2020/2021 Winners & Shortlists

Why is this work relevant for Direct?

The Green Smile Detector addressed the unpleasant and rather common problem that occurs when eating the famous Lebanese salad, tabbouleh, made mostly of finely chopped parsley that can get caught in between the teeth. We have re-invented the tabbouleh delivery box in order to meet this objective. Our origination included a clear call to action that enticed our audience to take immediate action while eating tabbouleh, to ensure that they could laugh, smile and enjoy their time with friends without worrying about parsley. Ambient direct marketing offered an instant solution to the problem our communication addressed.

Background

Al Safadi is a traditional, authentic Lebanese restaurant that has been operating in Dubai since 1994. The brand has always used traditional channels to communicate with its audience (e.g. press ads, flyers, billboards, etc.). The objective of our brief was to approach, engage and appeal to Al Safadi’s young, delivery-oriented consumers using an unconventional communication s, which had to be achieved and a minimal budget.

Describe the creative idea (30% of vote)

A Lebanese meal is never complete without tabbouleh, the most well-known Lebanese salad. As tasty and refreshing as it is, tabbouleh, made mostly of finely chopped parsley, can be a major smile disruptor, especially during the fun and care-free gatherings around Lebanese cuisine. We addressed our young, delivery audience by tackling this common, funny and sometimes slightly embarrassing situation, by “re-inventing” the tabbouleh delivery container. A super reflective paper and a toothpick were added to the inside lid of the box with a small message reminding consumers to check the status of their smiles while eating enjoying their salad. The tabbouleh delivery box was the sole medium used to address this problem, offering Al Safadi’s young clientele a creative solution to getting rid of parsley caught in between their teeth.

Describe the strategy (20% of vote)

Knowing that approximately 65% of Al Safadi delivery users audience is below the age of 40, we had to find an unconventional way of engaging our audience and enticing them to further enjoy their home and office gatherings when ordering from Al Safadi. In parallel to the organic reach of regular tabbouleh deliveries, we reached out to local food influencers who loved the idea and promptly shared our idea on their social channels.

Describe the execution (20% of vote)

Consumers that received the re-invented tabbouleh box as part of their delivery order also shared their enthusiasm on social media, allowing awareness of our innovative product to reach a larger online audience. As a result, the Green Smile Detector was out of stock less than a week after release in the UAE.

List the results (30% of vote)

Results exceeded all expectations. Al Safadi delivered 4000 Green Smile Detectors in less than one week, exceeding the average weekly tabbouleh delivery by 25%, in comparison to previous months. Thanks to influencers and online users that turned into brand ambassadors, our brand reach grew by 50% on social media, increasing brand recall among Al Safadi potential customers. And most importantly, we made sure that parsley no longer a smile disruptor and that Al Safadi deliveries are always crowned with a smile.