Ministry of Commerce plans international ad campaign to boost Pakistan’s exports

KARACHI: The Ministry of Commerce has planned an international advertising and marketing campaign aimed at promoting Pakistan’s image globally and increasing exports, officials said.

The initiative comes as Pakistan seeks to position itself as a competitive sourcing hub for global value chains and consumer products, capitalizing on recent diplomatic successes and improving economic indicators. The campaign is intended to use visual storytelling to highlight the country’s cultural richness, economic potential and export capabilities.

Many countries have successfully used creative branding strategies and soft power to reach international audiences, but Pakistan has not invested adequately in such efforts, according to officials.

“With recent diplomatic successes in the global arena, Pakistan is at a better position to use this foundation and amplify its image as a feasible sourcing hub for various global value chains and consumer products and services across the world,” an official said.

The campaign will target international audiences through multiple media platforms and direct them toward a business-to-business and business-to-consumer matchmaking hub featuring Pakistani exporters.

To execute the campaign, the Export Development Fund, which operates under the management of a board appointed by the federal government according to the Export Development Fund Act of 1999, has issued a Request for Proposal seeking to hire an advertising agency.

The selected agency will be responsible for the end-to-end conceptualization, production and delivery of an international-standard advertising campaign for dissemination across global media platforms. The scope includes creative strategy and concept development, pre-production, production using advanced cinematographic techniques, post-production, and campaign adaptation for different global markets and media channels.

The assignment is expected to be completed within 60 days of the contract award. Key deliverables include final advertisement films for international broadcast, shortened versions for digital and social media platforms, vertical adaptations for TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, high-resolution master files, behind-the-scenes footage of exporting factories, a print campaign for international publications, and a digital rollout plan.

The digital rollout plan includes influencer marketing featuring fashion buyers, tech founders and travel bloggers, along with teaser, soft launch and main launch phases on platforms including TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.

The campaign comes as new trade data shows improving trends. The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics reported that the trade deficit narrowed by $409 million to $2.5 billion in May 2026, compared with $2.9 billion in the same month a year earlier.

Trade deficit narrows

Exports rose 1.26% to $2.70 billion in May 2026 from $2.67 billion in May 2025, while imports fell 6.6% to $5.2 billion from $5.6 billion over the same period.

“A massive 39% reduction in trade deficit. Best indicators for Pakistan’s economy in May 2026: 10% increase in exports, 22% decrease in imports,” said an analyst identified as Schehzad in a post on X. “The increase in exports and decrease in imports has significantly reduced the trade gap. The national economy is moving toward sustainability and stability.”

Business group urges tax cuts ahead of budget

Separately, the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry urged the government to slash taxes in the upcoming budget, arguing the move could help increase exports to $50 billion-$60 billion.

Speaking at a news conference in Karachi on Thursday, Saquib Fayyaz Magoo, the FPCCI’s senior vice president, called on Islamabad to abolish the super tax on the manufacturing sector and reduce the corporate tax rate to 20%.

“If it is implemented, I think exports of $50 billion to $60 billion will be easily achievable,” Magoo said, adding that Pakistan’s economy had considerable growth potential.

Pakistani corporations currently pay a 29% corporate tax and a 10% super tax, according to Topline Securities Limited, a Karachi-based brokerage research firm.

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb is scheduled to unveil the federal budget for 2026-27 on June 10 in the National Assembly. The budget will project expected revenues and outline government spending for the next 12 months.

The FPCCI represents Pakistan’s trade, industry and service sectors and says it has 303 trade bodies under its umbrella, including 82 chambers of commerce.