2016 Winners & Shortlists

The Campaign

In the new millennium, a sociological shift has occurred in the Middle East where, thanks to social media, youth have found their own voice and have sought to channel their self-expression in a way that can contribute to their community's betterment.    They don’t want to be preached to. They are proud of their values and who they are. They want to participate. They want to be the change they want to see in their world. 63% want to live a meaningful life and defy the stereotypes seen in media; i.e. being rich, lazy, spoilt, irresponsible, repressed or selfish. They are not only empathising but are also collaborating, and seeking to make a real difference to their society. One that goes beyond a few coins dropped in a donation box. Coca-Cola Foundation gave them that platform, where they identified problems in their community and worked together to solve them. We encouraged university students to identify relevant problems in their community and address the most pressing ones via team projects. The projects have gotten recognition and support from the Coca-Cola Foundation and have made a real difference to people’s lives in the communities across Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Bahrain, Jordan, Lebanon and many more countries in the Middle East. To champion the efforts that these teens are making, while changing their image in the region and across the world, and to inspire many more Arab youth to join the program, the Coca-Cola Foundation has launched a video that shares the stories of them making a difference. The video features two leading youth influencers from the Middle East – Alaa Wardi and Yazeed Zaidan - and is narrated in the style of spoken word Arabic poetry set against a specially-composed contemporary soundtrack, that is trendy and appealing to Arab youth.

The platform has become the most successful youth engagement platform in the Middle East – to date, reaching: (1) 7 countries in the Middle East – Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Bahrain, Jordan, Lebanon, UAE and Qatar (2) 52 cities (3) 85 universities (4) 1465 teams (5) 120,000 students The projects have impacted and improved millions of lives across the Middle East. The platform has impacted the way youth saw themselves and their region: (1) 70% students volunteered more than ever before (2) 100% believed that they could make a positive change The film has been seen by over 3 million youth and counting. The platform has generated an unprecedented $3 million in earned media and counting. And ultimately, brand respect and positive sentiment for Coca-Cola: 100%.