2016 Winners & Shortlists

DOWNTOWN FONTS

Short List
BrandAL ISMAELIA
Product/ServiceREAL ESTATE
EntrantJ. WALTER THOMPSON CAIRO, EGYPT
CategoryTypography
Entrant Company J. WALTER THOMPSON CAIRO, EGYPT
Advertising Agency J. WALTER THOMPSON CAIRO, EGYPT

Brief Explanation

Al Ismaelia is a real estate development company tasked with restoring the classical grandeur of Downtown Cairo, the city’s neighbourhood relic of a bygone era – while preserving its architectural heritage. We work to celebrate this past and to adapt it to the future. Just like the buildings that we buy; we refurbish them to their previous glory and fit them to accommodate today's needs. This bridging of the past and the future is what has always made Downtown Cairo a fascinating place layered with stories, events, and people.

The Brief

Al-Ismaelia is focused on the restoration of old buildings in the Downtown area to their former glory in terms of architecture, while equipping them to today's needs. The interests of Al Ismaelia in Downtown does not stop at the buildings they acquire, but rather extends to its historic, cultural and artistic values. We are looking to launch a project that would shed the light on the cultural and artistic side of Downtown. The key objectives of this project is to attract the right type of crowd and to reflect the company's passion and interest in the area beyond its buildings.

How the final design was conceived

The idea was executed with the deployment of a full team with diverse specializations – designers, research, typography specialists, branding and advertising, with the aim of spending time in main and narrow streets of Downtown researching and documenting all the different signage in the area. From shops signs, to cafes, restaurants and bars, to lawyers and accountants offices, to theaters, all serve as canvases for many fonts and type faces that could be looked at as a documentation of history, culture or art, or all of the above. Those signage have acted as a compass of changing trends and tastes, all while preserving the history and memories of the place. This project recreates these fonts in a contemporary setting, develop them into complete alphabet and makes them available for free to be used by today’s artists, businesses and retailers through a microsite. A set of posters was developed to communicate these fonts and to announce their availability online. A project to document the fonts of Downtown Cairo and to recreate them is not only needed but also falls at the core of what Al Ismaelia is about; the restoration and preservation of the old neighborhood and its revival in contemporary times.

Indication of how successful the outcome was in the market

6 Arabic typefaces have been designed, drawing inspiration from original Downtown Cairo shop signs. Every typeface is free for all personal and commercial use, providing Arab designers over the chance to express themselves with them. A limited edition commemorative book was sent out to a few of Al Ismaelia’s clients. The book’s box package features a lino sheet on top. The receiver opens the book to find a blank cover, along with all the tools required to print their own unique cover and a list of simple instructions on how to do so. Once they’re done personalizing their copies of our book, the lino kit is theirs to keep and experiment with however way they’d like.

Credits

Name Company Role
Mohammed Hammady J Walter Thompson Cairo Executive Creative Director
Ibrahim Eslam J Walter Thompson Cairo Design Director
Nardine Shenouda J Walter Thompson Cairo Senior Art Director
Adam Mourad J Walter Thompson Cairo Senior Copywriter
Karim Fanous J Walter Thompson Cairo A/V Director
Haytham Nawar Head of design team
Ghalia Elsrakbi Head of design team
Amro Thabit Senior Art Director
Yasser Nazmy Design team
Ahmad Hammoud Design team
Yosra Gamal Design team
Mirna Noaman Design team
Nada Hesham Design team
Mai Azmy J Walter Thompson Cairo Managing Director
Mostafa Shady J Walter Thompson Cairo Executive Director/Business Development
Amir Adib J Walter Thompson Cairo Senior Planner
Diana George J Walter Thompson Cairo Senior Planner
Malak El Nahas J Walter Thompson Cairo Account Executive