2019 Winners & Shortlists

REVIVING THE IBRIK

BrandTALAYA
Product/ServiceTALAYA
EntrantTBWA\RAAD Beirut, LEBANON
CategoryCorporate Communication & Reputation Management
Idea Creation TBWA\RAAD Beirut, LEBANON

Why is this work relevant for PR Lynx?

The fastest way to trigger change is to collaborate with organizations that are working for the same cause. We worked closely with a local environmental NGO, which has been spearheading the country’s recycling initiatives, to locate the last glass artisans. These artisans are masters of an ecofriendly craft, which was slowly dying out. By teaming up with them and the NGO, we revived their craft and leveraged their strengths for the cause. In this way, we boosted our brand’s reputation with environmental stakeholders in the country and earned their trust as well as gained the appreciation of our customers.

Background

Much of Lebanon’s waste consists of plastic that is rarely recycled. As such, Lebanon has the highest concentration of microplastics in its sea, in the world. Tons of plastic waste and other forms of pollution are taking a heavy toll on the country’s environment and people’s health. Meanwhile people continue to consume water with single-use plastics every day, adding to the problem. As a water brand, we had been campaigning against plastic for years, and we were the first to pioneer glass bottles and gallons in the region, as ecofriendly, healthy alternatives to plastic. We wanted to deliver a Christmas giveaway that would truly re-enforce our message of switching to glass as well as our positioning as a brand that is deeply committed to the environment.

Describe the creative idea.

We didn’t want our giveaway to be a “disposable” reminder of our anti-plastic mission. We wanted it to be a sustainable solution, which would help our customers choose glass and lead more ecofriendly and healthy lives with our brand. So, we redesigned an artifact which was on the verge of extinction—the traditional glass water jug or ‘ibrik’—bringing an ecofriendly and healthy drinking habit back to life. We reintroduced the ‘ibrik’ with a modern twist, making it from recycled glass with the last glass artisans. We then delivered these ibriks to our customers with a message to celebrate their health, environment and heritage by drinking from the ibrik. The giveaway demonstrated to customers that we share their values and are fully committed to them. It helped us forge a deeper connection with them and integrated our brand into their lives.

Describe the strategy.

Our customers (individuals, families, organizations and companies) are invested in protecting the environment; after all, our brand has a reputation in the market for being an eco-pioneer. We knew they wouldn’t appreciate a wasteful gift. In fact, if anyone is likely to be responsive and change their drinking habits for the planet, it’s our clients. Through the jug, we showed our customers that we’re “not just talk” by giving them an easy way to make better choices for the environment. We put a solution in their hands, along with an actionable reminder to switch to glass. This helped position us as the brand that acts for the planet. By choosing to uplift an age-old tool, our strategy was to demonstrate that being ecofriendly is a part of our heritage; it’s easy to make the right choices when you can tap into your roots for the way forward.

Describe the execution.

In the true spirit of our brand, our ibriks were made of 100% recycled glass. By collaborating with a local environmental NGO, we first identified the last glass blowers in Lebanon. Over the span of a month, we worked with them closely to redesign the traditional glass jug and give it a contemporary twist that would resonate with customers today. Two hundred ibriks in total were blown by hand—reviving a traditional craft—and packaged in wooden boxes, made of recycled wood with the expertise of local carpenters. The boxes were then delivered to the homes and offices of our biggest clients just before Christmas, with a heartwarming message to celebrate the precious gifts we all share: nature, heritage and health. That’s how our ibrik became the greenest healthiest gift of all.

List the results.

The talaya ibrik made a splash with our customers and succeeded in motivating them to choose glass. Our customers proudly welcomed the ibrik into their homes and offices, which boosted the brand’s image. -In January 2019, there was a 33% increase in enquiries about our glass gallons line from current and new customers. -We witnessed a 20% conversion from plastic to glass subscriptions, among our current customers. -Hundreds of thank you calls and messages of appreciation poured in. Because of the success of this initiative, we plan to produce ibriks for all our customers next year.

Credits

Name Company Role
Walid Kanaan TBWA\RAAD Chief Creative Officer
Krix Berberian TBWA\RAAD Regional Creative Director
Nour Christidi TBWA\RAAD English Copywriter
Ruba Sharafeddine TBWA\RAAD Account Executive
Romy Abdelnour TBWA\RAAD Corporate Communications Director