2019 Winners & Shortlists

Why is this work relevant for Brand Experience & Activation?

How do you combine the enduring appeal of traditional values and the warmth of human compassion with the wizardry of technology into a brand-building exercise that not just elevates brand perception to a new level, but also leaves a pleasant aftertaste for all involved? This campaign offers virtually a textbook example for such a strategy. Rather than encouraging existing trends of passive, impersonal donations during Ramadan, the brand actively mediates the act of giving in this campaign. The brand is experienced as a warm and fun entity which reaches out to children directly – compactly represented by the friendly Dabdoud.

Background

Ramadan is that time of the year when you reach out; to your own spiritual side, but equally importantly, to others. It’s when the everyday routine takes a backseat to something nobler: deep personal reflection, inner peace and sadaqah (charity). And yet, trends towards modernization and commercialization have in recent times transformed lifestyles and weakened traditional social bonds. What was once a time to reaffirm one’s personal faith as well as community relations, is no longer that. The spirit of Ramadan needed to be re-discovered, revived, rejuvenated. Objectives • To sow the seeds of Ramadan values and encourage children to practice the same at an early age • To exhort parents to lead by example and educate children on the cause and effect of their actions • From a business perspective, the objective was to see a sizable increase in donations compared to the previous year-20% Increase

Describe the creative idea.

A ‘bear-hug’ for the big-hearted “Meet Dabdoub, the cuddly bear who loves little ones with big hearts. During Ramadan, he can be found hanging out at the mall, looking for little wonders like you who can do a good deed. Wish to make him your friend for life? All you need to do is hand over a gift – it could be a toy or a book or clothes that you no longer use. What you give away will be a wonderful Ramadan gift to a child that is in need. If you do this, Dabdoub would be thrilled to come home with you!” And that was how the kind-hearted ones who would selflessly share their prized possessions with others in need of them, got to take home Dabdoub, the friendly bear. With Dabdoub, the children also took home a valuable lesson – ‘One good deed deserves another!”

Describe the strategy.

The little act that goes a long way: The initiative targeted both children, between 5 – 12 years, and young parents, between 25-34 years Approach Caught up in the pressures of 21st century life, adults often become lax when it comes to maintaining their traditions during Ramadan. Children, though, instinctively grasp the spirit behind these seemingly old-fashioned virtues of this ancient legacy bestowed by our forefathers. Besides, children are naturally curious and are intrigued by cause-and-effect phenomena and take delight in their accomplishments. The objective was to reach out directly to children and create a touchpoint that would thrill them through interactive technology but also by offering them a more personal reward – a cuddly friend who would keep reminding them of the importance of even the smallest of good deeds. Using these insights, an interactive activation was planned at the mall for the Young Parents and the little children

Describe the execution

The Activation was planned for a period of 7 Days, between 24th May and 30th May, 2018. Implementation & Scale The locations chosen were City Centre Mirdif and City Centre Bahrain. Once registered, the child could place donated items in a conveyor belt. This activated the giant Megatronics enabled stand which also allowed the child to interact with Dabdoub and be made aware about the Good deed the child just did by donating from Dabdoub himself. As a final step, a Dabdoub would come out of the conveyor belt, which the child can take home. Around 1400 bears were planned per location, with the provision of an additional 200 bears in case of increased activity. Golden Tickets were handed over to participants who had already donated at other donation kiosks, so they could experience the journey.

List the results.

The children were thrilled by the combination of two equally delightful experiences – that of gifting and in turn, being gifted. While interacting with the mechanism kindled their curiosity, the warmth of the friendly Dabdoub touched their hearts. The outpouring of support was overwhelming. Parents and children embraced the new ritual, and the donations began to pour in. By the ton. We surpassed our KPI by 4x and surprised the little ones with 4030 Cuddly bears (1000 Bears in 2017 vs 4030 Bears in 2018) The campaign more than doubled last year’s donations (60 tons in 2017 vs 120 tons in 2018 The campaign created massive brand love, with engagement growing across every platform. And donations drove increased footfall to brand destinations. But the best result? That 100% of donations are now with families and children in need across the region.