2018 Winners & Shortlists

TO FIND WHAT CAN'T BE FOUND

BrandUN WOMEN EGYPT
Product/ServiceUN WOMEN EGYPT
EntrantDDB DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
CategoryUse of Stunts
Idea Creation DDB DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

The Campaign

To get people to notice the problem, we had to showcase the problem differently. We teamed up with Karim El Hayawan and Batool Al Daawi, two of Egypt's most renowned photographers. They were tasked with capturing Egypt at work. The result was showcased at one of Cairo's most popular galleries. Patrons enjoyed the show but missed the point. There were 50 photographs with no women. And no one noticed. After it was pointed out, many spoke about the importance of gender equality in the workforce.

Creative Execution

The exhibition took place in Darb 1718, an upscale gallery in Old Cairo. The event drew over 200 people, many of them famous cultural figures. The video from the event was posted online and amplified on social media. We also created a microsite where people could see the exhibition virtually.

The video from the event lit up social media. It was seen over 100,000 times and shared over 1,000 times. People joined in the discussion. But soon, embarrassment lead to action. Following the exhibition, UN Women Egypt has received positive reactions from the Egyptian business world, and the official support from Unilever, who pledges to ensure that women always get an equal chance. And this is only the beginning. More companies are expected to come on board in the months ahead.

To tackle gender equality in Egypt, a country ranked 138 out of 144 in female labor force participation, we needed to do something different. To get people to notice, we stepped away from conventional media, and created a photo exhibition. But for the visitors, it wasn't the regular kind of exhibition. Indeed, there was a deeper thought behind this choice of media.

Insights, Strategy and the Idea

In spite of an abject lack of women in the Egyptian workforce, the issue has gone under the radar. There has been no public debate or any outcry. Our strategy was to point out this blind spot and get people to notice it. Because the first step to solving a problem is to recognize it. Our target audience was primarily professional men and women.

Credits

Name Company Role
Firas Medrows DDB Dubai Executive Creative Director
Zahir Mirza DDB Dubai Group Creative Director
Andreas Schwitter DDB Dubai Senior Art Director
Fady Youssef DDB Dubai Senior Art Director
Ahmed Otaibi DDB Dubai Art Director
Victor Haffling DDB Dubai Copywriter
Mustafa Altasseh DDB Dubai Arabic Copywriter
Hend Raafat DDB Dubai Planner
Ashish Varghese DDB Dubai Head of Production
Carmel Missilmany DDB Dubai Producer