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Pushing for Financial Inclusion of PWDs

Hamna Farrukh
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Pushing for Financial Inclusion of PWDs

With the International Day for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), commemorated by the United Nations (UN) on December 3 every year since 1992, countries around the world have stepped up efforts to make their societies more and more inclusive.

The event brings to attention the rights and needs of PWDs, while also serving as an occasion for societies to practice inclusion and enhance the sense of community. The goal of this day is to increase awareness of the plight of people with disabilities in all facets of political, social, economic, and cultural life while advocating their rights and well-being at all levels of society and development.

Every year, the World Health Organization (WHO) joins the UN in celebrating the International Day for PWDs to emphasize the significance of protecting the rights of persons with disabilities, ensuring that they can live free from discrimination in all areas of their lives and participate completely, equally, and effectively in society.

Impairment is a perceived or actual feature in the person’s body or functioning that may lead to the restriction, loss of activity, or restricted participation of the person in society with a consequent difference in physiological and/or psychological experience of life.

Disability, on the other hand, is the result of the interplay between people with impairments and the psychological, social, and environmental constraints that prevent them from fully and equally participating in society. Disability is what society or the environment does to you, while impairment is what occurs to you. It has everything to do with discrimination and nothing to do with ability.

Another major hurdle in creating an inclusive society for people with disabilities is lack of supportive infrastructure in public places and private offices. It is a major hurdle for people with disabilities to commute, access wheelchair-friendly vehicles, or even find adequate space on public transport, and indoor spaces also leave much to be desired when it comes to PWD access.

Perhaps the most common place that everyone should have equal access to is a bank. Prominent banks with large networks across Pakistan need to ensure that people with disabilities are not deprived of the basic right of financial inclusion in society. For this purpose, various banks have designated branches for people with disabilities.

Commenting on the issue, Faisal Farooq Khan, Group Head, Human Resource and Learning, Bank Alfalah, says, “We are committed to providing equal opportunity and accessibility to everyone, including differently-abled persons.” He says over 850 of Bank Alfalah’s branches all over Pakistan provide access to a wheelchair, while 16 branches are specifically designed, keeping the needs of people with disability in mind.

“We also have state-of-the-art equipment such as talking ATMs, height-adjusted counters, braille stationery and a privilege pass. Moreover, we proudly partner with leading organizations such as ConnectHear and NOWPDP that are working towards the simplification and improvement of communication for people with disabilities to make Pakistan a more inclusive society.

Adding further, Azima Dhanjee, CEO and co-Founder, ConnectHear, adds that over one billion people around the world suffer from intellectual, physical or sensory disabilities. “All human beings are entitled to equal opportunities, rights and social acceptance. Too often, physical and social barriers in society impede their full participation, and that is where we come in.”

She says with Bank Alfalah; her organization is helping people with disabilities navigate their bank visits with ease.

NOWPDP, a disability-inclusion initiative working for the empowerment of people with disabilities and striving to provide them greater access in society, is raising awareness of the rights of people with disabilities through holistic and sustainable programs. According to Amin Hashwani, President NOWPDP, their organization has always had an innovative, solution-oriented and empathy-driven strategy to address the issue and cause of disability inclusion.

“We implement effective inclusion practices through programmes like ‘Shanakht’, providing SCNICs to persons with disabilities in one day as opposed to the tedious process of six to eight weeks all the way to Rozgar. This ensures employment across sectors, and the ‘Khudmukhtar’ programme assists them in becoming self-sufficient by supporting their dreams and helping improve their professional skills,” he says further.

For Hashwani, the future is inclusive. However, to make a change more efficient, we must change behaviours and mindsets collectively. “With the support of the public and private sector, we can make our vision of a Bashamool Pakistan a reality,” he adds.

Unlock Your Creativity

Sameen Rashid
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Unlock Your Creativity

Some of the strongest recalls of my childhood are the advertisements that used to run on television, especially the jingles. It was something about them that left somewhat of a mark, not only on my memory but also in my life, as today, I am a creative working in the field of advertising where creativity is key. Let me ask you readers which one ad or jingle has stuck with you after all these years… rattle your brains for a moment and think.

I believe advertisements are more than mere films or digital activity of print. Since the beginning, they have held a greater purpose, which is ‘to influence’. When you watch an ad, it immediately creates an influence on you which could either be good or bad. If the ad is appealing enough, the viewer is automatically drawn towards acquiring the products or services of that particular brand; but if it is bad, then it will either be shot down with backlash or just not given any importance at all (though good and bad too, it varies upon perception). In simple words, we advertisers hold the key to influence the greater population of our country with our work. When you think about it, it’s actually pretty interesting. What could be greater than having such a glorious opportunity of shaping the minds of tomorrow?

We, as advertisers, are not just selling a product or creating recall for a brand; we are responsible for the majority of the decisions people take when it comes to their lifestyles, choices and behaviour. That is somewhat the essence of advertising. It is now up to us to decide whether we want to produce campaigns with a ‘viral factor’ and the potential to mint quick money for a set time duration or we give birth to ads that have the power to spread positive influence and a powerful message for generations to come.

Creativity is one of the key pillars that make advertising look like the shining star that we see it as. It is the simple copy and the magic of visuals that does wonders for those who experience it. For us, it’s like having the power to command the minds of those around us, but with great power comes great responsibility. It is our duty as leaders while playing our parts in this beautiful institution we call advertising, to create ads with a sense of mindfulness and ownership. The message we convey to our audience has a great impact on their minds, especially those who belong to the younger generation, as their mentality is being shaped in a certain way through these ads. Producing good ads is similar to providing a child with a good upbringing; it sticks with you and helps you grow into an individual with your own identity and thought process.

In the race that we all run today, it often becomes a task to connect with one’s own creative thought process. This can happen due to many reasons, but the real question is how does one reconnect? How does one stop worrying about having to put in extra effort every time a task is at hand because maybe, you are no longer enjoying the process?

To tell you the truth, I think it happens when work becomes your first priority, and you yourself take a back seat towards the second. As hard as it is to write these words, it’s true. The reason I would like to acknowledge this is that most of the time, we creatives do this subconsciously. Not making yourself the first priority takes a huge hit on our daily lives whether we like it or not, and over time, most people don’t even realize that it has become a part of their nature and their work has taken the front seat in your life even though your life is your own. You are the main character in your life, and when you stop treating yourself in that manner, nothing makes sense. Things start falling apart, whether it be your ideas or your morale.

To all my fellow creatives out there, you are the mind behind this creativity, but how do you expect it to function or produce even a single caption when you have been neglecting your own self? Sometimes I feel it is the mind’s way of getting back at us, and interestingly, it feels as if we can’t do anything about it. We can!

As cliché as it might sound, I’m still going to say this, put yourself first. The beauty of creativity is that it resides within us, which means only we can unlock it, or as I like to say it, unleash it! Creativity isn’t a button that can be pressed. Instead, it is like a child waiting to be nurtured, trained and loved. It is only then that you feel one with yourself, and your creativity rockets into the sky and shines bright like the fireworks on New Year’s Eve.

There are many ways of unlocking your creativity, as it varies from person to person, but the basics of it are the same. In order to grow something, you have to give it the right resources and time, so it becomes polished into the best version of itself; the same goes in this case. Things that you might not be doing because you feel that you don’t have the time or might be a waste of your time are actually the factors that hold power to inspire your creativity. Anything could ignite a spark and lead to greatness.

Some of you might be thinking it is easier said than done. And I don’t disagree with you, which is why I have personally made small changes in my life that have had a positive impact on me mentally and physically. Whether it be to make sure I take a lunch break and not skip my afternoon meal or be mindful about drinking water constantly, as it would affect my mind and health, I do it. These are very small things, but they will make a greater impact with time. The key is consistency. Exhaustion takes over and blocks creativity because you feel trapped in your own head, unable to connect with the thought process and makes you stand out.

Creatives are a different set of creatures. They think; differently, they work different, they move differently, and they create differently. I am one of them, and a proud one at that. Give yourself the time that has been long overdue, and if there isn’t, find a way. Creativity lies within you, and no one knows you better than yourself.

Reinventing Healthcare in Pakistan

Huzaifa Gaba
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Reinventing Healthcare in Pakistan

Access to healthcare is a basic human right; however, in Pakistan, it has had a history of challenges. Being a low-income country, it has a poor healthcare infrastructure, a shortage of healthcare professionals and a lack of accessibility and affordability to services. About 3% of the country’s GDP is spent on healthcare (way below the recommendation of the World Health Organization of at least 6%).

Although Pakistan is trying hard to sustain its progress toward Millennium Development Goals, it has a long way to go in terms of allocating enough public money to achieve UHC. Since the healthcare system is unable to provide essential and basic services to the people, nearly 70% of the country’s population relies on the private sector. The number of private hospitals, clinics and diagnostic labs has increased in the country, along with stand-alone clinics which provide major out-patient care.

More recently, following the pandemic, telemedical consultation has brought about an improvement as well. With the rise in internet penetration in the country, it is now becoming easier for patients in remote areas of Pakistan to access doctors and specialists for their treatment. Teleconsultation is effectively catering to patients’ needs with greater convenience and lower cost and also cutting down on their transportation costs.

But it is not rural areas alone; teleconsultation is proving effective in major cities as well by easing the burden of understaffed healthcare facilities, as many patients receive good medical care from within their homes. One platform in Pakistan offering such services is Find my DOCTOR, which has recently partnered with Karachi Municipal Corporation (KMC) to establish the country’s first digital hospital at Sarfaraz Rafiqi Shaheed Hospital – the second largest hospital in Karachi after Abbasi Shaheed Hospital under the KMC).

Talking about the collaboration, Saad Siddiqui, CEO, Find my DOCTOR, says, “We pitched the idea to KMC about offering free teleconsultations in Karachi, to which they suggested running OPD in one of their hospitals, which was in a dilapidated state, and where doctors though listed, seldom visited.”

After having visited the hospital, the Find my DOCTOR team decided to also use the hospital as a complete data centre. “We will offer free OPD 24/7 online in the areas across the city but we will also collect the data such as how many patients are suffering from which disease, prevalent diseases in the area, medicines in demand etc. This data will be beneficial for the government,” he says.

Saad Siddiqui, who established Find My Doctor in 2016 – prompted by his mother’s demise due to the negligence of her doctors – says when he started off, the platform only dealt with booking patients with doctors who had their own clinics and the doctors had to pay a nominal fee to be a part of the panel and the patients had to pay as well to avail the services. But after 2017, once they raised investment, they changed the business model completely.

“We started focusing on healthcare services at home. The first one was the launch of an at-home testing service at home, in partnership with Essa Labs. Once launched, we started getting orders from areas like Korangi, Landhi, Sohrab Goth etc., as well. The second was the doctor-at-home service, following which we started getting orders from throughout Karachi – Defence, Clifton, Tariq Road etc. – where we charged Rs 1,000 for consultations from patients,” he says.

Today, the platform has 186 doctors on board from across Pakistan in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Hyderabad, Peshawar, Multan and Rawalpindi, who are daily providing home consultations and teleconsultations. Siddiqui says all these doctors are young practitioners working in the emergency departments of various hospitals and have about two to three years’ of experience. To be part of our panel, all doctors have to go through a test and once they clear that, there is a viva exam, which is taken by Find my DOCTOR’s head of doctors, Dr. Haresh Kumar. “Also, when a doctor is onboarded, he is supposed to bring along a certificate from the hospital he is working in for verification; then only they are accepted on the platform. Also, the platforms give their doctors the convenience of taking orders only from the areas where they live. “If one doctor resides in Gulshan-e-Iqbal, he will only get consultation orders from people residing in that area,” he says.

The patients are given free consultations, which is the first step. Once the doctor recommends a test or gives a prescription, Find my DOCTOR conducts that test or delivers the medicine prescribed to the patient (step two) for which they charge. Siddiqui says that is how their business model has been balanced out.

For any new patients interested in getting on board, Find my DOCTOR, all they have to do is send a message on their WhatsApp number, give their details and the language they prefer, and the profile will be shared right away with the doctor, who will then call the patient shortly.

Siddiqui says in the month of November 2022 alone, their consultations crossed the 28,000 mark. This, he says, is because of the credibility they have earned over the years. “People have a problem downloading the app. It is a psychological thing. Also, people trust only the doctors they have had a good experience with; they won’t change their trusted doctors easily. This is why it is a challenge to build trust in this category. Once they try our services and are satisfied with it, only then do they move towards the app.”

The platform has over 13 labs on board across Pakistan. Moreover, now hospitals such as NMC, Kutiyana Memon Hospital and Darul Sehat Hospital have also outsourced their home sample collections to the platform. “We’re like foodpanda for them,” remarks Siddiqui.

Find my DOCTOR’s plans ahead, including selling health insurance to their patients. “We raised investment for the second time worth $250,000 at a $5 million valuation. We’re raising investment again, but now the goal is to make health insurance affordable.”

For this, their target market is overseas Pakistanis whose parents are still residing in the country. For such customers, the insurance they are offering is worth $400, which will give the parents 25% pre-existing coverage in the first year. In the second year, when the patient enrolls again, he/she will get 100% pre-existing coverage. Also, the last enrolment age for their insurance is 80 years, “contrary to other health policies that cover an individual till 60 years only.”

Since $400 worth of an insurance product is expensive for the local market, Siddiqui says this is precisely the reason why they are marketing it to overseas Pakistanis initially. “This is the only way to cover the hospital cost. Once we have enough money in the kitty, we will launch products for the local market.”

So far, Find my DOCTOR has sold around 270 policies in three months across Pakistan. Also, they have recently signed a deal with two banks: Dubai Islamic Bank and Faysal Islamic. “The benefit of this is that if you buy our insurance policy using Faysal Bank’s Noor card, you have the convenience of paying for your policy in 12 months ($400 in 12 instalments).

The platform has sold around 270 policies in 3 months, and they say the sales are picking up not just in Karachi but across Pakistan. “So on one side, we have the KMC where we are offering affordability via free teleconsultations and data extraction, lab tests and delivering medicines, and on the other, we have insurance, which is our cash now.”

Coming to challenges, Siddiqui says there is a lot to be desired from the Pakistani healthcare market. Though there are a lot of players that have entered the market and are offering teleconsultation, especially after Covid-19, “but I do not think they will survive because they are only depending on teleconsultations and charging Rs 100/200 for it per patient. How long will they do it? Teleconsultation alone will never be sustainable.” For him, platforms that he truly finds competitive are Sehat Kahani, Oladoc and Marham.

Though they have been marketing on digital and OOH, Siddiqui believes word of mouth has been the best means of marketing for their service, and this has led them to gain enough business from within the city. “We generate 87% of our business from Karachi. This is why we say we are Karachi-centric. Today the city’s population is around 250 crore; it is like I am living in a mini country. If I only tap people living here, I think I will be successful.”

Moreover, he says in a business such as his, customer service is extremely important. “I make it a point to randomly call 10 patients every month and get their feedback and suggestions. This is how I build bonds, and this is how I have survived this far. “

Their plans also include launching into the Far East and MENA region as well as north Africa and countries that export labour to other countries and replicate the same model there.

Giving his final word, Siddiqui says, “We are here to stay, we have been here since 2016, and we’re going strong. Please use our platform and tell your loved ones about it as well. Karachi is the only city that offers teleconsultations to anyone who has a smartphone for free. Try us.”

Spotify Celebrates ‘Your Year in Music’ with Wrapped 2022

Hamna Farrukh
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Spotify Celebrates ‘Your Year in Music’ with Wrapped 2022

Music has played an integral role in cultures and societies as a means to convey emotions, tell stories, and also as a source of entertainment and relaxation. People of all ages and backgrounds enjoy listening to music. In Pakistan, too, music has continued to evolve, reflecting the country’s rich and diverse history and culture.

Earlier, radio and magnetic tapes were used, which were later taken over by CDs. Once the internet took over during the early 2000s, people began downloading their favourite songs through websites. Come 2010, when streaming platforms came into the picture, but many people still did not embrace that trend and followed the old means of listening to music according to their habits and comfort.

In 2016 came Spotify, the streaming giant that took over the world by storm and made its way to becoming a household name across multiple countries. The company launched its platform in Pakistan in 2021, and since then, it has registered immense growth. Speaking to Talha Hashim, Spotify’s Marketing Manager for Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, about the popularity the platform has achieved in the country, he says, “Spotify is the most loved global audio streaming service, and the same admiration has resonated in Pakistan as well. the introduction of Spotify in Pakistan has sparked a flurry of excitement in the world’s fifth most populous country.”

Hashim believes Pakistan has been a major player in the musical ecosystem and adds that names like Abida Parveen, Mehdi Hassan, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Nazia Hassan, Ghulam Ali, and Atif Aslam are just a few of the South Asian music legends who were born and raised in this nation; it has contributed a lot to making the world a more melodious place.

Spotify may just be a streaming platform, but it tries to resonate with the audience as much as possible and runs an exciting and interactive annual campaign called “Spotify Wrapped” to conclude the year, which users have appreciated since its inception. It is an innovative concept that initially started in 2016 as it is an annual feature on the Spotify music streaming platform that allows users to reflect on their listening habits over the past year. The feature, which is typically released in the weeks leading up to the end of the year, generates a personalized “year in review” for each user, including statistics such as their top songs, artists, and genres of the year, as well as the total number of minutes listened to on the platform.

Spotify Wrapped also offers a unique way for users to reminisce on their favourite moments of the past year. Whether it was a song, a soundtrack, or an album that helped them through a difficult time, Spotify Wrapped allows users to relive those memories through the music that was present during those moments.

Since Spotify began in Pakistan, it has been widely loved, and people have begun anticipating their ‘Wrapped’ event. 2022 really popularized the campaign, and users jumped on the bandwagon right away. On November 30th, 2022, social media platforms were bombarded by people sharing Spotify Wrapped cards on their timelines and stories.

In 2021, Spotify Wrapped was shared 60 million times by users worldwide, excluding screenshots; responding about the stats for this year, Hashim says this year, Spotify has worked with 500+ creators globally to help tell their 2022 Wrapped story in an authentic way.

“In 2022, Spotify changed its marketing for Wrapped from just an individual’s year-long listening history to add more interactive and social elements. “This year, the Wrapped brand campaign is going both ways and participating in the conversation. Every touchpoint of the campaign invited participation and plays from our audience. In other words, we invited the world to not just get Wrapped but to play it,” he says.

Spotify 2022 came out with 16 listening personalities that define the musical taste of the users, and it made things even more interesting for the people: These 16 personalities were based on four metrics which are Familiarity (F) vs Exploration (E), Loyalty (L) vs Variety (V), Timelessness (T) vs Newness (N), and Commonality (C) vs Uniqueness (U). All the personalities are a combination of these four metrics.

The Adventurer (ENVU) is always looking for something new and exciting; The Early Adopter (ENVC) is always on the hunt for the next big hit and looks for trending music; The Deep Diver (FTVU) immerses themselves into the catalogue of a particular artist or genre; The Devotee (FNLU) is someone who is deeply committed to a particular artist or band; The Replayer (FTLU) is someone who enjoys the familiar and comfortable songs, albums, and playlists; The Connoisseur (FTLC) knows the ins and outs of great music and people love their taste.

The Maverick (ETLU) likes to march to the beat of their own drum and have acquired music taste; The Fan Clubber (FNVC) dedicates their time to their favourite artist; The Top Charter (ETLC) finds their way to the top music and grooves to the most famous tunes; The Enthusiast (FNLC) keeps an eye out for their favourite artist and their new music; The Time Traveller (ETVU) likes to explore music from different eras.

The Musicologist (ETVC) is deeply interested in the history and evolution of music; The Nomad (ENLU) is always on the move for new music and stays true to the songs they love; The Voyager (ENLC) likes to travel through different genres and expand their music interests; The Jukeboxer (FTVC) has many favourites and enjoys music from the heart; Last but not the least, The Specialist (FNVU) is selective with their music tastes and enjoy their favourite songs wholeheartedly.

Speaking of celebrating Spotify Wrapped 2022, this year’s concluding campaign was turned into an event for influencers, journalists, and other relevant people for the first time in Pakistan. ”

According to Hashim, this was the first year that Wrapped in Pakistan was celebrated in a magnanimous fashion. “We wanted to reflect the magnitude with which Wrapped is celebrated globally and locally as well,” he adds.

The exclusive Spotify Wrapped event took place on December 2, 2022, at District 19 Karachi, attended by influencers, artists, and Spotify management, including the Managing Director Spotify Middle East, North Africa, South Asia (excl. India), Claudius Boller.

Since Spotify’s emergence in the Pakistani market, one of its objectives has been to promote young and upcoming local talent and provide them with a playground to monetize their work, as well as bring forward their excellence. Talking about offering a platform for emerging talent in the country, Hashim says, “we continue to go above and beyond to embody this spirit through our local offerings, including Fresh Finds Pakistan, EQUAL Pakistan, RADAR Pakistan, and the more recently launched Wrapped for the second consecutive year.”

Spotify Wrapped is a dynamic and entertaining approach to looking back on one’s musical preferences and explorations over the last year. It’s useful for musicians and record label executives since it provides insight into what songs are being streamed the most on Spotify throughout the world. Overall, people love Spotify Wrapped and consider it a significant addition to the service. One of the most exciting aspects of Spotify Wrapped is the ability to discover new music, as many users find themselves surprised by the songs or artists that made it onto their top lists and often use the feature to explore new music they might have missed throughout the year.

“As per our Q3 results, there are 456 million Spotify users in more than 180 markets, and although each of those listeners is distinct and different from the others, there are commonalities that unite them, and this is something that we as a company are very conscious of. It’s critical for us to give our users the impression that we understand them, value them, and care about them.” Hashim affirms.

Brands Walk the Talk

Owais Paracha
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Brands Walk the Talk

After decades of excess, big brands and little brands alike are now trying to undo the damage caused by irresponsible decisions. From the fringes of English and other languages, words that were so rare are now commonplace and critical to our everyday life.

Biodegradable. Remarkable. Deplorable. Sustainable. Eco-friendly. Who’d have thought…

The truth is no matter how big or jarring these words are; they are no longer buzzwords. If Gaia was a rock star, she’d be that sage who tells other musicians to stay away from drugs. Documentaries. Rehab BTS. Endorsements. Interviews. The almighty autobiography was co-written by Mick Wall.

Clearly, the live and let live motto has done very little good for the planet at large. One of the nuances of sustainability is to be more vigilant in our own lives and for the mistakes of others.

The dictionary (read: a clinical) definition of sustainable marketing is promoting products and services in a way that both natural and human resources are preserved. BLAH! From generating ideas and interest, marketing execs and creative slaves were induced to generating safer, minimalistic ways to create advertising campaigns. As the 80s fell into the classic era, excess became taboo where once it was status.

Today, brands, manufacturers and vendors are scurrying for resources that won’t bring them under the scrutiny of cancel police by looking for materials sourced in a resource-friendly manner, using recycled materials for packaging and collaborating with NGOs working for sustainable causes.

Sustainability can broadly be encompassed with the 5 Ps:

  1. People
  2. Planet
  3. Prosperity
  4. Peace
  5. Partnership

If political and social awareness wasn’t already enough, actors, musicians, and sports stars, once so hedonistic, started to pay heed. From vegan-based jackets and shoes to high-end perfume bottles from recycled materials, everyone is falling into line.

Endorsements and testimonials have played a huge part in green marketing, which is usually very careful, even cowardly, with their choice of words. A few other adjectives that are unprintable may also suffice. Frankly, campaigns based on sustainability don’t just rely on marketing. Initiatives are key in a brand’s conversation with its customer base.

As problems with big brands go, there is a clear line that can no longer be crossed. Some struggled. Some leaped. Furthermore, environmental audits and cancel culture are driving agendas where once it was relevance and strategy. But all great businesses thrive on opportunities, not obstacles. Marketing is an industry of relevance and trends, and as times change, so have the ways in which brands are communicating. From reformulated colognes to rebranded products, business is still thriving for many brands that have learned to adapt and make the best of their situations.

However, as with all great marketing, brands don’t just fill people’s needs. They also provide solutions to people’s problems, which can have far-reaching ramifications.

Here are some brands that have developed outstanding, and yes, sustainable, marketing campaigns for their products.

Ethique Shampoo bar

  1. Ethique Shampoo Bar: Putting a bar in every shower

The benefit of the shampoo bar is that it is a highly concentrated version of liquid shampoo, with minimum to no water. With environment-sensitive packaging, the brand managed to not only reduce water wastage but also cut down on resources such as plastic packaging.

 

Pantagonia

  1. Patagonia: Still Committed

From 1972 to 2022, the 50-year journey of Patagonia has been dedicated to the outdoors and wilderness. Last year, the company, publicly known for climbing gear, shifted its production to a philosophy where the climber relied more on their skill rather than gear, which was made from treated plastic that used up a lot of resources. A founding member of 1% for the Planet, the company is recognized internationally for its product quality and environmental activism. Moreover, its unique ownership structure reflects that Earth is its only shareholder: Profits not reinvested back into the business are paid as dividends to protect the planet.

 

Lush

  1. Lush: social media exit

This is not a campaign title. Lush, known for their self-care products, exited their social media platforms starting in 2021. They cited mental health issues powered by social media as the key factor. On the surface, it may seem independent from eco-friendly. But healthier minds are one of the factors in all sustainable efforts. As a self-care brand, they hit the mark.

Allbirds/adidas

  1. Allbirds/Adidas

Known for their 100% sustainable shoe technology, Allbirds teamed up with Adidas to share resources to make a shoe that only had 2.9kg carbon emission – an industry breakthrough. Adidas’s technology and the minds behind Allbirds managed to also work together as competitors…the real news in all this. Hana Kajimura, head of sustainability at Allbirds, adds: “Expanding our collaboration to offer products in new colourways and at greater scales is a testament to how far we can move forward if we choose to work together with a partner that shares our vision.”

 

Nazafreen Saigol Lakhani Elected as the First Female President of APNS

Hamna Farrukh
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Nazafreen Saigol Lakhani Elected as the First Female President of APNS

At the APNS General Council’s Annual Meeting, which took place on March 20, 2023, at the APNS House in Karachi, Nazafreen Saigol Lakhani was unequivocally elected as President of the Society. Imtinan Shahid was elected Senior Vice President, Muhammad Aslam Kazi was named Vice President, Sarmad Ali was appointed Secretary General, S.M. Munir Jilani was elected Joint Secretary, and Shahab Zuberi was voted for Finance Secretary.

Mr. Sarmad Ali, the current President of the Society, presided over the Annual General Meeting that was conducted. The Annual Accounts of the Society for the year 2022 were unanimously accepted by the Council, as was the report of the Executive Committee for the year 2022-2023, which was also approved by the Council.

At a meeting that was attended by 128 members representing every part of the country, the General Council decided to establish an Election Commission. Dr. Waqar Yousuf Azeemi will serve as the commission’s chairman, while Nasir Daad Baloch and Mumtaz Ahmed Phulpoto will be among its members. The election of members to serve on the Executive Committee for the year 2023-24 was overseen by the Election Commission.

The following publications were elected to serve on the Executive Committee of the APNS for the next term without facing any opposition:

Daily Aghaz, Daily Business Recorder, Daily Deyanat, Daily Dawn, Daily Jasarat, Daily Jiddat (Khi), Daily Abtak, Daily Dunya, Daily Jang, Daily Khabrain, Daily Pakistan, Daily Tijarat, Daily Ausaf, Daily Sahafat, Daily Awam (Quetta), Daily Mashriq (Quetta), Daily Mashriq (Peshawar), Daily Wahdat, Daily Kaw On the periodical seats, Monthly Centerline, Monthly Naya Rukh, Monthly Centerline, Monthly Dastak, Nawa-i-Waqt, and Monthly Naey Ufaq were elected, together with Fortnightly Ibrat Magazine and Weekly Nikhar.

Mrs. Zahida Abbasi of Daily Nau Sijj in Karachi was chosen to fill the seat reserved for female publishers on the current Executive Committee.

The newly elected members of the Executive Committee felt that the work of the Election Commission was commendable.

The Annual General Meeting (AGM) expressed its deep suspicion about the state of print media in a resolution. This is because the current economic climate has caused severe severe financial crises for newspapers, and many of them are on the verge of collapsing. In this scenario, the media anticipated receiving assistance from the government in order to endure the severe financial strain. In order for the publishing industry to be able to endure the current climate, the AGM pleaded with the Federal Government to settle the industry’s long-overdue debts, which amounted to more than Rs. 2 billion, increase the number of advertisements, and set aside a specific portion of the advertising budget for print media. Despite several pledges to the contrary, the Annual General Meeting reaffirmed that the Federal Government still has not executed the suggestion of the 8th Wage Board to raise the government ad rates in accordance to the growth in wages.

2023 – What lies ahead in Tech

Imtiaz Noor
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2023 – What lies ahead in Tech

Every day is a new day in the fast-moving world of technology, but a yearly summary helps focus on what the 30,000 feet view represents in general, across multiple spaces and how tech will impact us as we move forward. I am no soothsayer, but as an aspiring futurist, here are my top 7 predictions for the year 2023 (in no particular order).

1. IoT To Be Everywhere

The world today is ever-connected, and that is only expected to increase. While 5G rollouts started in 2019 in many parts of the world, it has slowly started to gain critical mass across select parts of the world. Some countries now have their largest cities mostly covered and smaller countries are planning their rollouts as well, which will in turn create more demand for 5G modems, reducing their costs. This means that as the year progresses, higher speeds at lower latencies will be available across greater parts of countries.

Combined with BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) becoming more pervasive, we can expect to see a faster-growing interconnected space with many devices having their own sims via 4 & 5G for higher bandwidth tasks in open spaces, with Bluetooth for lower bandwidth signals (think AirTags) and faster, smaller WiFi devices in closed spaces to enable devices to be much smarter and connected. With these 3 forms of connectivity across devices, growth in connected devices is expected to increase much more significantly in 2023.

2. AI will Grow by Leaps and Bounds

Generative AI is AI that steps away from the standard prediction-based modelling that we have come to see in creating content, images, etc. Towards the end of 2022, we all heard of ChatGPT, which has opened the doors to new types of content creation in the text format, but earlier in 2022, we also saw AI-based image generators and image enhancers take flight. We have seen the ugly side of this in the form of DeepFakes.

Generative AI’s strength comes from much better machine learning models AND faster, cheaper computing. These two will only naturally increase the power of what we consider non-generative AI, aka predictive AI. Naturally, this will also strengthen the presence of prescriptive analytics and bring AI and Machine Learning into the prescriptive space.

3. The Rise of Quantum Computing

Like many buzzwords, this has not gained much popularity, at least not publicly. The power of quantum computing, on the other hand, is anything but unimportant. Quantum computing is, in a way, still experimental; however, there are already several key use cases lined up after taking into account the success seen in some of the experiments. IBM has plans to offer quantum computing within 2023, Microsoft already has some offerings in the Azure platform and Google is working fast and is expected to join the ranks soon. Limitations notwithstanding, this is going to be an interesting space to look at.

4. Editing DNA

At the moment, DNA is actually no longer experimental. If you’ve been looking at CRISPR, editing genes is very real. The work is expected to be more concrete going forward with techniques used for editing coming into the finalization stage. Imagine gene editing that’s as simple as editing a document. Removing some parts and replacing them with others or letting the natural DNA repair process takes over. Could be the stuff of horror movies and world changing tech at the same time, depending on what you are looking at.

5. Sustainable Energy Sources

Energy is considered to be the highest contributor to greenhouse gases and countries around the world are shifting their power sources to safer, more sustainable means that don’t play havoc with the planet’s health. The cost of solar panels continues to drop, albeit slowly and efficiency has increased with better battery technologies to help manage storage as well.

While electric cars are all the rage for their emission-free nature, carbon is still being pumped into the air; this time by bigger, more efficient power plants and some balance between thermal and sustainable sources. There has been an interesting development in the liquid fuel space with e-fuel produced through carbon dioxide harvested from the air and converted to methane (natural gas) using solar power. This makes cars run on the same internal combustion engine, except technically making the process carbon-neutral.

Small surprise: During late 2022, there was a significant breakthrough in nuclear fusion where a reactor produced more power than it was provided. This could be the start of something new!

6. Cybersecurity will Become More Important

As the world continues to digitize at a rate faster than ever before, the risks it faces are also significant. In 2022, several major companies and internet-based platforms faced threats and challenges in the digital security sphere, including Twitter, Revolut, Optus, Uber, and Shein, amongst others. Even the password protection giant ‘LastPass’ was attacked at least thrice in the same year, with the last attack in December 2022 affecting actual users’ password vaults.

7. Digital Twins

You may or may not have heard of this one, but with high-scale, high-speed computing on the cheap, the corporate world has adopted a process for testing scenarios through what they call digital twins. These are software simulations of either actual real-world devices to see how they react in different environments and/or stress factors that allow business leaders and analysts to pick and identify strengths and flaws behind a new material, a new process or even a new facility at a fraction of the cost of building a real one.

LAB TEST – Sultan Banaspati & Cooking Oil

Webdesk
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LAB TEST – Sultan Banaspati & Cooking Oil

MUHAMMAD ASAD KHAN
Associate Creative Manager,
Synergy Dentsu

Ever thought one day your 5-year son won’t need your warm lap anymore? The lullabies will become boring, and your public displays of affection would probably irritate him as he grows older. Would that make you feel less relevant? Well, the truth is that every human being relies on some form of validation, which makes us feel relevant and desired. They also give us a sense of purpose and help us find meaning in life. Often, we come across elderly people being cranky, and every so often we wonder why? A lot of times, it happens because they feel unwanted and irrelevant. Making them feel like they have lost their purpose in life; eventually, they start feeling sad and agitated. The latest TVC/ DVC by Sultan Banaspati talks about similar feelings and emotions.

How an aging mother feels that the young girl she raised is now an independent woman who no longer needs guidance or advice as she can function on her own. A series of events make the mother feel unwanted and irrelevant. Upon realizing this, the daughter fakes a mistake in her cooking for the mother to point out to enable her to regain her sense of relevance. The brand has been seamlessly integrated into this heart-touching story. This film makes you rethink our behaviour and convinces us to have a more empathetic approach towards our elderly. A little importance, a little understanding, and a little meaning in life are all they need. A beautiful campaign that hits all the right spots.

SAMEEN RASHID
Creative Manager,
IAL Saatchi & Saatchi

Seeing an ad that picks its nuances from such genuine insights is truly a visual treat! The story of the mother and daughter is very engaging for the viewer as it retains your attention along with the acting that was the perfect cherry on top of this cake. The one element lacking though was the dramatic part being a bit too dramatic. Yes, what the mother felt in those moments was intense but the way it has been executed felt more like a dramatized play. Having said that, it was still a very beautifully-crafted and executed ad that connected well with the audience, supported by a simple, yet well-written copy. Good work to the team that brought this to life!

ERUM SHEIKH
Group Team Lead,
Ishtehari

A woman’s life undergoes a complete transformation, sometimes dramatically, after she ties the knot. Things a woman inherits along with a husband are expectations of in-laws, often an entire kitchen, even though she may be unable to distinguish between different types of dal. Yet, at the same time, these women bring the flavour of their childhood home to a new house inherited by their mothers’ practices. “Jinhon nay apko jeena sikhaya ajj unka dil jeet ker dekho” The Sultan’s ad has killer insight and the brand messaging is the appreciation for all the ladies striving to make their place.

Good to see how the brand integrated the flavour of everyday life into the TVC. The character delivery of amma, beti and the kid is utterly accurate. The ad talks about how she is a more responsible and reliable individual now. We need more of such consciousness in society. However, the execution would have been better regarding situations and messaging. Overall good to see a meaningful ad that is more than just a jingle or dance.

OMAR KAMRAN
Creative Manager,
Spectrum VMLY&R

The 2023 DVC for Sultan Cooking Oil starts off as just another typical ‘housewives talking about household stuff’ trope, but the ad managed to evoke emotion out of my cold heart as the mother came to terms with the fact that her daughter is now a grown woman and she is no longer needed in the same way – which is surely a strong insight. At this point, it starts to feel like a nuanced take on ageism and how our society values women for their age and ability to get things done until the mother starts cooking up a biryani, and you realize they’re not going that way at all.

The moment where the daughter deliberately forgets to put salt in the Biryani was the strongest and sweetest moment of the ad, but it felt like a missed opportunity to not connect it to oil (the mother could have added the oil instead of salt) since it is an ad for Sultan Cooking Oil and not Sultan Salt. Overall, it had a strong insight and was nicely executed with solid acting and chemistry but eventually comes off as just another face in the crowd among many similar feeling emotional ads we have previously seen.

A Bright Idea that Won Big!

Huzaifa Gaba
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A Bright Idea that Won Big!

SYNERGYZER: What is your educational background and when did you start working on your startup?

ABUZAR SHOAIB SIDDIQUI: I completed my Diploma of Associate Engineering (DAE) in Chemical Engineering, after which I pursued my degree in Applied Chemistry from the University of Karachi. I began working on the start-up when still an undergraduate. Once I completed my bachelor’s degree, I dropped the idea of studying further and focused entirely on my start-up to turn it into a successful business.

SYNERGYZER: How did you conceive the idea of building road material from plastic/rubber waste?

ABUZAR SHOAIB SIDDIQUI: I experienced a terrible road accident a few years ago caused by the excessively potholed roads in Karachi, and that accident perhaps pushed me to work on the idea of working on road construction as a career. More research into the subject, and I figured out that road pavements were expensive to build and construction business was definitely not an easy undertaking. Through my conversations with peers, I also noticed another major problem which was ‘plastic waste’ that was making life unbearable in the city. So then I began research on constructing road pavements using plastic and rubber waste, which even today is a novel idea in the country and no one else has initiated.

SYNERGYZER: When and where did you first practically implement your idea?

ABUZAR SHOAIB SIDDIQUI: We first put our idea into practice in Islamabad, in a park where we paved a jogging track using rubber. We used about 10,000 kg of plastic waste to pave out a kilometre-long track. I thoroughly researched the idea, its implementation, drawbacks, and product building, along with what my competitors were doing before I set out on my first experiment.

SYNERGYZER: How is building roads using plastic/rubber waste better than using conventional material?

ABUZAR SHOAIB SIDDIQUI: Our material is eco-friendly and durable. Given the conditions such as extreme rains, problems of drainage, potholes, etc., an average road’s life expectancy is about four to seven years. On the other hand, roads built with plastic/rubber waste last about 15 years in similar conditions; in fact the life expectancy varies from 15 to 40 years, depending upon extreme weather conditions.

Also, our product is cheaper and affordable and of better quality.

SYNERGYZER: So you’re saying there are no drawbacks to building roads with plastic/rubber waste?

ABUZAR SHOAIB SIDDIQUI: There is one drawback. Once the road completes its life (40 years), the microplastics from the road start becoming part of the ecosystem again. However, we have it controlled as the roads in Pakistan are constructed every 20 years.

SYNERGYZER: From where do you source the plastic waste to be used in road-building?

ABUZAR SHOAIB SIDDIQUI: We have vendors based in Gadap and Sher Shah, Karachi from whom we buy plastic in bulk.

SYNERGYZER: When did you officially start your company Enviro Solutions and what is its mission?

ABUZAR SHOAIB SIDDIQUI: We officially started working on the start-up in January 2021. Enviro Solutions is more than just an economical idea. Before generating business, we aim to serve the country by providing quality and eco-friendly habitats to the citizens of Pakistan.

SYNERGYZER: Who are your clients?

ABUZAR SHOAIB SIDDIQUI: Currently, our clients are Coca-Cola (in collaboration with the National Incubation Centre, Islamabad), Huawei Pakistan (Islamabad), Sports Pavilion (Karachi), Askari 10, Humayun Carpets, as well as a few private clients.

SYNERGYZER: How has the response been to your start-up so far?

ABUZAR SHOAIB SIDDIQUI: We have completed 10 tenders in various areas of Pakistan with the above-mentioned clients. All our customers have been satisfied with our work.

SYNERGYZER: Are there any challenges involved in your work?

ABUZAR SHOAIB SIDDIQUI: Machinery for production and shortage of skilled labour have been our major challenges so far. The specialized machines required for production are not available locally and we cannot afford to buy and import them right now. Hence, we use manual production.

SYNERGYZER: How was your experience with Shell Tameer and later winning the award?

ABUZAR SHOAIB SIDDIQUI: I came to know about Shell Tameer through the NEP-NIC office at I.T tower, Sindh Madarsatul Islam, Karachi. Winning an award in the ‘Bright Idea’ category opened the door for us definitely, in terms of acquiring new potential investors and customers for Enviro Solutions. Shell Tameer also provided us with mentors, financial support, as well as the chance to network on a larger scale.

SYNERGYZER: What are you planning ahead for Enviro Solutions?

ABUZAR SHOAIB SIDDIQUI: We have been working on indoor and outdoor flooring and pavements till now. In the future, we intend to convert our start-up into a factory to expand our services for building construction by providing plastic bricks which will drive us towards eco-friendly housing. We are also working on a coloured-plastic road which will be soon available for our customers.

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