2016 Winners & Shortlists

The Campaign

The Formula 1 Grand Prix Abu Dhabi is the biggest sporting and entertainment event in the Middle East. As the Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority, our objective was to position Abu Dhabi as an exceptional adventure and cultural destination. We faced two unique challenges: 1) Keep our audience focused on the destination, not only the race. 2) Break through the clutter of A-listers, sponsors, and brands pushing their own messages Rather than forcing ourselves into the newsfeed through social advertising, we wanted to earn our presence there though surprising, relatable and meaningful content. So we enlisted someone our audience trusted and who had never been to Abu Dhabi before – Ahmad, an adored and highly influential Kuwaiti blogger, instagrammer and snapchatter. And as a government entity – we did the unthinkable. We handed him the keys to our social media channels. Then we gave him the experience of a lifetime – 4 days #InAbuDhabi filled with his favorite culinary, adventure and cultural activities…and the F1 of course! Throughout his journey, Ahmad not only stepped into the driver’s seat of our social channels, but he was also enthusiastically shared countless snaps, videos and images with his own significant following, further widening our earned influence. Through one man’s story, we were able to show – not tell – audiences that Abu Dhabi is an exceptional adventure and cultural destination.

Ahmad’s takeover allowed Visit Abu Dhabi to break through the clutter and stand-out during the F1 as a brand that understands the power of authentic content and story-telling. The results were extraordinary. In only 4 days, Ahmad’s takeover resulted in: • 21 million+ social media impressions • 620,000+ social media engagements (likes, comments, shares, retweets, etc.) • 10,000 new fans/followers across Visit Abu Dhabi social media channels • Double the engagement rate compared to F1 weekend 2014 • Our official tourism hashtag - #InAbuDhabi – which was promoted by Ahmad, attained 388 million+ social media impressions and was used nearly 30,000 times • December 2015 (month after F1) saw a 13% increase in visitors compared with December 2014. • December 2015 (month after F1) saw a 37% increase in length of stay compared with December 2014.