed Jabbar (co-Founder, MNJ). Taher A. Khan (Founder and Chairman, Interflow Communications). S. Zaheeruddin Ahmed (COO, iDcreations). Anwar Rammal (co-Founder, Asiatic).
3 Peek Freans for consistently good advertising. Lux for using celebrities effectively and creating mass appeal for the brand. Ufone for their entertaining and humorous content.
Abdul Qadir Shah
CEO, Connect Marketing Communications
1 For indirectly educating the nation, entertaining people through platforms such as Coke Studio and driving social change on important subjects such as special needs, HIV/AIDS and hepatitis.
2 S.H. Hashmi (Founder, Orient Advertising, now Orientm McCann Erickson). Javed Jabbar (co-Founder, MNJ). Ahsan Rahim (filmmaker).
3 Tapal for enjoying the lion’s share of the market despite international competition. Dalda for its home-grown appeal, emotional advertising and catchy slogan. Khaadi for spinning Pakistan a global success story.
Zohare Ali Shariff
CEO, Asiatic Public Relations Network
1 For the promotion of family and cultural values.
2 Anwar Rammal (co-Founder, Asiatic). Taher A. Khan (Founder and Chairman, Interflow Communications). S.H. Hashmi (Founder, Orient Advertising, now Orientm McCann Erickson). All pioneered advertising in Pakistan, introduced innovations, developed industry standards and ethics, and trained thousands of young people into becoming solid advertising professionals.
3 National Foods for being a local brand that has maintained top-of-mind recall for three generations. Coke Studio for being a Pakistani phenomenon and a brand by itself, engaging tens of millions of people year-on-year. Khaadi for its rapid rise to iconic status, based on a relatively modest ad spend, but invoking a high level of public interest, love, admiration and following.
Imran Syed
CEO, Adcom Leo Burnett
1 For consistently reflecting modern, social and economic trends without alienating Pakistan’s largely conservative environment. For becoming a platform where all kinds of contemporary arts and artists could launch their careers and stay commercially relevant. For portraying what young Pakistanis think.
2 C.A. Rauf (Founder, Lintas, now MullenLowe Rauf) for introducing the concept of a multinational advertising agency in Pakistan. Anwar Rammal (co-Founder, Asiatic) for introducing the idea of an advertising agency as a large corporate entity in Pakistan. Both set a benchmark for advertising professionalism. S.M. Akhlaq (Founder, Adcom, now Adcom Leo Burnett) for having consistently strived to push the bar and set new standards of creative excellence in our industry across the decades.
3 Tapal for successfully challenging the hegemony of corporate giants such as Lipton. Honda Motorcycles for moulding their advertising and messaging to the context of Pakistan’s culture and becoming almost entirely Pakistani in essence. I wish the third was brand ‘Pakistan’... but alas.
Ammar Ahmed
Head of Marketing, Near East, HMD Global (Nokia)
1 For developing an industry with production and post-production facilities and resources able to deliver slick production values, despite the lack of cinematic and musical production expertise. For generating technical prowess without a backbone. For the PAS Awards, which have pushed brands, ad agencies and creative houses to document their campaigns and communication efforts and making them research and result oriented.
2 Javed Jabbar (co-Founder, MNJ). Anwar Rammal (co-Founder, Asiatic). Taher A. Khan (Founder and Chairman, Interflow Communications).
3 Rooh Afza for ‘Mashroob-e-Mashriq’. Tapal for giving an MNC competitor a run for their money and becoming a household staple. Khaadi for showing Pakistan how to organise retail and turn it into a brand.
Muhammad Amin
CEO, Sunridge Foods
1 For the constantly improving quality of advertising; we now see more creative and bold concepts. For the production quality of TV commercials which is comparable to any other country. For scientifically planned media planning. For rapid, significant progress in digital.
2 Imran Mir (Founder, The Circuit, now Circuit DraftFCB) for being the architect of some very successful local brands. Taher A. Khan (Founder and Chairman, Interflow Communications) for taking the advertising industry to a new level. Asim Raza (filmmaker) for setting a new benchmark in the quality of production.
3 Shan Foods for becoming the identity of Pakistan the world over. It is a leader in its category and a pioneer in developing recipe mixes. Tapal for being the most successful local brand. Dalda for being known for generations and still the leader in its category.
Noaman Asar
Country Manager Pakistan, Kantar Millward Brown
1 For creating unforgettable songs that have lived in our memories. For introducing humour in the communication. In this respect, Ufone revolutionised our communications from a song-and-dance platform to a story-based approach. For the quality of Ramzan advertising; Olper’s started it and brands like Meezan and Shan followed suit.
2 Javed Jabbar (co-Founder, MNJ). Taher A. Khan (Founder and Chairman, Interflow Communications). Anwar Rammal (co-Founder, Asiatic).
3 HBL for starting as a private enterprise and maintaining its image during the era of nationalisation. For having withstood the test of time and becoming a brand that Pakistanis are proud of. Shan and National Foods for revolutionising cooking in Pakistan and bringing convenience to the Pakistani diaspora. Olper’s for positioning itself on positive imageries and differentiation.
Naveed Asghar
Chief Marketing Officer, HBL
1 For the improved quality of advertising and communication. The influx of educated and well-trained directors has helped make the industry ever more dynamic. Consumers have become savvier and keep advertisers on their toes by bashing below-quality advertising on social media.
2 Anwar Rammal for co-founding one of the most successful advertising agencies – Asiatic Advertising (now JWT), which transformed the advertising scene. Javed Jabbar (co-Founder, MNJ) for revolutionising the creative and production value of advertising, markedly with his brilliance in conceptualisation.
3 HBL for being one of the brands to have been there since the inception of Pakistan; for evolving immensely and securing an iconic place in the banking industry. Tapal for symbolising the tradition and hospitality associated with the tea drinking culture. Sooper for its unforgettably catchy, jingle-based advertising and for leaving audiences entertained and communicating the brand’s essence on point.
Ahmad Ghulamhussain
CEO, Agro Processors and Atmospheric Gases
1 For moving away from typical glamorous ads to real situations which consumers can relate to better. For a radical improvement in production quality. For more sophisticated and data-based media planning which have opened new avenues for smaller brands.
2 Shahnoor Ahmed (Chairman & CEO, Spectrum Y&R). Anwar Rammal (co-Founder, Asiatic). Dara Bashir (CEO, Manhattan International).
3 Soya Supreme and Tapal for standing up to multinational competition. Khaadi for creating a revolution in the fabric and clothing industry. Geo for making a breakthrough in satellite TV transmission.
Ali Habib
Head of Corporate Affairs & Marketing, UBL
1 For making TV advertising (in the initial days of PTV) the common glue for public discourse from Gwadar to Gilgit. For making Urdu the dominant language of communication. For production values that match the best in the world.
2 Omar Kureishi (Founder, Interglobe Communications) for making PIA a global brand. Javed Jabbar (co-Founder, MNJ). Taher A. Khan (Founder and Chairman, Interflow Communications).
3 PIA for being Pakistan to the world. PIA was Pakistan, Pakistan was PIA. Nimco, a small shop in Saddar, Karachi, for becoming synonymous for the entire category of savoury snacks. Servis Shoes, a quintessentially Pakistani brand, for being part of growing up for a generation of Pakistanis.
Moieed Javeed
Chief Commercial Officer, Zong
1 Coke Studio, Pakistan Super League and Lux Style Awards for being initiatives that shot to unprecedented heights, inextricably linking the brand to the platform. The best aspect is that they introduced new talent and effectively placed Pakistan on the global map.
2 Nadeem-uz-Zaman (Marketing Director, Coca-Cola South Africa) for turning Coke Studio into an international best practice. Faraz Maqsood Hamidi (co-Founder, Partner and Chief Creative Officer, The D’Hamidi Partnership) for bettering the local industry through a plethora of brand launches and revitalisations. Raihan Merchant (Founder and Chairman, M Holdings) for being the most influential media mogul, instrumental in institutionalising the media sector.
3 Rooh Afza, Tapal and Khaadi for being game-changers. No Pakistani, anywhere in the world, thinks twice about drinking Rooh Afza in Ramzan. Tapal effectively cut off its competitors’ roots by switching customer attention to Danedar. Khaadi innovated retail fashion by putting designer clothes within the reach of the ordinary consumer and has grown to have an international presence.
Rizwan U. Khan
GM (Pakistan and Afghanistan), The Coca-Cola Export Corporation
1 For its exponential growth and capacity to adapt to technological change. For its creative excellence and thought leadership (a prime example is Coke Studio, a platform for Pakistanis to portray their talent globally).
2 Ali Akbar (Sparkling Marketing Director, Coca-Cola MENA BU) for taking Coke’s brand equity into a new dimension. S.H. Hashmi (Founder, Orient Advertising, now Orientm McCann Erickson) for being a pioneer of the industry. Asim Raza (filmmaker) for inspirational creativity and professionalism.
3 Coca-Cola for its success in developing Coke Studio. Mobilink/Jazz for being able to revolutionise the way we communicate and connect. Nestlé for its nationwide trust and everlasting commitment to providing high-quality food products.
Shahzeb Mahmood
CEO, Reckitt Benckiser Pakistan
1 For channelling and powering CSR initiatives through brands. For executing massive on-ground activations (such as Global Handwashing Day by Dettol). For the massive explosion of growth in digital, taking away a fair share of spend from traditional mediums.
2 Hameed Haroon (CEO, The Dawn Media Group) for spearheading the nation’s largest newspaper DAWN, while contributing to the industry as president of the APNS. Javed Jabbar (co-Founder, MNJ) for being unarguably one of the torchbearers of Pakistan’s advertising industry and for developing a policy framework for media affairs in Pakistan. Taher A. Khan (Founder and Chairman, Interflow Communications) for being a pioneer in the advertising industry over the past three decades.
3 Coke for maintaining its grasp on urban consumers while establishing a platform as unique as Coke Studio. Dettol (and I say this with no bias) for being the first choice of mothers to protect their growing children. Nestlé PureLife for becoming a household symbol of trust.
Dr Zeelaf Munir
MD & CEO, EBM
1 For the local brands that successfully challenged bigger, international brands through a better understanding of local consumer needs.
2 Khawar Masood Butt (Chairman, EBM) for making EBM (one of Pakistan’s leading national FMCG brands), a pioneer in TV advertising and sports sponsorship. For helping National Foods conceptualise the idea of marketing packaged spices for the first time in Pakistan. Taher A. Khan (Founder and Chairman, Interflow Communications) for being among the first to introduce integrated marketing communications. Javed Jabbar (co-Founder, MNJ) for conceptualising iconic campaigns such as the Peek Freans Pied Piper and ‘Gold Leaf – For the Taste Alone’, and for heading AdAsia 89 and placing Pakistan’s ad industry on the international map.
3 HBL for making a strategic shift to corporate branding and rebranding by using cultural insights to cement itself as Pakistan’s leading consumer bank. Sooper for winning accolades from consumers across all age groups and becoming Pakistan’s number one biscuit. Dalda for its strong positioning over the years by consistently owning the platform of ‘Jahan Mamta Wahan Dalda’ and building the highest recall in the minds of consumers.
Bruno Olierhoek
Managing Director, Nestlé
1 For the use of analytics to drive relevant campaigns. For the shift towards social media marketing. For the ability to use a simple message to connect with the audience and influence lives.
2 S.M. Akhlaq (Founder, Adcom, now Adcom Leo Burnett). Khalid Rauf (Chairman and CEO, MullenLowe Rauf). Taher A. Khan (Founder and Chairman, Interflow Communications).
3 Nestlé Milkpak, Surf Excel and Pampers for being referred to as substitutes for their categories. All three are household names and were instrumental in shaping their respective categories.