Design is an essential component of modern life and we all want to be surrounded by beautiful living spaces. Pakistan has a lot to offer in the field of interior design but till now there have been very few avenues to showcase it.
This is where HomeLoveLifestyle comes in. This unique interiors and lifestyle online magazine not only takes its readers into creatively styled Pakistani homes but offers a cornucopia of advice on design and good living. From personalized home tours to travel to food, art and much more, the magazine has managed to position itself as a unique and informed platform showcasing real homes and real experiences.
The team behind the venture is a trio of school friends who put their professional expertise together to create something that they felt was missing from the Pakistani market. Naeema Kapadia is a professional interior designer, Soofia Ishaque is an experienced advertising creative and Zahra Chughtai is a seasoned journalist.
So how was this idea born?
Naeema: Having lived and worked in several countries I always noticed there was no proper representation of interior design in print or digital from my own country really. My clients and friends were always curious about Pakistani home interiors.
There was nothing to show except photographs of my work or random family homes.
Hence the idea for HomeLoveLifestyle was born. It needed careful thought and planning and I approached Zahra and Soofia.
Zahra: There is a superfluity of material on fashion and the entertainment industry in the media, but hardly any mainstream representation of interior design or even travel.
We wanted to offer something of interest to a wide range of readers and educate them about how to incorporate design and other elements of good living.
Soofia: There was space for a creative approach to design and décor that included homes from around Pakistan and across the world. There is always an interest in expat lifestyles, so we combined the two.
Interior design is seen as being only for the elite…
Naeema: Our aim is not to capture an elite audience or showcase grand homes only.
Rather we believe design and good living is an ideal, which can be incorporated into ordinary lives with a little imagination and the right eye.
Zahra: It’s not about big budgets. It’s about being creative, about acknowledging that we need aesthetically pleasing spaces to feel good. We have made a deliberate attempt to keep our content relatable and accessible to a wide audience.
Soofia: The homes we have covered range from mansions to small apartments and professionally styled homes to DIY renovations.
Why should brands choose to advertise on HomeLoveLifeStyle?
Soofia: There is really no other platform like this in Pakistan that showcases the best of design, travel, and lifestyle. So whether you are a major brand looking to engage with a curated audience or a startup looking to create awareness, HomeLoveLifestyle ticks all the boxes.
We offer a range of options from advertorials to social media posts to web banners & PR, giving each of the brands that advertise with us the flexibility to create a unique campaign.
Also, everyone is on a budget cut these days. This gives social media the edge to be the most cost-effective when communicating directly with consumers. Brands can launch new products or communication strategies and track performance without spending too much.
This makes a digital platform like ours perfect for the current media scenario and makes selling ad space easier.
The HomeLoveLifestyle Facebook and Instagram pages offer a vibrant community of loyal and informed Pakistanis with a higher than 10% engagement rate. This is exactly what brands are looking for when they collaborate with any platform.
Naeema: The content we create is unique and original. Its appeal can be gauged from the fact that we often find other publications lifting our content, which is quite a problem for us. But our highly engaged audience and readers wait for us to show them something new each day. Lifestyle, furniture, and décor brands, as well as restaurants and travel related businesses and startups, can all benefit from the magazine’s strong social media presence and digital format. It may not be wrong to point out that we have the power to influence!
We are literally the new kids on the block with a very niche and targeted following. The brands that approach us need to keep in mind the high engagement and dedication which we enjoy from Karachi to Peshawar.
We are also read in 66 plus countries. Our inboxes are flooded with home owners, travel and food enthusiasts seeking advice and ideas.
Zahra: Advertisers should not just chase blanket figures. They should know that our numbers and audience is focused on a pool of consumers targeted to their product. We are not chasing random audiences.
Great. And HomeLoveLifestyle has a number of celebrities featured, along with their homes.
Zahra: Yes. People are always interested in celebrities and in how they live and they can play a big role in shaping public tastes and opinions. All the celebrities we have met have been extremely gracious and generous with their time.
Soofia: I think celebrities add an aspirational aspect to the magazine that we can all relate to.
How do your three professional backgrounds come together?
Naeema: My interior design consultancy and project coordination experience gel well with what HomeLoveLifestyle is.
I bring a trained eye, a multitude of interior and design ideas, and experience to the table. I consider myself privileged to have worked on some very high-end projects locally and internationally, and that injects a multicultural sensibility too. Plus we have to be global ambassadors. Also, vendors and interior products and services related businesses are already familiar with me so this helps for sure.
Soofia: As an advertising person I have always been involved in creative communications. Whether it is a brand story, a CSR campaign, or a social media post; they are all a part of the same desire to spread a message and build awareness. In a changing media landscape, this is both challenging and exciting!
Zahra: I am always interested in the stories. So whether it’s travel or food or interiors, I try to get a feel of the person behind the experience and tap into what makes each space and story unique. And that’s what draws readers in.
What are your plans for the future with HomeLoveLifestyle? What more should we expect to see?
Soofia: We plan to grow and evolve over time to become the premier online design destination for Pakistanis. We are also exploring the option of eCommerce.
Naeema: There will be lots of collaborations and product promotions. Team HomeLoveLifestyle will also be taking on interior projects both online and otherwise.
Zahra: We hope to build an appreciation for quality and originality and continue working with both large and small businesses. We would like to be recognized globally and project the best of Pakistan.
Stay tuned to Synergyzer!