: : : lactel baladi campaign /// 2012 : : :

Flavor of the past

The brief
Lactel, an international dairy brand, set out to make a bold statement with its new sub-brand: Baladi.

This wasn’t just about launching a yogurt drink.
It was about bottling a piece of home – creating an emotional connection that speaks directly to a young Egyptian audience.

The goal: build a brand world that fuses authentic tradition with modern lifestyle, without falling into clichés or kitsch.

The challenge? Crafting a visual language that feels familiar and culturally rooted, yet fresh, bold, and brand-ready.

The idea
Our creative core:
“Baladi” – more than just “rural” or “traditional.”
It means real, local, heartfelt. A word full of texture and emotion.

We built a visual identity inspired by the pulse of Egyptian street culture – where life happens:
local cafés, plastic chairs on dusty sidewalks, patterned fabrics, worn-out tiles, hand-painted shop signs – all reimagined through a clean, design-forward lens.

Each key visual felt like a slice of life – raw and familiar, yet polished enough to shine on a shelf.

The Execution
We blended authentic photography, bold colors, and expressive typography to create a unique and flexible design language.

At the center: the product packaging, staged in iconic, everyday Egyptian backdrops – a roadside stall, a balcony, a doorway.

Our approach was styled, but never staged.
The balance of retro warmth and modern clarity gave the campaign its emotional power.

A special highlight: custom typography inspired by hand-painted Arabic ads – reinterpreted with a contemporary twist.

The rollout:
– Social media & digital
– OOH & billboards
– POS & in-store visuals
Modular, scalable, and tailored for high impact across all touchpoints.

The result
The campaign hit home – literally.
Lactel Baladi wasn’t just recognized – it was felt.

The brand was perceived as something real and relatable, yet cool and fresh.
A perfect cultural match: design with soul, tradition with edge.

 A yogurt drink that tastes like home. A campaign that looks like it.
Baladi – proudly local, boldly designed.

Client: Lactel
Agency: Strategies BBDO - Cairo
Concept & Art Direction: Ahmed Ghandour