For over a decade, typicallytwice a year, I foundmyself anticipating adifferent kind of work.
It was a welcome escape fromthe routine, a chance to delveinto research and analyticalthinking. This was Aurora time.In the middle of the year, thefocus of my article would be onthe national budget, a topic Iinitially engaged with thanks toMariam Ali Baig, Aurora’s editor.She nudged me to cover itsimplications for the advertisingindustry, prompting me to dustoff economic concepts frommy college days. The analysisfor the article also helped meunderstand the impact on mybusiness. The second article,generally centred on a prevailingindustry trend, served as anopportunity to expand myknowledge base.
From my initial contribution, acertain pressure emerged.
I felt an Aurora articlerequired a specific standard. Ithad to be both insightful andauthentic. The high bar reflectsthe editorial quality maintainedby the publication. Unlike theplethora of content platforms,which lean towards being selfpromotional echo chambers forbrands and individuals, Auroraavoided this commerciallylucrative path and maintained itseditorial integrity. Its pages donot feature overtly commercialcontent. Instead, the editorialcontent is meticulously plannedand its content carefully curated.
This commitment hasestablished Aurora as thedefinitive journal for Pakistan’smarketing and advertisingindustry for nearly three decadesand I feel honoured to have beena regular contributor. Beyond itsthematic features, the interviews,trend analyses and particularlythe annual issue’s data andpredictions delivered unique andvaluable content. I often use thedata from the annual issue inmy presentations.
Specialised publicationslike Aurora are instrumentalin the development andprofessionalisation of anindustry. By curating insightfulanalyses, showcasing bestpractices, and highlighting keytrends and challenges, theyfoster a collective knowledge base. This, in turn, cultivatesa more informed professionalcommunity, enabling betterdecision-making, encouragingnew ideas, and ultimatelycontributing to the industry’sevolution and growth.
Aurora, through its commitmentto authentic content, hasserved this foundational rolefor Pakistan’s marketing andadvertising industry.
The decision to ceasepublication, both in print andonline, underscores the mountingpressures on specialised tradejournals. The escalating cost ofphysical printing, combined withthe exponential growth of digitalcontent and the associateddiminishing attention spans, hasnecessitated pivots.
Global journals like Ad Ageand Adweek illustrate this shift.While still dependent on adrevenue, they are increasinglydriving paid subscriptions byoffering premium content through value additions. Adweek, forinstance, integrates dedicatedspace for major events likeCannes Lions and expandsits reporting into commerceand technology; Ad Age offerssubscribers exclusive accessto its data centre, providinginvaluable industry reports andspecialised analyses.
Considering Aurora’sestablished brand reputationand its rich content archive, ithas the potential to evolve intoa more expansive platform. Thedata from its annual issue cantransform into an interactiveonline offering, facilitatingdynamic trend analysis. Additionalcurated data through partnershipswith research companies couldbe offered behind a paywall.It would benefit segments likeSMEs that are not able to affordindependent custom research. Inaddition, a searchable repositoryfor campaigns, a job board, anagency tracker detailing media pitches, and a directory ofservice providers are all potentialareas for expansion. Strategiccollaborations with other contentproviders or partnerships forindustry awards, such as theEffies, webinars or podcastscould further amplify its reachand utility. Or revive theAurora Awards!
While Aurora’s closure marksthe end of an era, I hope it isa temporary pause. Until thehoped-for revival, let’s celebrateAurora’s profound contributionto Pakistan’s marketing andadvertising industry and expressour gratitude to the incrediblepeople behind it led by MariamAli Baig. Wish you all the best!
“The pain of parting is nothingto the joy of meeting again.” – Charles Dickens
Amin Rammal is a marketingtechnology enthusiast and Director,Asiatic Public Relations. amin.rammal@gmail.com