Calendar shows by the corporate sector is an annual feature which reminds the employees of a company their duty toward their customers and reaffirms its commitment to public service. In addition to this it creates an atmosphere of competition among the various companies that promote art and culture of a country.
Calendars produced for the year 2004 were mostly devoted to the promotion of products and image building of companies. Distribution of calendars produced by prestigious companies was also restricted to their major clients.
So far not many companies have come up with calendar shows for the year 2005 whereas Merck Marker, a multinational pharmaceutical company has taken a lead in this respect.
The company launched its 2005 calendar at a glittering ceremony held at a local hotel in Karachi. It has once again through its 2005 calendar kept alive the tradition of supporting local art and culture. The calendar launch itself, was a unique multi-dimensional affair, a photography exhibition in the lobby to keep guests engaged during the reception while inside a big hall the calendar was shown live to the guests. This showing was done through a special fashion show by a team of top models and dancers. There was a live music concert to please aural sensation of the guests.
The fashion show was a glamorous affair which included top fashion models Gia Ali, Ahmed Butt, Natasha Hussain, Amina Haq, Iraj Manzoor and had the unique concept of presenting the 2005 Merck calendar live to the audience.
The launch also included a live musical performance by Fakhir who sang his latest songs from his yet to be released album. Fakhir was quite pleased with his earlier association with Merck when he composed a signature tune for Merck Marker, which identifies the company.
Dance performances by Resham and a troupe of dancers made the event all the more entertaining. The concept of the calendar and the launch itself was the joint idea of highly innovative and talented Sheikh Amir Hassan of SAH-London Couture and Juergen Koenig, managing director of Merck Marker (Pvt) Ltd.
Koenig is a pleasing personality present at most of the social gathering that take place in Karachi. He has special interest in fine art and music as he can go on talking on the work of old master of the past. "Fashion is linked to all of us on a daily basis and Pakistani fashion has a special flair" said Koenig. In his view Pakistani culture is a continuation of the past which has maintained its originality with all its grandeur.
He also said" The modern and ethnic fashion art will create an overall positive image on the international scene and highlight the progressive vision of Pakistan through the Merck calendar 2005, which will be distributed world-wide." Merck by adopting Pakistani fashion as the theme for its calendar is projecting a very soft and modern image of Pakistan.
The objective is also to show the world that ethnic does not necessarily mean. Conservative or extremist. Fashion can also be a source of value addition to our textile industry, which is the backbone of our economy.
The locations selected for photography are those where Merck is actively present mainly the Merck factory Quetta, Hanna lake Quetta, Merck's office Karachi, the Island of Baba-Bhit Karachi, and the Merck office Lahore.
Farzad Bagheri, a young professional designer from the Indus valley of Art and Architecture, did the graphic designing of the calendar. Merck, through its 2005 calendar, was able to contribute and recognise the local professionals associated with the art of fashion.
The company, like many other multinational pharmaceuticals operating in Pakistan, pays particular importance to the society and honours its social responsibility through initiative in the fields of education, health, environment and culture.
Merck has been in Pakistan for more than 40 years dealing in pharmaceuticals, chemicals and diagnostic equipment. The company belongs to the German Merck KGaA based in Darmstadt, the oldest pharmaceutical and chemical company world-wide, founded in 1668. With approximately 800 employees in Pakistan, Merck generated sales of over two billion rupees in the year 2003.
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