2018 Winners & Shortlists

THE RESCUE TILES

BrandRECYCLE BEIRUT
Product/ServiceTHE RESCUE TILES
EntrantGREY BEIRUT, LEBANON
CategoryCorporate Social Responsibility
Idea Creation GREY BEIRUT, LEBANON

The Campaign

While Lebanon was hosting the biggest number of Syrian refugees in the world, its government was struggling with a massive garbage crisis. To solve one problem using the other, Recycle Beirut turned glass, construction waste and rubble into recycled tiles. These tiles were then used to cover the damp and cold floors of children's makeshift schools in refugee camps. The rescue tiles therefore collaborated in solving the waste problem by protecting children from freezing cold and life-threatening diseases.

Creative Execution

Using volunteers and local manpower Recycle Beirut was able to cover the floors of the class rooms at the Malaak educational center in Lebanon's Beqaa valley in just 2 weeks. The number of children attending schools increased, and the class rooms were finally safe and dry.

Describe the success of the promotion with both client and consumer including some quantifiable results

The rescue tiles CSR initiative was a milestone in Recycle Beirut's journey. The refugees schooling situation reached high levels of awareness as local media covered our story on prime time TV. The rescue tiles shifted the mindset of the Lebanese regarding recycling and opened their hearts and minds to simple solutions that can save most vulnerable in our communities.

Explain why the method of promotion was most relevant to the product or service

Due to the war in neighboring Syria, thousands of Syrian refugees’ school-aged children came to Lebanon to seek out shelter and education. However, with lack of infrastructure, these children were sent to makeshift schools where they suffered from diseases and pneumonia due to cold and water seeping in from the ground. Meanwhile Lebanon was busy with an overwhelming garbage crisis. This is when Recycle Beirut came up with a CSR activation using recycled material to create innovative tiles that would protect these children from disease at school while helping out with the trash problem.

Following several visits to schools we found Malaak, an educational center for Syrian refugees built on agricultural soil that caused constant seeping of rain and cold from the ground. We also identified the classrooms that required flooring solutions and started with the manufacturing of the rescue tiles. In just a month period the classrooms were tiled and children were finally free to learn away from the dangers of disease and cold.

Credits

Name Company Role
Ali Shabaz Grey MENA CCO
Cynthia Karaan Grey Beirut Creative Director
Challita Challita Grey Beirut Senior Art Director
Monique Bejjani Grey Beirut Senior Art Director
Links
Website URL