2013 Winners & Shortlists

Results and Effectiveness

Changing the mindsets of people at large is a process that starts slow before it becomes habit. Through the unexpected whimpering ATM, people understood the implications of their actions like never before. The Whimpering ATM, over the first month, experienced a 36% reduction in printer rolls – saving the bank money, and Mother Nature, pain. With such success the bank plans to carry out this operation across 6 more of their 115 ATMs countrywide.

Creative Execution

We steered away from everything that consumers would expect and instead surprised them, with a message that was loud - literally. Just on the eve of 13th Jan, 2013, we transformed an ATM of the bank into a whimpering machine. The mechanism was simple. When a customer opted for a printed statement, the machine let out a cry of agony as it was being printed. What better way for people to experience the voice of Mother Nature first-hand. And now since they had already printed, we gave them the option to recycle right away in a bin beside the ATM. This was through a tie up with an environmental organization – Bee’ah, who supports such green initiatives.

Insights, Strategy and the Idea

Our client, although a financial institution, is a champion for environmental causes. To play its role at Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2013 (13th – 17th Jan) Al Hilal Bank wanted to address an environmental issue rampant at many ATMs in the country – the overflowing litter of printed transaction receipts. More than the mess caused, the ultimate victim of such situations is the environment. The bank wanted to spread awareness and make people act upon it. Unlike the usual clutter of green-facts communication, we needed to send out a message that wouldn’t fall on deaf ears.