MANY high street brands did roaring business here on Election Day, as people with ink marks on their thumbs crowded their outlets, attracted to deals reserved exclusively for voters.

In Karachi, like in some other cities, young Pakistanis, many of them first-time voters, hit the road after casting their ballots to draw immediate advantage of taking the trouble to brave through the risk and ordeal of participating in elections.

“It added fun to the whole election experience for me and my friends,” an excited lady in her later teens told Dawn in front of one such outlet in a posh locality of Karachi.

The rush at the coffee shop Expresso, fashionable hand-woven readymade garment brand Khadi, trendy ladies wear brand Sheep and several other popular brands in many localities, was refreshing, and marked the beginning of a new trend.

Highbrow private companies, for the first time in the country’s turbulent democratic history, saw elections as an opportunity to promote their businesses.

The mainstream and social media also succeeded in getting the message across to traditionally apolitical, comparatively better-off masses to participate in the elections.

And it would be unfair to minimise the role played by Imran Khan and his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in this regard. If not all, the majority of those huddled outside hangouts and commercial outlets were clearly PTI supporters, many of whom were sporting PTI symbols.

An operational manager of a company that claims to have pioneered this trend told Dawn that his establishment sensed the opportunity due to the bombardment of text messages and hype on electronic and social media months before Election Day.

“Our brand consultant suggested that we can benefit from the election fever in our target client base if we look at options for image building. Our management immediately jumped onto the idea.”

He agreed that this also points to the changing mindset of the local business community.

“There is growing realisation that gains of dictatorship are short-lived, and cannot be sustained in the long run. It will take some time before the idea sinks in, and people accept that with all its flaws, democracy is the only workable model in present times,” an executive of a fashion wear company commented over the phone.

Businesses all over the world capitalise on a spike in major developments, and relevant segments witness rising sales numbers during major sports, religious, and cultural events.

“It was a smart marketing move by brands that are popular amongst the youth. I missed the chance because of the rush, but I know many of my friends enjoyed the special Election Day deals,” said Sayem Ali, a young economist and spokesman of the Standard Chartered Bank Pakistan.

Ali also agreed that the acceptance of the democratic process as the only viable option for Pakistan has significantly increased.

Besides the electronic media, mobile telephone companies also played a role in mobilising people, as they offered numerous packages and services to facilitate voters’ participation in the democratic process.

While hard material gain numbers of companies that were more active in election-related commercial activity were not available, no one contacted by Dawn denied that the strategy was spot on and had augured well for business.

“I happen to know many CEOs who decided to open their outlets on May 11, ignoring warnings of terrorist activity. And no one regretted the decision,” a CEO of a company told Dawn.

“The sales numbers I know must be good. But more than the material gain, I enjoyed the fun of it all. The kick I got by serving the charged crowd of youngsters was priceless,” said the CEO of another company that has many branches in several cities.

Popular sentiments and rising participation of spending classes in the democratic process is inducing the private sector to reposition itself to earn brand loyalty in a highly competitive domestic consumer market. —Afshan Subohi