Brand Strategy / E-Commerce / Art Direction / Event Marketing
DJ Basbousa’s Mission
DJ Basbousa’s mission is to bring Middle Eastern pop culture from the Middle East to the Arab diaspora that is starved for safe spaces & to build community in Washington, DC, and vicinity.
What started as the rising female Arab resident DJ at the popular Green Zone bar in the Adams Morgan neighborhood turned into an Arab & feminist curation for dance parties, events, & culture festivals supporting local Middle Eastern businesses in the DC, southern Maryland, and northern Virginia area.
This is the second logo I’ve designed, which included non-Latin glyphs.
The Moniker
How a popular Middle Eastern pastry became the name of DC’s favorite DJ set.
Naming a business can be one of the toughest challenges, but for DJ Basbousa, it felt almost effortless. The name reflects the heart of the project: curating art, music, and culture.
“Basbousa” is more than just a nod to a sweet Middle Eastern treat—it’s the DJ’s childhood nickname, given by her father. It also perfectly captures her mission: to share the vibrant sounds of Middle Eastern music with the world.
While the “DJ + Name” formula might seem overdone, DJ Basbousa is far from a one-trick pony. Beyond spinning tracks, the brand champions Middle Eastern art and culture through an online shop, dance parties, private events, and cultural festivals.
With a background in anthropology, our DJ brings a unique perspective to her craft. She explores human behavior and transforms those insights into unforgettable experiences—bringing people together through music, art, and design.
Brand Colors & Typography
The base typeface is Cairo. While it addresses main principles in good type design: readability, clarity, presence, & font weight range, it also includes a great font set for Arabic glyphs, which play an integral role in lending to the authenticity of the brand name and its ability to support a bilingual narrative. Not to mention, the client’s hometown.
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DJBasbousa.com
Built on WordPress and powered by WooCommerce, it offers a seamless journey from brand discovery to education and purchase. While its design is clean and straightforward, the product page incorporates thoughtful features to enhance your shopping experience:
- Immediate Option Display: Instead of dropdown menus for colors and variants, all choices are visible upfront, making selection effortless.
- Streamlined Checkout: Depending on your browser, options to buy with Google Pay or Apple Pay appear, simplifying the payment process.
- Flexible Payment Plans: For premium products, PayPal offers adaptable payment options to suit your budget.
- Subtle Size Guide: A discreet size guide is available, providing information when you need it without overwhelming you.
- Easy Sharing: Share icons are conveniently placed, encouraging you to spread the word and become a part of our community.
Services
DJ Basbousa sought a way to connect with fans of her DJ performances and dance events, as well as those interested in her merchandise. Through dynamic opt-in forms, she can engage with her local audience in the DC area while also reaching her growing online community worldwide.
Merch
We aimed to move beyond stereotypical representations and instead capture the intelligent and witty essence of Arab pop culture. The designs reflect current events, nostalgia, and the self-deprecating humor familiar to those living in the Middle East or experiencing Arab culture as expats. We also address and challenge Western misconceptions about what it means to be Arab.
Activism
As a person of color, it’s nearly impossible to avoid the impact of politics. As an Arab woman in the United States, that reality is even more pronounced.
Celebrating Middle Eastern culture isn’t just about joy—it’s also about responsibility. It means standing up against the injustices faced by disenfranchised communities, particularly Palestinians, who continue to endure occupation and oppression.
That’s why, beyond offering products and services, DJ Basbousa is committed to activism. The brand hosts events like “Open Mic for Palestine,” partners with local businesses like Fava Pot for donation drives, and provides protest art to the community. These efforts are a testament to the belief that art and culture can be powerful tools for change.
Event Marketing & SEO Authority
DJ Basbousa is a distinctive blend of purpose, familiarity, and emotion, with the added bonus of securing all the essential domain names and social media handles:
- djbasbousa.com
- facebook.com/djbasbousa
- instagram.com/djbasbousa
- pinterest.com/djbasbousa
- tiktok.com/@djbasbousa
SEO statistics for DJBasbousa.com keyword authority from January 2024 to January 2025.
DJ Basbousa sold out 90%~ of its events from 2021 to 2024. Not counting events sponsored by other organizers, such as opening for Wegz or Bassem Yousef and the Arab Culture Bazaar sponsored by the DC Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in 2024.
