2016 Winners & Shortlists

4 DAYS #INABUDHABI

BrandABU DHABI TOURISM & CULTURE AUTHORITY
Product/ServiceTOURISM
EntrantMEMAC OGILVY Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
CategoryEvents & Experiential (incl. stunts and celebrity endorsement)
Entrant Company MEMAC OGILVY Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Advertising Agency MEMAC OGILVY Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
PR Agency MEMAC OGILVY PR Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Production Company FIRST AND TEN PRODUCTIONS Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

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 that will enhance your F1 experience. 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 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. In only 4 days, Ahmad’s takeover resulted in 21 million+ social media impressions, 620,000+ social media engagements (likes, comments, shares, retweets, etc.), 2X the engagement rate from the year before, and December saw a 13% increase in visitors to Abu Dhabi.

The Brief

Our audience consisted of “status seekers” - 25-35 year-old GCC males that love travel, adventure and luxury. We discovered two key things about their influences: 1) they spend A LOT of time on social media absorbing content that they deem worthy of their time 2) they often turn to relevant and authentic online influencers as a trusted source of information. So we partnered with and a relatable influencer to tell our story. Through content analysis, audience assessments and interviews, we found the perfect partner - adored Kuwaiti snapchatter and Instagramer Ahmad.

Execution

The plan was executed in real time over the course of 4 days (September 26, 2015 – September 29, 2015) throughout Abu Dhabi. Prior to his trip, we developed an Abu Dhabi itinerary with Ahmad, making sure it encompassed his interests and passions. Upon his arrival in Abu Dhabi for F1 weekend, we handed him the keys to our social media channels, accompanied him around Abu Dhabi and provided him with a videographer and photographer to capture the content that he envisioned. Once posted, we promoted Ahmad’s Visit Abu Dhabi content on our pages and in the Facebook, Instagram and Twitter mobile Newsfeeds. Ultimately, through a blended paid, earned and owned approach, we served our targeted audience highly enticing and relevant content at exactly a time when they cared about Abu Dhabi (during the F1).

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.

The Strategy

So we partnered with and a relatable and authentic influencer - Ahmad - to tell our story. We invited Ahmad to Abu Dhabi and provided him with the experience of a lifetime - a fully packed 4-day itinerary during the F1 built specifically for him and tailored to his interests. But that’s not it. Visit Abu Dhabi bravely relinquished control of its content and narrative, putting Ahmad in the driver's seat of the "Visit Abu Dhabi" Facebook, Instagram and Twitter communities for 4 days! Oh - and the experience was so unique - of course he wanted to share it on his own channels every step of the way!

Credits

Name Company Role
Ramzi Moutran Memac Ogilvy Executive Creative Director
Sami Moutran OgilvyPR PR Director
Charlotte Tansill OgilvyPR Group Account Director
Shefali Vyas OgilvyPR Senior Social Strategist
Sawsan Abdillahi OgilvyPR Senior Account Manager
Samar Sharawi OgilvyPR Community Manager
Kinan Shaaban OgilvyPR Arabic Content Creator
Shyaire Ganglani OgilvyPR Social Strategist
Nayri Bedros OgilvyPR Social Strategist
Mahra M. Al Zaabi Acting Communications Department Director Acting Communications Department Director
Duaa Fahmi Mukhayer Abu Dhabi Tourism/Culture Authority Digital Content Unit Head
George Kalliamvakos Abu Dhabi Tourism/Culture Authority Digital Development Unit Head
Jonathan Muller Abu Dhabi Tourism/Culture Authority Senior English Digital Editor