Yonael Merga
YM
Yonael Merga
Creative DNA
Slow-fashion label in Addis Ababa making custom-made conceptual art pieces, re-interpreting cultures in a contemporary context.
@yonaelmerga
Addis Ababa · Since 2015
Campaigns that live online and on the street.
Digital campaigns, BTL activations & event management — planned, built and documented by one team.
1.3M+views
24.2K+followers
0 birrad spend
Digital CampaignsBTL ActivationsEvent ManagementWebsite DevelopmentVideo ProductionEvent DocumentationDigital MarketingSocial Media ManagementDigital CampaignsBTL ActivationsEvent ManagementWebsite DevelopmentVideo ProductionEvent DocumentationDigital MarketingSocial Media Management
What we do
Three disciplines we're built around — plus everything that supports them.
Campaigns, activations and events feed each other — so we lead with these three.
01
Digital Campaigns
One idea, built out across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok & YouTube.
StrategyContentPaid MediaAnalytics
02
BTL Activations
Booths, roadshows & sampling that put your product in people's hands.
ExperientialSamplingRoadshowsOn-ground crew
03
Event Management
Venue, vendors & run-of-show — so the day goes exactly as planned.
PlanningVendor MgmtProductionLive Direction
Website Development
Responsive sites built to convert, not just look good.
Video Production
Brand films & ads, script to final grade.
Event Documentation
Photo & video crews that give your event a second life online.
Digital Marketing
SEO & paid media that compounds over time.
Social Media Management
Daily content, scheduling & community management.
Also on hand: branding, graphic design, 3D modeling & photography.
Live Case Study
Nibab & Chill — one event, three disciplines, zero paid spend.
Our own recurring poetry & music activation in Addis Ababa — campaign, event and documentation, run entirely in-house.
Digital CampaignBTL ActivationEvent ManagementEvent DocumentationSocial Media Management
0+
Total views across Facebook, Instagram & TikTok
0+
Net new followers gained organically
0+
High-intent profile visits & direct interactions
0%
Of TikTok reach delivered via the For You Page
0
YouTube views in the channel's first 28 days
$0
Paid advertising spend across the campaign
The Mind MentorsICON Real EstateGuba Trading PLCUDET Digital SolutionDamot Dental ClinicBritish Council EthiopiaThe Mind MentorsICON Real EstateGuba Trading PLCUDET Digital SolutionDamot Dental ClinicBritish Council Ethiopia
Flagship Programme
Creative DNA: Ethiopia
British Council Ethiopia Arts Programme · 23 May – 07 June 2023
A national fashion programme run with the British Council Ethiopia Arts programme: ten Ethiopian designers taken through business training, a professional photoshoot, an Addis Ababa pop-up shop and a fully scheduled Instagram and Facebook rollout.
10
Designer labels rolled out across Instagram and Facebook
30
Scripted brand posts, three per designer, plus a group teaser
16
Days of scheduled posting, slotted hour by hour
2
Platforms run in parallel, Instagram and Facebook
What the programme delivered
01
Designer business training
Ten designers trained by industry experts from Ethiopia and the UK, building the commercial side of each label.
02
Photoshoot & brand promotion
A professional shoot per enterprise, then national and international marketing and brand promotion off the same assets.
03
Addis Ababa pop-up shop
All ten labels put in front of buyers in a physical retail activation in Addis Ababa.
04
Micro-grants for expansion
Enterprises supported with micro-grants aimed at business expansion and development.
How we ran the social rollout
Platform split
Instagram for the younger, fashion-led audience; Facebook for reach and community. The same image-heavy set worked on both.
Photo and video mix
Photos for product detail and fast scrolling, video for movement, behind-the-scenes and designer interviews.
Five-layer hashtag system
Brand-specific, product-specific, trending fashion, industry and location tags stacked on every post.
Hour-level scheduling
Each designer's image and video posts placed in a specific hour slot across a three-week calendar.
Afthoro
A
Haimanot Geremew
Creative DNA
Arsi Oromo-inspired label drawing on bamboo butter pots and '80s leather containers, tradition rebuilt with modern cuts.
@afthorodesignAfthoro Design
Afropiአn
A
Hortense Mbea
Creative DNA
A play on Ethiopian and African, a lifestyle brand telling a story of African excellence by Africans, for the world.
@afropian_official@proudlyafropian
Tibebu Collection
TC
Bezawit Tibebu
Creative DNA
Tibebu means wisdom and art in Amharic. A 2019 design studio fusing modern and traditional Ethiopian experience through textiles.
@tibebucollection@tibebucollection
Dann Ltd.
DL
Danawit Alema
Creative DNA
Streetwear for every age group, built to change how streetwear is viewed in Ethiopia with bold shapes and textures.
@dann_ltd_Dann_ltd
SARAH Clothing
SC
Sarah Nigussie
Creative DNA
Jewellery, accessories and clothing in limited editions, built on colour, experimentation and storytelling.
@sarah_cloth_jewlery_accessory
Natanem Couture
NC
Natanem Wendosen
Creative DNA
Made-to-measure wear with authentic storytelling embroidery, where every attire belongs to one wearer only.
@natanem_couture
RAHWA
R
Rahwa Zeru
Creative DNA
Ethical fashion brand founded in 2018, a minimalist modern approach to traditional hand-loomed cotton fabric.
@rahwaclothingrahwaclothing
TEYMNATION
T
Feven Solomon
Creative DNA
A brand for a daring soul. Teym for self, nation for creative ownership, bold pieces made outside anyone else's rules.
@teymnationTeymnation
Zemenay
Z
Betselot Zewge
Creative DNA
The first plus-size label of its kind in Ethiopia, pushing body positivity and sustainability through storytelling pieces.
@zemenay___
Nibab & Chill
NC
Dirib Serez Creatives
Live Campaign
Organic growth engine across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. 1.3M+ views, 24K+ new followers, zero ad spend.
@diribserezcreatives
Nibab & Chill Live
NC
Dirib Serez Creatives
Live Event
Recurring poetry, panel and acoustic-music activation in Addis Ababa, planned and run entirely in-house.
@diribserezcreatives
The Mind Mentors
TM
Selected Work
Visual identity and site design for a training and consultancy brand, “Shaping the Future.”
ICON Real Estate
IR
Selected Work
Full stationery suite and brand collateral for a real-estate development firm.
Guba Trading PLC
GT
Selected Work
Brand application system and office-material rollout for a trading and supply company.
UDET Digital Solution
UD
Selected Work
Logo mark, business cards and print collateral for a digital-solutions provider.
Damot Dental Clinic
DD
Selected Work
Amharic-rooted wordmark and healthcare brand identity for a dental practice.
Corporate Product Launch
CP
Concept Preview
How we would plan a multi-platform launch campaign for a packaged-goods brand.
Mall Activation
MA
Concept Preview
A weekend sampling roadshow across three retail locations, staffed and branded.
Annual Conference
AC
Concept Preview
Full production plan for a 400-guest corporate conference, stage to sponsor wall.
Brand Film
BF
Concept Preview
A two-minute founder story film: interview, b-roll and motion graphics.
SEO & Paid Media
SP
Concept Preview
A quarter-one search and paid media plan with target keyword and CPC ranges.
Portfolio
0122
Estimated Packages
Starting-point pricing for every service, in Ethiopian birr.
These are estimated ranges to help you budget — every proposal is scoped and quoted to your brief. Pick a service to see its tiers and parameters.
Digital Campaigns
Concept-led pushes across the platforms your audience actually uses.
Spark
Micro Campaign
Ideal for a single offer or product test.
35,000 – 55,000 birr
Platforms1
Duration2 weeks
Content assets6 pieces
Paid mediaNot included
Reporting1 summary report
Ignite
Multi-Platform Campaign
Ideal for a product launch or seasonal push.
95,000 – 140,000 birr
Platforms3
Duration4 weeks
Content assets20 pieces
Paid mediaTest budget managed
ReportingWeekly + final report
Wildfire
Full-Funnel Campaign
Ideal for a brand relaunch or flagship event tie-in.
220,000 – 350,000+ birr
Platforms4+ incl. YouTube
Duration8–12 weeks
Content assetsFull content calendar
Paid mediaManaged budget + influencers
ReportingBi-weekly strategy calls
All figures are estimated starting ranges for planning purposes, not final quotes. Every project is scoped individually — tell us your brief and we'll send a tailored proposal.
Why Dirib Serez
One team plans the post, builds the booth, and runs the show.
Most agencies hand you off between a media buyer, an events company and a production house. We keep it in one room, so your campaign idea, your activation and your event actually tell the same story.
01
Campaign-to-activation continuity
The same strategists who write your content calendar plan your BTL activation, so messaging never drifts.
02
Proven organic performance
1.3M+ views and 24,200+ followers gained on our own flagship property, without paid media.
03
In-house production
Video, photography, animation and web development sit inside the agency — no third-party handoffs.
04
Addis Ababa on-ground network
Vendor, venue and promoter relationships built since 2015, ready for your next activation.
ድሪብ ስሬዝ ክርየቲቭስ
“We're fueled by creativity, delivering engaging, user-focused strategies that elevate brands — on screen and on the ground.”
AA
Alazar Ayenachew
Co-Founder
Team
A small team, built for campaigns and events alike.
Y
Yeabsira
CEO
Leads the agency and its client campaigns.
Y
Yididya
Marketing Manager
Sets strategy for every campaign.
E
Eyob
Full-Stack Developer
Builds the websites behind every campaign.
F
Fantahun
Videographer
Captures events on camera and in edit.
M
Msganaw
Senior Graphic Designer
Crafts the visual identity behind every campaign.
A
Abel
Senior Animator
Brings motion graphics into brand films.
FAQ
Get your answers.
Can you run a digital campaign, activation and event as one package?
Yes — that's our default. Campaign, activation and documentation are usually one scoped project, not three vendors.
How is BTL activation pricing different from event management pricing?
BTL pricing scales with footprint — locations and crew. Event pricing scales with guest count and production. A project can need both.
Do you manage paid advertising, or only organic content?
Both. Our flagship campaign ran at zero ad spend — our Digital Marketing packages add paid search and paid social when you want a faster ramp.
What's included in event documentation?
Photo and video coverage of the event, plus an edited gallery, reel, or recap film afterward.
How accurate are the prices on this page?
They're estimated starting ranges in Ethiopian birr. Final quotes depend on specifics we confirm on a short brief call.
Have a campaign, activation or event in mind? Let's scope it together.
Call +251 942 167 743Send a brief
Tell us what you are planning.
Share the goal, the timing and roughly what you have to work with. We come back with a scoped proposal and a price, not a generic deck.