Furniture firm eyes Dubai

For advertising in Dubai, Boydak Group's subsidiary İstikbal has enlisted Bülent İnal to play a reporter in their commercials. İnal is known for his role in the Turkish series "Ihlamurlar Altında" (Under the Lime Tree) and has built a significant fan base in the Arabic world.

It is the first time the firm has worked with a star abroad, said Boydak Holding Chairman Bekir Boydak. "We were obliged to enter these markets strongly. A popular actor will be influential in this respect. New films are on the agenda."

Shopping center target
The firm is satisfied with its Iranian and Greek markets, said Boydak, expressing a plan to launch a similar campaign in Athens. The firm does not face problems in the Arabic market, which has adopted modern furniture, he said, adding, "The families here are very large, hence the furniture market is also large and has competitive prices. But we designate our prices to attract the middle class. The top income level is not our target group."

İstikbal has 38 stores in Arabic speaking countries, including Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Lebanon and Syria, according to Murat Bozdağ, Boydak's foreign trade manager.

"We will reach 45 stores by the end of the year, and 90 stores by the end of 2010. We aim to raise our turnover from the current $25 million to $100 million. We do not have a large investment project in Turkey at present," he said. "Once the investment projects in Russia and Ukraine are complete, we will invest in the Middle East. Our strategy is to know the market and research the infrastructure first and then launch investment."

The firm's basic target is to enter shopping centers, the heart of the trade in the Gulf region, Bozdağ said. "We are present at shopping centers in Egypt. In Dubai, we have talks with the Mall of Emirates and the Dubai Mall."