Cairo Design Week introduced its first-ever campaign for the 2025 edition of the festival to set out its creative direction.
The campaign, titled Design, So I Can See You positioned design as a form of identity, self-expression, and visibility, drawing on a reinterpretation of Socrates’ line ‘Speak, so I can see you’. The phrase is used here to frame design as a way for individuals and communities to seen, understood, and celebrated. “In Arabic, the word مِصمِّم (designer) also carries the meaning “to insist,” reflecting this edition’s spirit: design as persistence, conviction, and dialogue,” says Hisham Mahdy, founder of Cairo Design Week.
Building emotions and connecting with communities
Mahdy says the brief for the campaign was to establish a clear creative philosophy for the 2025 edition. “Beyond affirming Cairo Design Week as a leading cultural platform in the region, the campaign aimed to create a deeper emotional connection with designers, students, and the public, encouraging them to create, showcase their work, and make their voices heard.” He added, “It was designed to inspire participation, build anticipation for the November 2025 edition, and elevate Cairo Design Week’s presence both regionally and on the global stage.”
The campaign targets the region’s design and cultural community, including architects, designers, artists and students as well as cultural institutions and design-led businesses, with the intention of engaging the wider public who follow art and urban culture. While the work reaches international audiences organically, the focus remains on Cairo’s creative landscape and the people contributing to it. “The intention was to foster connection and dialogue across all audiences, amplifying the voices that shape Egypt’s cultural and creative landscape,” Mahdy explains.
Digitally-led roll out
Rather than using a broad mix of channels, the team opted for a digital-first rollout that could scale quickly and maintain consistency. The first phase landed in September through CGI-led outdoor clips released online. These pieces introduced the three Cairo Design Week districts for 2025: Heliopolis, Zamalek and Downtown by presenting posters as if they were physically installed across the city.
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The use of CGI allowed the team to convey the atmosphere of large-scale installations without executing them on ground. According to Mahdy, this offered a practical balance: “Social media channels enabled direct engagement with creative communities, while the CGI executions delivered the grandeur of citywide installations without the limitations of physical placement.”
Mahdy also shared that this approach allowed the team to highlight “the distinct character of each district while giving the campaign the agility to reach audiences regionally and internationally”.
A hero film followed in November. It shows a man entering a darkened room where objects are in the spotlight, imitating an exhibit-like setting. Accompanied by a classical music background, the film highlights a quick succession of visuals featuring art, installations and architectural structures.
The film forms the centre of the wider visual system and serves as the main driver of the campaign’s narrative. “The hero video embodied the concept of ‘Design So I Can See You’, inviting designers to showcase their work, express their perspectives, and make their voices heard,” Mahdy says.
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The films and CGI clips were also supported by digital posters and social media content leading up to the launch. The overall digitally-led approach, according to Mahdy, led to higher engagement and allowed the team greater creative control of the campaign.
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Shaping the perception of design
The campaign is currently running digitally across Egypt with natural spillover across the region through design and media channels. It will continue until the conclusion of Cairo Design Week later this year, with selected assets extended in the lead-up to the event.
While the campaign’s stated ambition focuses on dialogue and visibility, its objectives include growing awareness of the 2025 edition, increasing participation from designers and students, strengthening engagement across digital platforms and reinforcing Cairo Design Week’s role within the regional design ecosystem. Mahd notes that the campaign’s success is also measured in “the dialogue it generates” and in how it contributes to shaping the perception of design in Egypt.
The campaign was conceptualised by Creative Districts, with support from Maison Mehany on film production, and Maison Pyramide on PR.
Credits
- Creative concept & Campaign direction and management: Creative Districts
- Film production: Maison Mehany
- DOP: Hussein Mardini
- Visual identity: Nadine El Gabry
- PR Agency: Maison Pyramide
