2018 Winners & Shortlists

THE "TRUE" CAMPAIGN

BrandRECKITT BENCKISER
Product/ServiceDUREX CONDOMS
EntrantHAVAS Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
CategoryOTC Products/Devices
Idea Creation HAVAS Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Production ROLLING THUNDER FZ LLC Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Production 2 HOLLASONIC Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

The Campaign

We targeted young consumers with metaphor-driven videos that showed the intimacy and closeness of the experience but without breaking decency guidelines. In simple 10-second stories, a man and a woman separated by glass, are able to reach each other. Through this metaphorical barrier, his breath blows her hair (Durex Invisible) and his hand touches hers (Durex Real Feel).

Creative Execution

A mobile-first execution that was supported on digital channels like You Tube, Facebook, Instagram and ecommerce sites such as Souq.com - helping consumers avoid the embarrassment of retail purchases. For the soundtrack, the agency worked with chart topping dance music duo Hollaphonic from the UAE.

At the time of awards submission (the day after Valentine’s Day), the campaign had only just launched but initial response looks set to out-perform the benchmark by a considerable margin. For example, after just 6 hours, the Invisible video alone had generated over 11 000 000 views. Sony have also confirmed that they would be releasing the soundtrack as Hollaphonic’s first release “Thrill” on their new label, taking the campaign beyond the Middle East to a global audience.

We needed to promote a condom brand's Valentine's eCommerce promotion, in a region with huge cultural sensitivity towards showing any depiction of love-making or intimacy. On certain channels, you can't even show the product wrapper. With that in mind, we needed to directly target a youth market that's out there, having sex, but without breaking any rules or having our campaign seen to be violating strict decency laws.

The campaign needed to entice purchase from young adults while at the same time being culturally sensitive - a tough sell for a brand whose DNA is built around the idea of liberating good sex. The metaphorical approach had to a fine line between between being sexy enough to appeal to the target market, while not being to overt that it would be pulled by the authorities.

Credits

Name Company Role
Mark Fiddes Havas Worldwide Middle East Executive Creative Director
Andrew Pearson Havas Worldwide Middle East Creative Director
Andrew Pearson Havas Worldwide Middle East Creative Director
Mark Fiddes Havas Worldwide Middle East Executive Creative Director
Elisa-Sofia Gomes Havas Worldwide Middle East Art Director
Alena Smirnova Havas Worldwide Middle East Account Manager
Samantha Pearson Havas Worldwide Middle East Account Manager
Mark Fiddes Havas Worldwide Middle East Executive Creative Director
Kaya Smythe Rolling Thunder TV Producer
Pablo Plant Rolling Thunder Editor
Olly Wood Hollasonic Composer
Greg Stainer Hollasonic Composer
Fabio Silveira Havas Worldwide Regional Planning Director
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