2016 Winners & Shortlists

THE DIETY OF THE NIGHT - SHRINE STATUE

BrandMASHROU' LEILA
Product/Service“IBN EL LEIL” ALBUM LAUNCH
EntrantLEO BURNETT BEIRUT, LEBANON
CategoryPromotional Item Design
Entrant Company LEO BURNETT BEIRUT, LEBANON
Advertising Agency LEO BURNETT BEIRUT, LEBANON

Brief Explanation

Mashrou’ Leila is a Lebanese Arab Pop band that has defied the trends of Arab music culture reaching crowds beyond Middle-Eastern borders. With lead singer Hamed Sinno of gay social-activist background, they’ve never been shy about taking controversial stances against the Arab establishments and tearing up conventions of Arabic pop. Through their songs, they’ve brought social taboos to the forefront of social conversations. They’re an independent self-funded band, making their budgets very minimal. The work was done by engaging artists to participate and with a humble production budget.

The Brief

“Ibn el Leil” or “Son of the Night” is the band’s fourth album, it is a tipping point in their musical career launching the band well beyond regional forums. The album brings forward their love of the night and all the decadence that lurks in the darkness. Despite the songs being in Arabic, the band has acquired an international fan-base. With an album based on a universal experience, the night, they wanted to go beyond the music and create a unifying experience.

How the final design was conceived

We identified an insight. The youth of the Middle-East feel liberated at night, as opposed to the day when they conform to a traditional, conservative society. We wanted the album launch to serve a unifying experience for the youth around the night. We created “The Cult of the Night”. We crafted Mashrou Leila’s album art “Ibn el Leil” (Son of the Night) to serve as a cult-initiation transcript introducing followers to the deity of the night, its beliefs, rituals, and chants. First, we created the “Deity of the Night”: 3D-illustrated sculpture reminiscent of Greek deity with the head of a Hyena, a fierce, wretched nocturnal creature of Lebanese wildlife. The album became the cult-kit including posters depicting: A full view of the deity; lyrics written in esoteric Arabic calligraphy; Hieroglyphs highlighting different rituals of the night; and “The Night” written in Arabic calligraphy surrounded by commandments of the night. Fans could download 3D-printable version of the deity to create their own shrine. With the help of a 3D-Artist, Arabic calligrapher, and illustrator, the album became representative of “The Cult” taking styles/references from Mythology, Christianity and Islam creating all-encompassing visual universe for this new Middle-Eastern creed: The Cult of the Night.

Indication of how successful the outcome was in the market

The final outcome was an album concealed with a plastic wrapper hiding the interior contents, representative of our confining and censoring society. Once the plastic is ripped the cult of the night is revealed. The design of the album stood out in stores, in the Arab pop section overpopulated by albums primarily depicting the artist in the forefront. The approach also allowed the album to carry a universal feel.

Credits

Name Company Role
Bechara Mouzannar Leo Burnett Beirut Chief Creative Officer
Malek Ghorayeb Leo Burnett Beirut Regional Executive Creative Director
Areej Mahmoud Leo Burnett Beirut Executive Creative Director
Nada Abi Saleh Leo Burnett Beirut Managing Director
Peter Mouracadde Leo Burnett Beirut Account Director
Davina Atallah Leo Burnett Beirut Creative Director
Nadia Deghaily Leo Burnett Beirut Art Director
Philipppe Ghabayen Leo Burnett Beirut Art Director
Sabine Massaad Leo Burnett Beirut Planner
Ghaleb Hawila Freelancer Calligraphy
Michele Durazzi Freelancer 3D Artist
Fouad Mezher Freelancer Illustrator