Demirören İstiklal is located on İstiklal Street, Beyoğlu, one of the most iconic places in İstanbul. It’s been the heart of shopping, nightlife and the Turkish cinema for many years. The street’s history is identified with the nostalgic image of “İstanbul Gentleman” and “İstanbul Lady”.

 

Although it is the renovation of an old İstiklal building, Demirören İstiklal became the symbol of everything that is corrupting Beyoğlu’s cultural heritage, especially the image of İstanbul Gentleman and Lady. This presented us a challenge and an opportunity, to blend Demirören İstiklal into the street’s unique, nostalgic character.

 

From the day we started to work with Demirören İstiklal, the client and the agency both agreed in the need to change, not only the image but the business strategy of the building and adopt, preserve and respect Beyoğlu’s cultural heritage. Businesswise, to enrich the building’s store scope with more local, original and diverse sellers was aimed. Less like a shopping mall, more like İstiklal’s old shopping arcades…

 

Communication-wise, first “mall” was dropped from the name of the brand. A subtle tone of voice was chosen, not to disturb the people already feeling negative about the brand. Since the building is very close to Yeşilçam Street, which is the very heart of Turkish cinema and acting, Demirören İstiklal’s visual and written language was built upon nostalgic Turkish cinema. Black and white images, headlines and messages inspired by old movie quotes, resembling old newspaper articles and old print advertisements were used.