2011 Winners & Shortlists

Brief Explanation

We took a wry approach to comedy with Panda spots. Most comedy in Egypt is rather loud, in-your-face, and highly dependent on verbal jokes. We were looking to try a dark/dry situational comedy with little being said. Which, until Panda, was unusual for an Egyptian TV spot. That explains why it did so well internationally. The “Never Say No to Panda” theme line, pays off, the Panda bear showing up in normal cheese eating situations. So the film direction has a “hyper real” feeling, de-saturated colours and awkward “real people” cast. That way, when the Panda appears to wreak havoc, the audience is really taken by surprise. The story is told with minimum amount of cuts for maximum comic release. Situation: Arab Dairy Panda cheese (prominent dairy products manufacturer) wanted to increase market share/awareness. Insight: Panda gets best quality ingredients to produce cheese, that is why it is irresistible. Idea: Irresistibility = Never Say No To Panda.