2019 Winners & Shortlists

THE TOXIC FLAG

Short List
BrandTHE WASTE MANAGEMENT COALITION
Product/ServiceWASTE MANAGEMENT
EntrantIMPACT BBDO Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
CategoryFundraising & Advocacy
Idea Creation IMPACT BBDO Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Media Placement OMD Beirut, LEBANON
Production STOKED Beirut, LEBANON
Additional Company THE WASTE MANAGEMENT COALITION Beirut, LEBANON

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

Although there were not clear restriction or regulations concerning the issue, the topic is purposely shrouded in misinformation and the public lacked the factual information to make a truly informed decision.

Why is this work relevant for Direct?

The Toxic Flag is a direct marketing campaign because we paired an experiential design piece with standard outdoors/screens to build a relationship with the public and ultimately drive the desired response by driving them to our microsite, as well as sharing information about the planned incinerators. Media outlets, celebrities and influencers organically picked up on the campaign and furthered this direct drive by calling on the public to visit the microsite and sign the petition.

Describe the target audience

The primary target audience is those who live or work within the area that will be affected by the planned incinerators. The second audience is the public who are concerned with their wellbeing. Our work is relative because we caused mass awareness and directly illustrated where/who will be affected.

Background

For the past 3 years, Lebanon has been crippled by a major garbage crisis. To make matters worse, the Lebanese Government has deliberately kept the people of Lebanon in the dark, with its intentions to build harmful incinerators, which would further affect the environment, increase pollution drastically and put the lives and wellbeing of the Lebanese people at risk. We needed to take action and make this invisible danger visible to the people of Lebanon.

Describe the creative idea (30% of vote)

We created the Toxic Flag – a 35-metre high art installation, that could be seen from across Beirut, that spewed black smoke into the sky. Raised high, the flag gave the people of the city a very real and vivid glimpse of the future that awaited the country, once the incinerators were operational. While the smoke was non-toxic and environmentally friendly, the flag, inspired by John Gerrard’s art, immediately became the symbol of Lebanon’s dark and dire tomorrow. Visible from all areas that would be affected by the incinerators, it immediately sparked the conversation in Lebanese households and highlighted the need for alternate and safer options for garbage disposal.

Describe the strategy (20% of vote)

The people of Lebanon are fiercely patriotic and love their country. This fierce pride is what made us use the flag as a means to communicate our message. We wanted the Lebanese people to view the Toxic Flag as symbol and a grim reminder of what was to become of their country, if the adoption of incinerators went unopposed. It would also shock the country into reacting to an issue that they’ve long grown apathetic towards.

Describe the execution (20% of vote)

We created 35-metre high flag, and raised it near the site of a planned waste incinerator at Beirut. The flag and its smoke could be seen across Beirut, and immediately generated massive curiosity and interest. Additionally we created an outdoor campaign that constantly reminded the people of Lebanon about the impact these incinerators would have on the future. The outdoors only showed within the danger zone (the zone in which people would be negatively affected by the incinerators). Messaging drove people to StopTheIncinerators.me, a website to sign the petition to secure a healthier and brighter future for Lebanon.

List the results (30% of vote)

-200M media impressions -$1M+ earned media -70%+ rise in public awarenessFront page news story for several daily newspapers -Featured on every major news channels in the country -Toxic Flag was presented and debated on the floor of parliament -Plans for three incinerators have been suspended indefinitely.

Credits

Name Company Role
Dani Richa Impact BBDO Dubai Chief Executive Officer
Paul Shearer Impact BBDO Dubai Chief Creative Officer
Logan Allanson Impact BBDO Dubai Creative Director
Tres Colacion Impact BBDO Dubai Creative Director
Ben Griffiths Impact BBDO Dubai Associate Creative Director
Giancarlo Rodas Impact BBDO Dubai Associate Creative Director
Marie Claire Maalouf Impact BBDO Dubai Associate Creative Director
Sarah Berro, Simone Milani Impact BBDO Dubai Copywriter
Bijoy Purayil, Enrico Motti Impact BBDO Dubai Art Director
Mohamed Abdelkader Impact BBDO Dubai Arabic Copywriter
Ahmed Nawara Impact BBDO Dubai Graphic Designer
Noushad P. Pathiyatt Impact BBDO Dubai Finalizer
Samantha Stuart - Palmer Impact BBDO Dubai Managing Director
Emma Jane Randall Impact BBDO Dubai Account Executive
Farid Hobeiche Impact BBDO Dubai Group Account Director
Tennyson Torcato Impact BBDO Creative Services Director
JOE ABOU-KHALED Impact BBDO Creative
John Gerrard John Gerrard CGI Artist
Charbel Aouad Stoked Executive Producer
Rita El Hachem Stoked Producer
Danny Saneh Stoked Line Producer
Jack Martinos, Bachar Khattar, Pascal Movsessian Stoked Cameraman
Abdo Najjar Stoked Drone Operator
Christian Abi Abboud Stoked Director
Christian Abi Abboud Stoked Director
Christian Abi Abboud Stoked Director
Christian Abi Abboud Stoked Director
Samer Sweidan Stoked Location Manager
Eli Boudjok Alleycat Digial Art Director
Rachid J. El Khazen OMD General Manager
ELIE ZORBA OMD Manager
ELIE ZORBA OMD Manager