2014 Winners & Shortlists

The Campaign

There are many many restriction in place in Saudi Arabia. With cultural sensitivities at it's highest, the communication industry has to look at different ways on how we reach our selected audiences. All TV, print, radio etc etc are all very closely monitored with huge fines and prison sentences the penalty if rules are broken. That leaves social media a valuable platform to help speak to our audience.

Results

Women’s abuse is a real taboo subject in Saudi Arabia, and is constantly brushed under the carpet. There are no concrete figures as to how many women are abused in the Kingdom as no studies have ever been allowed, but many put the numbers at 92% of married women are abused, mainly by their husbands. So how do we create awareness, change and cut-through in a country that is very conservative and culturally sensitive, and give women the protection they need, as there is no current law to protect them. We initiated a proactive campaign that was both controversial, but also paid homage to the culture that exists in Saudi Arabia. A campaign that could only have come from the Kingdom, was a first and herald as groundbreaking. We first approached the ministry who threatened the creators with arrest and closure should the campaign run. We then approached HRH Banderi the Director General at KKF, a non profit organisation in KSA. She gave her total backing to the campaign and so it ran. Within 2 days of the first insertion it went viral globally across social channels, with many of the international news channels immediately picking it up. CNN and Reuters conducted interviews with HRH and the Riyadh office CD. Until July it was the most shared ad globally with over 8 million media impressions and $75million of earned media.

Because nothing had ever run, or had ever been allowed to run like this before in Saudi Arabia, the impact was huge which is why pretty much every news channel from around the world picked it up and started running stories on it. Seeing a Saudi woman in her traditional dress with a black eye, hit home to many in the Kingdom because it is only the eyes that are ever on show.

On the 26th August 2013, Saudi Arabia passed a new law protecting women against domestic abuse that is punishable by law, all because of the campaign. A campaign that changes a nation...there can be no greater reward.