Integrated branding + communications programme

There is more to Egypt than just tourism. With the Indian outsourcing market reaching saturation and opportunities for new destinations emerging, the Egyptian government set itself an ambitious target of quadrupling its ICT outsourcing exports to US$1.1bn by 2010. This required a substantial shift in international perceptions and for Egypt to distinguish itself above the other 30 countries vying for a piece of the global outsourcing market.

To enable Egypt to achieve its goal, H+K Strategies set up a multi-service, multi-market team comprising over 30 consultants across four continents.

Changing perceptions of Egypt was key and our brand consultancy Bisqit developed the Egypt On brand. It emphasised the country’s highly skilled, multi-lingual workforce, technological advancement and Mediterranean vibrancy. The message was that modern Egypt is always switched on and ready for business.

We went on to launch and manage a global communications programme that would generate international awareness and interest. This included a global PR campaign targeting industry experts, global IT firms and potential outsourcers and comprises of media and analyst relations, event strategy and support and positioning Egypt as a thought-leader in the ICT sector. It also included the design and build of a new website.

Attendance at Egyptian government ICT seminars rose significantly and there were record levels of interest from global analysts and outsourcing prospects. As recognition of the progress Egypt has made, it was named Offshoring Destination of the Year at the 2010 European Outsourcing Association Awards, beating rivals Philippines, Colombia and Sri Lanka to the accolade.