2017 Winners & Shortlists

The Campaign

Lebanon has been lacking proper garbage treatment plans for years and recycling awareness/knowledge remain to be very primitive across the Lebanese population.Surprisingly, there were only 41 recycling bins dotted in the country. So even if people had the will to recycle, they had no means and no guidance to do so.In parallel, Lebanon’s glass-blowing artisanship was dying. Most local companies were importing their bottles from abroad at a low cost, and with no means of recycling, millions ended up in uncontrolled dump. This has put a huge economic strain on traditional craft and most have gone out of business. Sarafand, the home of the last dynasty of glass blowers in Lebanon was about to shut down its doors for good. Almaza being one of the most loved local brands, having heritage and Lebanese pride at the core of its identity, had to take matters at hand.

Creative Execution

It was important that we won the hearts and minds of our audience as well as have the perfect mix of platforms to raise awareness and drive action.The 21 glass collecting bins distributed across the main streets of Beirut were nicely branded with the campaign’s slogan and painted in red. Not only did they attract the passenger’s attention, but they also served as an ongoing reminder and support to our cause.Video was an integral part of our campaign.We started with Kalam el Nes, the leading socioeconomic TV show in Lebanon, which featured our story as the main opening report.60” TV releases and 10” copies were also released on the leading stations communicating the key brand message. Moreover, we connected with our online audience and initiated the conversation on Facebook, Instagram and leading local sites The campaign was also covered by major print publications.

Business objective: We achieved 34% sales growth in off trade vs sply (Nielsen retail audit) Environmental Objective: 21 glass-recycling bins installed across Beirut with plans to extend to more regions in 2017 People have been actively participating and using the bins for the past year, we have been witnessing a monthly uplift in usage. Collected 409,000 bottles. ( Nielsen / GGRIL– Dec 2016) Recycled so far into 186000 different items (beer mugs, water pitcher, espresso and arak cups) (Source: Sarafand workshop) Media Objectives: Social: 924,326 views on social – 120% higher than planned. 0.004$ CPV – 50% lower than planned 4.13 CTR – 37% higher than planned 1.03M actions were generated across posts and videos Reached 50% of our audience, a total of 1.2M – 25% higher than planned Local news sites: Deliver 131,800 impressions 6% CTR –3 times higher than planned and industry benchmark TV: Reached 64% of the Lebanese

When a small country like Lebanon faces a garbage crisis for more than a year, negative news invade not only mass media channels but people’s spirits as well. We brought a ray of change with Almaza’s initiative, spreading positivity and hope for a better Lebanon. We broke through the outdoor clutter, visual noise and masses of garbage invading the streets, by installing branded glass recycling bins bringing in a new form of communication channel that is useful as much as impactful.

Insights, Strategy and the Idea

“Almaza” in Arabic refers to a diamond which is vibrant, clean and flawless. And so in the spirit of the brand’s overall identity, we came up with a wordplay and have named the initiative: “So that Beirut remains Almaza” Over the course of 4 months we gathered used green Almaza bottles and sent them to Lebanon's last remaining glassblower's workshop in the village of Sarafand. The bottles were crushed and recycled into re-usable beer glasses which were then included as gifts to consumers with every purchase of a 6-pack case. We have installed glass collecting bins across the main streets of Beirut. By the end of 2016 we have expanded our network to cover a total of 21 bins, with plans to expand all over the country, inviting the whole nation to join our movement in protecting the environment.