2015 Winners & Shortlists

MARCH - WHAT SHOCKS YOU MORE

Short List
BrandMARCH NGO
Product/ServiceDOMESTIC VIOLENCE
EntrantM&C SAATCHI MENA Beirut, LEBANON
CategoryFundraising, Charities, Appeals, Non-Profit Organisations, Public Health & Safety, Public Awareness Messages
Entrant Company M&C SAATCHI MENA Beirut, LEBANON
Advertising Agency M&C SAATCHI MENA Beirut, LEBANON

The Brief

Domestic violence has been a hot topic worldwide for many years, if not decades, with a number of countries taking the necessary steps to curtail the abuse via various means, from awareness campaigns to the passing of laws. Unfortunately, Lebanon has been lagging behind in this important issue, even as incidences of domestic violence reached a crescendo over the past few years. It was clear that domestic violence in Lebanon needed to be addressed.

Creative Execution

All it took was one impactful message. image went viral, reaching local and international media coverage in the US, Europe and Australia and reshuffling the general debate on a crucial topic including the demand for a long awaited law in favor of domestic violence victims. Even the initial # IamNotNaked campaign evolved into #IamNotaWeapon in support of abused women.

Describe the creative solution to the brief/objective.

During the Winter Olympics in Russia, Lebanese Olympic skier Jackie Chamoun was the talk of the town back home for showing skin in a photo shoot, sparking everything from tremendous support to outrage. Lebanon's Youth and Sports Minister called for an investigation to protect Lebanon's reputation, and on the other side, the #IamNotNaked online campaign showed love for Jackie. Unfortunately, during the same week, two women were allegedly brutally murdered by their husbands. And, as always, these cases were treated very differently in the Lebanese media, receiving little to no attention. It was time Lebanon set its priorities straight.

Results

Most importantly, on April 1st, 2014, Lebanon’s parliament passed new legislation on domestic violence, giving hope to many that, finally, the country would uphold the rights of many victims of abuse.

Credits

Name Company Role
Samer Younes M/C Saatchi Mena Executive Creative Director
Mario Lawandos M/C Saatchi Mena Art Director
Ziad Aouad M/C Saatchi Mena Art Director
Ghaleb Cabbabe M/C Saatchi Mena Senior Writer
Myriam Tawil M/C Saatchi Mena Account Director
Claude El Khal M/C Saatchi Mena Creative Director