2017 Winners & Shortlists

BE SEEN

BrandTHE CARTEL
Product/ServiceTHE CARTEL
EntrantY&R DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
CategoryPublications & Brand Collateral
Idea Creation Y&R DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

The Campaign

Our creative idea – Be Seen– celebrated the Abaya as a canvas upon which to express female individuality through choice accessorization. Traditionally seen as a vehicle of conformity, in reality the Abaya is no such thing. Its silky, jet black finish provides the perfect foil against which a colorful highlight (be it a handbag, ring or shawl) can have maximum visibility and impact. Be Seen sought to remind people that conventional views of the Abaya are off the mark, as a significant number of women living in the Gulf, who adhere to its cultural and societal norms, still find room to express their individuality through this unique and iconic dress.

Creative Execution

Maximizing contrasts, white backgrounds were employed to offset the midnight black Abayas in a minimalist approach which embraced and explored the idea that to truly Be Seen, less is more. Against the canvas of the Abaya, reflective, blue-tinted sunglasses, a terracotta crocodile skin handbag, a ring encrusted with faux-pearls and gemstones over the top of a sable glove, a scarf worn across the neck and unapologetic-ally shocking-green high heels brought the fact that the Abaya, a dress too often associated with conformity, had the power to make those who wear it stand out in an unprecedented way. The attitudes of the models reflected high-fashion, in keeping with the cultural pride and natural femininity that wearers of the Abaya feel.

Indication of how successful the outcome was in the market

Abaya and accessory sales from The Cartel increase by 15% in the two weeks after publication. The Be Seen campaign elevated the brand to a new level of cultural relevance while consolidating its positioning as the UAE’s avant-garde fashion destination. Perhaps most importantly, the cultural impact of the campaign saw a move away from traditional views of the Abaya through a celebration of the iconic dress as a vehicle of self-expression and high fashion.

The Cartel is a destination for cutting edge avant-garde fashion in the UAE. Situated in the heart of Dubai’s reinvented art scene in Al Qouz, it is a wearable art gallery and concept store, and an exclusive platform for over 60 international designers to showcase and sell their work. As such, the strategy tasked us to amplify The Cartel’s positioning as a symbiosis of fashion and art, and talk directly to the young, chic and design-conscious target audience that both patronizes the establishment and reads it publications, empowering them with new fashion and design possibilities that help them stand out in the often all-too-ubiquitous world of traditional Arab fashion.

Credits

Name Company Role
Kalpesh Patankar Y&R Dubai Executive Creative Director
Georges Barsoum Y&R Dubai CEO
Kalpesh Patankar Y&R Dubai Executive Creative Director
Kapil Bhimekar Y&R Dubai Art Director
Saleh ELGhatit Y&R Dubai Account Manager
Sam Eid Y&R Dubai Head of Production
Khushi Rawat Y&R Dubai Agency Producer
Shahir Zag Freelancer Copywriter
Neha Mishra Caravan Creatives Producer
Shamsher Walia Floss Creative Retoucher
Greg Adamski Caravan Creatives Photographer
Vasil Bozhilov Caravan Creatives Stylist
Britta Tess Caravan Creatives Hair & Make up Artist
Peter Richweisz The Cartel Founder/Client