2017 Winners & Shortlists

#DIGITALFASTING

BrandDU (EMIRATES INTEGRATED TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY)
Product/ServiceTELECOMMUNICATION
EntrantLEO BURNETT DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Idea Creation LEO BURNETT DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Media Placement STARCOM Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
PR MSL GROUP Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

The Campaign

To remind people of the sanctity of the Holy Month of Ramadan, we created Digital Fasting, incorporating technology into the list of behaviours that Muslims are asked to abstain from during sunlight hours in this month.

Creative Execution

We found a volunteer – not an influencer but a busy social media character – to attempt Digital Fasting for the month. We policed and documented online this attempt, careful to record the struggle, the acceptance and the ultimate enlightenment that the process initiated. Our volunteer was able to go online after sunset to share his thoughts and receive the thoughts of those who were following him, which ranged from those inspired enough to follow his example, those who tried it out for an hour or so every day and those who were spiritually humbled by the idea, but felt unable to do without technology.

A documentary of the entire experiment has been created for broadcast television, so that that the new lessons learnt in self-restraint, and their rewards, will not be lost in the years to come. Many influencers came onboard to support the initiative. -Overall Media Impressions: 40.400.000 -Social Impressions: 23.329.665 -Social Engagement (actions): 2.930.992 -Total Social Media Reach: 17.636.551 -Total Social Media Views: 5.015.294 -Earned media worth more than $500 k -4 broadcast interviews – 24 Articles -887,026 OTS (OTS: Print Circulation figures X 4 = Media Reach. Please note online, social, and broadcast impression is not included into this)

The campaign created a communication ecosystem for the public by allowing them to not just follow this experiment through webisodes, but to understand its importance through PR and to participate through social media. It needed to feed on the communities hunger for online consumption.

As If data consumption wasn’t already the third highest in the world for the rest of the year, it spikes during Ramadan. Yet the community, young and old, are devout in their faith and practice fasting with great discipline. To remove the use of communication technology, particularly the social media Channel, represents a whole new test of faith, yet is true to the tradion of Ramadan. There may be physical resistance to the idea, but the devout heart cannot help but embrace it.

Credits

Name Company Role
Bechara Mouzannar Leo Burnett Dubai Chief Creative Officer
André Nassar Leo Burnett Dubai Regional Executive Creative Director
Rafael Augusto Leo Burnett Dubai Creative Director:
John Smeddle Leo Burnett Dubai Copywriter
André Nassar / Rafael Augusto / Bruno Bomediano Leo Burnett Dubai Art Director
Karim Yusuf / Roger Possato Leo Burnett Dubai Digital
Tony Kayouka Leo Burnett Dubai Social Media Director
Hazar Ibdah Nightingale's Echo Arabic Ccioywriter
Haytham Dayeh Leo Burnett Dubai Communication Servicing Director
Amir M. Zeitouni Leo Burnett Dubai Senior Account Manager
Shereen Mostafa Leo Burnett Dubai Head of Production
Zeina Daoud Leo Burnett Dubai Producer
Danielle Arden Entertainment Work Director
Entertainment Work Entertainment Work Production House
Mofeed Abu Algebeen Entertainment Work MD
Samer Asfour Entertainment Work Executive Producer
Chady Asfour Entertainment Work Line Producer
Georges Mallo Entertainment Work DOP
Mark Hayek Entertainment Work Assistant Director
Rita Mechiedjian Entertainment Work Post Production Producer
ELie Mondalak Entertainment Work Editor
Raed Bou Hamdan Starcom Associate Director
Nivritti Ashok Starcom Senior Media Executive
Feras Hamtini Starcom Performance Manager
Layal Dalal SML Group Comms Manager
Nela Lukic SML Group Content Strategist
Gregory Henderson SML Group Group Account Director
Humaida Alkhalsan du (Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company) Director Corporate Communications Projects & Sustainability Commercial
Hala Badri du (Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company) Executive VP Brand and Communications
Links
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