Hay Day has launched a new ad featuring TV chef Gordon Ramsay.
Hay Day is a place of relaxation and calm, even for one of the most fiery individuals in entertainment.
Agency: Supercell
Production House: Stockholm office of Uncommon Creative Studio
Gordon Ramsay Takes Up Farming | Hay Day
TikTok Shares 2025 Trends Every Marketer Needs to Know About
- TikTok introduced its fifth What’s Next 2025 Trend Report for marketers.
- According to the report, 2 out of 3 TikTok users like when brands partner with a variety of creators;
- 81% of users say TikTok has introduced them to new topics and trends they didnât know they liked, building a globally connected, engaged community.
Pakistan, February 4, 2025: To equip marketers with deep insights into TikTok’s communityâs evolving wants and needs, the platform issued its annual trend forecast – What’s Next 2025 Trend Report. It shows that in 2025, the TikTok community will unite to create unique, transformative, and year-defining content, reshaping how the industry thinks about âmarketingâ and the future of business growthâa movement called Brand Chem.
The old playbook of brands telling consumers what they need is over. This new era calls for brands to join forces with creators and communities, working hand-in-hand to build content that resonates, drives impact, and ultimately redefines cultural relevance.
“In 2024, we saw brands push creative limits, lean into trends, and connect with their communities in powerful ways, but 2025 is set to take it even further,â said Shadi Kandil, General Manager, Global Business Solutions, Middle East, Turkey, Africa, Central and South Asia – TikTok. âThe creative storytelling opportunities on TikTok are endless, and this year brands and creators will come together to continue shaping culture, sparking fresh ideas, and accelerating business growth by tapping directly into what matters to the TikTok community.”
You can view the full ‘What’s Next’ report here.
This report focuses on the most impactful and sustainable trends, referred to as Trend Signals. The three key groups of Trend Signals:
- Brand Fusion
- Identity Osmosis
- Creative Catalysts
Brand Fusion
A dynamic state where a brand gains renewed vigour, becoming more responsive and ready to build lasting bonds.
TikTok has become a go-to platform for trusted insights. Brands are discovering the value of collaborating with diverse creators, from low-key reviewers to dynamic personalities. Instead of relying on a single creator, brands can now connect with their community at scale, reaching unique audiences and enabling authentic storytelling (1). In fact, 2 out of 3 TikTok users like when brands partner with a variety of creators. Adding custom codes and exclusive offers further amplifies this reach, allowing brands to create personalized connections while driving business results.
It’s not just about working with a variety of creators, but also ensuring brands allow those creators to show up authentically through their content. One of the examples of brands which have successfully leveraged creator collaborations is 7up. The brand introduced a new Strawberry Lemonade flavour on TikTok and aimed to increase awareness and engagement within their target audience. The company launched its first-ever Branded Effect creator-led campaign, infusing frames of ice cubes and zesty lemons, along with an infectious jingle. A mix of Branded Effect, creator engagement, and ads products like Spark Ads and TopView premium placement resulted in sip-taculor success on TikTok. The campaign garnered 12.5 Million Video Views on TikTok, with more than 7.6K videos published with the Berry is Back Branded Effect. 7up achieved a staggering 100% of their initial target within the first three months of the Strawberry Lemonade launch.
Going beyond authentic content to building genuine rapport, brands must meet their communities where they are and share varied and unfiltered content such as street interviews, behind-the-scenes moments, or thoughtful insights. By doing so, brands can foster trust and community while encouraging audience engagement (2). 40% of TikTok users find brands that showcase personality more relevant, while 45% of social and video platform users feel brand relevance comes from feeling understood â emphasizing the importance of consistent, supportive, and joyful content. Through TikTokâs Creative Exchange, brands can strategically partner with creative experts across specialised niches, making their connections with audiences even more meaningful.
Gourmet Foods, Pakistanâs food and beverage industry brand, for example, used TikTok Creative Exchange (TTCX) to create visually compelling and culturally relevant content. This solution helped the brand to develop five engaging videos that seamlessly integrated with TikTok’s native features. The videos were designed to resonate with the platform’s young and dynamic audience and helped to maximize reach, drive awareness of the brand’s beverage range and solidify its position as a leading beverage brand in the Pakistani market.
Identity Osmosis
Brands are organically integrating evolving consumer values, allowing these shifting ideals to reshape their identity.
TikTok communities are redefining representation by embracing diverse, authentic perspectives and celebrating niche viewpoints. By adapting to new trends and leaning into authentic perspectives, brands can connect on a deeper level with their communities, expanding reach and value (3). 81% of users say TikTok has introduced them to new topics and trends they didnât know they liked, building a globally connected, engaged community.
A good example of how to win the love of a community is Coke Studio, a franchise featuring local studio-recorded music performances that Pakistanis eagerly look forward to each year, launching its highly anticipated Season 15 on TikTok. The campaign kicked off with TikTok’s premium advertising solutions, and all of Coke Studioâs Season 15 content, which featured vertical adaptations of the full songs with local artists, was uploaded to Coke Studioâs TikTok profile. This content was further amplified through Spark Ads, ensuring each song reached a broader audience while maintaining native engagement on the platform. The campaign delivered exceptional results, resonating powerfully with the community, reaching over 41 million users and achieving a CPM 9.3% below the industry benchmark. Engagement was equally impressive, with over 5.7 million likes, comments, and shares on Coke Studioâs videos. This goes to show how TikTok effectively promoted the season, driving massive awareness and interaction among music lovers across the platform.
TikTok is transforming conversations about life stages and identity. It’s changed the ideals around Girlhood from a once-narrow concept into a space of diverse narratives where women embrace TikTok’s femininomenon and listen to each other’s first-hand experiences. From affordable dupes to unboxing hauls, TikTok fosters a digital sisterhood in which 72% of women on TikTok feel it’s easy to connect and bond with new communities around shared life experiences on the platform. (5) This evolution is prompting brands to reconsider their messaging and enshrine female inclusivity, in part by leveraging amplifier communities like #WomeninSTEM, uniting women from tech sciences, on TikTok.
Other deeply personal topics that have been transformed by conversations on TikTok are personal finance and well-being. TikTok is redefining traditional milestones amid an era of economic change, spurring the community to be more interested in financial literacy. Conversations around student debt, mental health, and personal happiness reflect a shift toward valuing authentic, relatable experiences, with 50% of users on social/video platforms seeking content that mirrors their lives. (6) And brands can engage in those conversations, providing users with valuable advice.
Creative Catalysts
Untapped tools for marketers to ideate, build, learn, and take more exciting creative risks than ever before.
AI is becoming a source of excitement on TikTok, where users and brands explore its potential in everyday tasks like styling outfits, visualizing renovations, or writing scripts with Symphony Assistant. This playful, creative approach turns AI from a sci-fi concept into a practical, engaging tool for daily life, sparking curiosity and creativity. TikTok users are 1.4x more likely than users on other platforms to look forward to Generative AI in ads (7), highlighting this growing enthusiasm. With Symphony Assistant, brands can leverage real-time data on trending content and transform it into creative, ready-to-film concepts, making AI an integral part of TikTokâs vibrant, discovery-driven community.
As content demand rises, brands are shifting from short-lived marketing assets to multifaceted storytelling strategies. Formats such as Image Ads allow brands to quickly hop into trends and tell new stories by shaking up the format. This approach aligns with TikTokâs user base, where 76% of TikTok users enjoy seeing a mix of images and video (8), enabling brands to maintain relevance and continuously engage audiences. Real-time feedback in TikTokâs comment sections further enhances this strategy, allowing brands to innovate alongside consumersâwith 68% of users saying brands should leverage comments to better understand their audience. (9)
The Pakistani Boss in a Meeting
Backlog Brilliance is a segment that takes you back in time – to the Synergyzer of Yesteryear. This particular piece is from the first ever Synergyzer published in 2003.
On a humorous note, Roohi Ali elucidates the truth behind the ever-so-busy schedule of the Pakistani bosses
Amidst the cacophony of several phones ringing incessantly in an ostentatiously decorated MD office of a leading Pakistani Business House, a bleached-haired secretary while filling her already impeccably manicured nails answers the phone.
By Roohi Ali
âSorry, Sir is in a meeting. Any message?â is the standard Pakistani reply for those who dare wish to get through to the boss the very first time they call.
At the end of the day, the despaired individual decides to personally visit the boss hoping to have better luck this way. Once again, the secretary bats her eyelashes bashfully, âSorry, Sir is very busy in a meeting, a very important deal, wait or make an appointment for tomorrow.â
After an endless wait of 7 days, the individual finally has the honour of meeting the boss who once again is in a meeting but decides to spare a few minutes from his tight schedule.
Watching the trying-to-look-busy secretary fluttering in and out of the bossâ office, reality soon dawns on the individual that the boss obviously has a roving eye for the pretty young thing. With a casual glance at the shelves and hidden cabinets, the individual decides that the boss is a heavy drinker and likes reading Frederick Forsyth, Eddy Shah, company profiles and the pink pages of glossy magazines.
While waiting to be entertained in the bossâ office, trying to catch chunks of the important matter being discussed in the meeting, the individual realises that the boss certainly thinks that politicians stink but is obviously happy to do business with them. The boss cultivates âGorasâ and local bureaucrats, and often mixes business with their illicit pleasure in Europe. The important meeting also reveals to the individual that the boss plays golf and walks regularly in Gymkhana and thoroughly enjoys occasional dinners cum operas at five-star hotels. The individual does not find it too difficult to figure out that much of the busy bossâ time is spent seducing otherâs spouses, feasting, going on vacations, jousting, and generally having a good time.
Sloth is the Pakistani bossâ favourite vice and slothful boss is extremely intelligent to survive. The boss knows, to be the person of means and not to let work interfere with leisure or lazing around, takes more than planning. It requires a killerâs instinct.
Walk into the bossâ office and find how they depict the true pictures of âLying on the Bedâ or âAn Apology for Idlers.â Pakistani Bosses have perfected the art of sloth and know perfectly well that Adam and Eve just wandered around all day naked doing nothing and had it not been for a little culinary indiscretion, they would still be having a ball. And for that indiscretion, they are thrown on the earth to work for a living. So, work, which just happens to be a four-letter word, was actually a punishment, not something that should be sought out and actively encouraged.
What we need is to bring sloth out of these dreary walls and hand them over to type-A personality executives to whom being lazy has become sinful.
Rooh Afza’s âChal Mere Laalâ: A Nostalgic Tribute to Generations
Rooh Afza, the rose sharbat that is a staple in every desi personâs kitchen, itâs delicious, easy to make and always on hand. The bright red beverage is deeply ingrained in our Pakistani culture, only a few brands hold such an emotional weight. It has been a household name for over a century, becoming synonymous with feelings of hospitality, Ramzan, and hot summer days.
Rooh Afza Pakistan recently launched a campaign titled âChal mere Laalâ, a beautiful love letter to the generations that have grown up with the drink.
The campaign was slowly unveiled through a series of teasers. The promos featured familiar settings and surroundings, subtly hinting at cherished memories associated with Rooh Afza.
âChal Mere Laalââwhich translates to âCome along, my dearâ a phrase that is used as a term of endearment. The art of clever wordplay is that Laal not only means âdearâ but also the colour red â which coincidently is the colour of Rooh Afza.
One of the standout elements of the advert campaign is its visual representation of time, showcasing a timeline where the original Rooh Afza bottle travels over the years, stopping at key historical moments such as 1947, 1980, 1990, 2000, 2010, and 2020. This progression mirrored Pakistanâs journey as a nation, subtly embedding Rooh Afza into the national narrative. It highlights the original blue bottle and âRooh Afza Lightâ, released in 2010âstrengthening the campaignâs message that the brand has evolved with the times whilst also remaining an essential part of our lives.
A Journey Through Generations
The campaign was slowly unveiled through a series of teasers. The promos featured familiar settings and surroundings, subtly hinting at cherished memories associated with Rooh Afza with the terms âDown The Memory Lane, Chalta Hi Ja Tuâ and âChal Chal Mereâ along with photos and videos of people sharing Rooh Afza during gatherings and celebrations, which showcased the drinkâs association with togetherness. They also infused the subtle touch of Pakistani culture, from the paired food to surrounding aesthetics like showing an empty Purana ghar, all to indicate a strong message and emotional connection about nostalgia.
Is It a Win?
The campaignâs success could be attributed to several factors, such as emotional appeal, since unlike conventional advertisements that focus solely on product features, âChal Mere Laalâ tugs at one’s heartstrings with its storytelling. It reminds the audience of their childhoods, associated memories with the drink, and moments of familial warmth.
Rooh Afza also subtly positioned itself as more than just a beverageâit is a cultural artefact that existed alongside Pakistanâs birth, sticking along from 1947 as it moved through decades. This timeline concept is particularly effective since it does not just show a brand history; it allows the audience to reflect on their personal history with the rose syrup.
A Lesson in Heritage Branding
Rooh Afzaâs âChal Mere Laalâ campaign sets a benchmark for heritage branding. As Pakistan moves forward in history, some traditions fade while others do stick with us. âChal Mere Laalâ highlighted Rooh Afza as not just a drink but also tapped into its audienceâs collective nostalgia. And in a rapidly changing world, this sense of continuity is more valuable than ever.
Cricketers Turn Into Spies For The New ICC 2025 Campaign
The International Cricket Council (ICC) recently launched its âAll On The Lineâ campaign for the ICC Menâs Champions Trophy 2025, and we must add that it held quite the drama. Was it a new Mission Impossible trailer or a Cricket Tournament Trailer?
The promo featured Pakistanâs Shadab Khan and Shaheen Shah Afridi, Indiaâs Hardik Pandya, Afghanistanâs Mohammad Nabi, and Englandâs Phil Salt, all trying to âstealâ the trophy in a Mission Impossible-esque setting.
Mission Impossible Meets Cricket: Inside the Promo
The trailer began with Shadab cautiously lowering Shaheen headfirst towards the trophy – Ethan Hunt style in a high-security vault.
The scene shifts to Hardik Pandya who tosses the ball in the air and gets sliced into two; exposing an array of lasers and motion sensors. âCan you do this Hardik?â asks a voice through the receiver in his ear, which according to the comment section of the video, many fans believe to be the voice of Virat Kohli. Pandya then displays some comical and Bollywood-style stunts, many viewers called him âKung Fu Pandya.â Itâs a Hollywood setting with Bollywoodâs desi tadka.
Mohammad Nabi drills himself in the vault, whereas Phil Salt materialises out of thin air (yes, we were as shocked as you are). Upon seeing each other, all four rush forward to grab the trophy.
Mixed Reactions and Fan Criticism
The teaser got a lot of mixed reviews as many pointed out that it felt like only India and Pakistan would participate in the tournament since in the teaser both teams solely got the screentime of 50 seconds. In contrast, Salt and Nabi showed up on the screen at the end comprising their screen time of about 10 seconds. It also got significant backlash when fans noticed that Hardik Pandyaâs appearance looked like it was filmed against a green screen and given Indiaâs previous record of using its power to influence ICCâs decisionsâlike shifting their matches to UAE instead of Pakistan and objecting to Pakistanâs name on the Champions Trophy Kitâit is not a big surprise that Hardik didnât attend the shoot in person. The promo itself felt irrelevant in terms of showcasing a cricket tournament, instead, it felt like a heist in an action-packed film.
People also pointed out the Australian Captain in the comment section, acknowledging Australia being the only team to triumph, the Champions Trophy twice. There was a rush of praise towards the trailer as people denoted the campaign to be different from ICCâs previous ads and how this was something new and innovative. Viewers also loved the slight display of rivalry between Pakistan and India.
The emphasis on the campaignâs tagline, âItâs All On The Line,â was also perceived positively, as the hustle for the crown was evident.
Champions Trophy 2025: Pakistan Gears Up as Host
The ICC Champions Trophy, previously called the âICC KnockOut Trophyâ, is a high-profile cricket tournament organised by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and played in the One Day International (ODI) format. Established in 1998, the tournament was created to promote cricket in non-Test-playing nations and is held every four years. It is often compared to footballâs FIFA Confederations Cup, and it features a condensed version of the Cricket World Cup’s format.
Pakistan is the reigning champion, having won the 2017 edition of the Champions Trophy against India, in England and Wales. The next ICC Champions Trophy is scheduled for February 2025 and will be hosted by Pakistan. The first match of the tournament is in Karachi on February 19, between Pakistan and New Zealand. This event marks the countryâs first major ICC event since 1996. It is expected to feature the top eight ODI teams, India, Bangladesh, New Zealand, Pakistan, Afghanistan, England, Australia, and South Africa.
PAA, APNS, PAS & PBA Unite to Elevate Pakistan’s Media & Advertising Landscape
Karachi, January 29, 2025: The Pakistan Advertising Association (PAA), All Pakistan Newspaper Society (APNS), Pakistan Advertisers Society (PAS), and Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA) â four major stakeholders in Pakistan’s media and advertising sector â have joined forces, signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to drive collective growth.
This landmark agreement marks a pivotal moment for Pakistan’s media and advertising industry. By uniting under a shared vision, these key stakeholders will address industry-wide challenges and promote sustainable growth and development. The partnership will enhance synergy, transparency, and professionalism across advertising, media, and marketing sectors.
The MoU underscores the commitment to resolving regulatory challenges, financial transparency, digital transformation, and ethical standards. By fostering mutual cooperation, it creates a robust framework to elevate operational efficiency and strengthen the ecosystem. Together, these organizations will champion stakeholders’ interests, promote innovation, and position Pakistan’s advertising and media industries on par with global standards.
Addressing the milestone event, Chairman PAA, Ahmed Hussain Kapadia, remarked, âThe alliance represents a unified commitment to safeguard the interests of our industry and promote a collaborative environment where creativity and innovation thrive. Together, we aim to raise the bar of professionalism and ethics while advocating for fair policies and sustainable practices.â
With this historic agreement, the stage is set for a new era of collaboration and growth in Pakistan’s media and advertising landscape.
Why Your Closet is Full but Your Life is Empty
Capitalism Rocks! Overconsumption is the Best!
This satirical take on overconsumption explores the relentless cycle of consumerism, where fleeting trends and empty promises keep us hooked but never truly satisfied. Weâre constantly sold the idea that happiness is just one more purchase away, but what happens when our closets are overflowing and our lives still feel empty?
You know that rush when you swipe your card and hear the beep? That little thrill, the momentary high, the promise that maybeâjust maybeâthis next purchase will fill the void in your soul.
What else do you need when you have a closet full of clothes, youâll never wear more than once? Repeating an outfit is so boomer! We are so good at convincing ourselves that weâre just one purchase away from being complete. Itâs almost poetic, turning the insecurities into profit margins. Oh, you feel empty inside? Donât worry, thatâs what the new seasonâs collection is for. Feeling down? Thereâs a sale for that.
Remember when people just wore clothes because they needed to be clothed? Thatâs cute. I mean, who wouldnât want to spend half their paycheck on the latest âitâ bag thatâs destined to go out of style by the time your credit card bill arrives? But hey, maybe itâs not just about the bagâitâs about the story you get to tell. âOh, this? Just something I picked up at that exclusive pop-up shop. Limited edition, of course.â Because in this world, you might be worthless but your closet shouldnât be.
And I love how we start a trend. You know, the ones you see on your feed with the âcandidâ shots, sipping overpriced lattes, wearing the kind of outfits that cost more than our kidneys. Weâre not just selling clothes; weâre selling a lifestyleâa perfectly curated, filtered-to-death version of reality. This deserves some credit. Itâs about mastering the art of making people including ourselves- feel inadequate with just one scroll.
Genius, right? Tell the audience that happiness is just a purchase away, and they believe it. And why wouldnât they? The models and influencers look so happy basking in the glow of sponsored products.
We marketers might set the pace, but weâre running the same race. Weâre just as addicted, just as desperate to stay relevant, just as caught up in the endless chase. So, you, as a consumer canât play the victim card. We are on the same boat – the same one we built, boarded you all in with us and drilled a hole so we could happily drown in the piles of clothes together, yay!
But letâs be real here; itâs a game, and the house always wins. Fashion is the dealer, and you, my friend, are just another player, tossing your chips on the table and hoping for a win. Except in this game, the rules keep changing just when you think youâve got the winning handâboom! The trends shift, and youâre back to square one, scrambling to stay relevant. Itâs a never-ending cycle, a carefully constructed system that keeps us running on the hamster wheel of consumerism, all the while believing that weâre the ones in control.
And oh, the addiction! Forget coffee; shopping is the real vice. Itâs like a bad relationshipâyou know itâs toxic, but you just canât quit. Every time you see a âlimited editionâ tag, your heart skips a beat. Your logical brain might scream, âYOU DONâT NEED THIS!â but the capitalist devil on your shoulder whispers, âYouâll look so good that Baby Aunty will burst into flames.â And so, you swipe, you click, you buyâand for what? That sense of empowerment, I mean forget about the basic rights I got a bag that matches my dress.
Thereâs always something new, something better, something more in-trend that you absolutely must have. Limited editions, capsule collections, designer collaborations – cue the stampede of people willing to camp outside a store just to be one of the few to own an item that looks exactly like everything else but carries the coveted label of drumroll âexclusivityâ.
Why make a product widely available when you can make people fight over it like itâs the last piece of bread in an apocalypse? And it works beautifully. I know because I put two of them in my closet last night – no guilt. Oh, donât judge!
Who among us hasnât felt that rush of adrenaline, fingers trembling as we add yet another pair to the cart, justifying it with absurd excuses? Itâs an investment, I wonât buy another one for the next 6 months, knowing full well itâs just another notch in our addiction beltâan addiction worse than that third cup of coffee we swore we wouldnât have today.
But itâs all part of the glamour, right? The influencerâs unboxing the latest models as if theyâve discovered the meaning of life in a shoebox. And there we are, watching, liking, and convincing ourselves that we need that pair like its oxygen because, well, itâs trendy. And who better to keep up with the trends than the ones who set them? People like me, whoâve turned shopping into an extreme sport. (And I love it!)
Itâs not about the practicality, itâs about the statement. The flex. The feeling that youâre a part of something biggerâuntil the next drop comes along, and the cycle starts all over again. Itâs all fuelled by the promise that the next thing we buy will finally be the thing that makes us feel complete.
Spoiler alert: it wonât.
Itâs a beautiful, relentless system designed to keep us wanting, buying, and chasing after that perfect life thatâs always just out of reach. Sure, itâs exhausting, and yes, itâs soul-crushing but honestly, but isnât that what makes it all so great? After all, happiness is fleeting, but that Prada bag is forever.
From Manuscript to Masterpiece – How to Publish a Book in Pakistan
Youâve poured your heart into writing your book, and now itâs time to share your story with the world. The question is how does one publish a book, especially in Pakistan. I remember when I wrote my first book and dreamed of getting it published. Unfortunately, back in the 90s, resources were scarce compared to what we have today. As a teenage writer, I approached a few publishers, but none showed much interest. To make matters worse, one of them photocopied my entire cookbook, which later surfaced on various TV channels during the golden age of Pakistani television.
Thankfully, times have changed. With laws protecting intellectual property, copyrights, and a variety of publishing options available, the landscape for aspiring authors is far more promising today.
The Landscape of Book Publishing in Pakistan
This is your friendly neighbourhood guide on: How to Publish a book in Pakistan. Publishing in Pakistan is now an endless opportunity to connect with readers eager for fresh voices and unique ideas. Whether youâre exploring traditional publishing, self-publishing, or online platforms, this guide will help you navigate the process. Turning your dreams into reality and your book to life on the shelves.
Well, Pakistan offers a thriving market for authors, with readers hungry for new voices and ideas. In this article, I’ll guide you through the journey of publishing your book in Pakistan helping you turn your literary dream into a reality.
Polishing Your Manuscript
Assuming that youâve self-edited your manuscript, itâs time to bring in a fresh pair of eyes – a professional editor. This literary expert will dissect your book, pinpoint areas for improvement, and offer valuable advice on how to refine your narrative. By hiring a pro, youâll avoid those pesky spelling and grammatical errors that can make or break a book. A skilled editor will enhance your unique voice, infusing your writing with clarity and flow, without altering its essence.
Traditional, Self, or Online
Now that your manuscript is polished, it’s time to decide how you’ll share it with the world. Will you opt for traditional publishing, self-publishing, or online publishing? If you choose the traditional route, submit your work to potential publishers or literary agents, whoâll review your manuscript and decide whether to offer a contract.
Taking the reins of your literary journey, self-publishing offers a world of creative control and flexibility. In Pakistan, this path has gained popularity, allowing authors to steer their projects from manuscript to market. After professional editing, crafting a captivating book design, hiring graphic designers or utilising templates from self-publishing platforms. Then, selecting a reliable printing service, considering print-on-demand options to minimise upfront costs. While self-publishing requires an initial investment, it rewards authors with a higher royalty rate and unparalleled creative freedom.
Publishing a book doesnât have to break the bank. With online platforms, you can share your work with the world without spending a rupee. Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) is a fantastic option, allowing you to publish your eBook for free. You retain complete control over your rights and royalties, while Amazon takes a small percentage of sales. Other platforms like Smashwords and Lulu also offer free publishing options, although they might charge for extras like cover design or marketing. By using these platforms, you can connect with readers globally, without the hefty costs of traditional publishing.
For authors penning their masterpieces in English, several publishers in Pakistan specialise in English-language books. Notable names include Oxford University Press Pakistan, Liberty Books, Alpha Book Publisher, and Ferozsons, which offer comprehensive services, from editing and design to distribution, making them excellent partners for English-speaking authors in Pakistan.
Several online publishers, including Daastan, Auraq, Parestan, Reada Book Publishers, and Alpha Book Publisher, cater to Pakistani authors, providing services from manuscript editing to digital marketing.
Cost Considerations
The cost of publishing a book in Pakistan can vary greatly, depending on factors such as the type of publishing, book length, and format. Traditional publishing typically doesnât incur costs for the author, but securing a contract with a publisher can be highly competitive. On the other hand, self-publishing can range from PKR 50,000 to PKR 500,000, depending on the services you choose for editing, design, printing, and marketing. If you opt for an eBook, costs start from around PKR 10,000 for basic formatting and distribution, but additional services like cover design and professional editing can add to the expense.
Once your book is published, itâs time to shout about it!
Marketing Your Masterpiece
In todayâs digital age, promoting your book is just as crucial as writing it. With the world at your fingertips, you can reach a global audience and make your book a bestseller. But, letâs face it â you want more than just your friends and family to read your book! To avoid that, you need a solid marketing strategy. First and foremost, create your author website â the cornerstone of your online book marketing. This is where you’ll connect with readers, build your email list, and ultimately, sell your books. A well-crafted author website will help establish your author brand, credibility, and personality, drawing in readers from your target market.
Next, ignite your online presence with a strategic social media campaign. With a staggering 2.95 billion people using social media annually, it’s a game-changer for book marketing. Convert your profiles to business accounts, update your profile photo and bio to showcase your upcoming release, and get ready to connect with your audience. Craft a pre-launch social media campaign that focuses on building meaningful relationships with your readers. Share behind-the-scenes stories, ask engaging questions, and post valuable content that resonates with your audience. Keep it interactive, informative, and fun â the perfect blend to generate buzz around your book!
Build anticipation for your book with a tantalising cover reveal! Launching your bookâs cover can generate significant buzz and excitement among potential readers. Share the big reveal on social media platforms; collaborating with online influencers or bloggers can also help promote your book to a wider readership.
Build the buzz with a fun countdown to launch day! Let your creativity shine as you share daily updates on your favourite platforms – Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, or even your own author website. Post sneak peeks, teasers, or behind-the-scenes moments to keep your audience engaged and excited. You can even add a countdown clock to your website to heighten the anticipation and make sure your readers donât miss the big day!
As you embark on this exciting journey, we wish you the very best of luck! May your book resonate with readers, spark meaningful conversations, and leave a lasting impact.
Congratulations on taking the first step towards sharing your ideas, perspective, and story with the world!
