2014 Winners & Shortlists

Results and Effectiveness

We refreshed entire communities, connecting more than 150,000 people to their hero, to each other and to the brand. We erased boundaries, broke taboos and created history. This translated into astonishing growth for Sprite (14% year on year), with 34% sales growth during the campaign period, including 57% growth among laborers.

Creative Execution

The objective was a complicated one, because the idea needed to be communicated to such a variety of audiences in a variety of locations about a variety of phases of the campaign. Our target audience was anyone passionate about cricket. One side was about getting people to take part in the Cricket Tournament, so that was communicated through posters in labour camps and on the radio. Others were invited to meet Shoiab at the activations. Yet others were encouraged to enter the on pack promotion (through the can and in store media), and then there was the TVC and radio execution to get people to the final at Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

Insights, Strategy and the Idea

In 2011, Sprite ran a campaign to refresh the nation’s unsung heroes and turn laborers into cricket stars. But the campaign’s runaway success also highlighted the boundaries that still divide UAE’s diverse cricket loving communities. Too many people remain divided by superficial differences. We wanted to change this by connecting individuals, communities, classes and countries that have not always mixed. Sprite’s brand promise is all about being Refreshingly Authentic. It is a product for strong willed people, regardless of social status or ethnicity. Shoaib Akthar came from humble beginnings to become a fast bowling legend. Like Sprite, he endeared himself to fans from all walks of life through outspokenness and charisma. With Shoaib, we created a cricket tournament and spent 6 months promoting it to the public, surprising everyone from Pakistani laborers to Indian business leaders, from the cricket pitch to the boardroom – uniting people around their common passion.