2013 Winners & Shortlists

Results and Effectiveness

Overall, the “Don’t Go” campaign was a true success. Wild Wadi saw a 4% increase in attendance from September 2012 to December 2012 in comparison to the previous year. The “Jumeirah Sceirah” ride has only been open since September 2012. Best of all, a new business opportunity arose. Due to popular demand, the “warning messages” were used for official Wild Wadi merchandise and sold as souvenir t-shirts.

Creative Execution

To spread word about the new thrilling “Jumeirah Sceirah” ride, we first targeted tourists staying at the adjoining hotel to Wild Wadi, the Jumeirah Beach Hotel. In each room, we left humorous messages warning occupants that if they are fainthearted, they must avoid the “Jumeirah Sceirah” ride at all cost. In a second phase, these “warning messages” were then taken to both the outdoor environment and radio, targeting a much larger audience of locals and expats.

Insights, Strategy and the Idea

Wild Wadi was the region’s most famous waterpark. Until competition arrived with more extreme cutting-edge rides. But thanks to the launch of a new thrilling ride called the “Jumeirah Sceirah”, a rapid vertical drop that accelerates you on to a 12m slide at 80km/h, it was time for Wild Wadi to redeem its title. To get young people to try what is possibly the scariest water slide in the country, we used the oldest trick in the book. We warned them not to go.