2019 Winners & Shortlists

THE WOMAN BEHIND THE VEIL

BrandAL RAJHI BANK
Product/ServiceLAKI (WOMEN'S CREDIT CARD)
EntrantFP7/RUH Riyadh, SAUDI ARABIA
CategoryGlass
Idea Creation FP7/RUH Riyadh, SAUDI ARABIA
Media Placement FP7/RUH Riyadh, SAUDI ARABIA
Media Placement 2 MILLIMETER PRODUCTIONS Jeddah, SAUDI ARABIA
PR FP7/RUH Riyadh, SAUDI ARABIA
Production PIXEL MOB Beirut, LEBANON

Background

In Saudi Arabia, where women are the next big consumer growth segment, Al Rajhi Bank, a leading Islamic bank, did not appeal to women. So, to gain affinity, the bank launched a new product – a credit card with personalized benefits for women. The bank's challenge to us: Promote the card’s promise of “Unique to every woman” and show its advantage - its benefits were personalized to women.

Describe the cultural/social/political climate in your region and the significance of your campaign within this context

Saudi Arabia is evolving. Gender parity is being enforced. Women can drive (June 2018 onwards), get jobs, attend concerts and cinemas, and travel without permissions from men. These are big changes. Yet, despite these significant changes, advertising and media has shown a lot of gender bias. While it’s normal to feature men across outdoor channels, SHOWING WOMEN IS NOT ACCEPTABLE ON OUTDOOR or mass display channels, due to cultural sensitivities. No brand in Saudi Arabia shows women on an outdoor ad. A woman being "displayed" to the world in "public" is not acceptable. As one woman says, “we see women in ads abroad and in the rest of the Middle East too. Out here, it's a taboo."

Describe the creative idea

In a country where showing women in outdoor and print ads is banned, we took a stance in supporting women and created Saudi Arabia’s first outdoor campaign featuring women. Transforming MUPIs, we created interactive outdoor ads. And shared how the card is personalized to each woman, by enabling women to personalize their own ad, featuring themselves, delivering on the card’s promise of being “unique to every woman”.

Describe the strategy

Financial inclusion was key: Every woman in Saudi Arabia has the right to a bank account, to specific privileges from a bank, for her. Every one woman deserves her own financial independence and autonomy. Appealing to the woman behind the veil: The truth is that behind each woman wearing the black abaya and the veil lies someone who deserves to make the most of her life, who, while being anxious or restricted, deserves opportunities to progress and to project her personality to her world, sans bias. Showing vs. telling was key: Since we were launching the bank’s first card, personalized for women, our approach needed to be a “first” too, showing that the card was personalized to each woman. Sharing how the card is personalized to each woman by enabling women to personalize their own ad, we wanted to create Saudi Arabia’s first outdoor campaign featuring women.

Describe the execution

We created interactive outdoor ads, powered by mobile technology. We took a plain mirror, placed it on a MUPI, armed it with a camera, linked to an NFC device, a Bluetooth beacon and a message: “Discover a card that’s unique to you.” MUPIs were installed across popular malls, universities and hotspots. The beacon inside each MUPI sent notifications and invited all who were women to check who we had in mind for the card, at specific location. As women walked up, they saw themselves in the mirror i.e. the bank's ad. They could get a picture taken, get it sent to their mobile and then, share it with their world. Each share became an ad for the bank. Using beacon notification, a link allowed women to contact the bank directly, starting the application process. And just like the card, each ad turned out to be unique to each woman too.

Describe the results/impact

The unique, immersive media innovation drove results that were significant enough for the bank to continue investing in products and services for women, to continue to empower financial inclusion for women, including women SMEs too. 26.3% of Saudi Arabia’s female population was reached. 400,000 women interacted through the ad, driving +58% higher website traffic than competition. 202,320 credit cards were issued. +58% brand consideration over the campaign period. +45% brand love over the campaign period Additionally, the campaign attracted attention from worldwide marketing and media platforms too: • “Breaking the gender bias in advertising, without breaking any rules.” (Directory UK) • “Poetic artistry combining empathy, creativity and technology.” (Trend Watching)

Credits

Name Company Role
Dany Azzi FP7 McCann Riyadh Executive Creative Director
Dany Azzi FP7 McCann Riyadh Executive Creative Director
Dany Azzi FP7 McCann Riyadh Executive Creative Director
Tahaab Rais FP7 McCann MENAT Regional Head of Strategy
Tahaab Rais FP7 McCann MENAT Regional Head of Strategy
Dany Azzi FP7 McCann Riyadh Executive Creative Director
Dany Azzi FP7 McCann Riyadh Executive Creative Director
Dany Azzi FP7 McCann Riyadh Executive Creative Director
Dany Azzi FP7 McCann Riyadh Executive Creative Director
Dany Azzi FP7 McCann Riyadh Executive Creative Director
Dany Azzi FP7 McCann Riyadh Executive Creative Director
Tahaab Rais FP7 McCann MENAT Regional Head of Strategy
Tahaab Rais FP7 McCann MENAT Regional Head of Strategy
Sanjay Kumar FP7 McCann Riyadh Strategic Planning Director
Marc Lawandos FP7 McCann Riyadh Managing Director
Jimmy Abboud FP7 McCann Riyadh Senior Art Director
Khalid Zahran FP7 McCann Riyadh Digital Senior Graphic Designer
Farah El Kadi FP7 McCann Riyadh Digital Graphic Designer
Hosam Mobarak FP7 McCann Riyadh Head of Copy
Najla Al Olayan FP7 McCann Riyadh Senior Copywriter
Sara Al Haian FP7 McCann Riyadh Copywriter
Mohamed Reda FP7 McCann Riyadh 3D Animation
Firas Fares FP7 McCann Riyadh Account Director
Tala Alem FP7 McCann Riyadh Head of Digital
Osama Barqawi FP7 McCann Riyadh Production Manager
Roy Chucri Millimeter Production Director & Editor
Akram Douglas Millimeter Production Executive Producer
Ashraf Muhammedunny FP7 McCann Dubai Editor and Visual Artist