2016 Winners & Shortlists

ANGELS OF RAMADAN

Short List
BrandAL RIFAI
Product/ServiceCORPORATE
EntrantRÉPUBLIQUE Beirut, LEBANON
CategoryNon-Fiction: Series or Film
Entrant Company RÉPUBLIQUE Beirut, LEBANON
Contributing Company 2 RÉPUBLIQUE Beirut, LEBANON
Contributing Company MEEM CREATIVE HUB Beirut, LEBANON

The Campaign

Al Rifai are one of Lebanon's leading national brands and as such has a responsibility to present itself to its audiences with a leader's tone of voice in their communication. Ramadan is one of the most active times of year for the brand, which of course it is for most others as well. The client wanted to launch a Ramadan campaign that would stand out from the communication clutter while also developing their CSR initiatives during this time of year. As a result, Angels of Ramadan was born. The idea was based on using technology to find a solution to delivering much needed goods to families and individuals in Lebanon. But there were several challenges: How would we find drones that could carry the goods and maneuver their way around the densely populated city, where would we find the people most in need, and how could we document the activation without being too intrusive. Our objective was ultimately to deliver the supplies - so once we had tried and tested several drones, we selected the best in terms of load-carrying and maneuverability. We then put together a team that would investigate different areas of the city to find families and individuals in dire need of help. Once we had the base details down, our last challenge was the documentation. The solution was to have as small of a team as possible - the less people around, the less we would be likely to interrupt the action. In the end, our final film represents the work of so many that came together to do their small part in helping those in need.

Due to the its emotional factor and direct grasp of such a pertinent issue in Lebanon, the campaign quickly spread online. The brand was lauded for shedding light on a problem that is too often placed in the background and praise came from all over the world. Also, at a time when Islam is getting a lot of negative media attention, viewers saw the film as positive reinforcement of Islam's peaceful, giving philosophy. As a result, Al Rifai was elevated from a consumer brand that the country already knew and respected, to one that people felt was directly involved in the improvement of Lebanon's social fabric. While there was already a strong relationship between the brand and its consumers, it was further strengthened on a personal level and not just on a consumer level. In terms of sales, the film raised awareness in markets where Al Rifai was previously unknown. Across the Muslim world the brand became more known - which was evident in the increased online sales during Ramadan and the months after from countries in the Far East, Africa and Eastern Europe.

Credits

Name Company Role
Fadi Mroue République Executive Creative Director
Yasmin Murad République Creative Director
Sami Kiwan République Digital Art Director
Miriam Jbeily Meem Creative Hub Producer
Rami Kodeih Director
Bachar el Hajj DOP
Elias Chahine Editor
Carlos Rbeiz Drone Operator
Bilal Ghalayini Drone Operator
Elie Hashash Drone Operator