Strategically placed newspaper and magazine advertisements are good marketing tools in Egypt. Egyptians read newspapers voraciously, and all literate people will see or hear advertisements placed in the widely circulating Al Ahram daily. Television is watched by all Egyptians, and advertisements reach and influence wide audiences. TV advertising has continued to increase in sophistication and prominence. Two partially privatized pop radio stations have also been created and already have captured a large part of the youth market. Other forms of advertisement in Egypt consist of roadside billboards, flashing neon signs on building roofs, building walls completely painted with advertising signs, "junk mail" advertisements, faxed advertisements, and messenger/courier-delivered direct mail campaigns.
Trade promotion is becoming more sophisticated. Trade shows are frequent, aimed either at targeted business audiences or the general public; several take place each month at one or more of the downtown hotels or the Cairo International Conference Center (CICC). The annual Cairo International Trade Fair, held in the spring of every year, is the historical centerpiece of Egyptian trade promotion events.
SELECTED MEDIA LIST
DAILY NEWSPAPERS
Al Ahram: (circulation 900,000 Sunday - Thursday, 1,000,000 Friday)
-Egypt's most prestigious daily and most prosperous of the country's five largest publishing houses. In addition to publishing, the company has interests in many business services including computerization, billing services, and ID card services.
Al Akhbar: (circulation 850,000)
-More informal news (crime, human interest) than Al Ahram. Simpler language. Harshly antagonistic toward U.S. policies.
Al Wafd: (circulation 220,000)
-Mouthpiece of the New Wafd Opposition Party. Leading opposition paper, but much smaller and limited in coverage and scope than the major pro-Government dailies above.
vEgyptian Gazette: (circulation 4,500)
-The English-language daily. Part of the Gomhouriya publishing house. Caters almost exclusively to foreigners living in Egypt and tourists.
ECONOMIC PUBLICATIONS
Al Ahram Al Iktisadi weekly magazine: (circulation 10,000)
-Egypt's leading economic magazine, modeled after the British "Economist", is read by academics and government economic officials and has numerous readers outside Egypt.
Business Monthly: (circulation 9,000)
-English-language magazine published by American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt. Egypt Today and Business Today: (circulation 17,500)
-Glossy English-language magazines related to social/business life in Egypt published by International Business Associates.
