2019 Winners & Shortlists

THICK FOUL ODOR

BrandFRIENDS OF CANCER PATIENTS
Product/ServiceCANCER SYMPTOMS AWARENESS
EntrantDDB DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
CategoryPublic Education & Awareness
Idea Creation DDB DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Media Placement OMD Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Production MANGO JAM STUDIO Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Describe any restrictions or regulations regarding Healthcare communications in your country/region (imposed by healthcare regulatory bodies, government, TV stations, etc.)

In the region communication about cancer has always been on the importance of spotting the symptoms the early. There has been no initiative to address the human behaviour of procrastination. We wanted to take on this challenge head and address the danger of procrastination.

Describe the target audience

Our target audience was squarely the everyday individual. By comparing the symptoms of cancer to situations straight out of life, we were able to demonstrate how procrastination can make something so small and treatable into something that can cost you your life.

Write a short summary of what happens in the radio advert

In this spot, a young man ignores the presence of a thick foul odour as just some smell in the room. The odour gets more pungent and asphyxiating with each passing second but the man continues to dismiss it and continues working. But then it's a little too late as he chokes on the fumes and dies.

Cultural/Context information for the jury

This spot hinges on a universal insight of how as humans tend to procrastinate on things that need our immediate attention. And by doing so we let something small and treatable become something big and fatal. The symptoms of cancer is that perfect example. Sometimes procrastination is the real killer.

Script: Provide the full radio advert script in English.

SFX: Someone taking some quick short sniffs of the air around him as he talks. MVO: Delivered very casually without a care in the world until the last couple of words. It’s just some odour. It’s just some thick foul odour. It’s just some thick foul odour wafting through the air. It’s just some thick foul odour wafting through the air and causing the plants to wilt. It’s just some thick foul odour wafting through the air, causing the plants to wilt and my eyes to burn. It’s just some thick foul odour wafting through the air causing the plants to wilt, my eyes to burn and… SFX: We hear the sound (a thud) of the man’s head hitting the keyboard as he has passed out. Announcer: When you ignore the signs, you put yourself in grave danger. Treating the symptoms of cancer early can save your life. To know more visit Friends of Cancer Patients at focp.ae

Credits

Name Company Role
Firas Medrows DDB Dubai Executive Creative Director
Zahir Mirza DDB Dubai Group Creative Director
Ahmed Otaibi DDB Dubai Art Director
Victor Haffling DDB Dubai Senior Copywriter
Hend Raafat DDB Dubai Planner
Ashish Varghese DDB Dubai Producer
Joe Najm Mango Jam Sound Engineer