By way of presentation, what is your company's philosophy, and what has this allowed you to achieve?
We were established in 1989, and our philosophy has developing ever since then. We are very customer orientated, and we believe that such an approach is essential in this industry. We operate as if we were an internal department of our customer's business and strive to have great communications with our business partners and clients. We are in the creative design and innovation business and we hope our architectural and interior design reflect this.
We are looking to develop a relaxed and friendly atmosphere with our clients, so they will spend more time with us, and allow us to get to know them better. To this end we are very honest about what we can and cannot achieve on their behalf. We invest a great deal in human resources in the hope that our staff will be the best in the industry. It will be our staff who will play a huge role in forging the success of the company.
What new investments are you making in new technology?
Technology is one of our main priorities for investment. It has to be, because the technology in the industry is changing fast, and to remain ahead of the game, we need to adapt and change quickly. The new generation of computers is within our reach, so we are updating our computers to the G4 (Macintosh) systems. In the design department we are big Macintosh fans, as they are more powerful, and better suited to our needs.
As I am sure you are aware, it is not just the quality of work that is an issue, but more and more people are demanding work immediately. When we started out it took us about 2 weeks to produce a small business pamphlet, and now we can do this in a few hours. You can see how much things have improved.
Could you explain to us what your advertising portfolio is at present?
We are an advertising and communications agency, who handle everything from A to Z. We start with strategic planning and budgeting, and then move on to the implementation of the marketing plan and the achievement of our objectives through production. We also do a lot of direct marketing, organising events for potential clients and we also have another brand, which is Selections - the number one interior decoration catalogue in Egypt. It is a showcase of what Egypt can offer.
Which software do you use?
We have all the most modern software available for desktop publishing, as well as some more specialist software which is specific to the advertising business. All our offices are fully automated and all our computers are networked. We use both Macintosh and IBM machines, and we have had no problems with getting them these two systems networked together. We have all the most modern versions of the appropriate software, such as Photo Shop and Quark Express, as well as lots of Arabic language software.
ANIMATION means something which is moving : do you think about extending your activities in that way?
We chose animation as a name for our agency because it has a double meaning. We try to make our advertising images come alive and stand out from the page, which is one meaning of the expression 'to animate' and we are also in the business of design and creation, which is also related to animation.
Your internet site is presently under construction. Is Internet a priority for the agency?
As you said, our Website is currently under construction. We believe that within a few years the vast majority of advertising in this industry will be web based, and we are actively preparing for this. We have a business plan to accelerate our progress in this direction.
| What is your opinion on the issue of software piracy, which is a recurrent problem in Egypt?
It is true that anyone can buy a copycat version of whatever computer they need for very affordable prices, but this is really very risky. At the moment, all companies are aware that they must use original, legitimate software, and needless to say, in this company we do not use copied software. We do not need the problems associated with being on the wrong side of the law.
In order to be competitive, you have to recruit high level staff. Do you face problems in human resources availability ?
Finding creative individuals is difficult, and I'm not just talking about designers here. We need creative managers, creative problem solvers and creative marketers. We have a good reputation in the market, and many people want to join our agency, so we have access to a good talent pool. We offer a very competitive employment package, and we have to in order to ensure that we get the best staff available.
Are you planning to diversify into new markets, such as communications?
Yes, but let me explain our present operations first. We are presently handling an international account for Chrysler and Jeep. We have had a contract with them since 1996, when they started their operations in Egypt. Business with them is booming as they are doing very well here. We work directly with the company and feel that we have played a significant part of their success story here in Egypt. We are also involved in the Mobile Phone market, and Nokia is a prized customer here. We handle Sharp Electronics, which involves everything from refrigerators to video cameras.
We have a lot of domestic clients too, and one of our most recent customers is the IT and Communications Holding Company, Raya Holding. This comprises eight 'up and coming' IT based companies and it is a real challenge to provide services for them. We only take on two or three big clients every year, as we want to ensure, first and foremost, that we can continue to provide a continuous, quality service for all our customers, both new and old.
Are you planning to diversify into other countries?
Yes, we also handle clients from the Middle East, one of our main clients is Arma, the oil and derivatives group. Our clients vary from the automotive industry through mobile telecoms and oil, and that is true diversity. We are presently attempting to predict what our market will look like in three to five years time, and when we have done this, we will be better positioned to answer questions such as this. Our reputation is good, which means that clients are coming to us without us having to approach them ourselves.
What do you feel has been your greatest achievement as Managing Director?
Well, it is very rewarding for me to see the products that we advertise becoming market leaders here in Egypt. This happened with Jeep and Nokia mobile phones, and it is happening to many other of our clients as we speak. |
