2017 Winners & Shortlists

The Campaign

An authentic driving experience. This sums up our creative idea, which centred on providing media and influencers with a unique experience, which served as a new and different take on an automotive brand.

Execution

We approached Jordanian Tourism Board and sealed a partnership that resulted in free visas, airport shuttles and exclusive access permits, and saved the client time and money. We invited journalists, bloggers and influencers from around the world via our global network. We wanted our guests to learn about the Revolt, one of the most dramatic and seminal episodes of the 20th century, and history of the modern Middle East. We got William Dalrymple, the acclaimed writer and historian to narrate the happenings of that time to our visitors, bringing the story and landscape to life. To ensure our guests are always connected, and constantly sharing content, we secured free Wi-Fi in all the vehicles for the drive – a first in the industry, and a feat that took everyone by surprise. What took T.E. Lawrence and Prince Faisal two months on horseback took only a few hours with Ford horsepower!

100 journalists and influencers from across the region and the globe – including, not just traditional automotive and business writers from outlets like Al Khaleej, Wheels, and MBC Driven, but also more ‘unexpected’ attendees like Sayidity, Fustany, Laha, The Boho Chica and Absolute Geeks - joined us on this journey, and many said they’d never experienced a better-run, more dynamic and more creative event in their lives. To date, the campaign has earned 144 hits, a total reach of 67.9 million, generating a perceived Ad Value of $2.5million. On social, over 1,000 posts were made with the hashtag #GoFurtherInArabia across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, which accounted for 10 million impressions, for a combined reach of over 2 million people.

The Situation

The media familiarisation trip is one of the most important tools at the disposal of a PR agency, but it can be all too easy to fall into a rut of predictable, even dull, pro-forma trips disappointing the media attendees and the client alike. Our difference here was to make Ford of Arabia less of a ‘routine press trip’, and more of a once-in-a-lifetime experience, indelibly linking Ford’s SUVs with the great outdoors in the Middle East.

The Strategy

Where? Why? When? These were the questions the team immediately encountered. While researching the MENA landscape, the team recognized that the immense beauty, history and hospitality of Jordan would serve as the perfect backdrop for the drive. Knowing that a number of other automakers had also conducted large drives there – and we needed to stand out – we leveraged the 100-year-anniversary of the Arab Revolt and famous historical figures, T.E. Lawrence and Prince Faisal. We decided to retrace the footsteps of T.E. Lawrence’s journey in Ford trucks and SUVs to showcase class, capability, and comfort to our media, blogger and influencer partners, and to use the power and performance of the existing SUV line-up to support the launch of the all-new Edge.