2016 Winners & Shortlists

THE CULT OF THE NIGHT

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

The Campaign

Mainstream Middle-Eastern society rejects people that express their freedom, explore their identities, and flaunt their sexuality. Daytime slips us into repressed and lesser versions of ourselves but when the night takes over so do our basic and truer instincts. Mashrou’Leila’s album was an opportunity to celebrate this generation that thrives in the darker hours and unify them under a new creed: “The Cult of the Night” The challenge was to unify a universal audience into a so-called “cult” through the use of Arab-pop music to launch the band into a worldwide league of artists. We chose the night of the Album launch concert “Ibn el Leil” (Son of the Night) at Barbican London to celebrate this new cult. Through artist collaborations, a PR stunt, online engagement, and media coverage, the night of the concert became the cult initiation ceremony bringing fans present at Barbican and audiences across Arab and non-Arab regions together.

The Brief

We wanted to create an album launch that would for the first time united Mashrou’Leila’s Arab and non-Arab fans and reach an audience beyond their typical fan-base. Our objectives were to reach an audience wider than their biggest previous concert performances and to place the album at the top of social conversations. Knowing that their launch concert was set to happen at Barbican Center in London a first to their previously Arab-country launches, we wanted to ensure that their regional fans would still have an active role.

Execution

We chose the night of the Album launch concert at Barbican London to celebrate this new cult. - Influencers: as every cult needs its founding members, we reached out to select artists to collaborate submitting raw footage interpreting the night to serve as graphics for the stage-screens during the band’s performance live - PR Stunt/ traditional-media coverage: we hosted a decadent party in Beirut at Behind the Green Door where the Deity of the Night made his first appearance, that was broadcasted through a live-feed onto the stage-screens hijacking the Barbican concert that was being covered live by MTV Lebanon, bringing the hidden, unedited, uncensored “Cult of the Night” into the forefront of mainstream media. - Engagement: interlinking the 3 live experiences starting in London and spreading across Arab and non-Arab regions: the concert, the party, the audience watching live on TV/Online, through a social-media conversation #ibnelleil

• 140k experienced the London Barbican Launch Concert from Lebanon, an audience 28x larger than their biggest Beirut concert • Over 1Million experienced, live, the Barbican Launch Concert in the world, an audience 66x larger than their biggest concert ever. • Ranked #1 album on iTunes MENA (beating Adele’s Album release) • #1 Album at Virgin Megastores MENA • First Arab Pop band to be ranked #13 on US Billboard Charts

The Strategy

- Collaborating with influential artists that thrive in the night (DJs, directors, photographers, architects, designers, videographers…) to bring forward the different versions of the night in Beirut from different forums and crowds - Creating a live stunt to hijack the concert that could reveal honest and uncensored live representations of the night - Using traditional media live to reach a mass audience for a unconventional cause that would otherwise be subject to editing and censoring - Creating a unifying experience and conversation that engages the audience present at the concert, as well as fans across the world to take part

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 Head of Communication
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
Noel Paul Freelancer Director
Gaby Ferneine Freelancer VJ
Jinane Chaaya Freelancer Producer
Amin Dora Freelancer Director
Gaby Ferneine Freelancer VJ