2019 Winners & Shortlists

MEZZA - I DRINK WHENEVER I WANT.

Short List
BrandKASSATLY CHTAURA
Product/ServiceMEZZA
EntrantOPERATION UNICORN Ain El Rihane, LEBANON
CategoryDrinks
Idea Creation OPERATION UNICORN Ain El Rihane, LEBANON

Write a short summary of what happens in the film.

The film shows around 10 characters drinking what appears to be a beer, as they rhythmically move their heads to a song. Each lyric of the song and visual depict controversial situations of the consumption of this beverage – During pregnancy, while driving, underage drinking, before going to sleep, right after waking up and working out, and some other characters or sets have a religious referential appearance. In the end, the pack shot reveals the launch of the product, Mezza, a non-alcoholic malt beverage.

Cultural/Context information for the jury.

Alcoholic drinks are available to everyone in Lebanon, however, our core audience, the Lebanese Islamic Demographic, chooses not to drink. Launching this non-alcoholic product, we needed to create a memorable film, without offending our main target and their beliefs. Competitors' messaging focuses, more than often, on the product's benefits and taste. To break through this category, we chose to go with a more consumer-centric communication strategy. Though the practicing Islamic demographic was our main target, in order to reach it without singling it out, we chose to include additional situations where alcohol consumption is "frowned upon" – and make a non-alcoholic drinks' communication sexy, for once. This meant addressing the taboos that surround consuming alcohol and portraying non-alcohol drinkers as the rebels and cool people of our society. To lessen the shock of addressing these topics, we made up a song, because singing things makes them... tolerable.

Credits

Name Company Role
Nathalie Masri Operation Unicorn Creative Director
Wissam Matar Operation Unicorn Managing Director
Samir Syriani Free Lancer Director
Nadyn Chalhoub Operation Unicorn Associate Creative Director
Athony Sahyoun Free Lancer Music Artist
Julien Masri Focus Films Executive Producer
Joe Saadeh Freelancer D.O.P
Loulla Aoun Freelancer Production Manager