Insights collected from designers indicated a desire for increased market presence and visibility as an opportunity to gain higher market share. Our team responded to this challenge by developing a concept store showcasing the products of local sustainable brands demonstrating significant talent in design.

Our belief in the importance of engaging youth in stirring and planning development projects, we decided to engage talented students in the concept store’s branding and visual identity. Thanks to the support of the Department of Visual Arts at the American University in Cairo (AUC), we organized a competition to develop the store’s branding and visual identity within the Branding course offered by the Department.

PI’s team worked with the course instructor, Professor Nagla Samir on conducting a briefing session to the 22 course participants during the first month of the Semester (September 2023). In November 2023, the second session took place aiming to decide on the brand name. A session characterized by creative thinking and an in-depth understanding of the brief ended up by selecting the brand name “The Veer”. A choice supported by the store being a sparking turning point and a shift towards sustainable consumption and local products.

The final session took place in December 2023, following the students’ submission of 22 final projects of The Veer’s visual identity. A committee representing Womenovation was formed to evaluate the students’ work and selected two winners who presented outstanding two concepts that complement each other and therefore received the competition’s award of EGP 15K.