As I always say, creative minds or any designer worth their salt can’t help but judge every design, good or bad. It’s built into me. While driving past billboards, dodging traffic and honking horns, I can’t stop staring at fonts so big they deserve their own zip code. Brands are shouting, celebrities are smiling, and I’m here to figure out what’s genius… and what’s just chaos in fluorescent ink.
Jetour – Dashing
This one is for a car-obsessed nation, people who measure masculinity, success and sometimes personality in cubic centimetres and chrome. The billboard does exactly what it needs to do: big car, big stance, big attitude. You get why half the city wants an SUV, even if their street is barely wide enough for a donkey cart.
The white Jetour sits like it owns the desert; it’s Photoshopped onto…a Pixar desert, smooth and glossy, polished to the point where it starts looking artificial. A car ad should make you feel dust, heat and weight, but here everything feels… airbrushed. And the slogan? ‘Drive Your Future.’ Bhai, why am I being pushed into the future? Yet, the colour scheme works, the layout is clean, and the price is boldly displayed for your uncle who wants ‘full transparency.’ Visually loud but emotionally hollow.
Jinn Films – The Next Salahuddin
This billboard does not whisper; it stares straight through you. Jinn Films’ The Next Salahuddin arrives heavy, dark and unapologetically intense, using a single split face to do the talking: half boy, half battlefield, half history, half prophecy. The war-scarred eyes don’t ask for attention…they demand it. No clutter, no dramatic taglines, just a powerful visual and a promise: ‘Coming Soon.’
The balance between image and text lets the emotion breathe, anchored by genre cues: action, thriller, drama, that instantly grip you. If there is a critique, it is only this – the intrigue is so strong it almost feels cruel to give us so little. This billboard is not selling a show; it’s setting a tone, proving that value-led storytelling can still feel cinematic, urgent, and dangerously compelling.
Candyland – Yums
Candyland is a household name, and Yums deliver exactly what they promise: fun, cheerful and sugary joy. These packets already have trust baked in. Scratch, scan and win. Consoles, gadgets, phones, clearly aimed at Gen Z and Alphas. The colours are loud, the energy high, very Candyland: yellow, purple, blue, playful chaos. But here is the slip. The billboard sells Scan & Win, not Yums. The candy, its taste, nostalgia, and chew are pushed aside. Sour and fruity chews could have reminded us why we loved Yums. Attention-grabbing, yes. But prizes hook you once, flavour keeps you loyal.
Inverex Xio – EV
This board knows exactly what it’s doing. Clean, confident and straight to business – no unnecessary drama. The Xio sits there like a quiet promise: compact, electric, sensible yet aspirational. The family walking beside it says ‘weekend plans, school runs, groceries, life sorted’, but even if you’re single, child-free, or just emotionally unavailable right now, buy this car and the universe might just fast-track the rest.
The price is bold, the warranty is louder, the ‘Pakistan’s first DC fast-charging hatchback’ line seals the deal, and the eco-friendly undertone gently guilt-trips you into saving the planet while upgrading your lifestyle. It is practical, hopeful and future-facing, basically saying: if not today, then one day and when that day comes, this is the car.
Sunsilk – Pink
This is a full-blown shaadi-season pink fever dream in two acts. The top board, featuring Hania Amir and Dananeer, leans into celebration mode, big smiles, bridal vibes, glossy confidence and the promise of ‘2X thicker hair this shaadi season’. The energy works, the stars work, the timing works, but the hair clearly does not belong to reality.
We accept the fantasy though. Shaadi season in Pakistan is a fantasy by default. The lower board shows the iconic pink Sunsilk bottle, loud and proud, but drowned in its own colour story. Pink text on pink-on-pink blurs the message, yet between extensions, filters and a national obsession with shampoo-poster hair, the campaign delivers exactly what it promises: aspiration over realism, volume over subtlety and vibes over biology.
Hemani – Dr. Herbalist
Gummies for adults? Are we really in the future? No grown-up wants boring pills anymore; we want to chew our wellness like candy. Rude of capsules to skip the taste buds, honestly. If it wasn’t for Wasim Akram, I might have driven right past. But this man has looked this fit for 20 years. When he tells you these gummies mean ‘Wasim Akram–level wellness’, you listen. You chew.
Hemani is trusted, ‘Dr Herbalist’ adds credibility, and dark bottles packed with ashwagandha and shilajit look powerful, a wellness retreat in chewable form. Strong typography, clear promise, celebrity doing the heavy lifting. But here’s the glitch: Is this wellness only for men? I want Lara Croft to meet Pakistani-mum wellness, too. Hemani, next time, be inclusive. We all want gummies.
Haven – Dil Pighal Moment
This one comes in hot with a familiar formula: giant red backdrop, giant close-up, a giant drip of chocolate. Visually, it works. The ‘Dil Pighal Moment’ headline is bold and heartfelt, and the Haven cookie promises indulgence, with chocolate leaking out like it just broke up with restraint.
The colours are rich, the product shot is clean, and the overall vibe is appetising. But here is where it wobbles: we have seen this moment before. The same expression, the same drip, the same ‘my soul is melting because cocoa touched my lips’ pose…so common it is practically a genre. And locking the fantasy onto one girl again makes chocolate feel like a girls-only emotional experience. Come on. Chocolate is a universal weakness; let everyone melt.
Sabroso – Definitely Arabian
Okay, I get it. This is Sabroso, the chicken specialist, the household hero, the brand that gave mums superpowers and dads a fighting chance to feed hungry generations without losing dignity. The billboard works: the colour palette is confident, the hierarchy is clean and the product looks hot, crispy and dangerously snackable. The diva is warm and inviting, doing exactly what she is paid to do: make you want those Arabian Fillet Nuggets now. The message is loud and clear: ‘Definitely Arabian.’ But here’s the thing, if it is definitely Arabian, why does it feel visually… geographically neutral? The reassurance is verbal, not experiential. A little atmosphere could have turned certainty into immersion. Still, it is appetising and effective, just one missed opportunity away from being unforgettable.
Olivia – Cleansing Milk Lotion
This board knows exactly what it’s doing. Sarah Khan’s face is the product, and Olivia wisely steps back, letting her glow do the talking. Her signature smile, soft confidence and I-wake-up-like-this energy: sold. The signature beside her name adds authority, like she is personally signing off on your skincare routine. The cool green and minty palette works beautifully; aloe, freshness, calm and hydration all coded without shouting.
The mountains and blurred greenery in the background whisper natural and pure, even if studio lights and genetics are working overtime. Typography stays gentle, the ‘Meray GLOW Ka Raaz’ line lands emotionally, and the bottle placement is clean, no clutter, no chaos. Classic celebrity endorsement done right. You are not buying the lotion; you are buying the possibility of that glow. Olivia knows this, plays it confidently, and wins.
Q Links – Do Not Disturb: The Art of Urban Living
This billboard looks expensive, calm and suspiciously peaceful like a lifestyle behind guarded gates. The visuals do the heavy lifting: a well-dressed couple, warm lights, grilled food, clinking glasses…umm, urban bliss on mute. The ‘Do Not Disturb’ door handle is clever, and ‘The Art of Urban Living’ exudes taste and confidence.
But what exactly are you selling? Real estate, a clubhouse, a lifestyle cult? Product placement is so subtle that it drifts into vague, and ‘Register your interest’ without context feels evasive. Even the logo – Q Links, Qilinks, or Q-i-links? – adds to the confusion. A beautiful billboard with luxury cues, but it forgets one rule of outdoor ads: don’t make people work this hard at 60 km/h.
Mashreq – NEO
This one made me pause, and not in a good way. Is it a bank, an app, or a belief system? Accounts do open in banks, but the messaging is wrapped in so much symbolism that clarity gets lost. One woman in hijab, framed in a glowing mehrab-like halo and bathed in sunset orange, screams different but also slightly shady. ‘Umeed se barh kar’ sounds hopeful, but hope for what? Five minutes, account open, great…but why the secrecy and ambiguity? The Urdu line ‘har din buland’ (every day elevated) tries to reassure, but deepens doubt. Bold and symbol-heavy, the billboard sparks curiosity, but clarity and trust struggle to catch up.
Bisconni – Cakes
Well, I’m sold. No celebrity endorsements, no rainbow chaos, no chocolate-smeared faces pretending this is a personality trait, thank you. This is pure, unapologetic chocolate and vanilla bliss, staring at you like it knows you will give in. ‘Layers of Temptation’ isn’t trying to be clever; it is honest. Chocolate-coated cake, vanilla cream inside. Period. The bright yellow wrapper against the silky beige background? Criminally effective. Festive without screaming Christmas, Eid, or a random Tuesday sugar craving. This billboard understands restraint. Sharp, glossy and tempting, a small treat that can fix your mood better than most life decisions. Whoever designed this deserves tea and a raise.
Colgate – Cavity Protection
Colgate, our household hero, protector of smiles and teeth that are battered by sugar and life’s indulgences. This billboard knows its job: royal blue, red, and white signature colours that scream trust. Mother and son look reliably related, matching smiles, cheeks and eyebrows, so you believe them when they flash those pearly whites. The doctor in the corner? Classic patriarchal white coat. But Colgate, c’mon, why not both parents, or a female doctor? Oral hygiene is a family affair. Still, the message lands: eat what you want, brush with this, and avoid those 50k+ dentist bills. Family, authority and product, this billboard checks all the boxes and keeps our teeth and wallets safe.
Samsung – Galaxy S25
Ah, yes, Samsung is doing what Samsung does best: selling you a lifestyle with five camera lenses and a sprinkle of intimidation. The Galaxy S25 is not just a phone; it is a glossy promise of an Instagram life where lighting is always perfect, and emotions are always curated. The models were seen as untouchable, slightly arrogant. Looking down at you like you’re still buffering on last year’s update. The message is clear: buy this phone, and maybe, just maybe, you might glow like them too. It’s sparkly, dramatic, and unapologetically aspirational. You don’t need it, but now you want it, and you are already checking prices, instalments, and which friend owes you a favour.
Well, there you have it. We survived another round of oversized fonts, celebrity smiles, emotional manipulation, as well as brand audacity…without getting sued, cancelled, or accidentally signing up for something we didn’t read. Same roads, same chaos, and plenty of new billboards lurking, ready for their turn under the glare of our tired, judging eyes. Until next time, keep your coffee close, your sarcasm closer, and your eyeballs peeled as advertising season never sleeps.
