2020/2021 Winners & Shortlists

Why is this work relevant for Direct?

To raise awareness on the importance of dental health, we utilized a media tool that is commonly used by the intended audience: toothpicks in restaurants. The direct response aspect was further emphasized with a toll-free number and thought-provoking message.

Background

Every expatriate living and working in Dubai has medical insurance, which is a norm by the government, yet most of them lack dental coverage. Because of this millions of people choose to prolong their dental issues due to the associated costs. Our challenge was to come up with a simple yet effective solution that would not only connect directly with people when they use a toothpick, but also reinforce the importance of picking effective dental care by going for a check-up.

Describe the creative idea (30% of vote)

To get to the root of the problem, we hijacked a unique medium. Replacing regular toothpicks in restaurants with toothpicks in the shape of a deadly weapon, with a message for people to pick better dental care and go for a check-up. Instead of picking away at their teeth for temporary relief.

Describe the strategy (20% of vote)

Eating out has increasingly become the norm in Dubai, with 78% of residents eating out up to twice a week, yet poor oral hygiene continues to plague people across the country. While all residents in Dubai are provided with healthcare benefits, many lack dental coverage in their plans and are hesitant to visit a dental clinic. They tend to use a toothpick to clean their teeth and get instant relief. So, we used toothpicks as a medium to get to the root cause of the problem and get people to go for a dental check-up.

Describe the execution (20% of vote)

We designed unique toothpicks that look like a weapon and distributed them in 3 phases. Each toothpick was intricately crafted to bring to life the deadly nature of ignoring your dental health. The weaponized toothpicks directly communicated with the intended target audience, reaching out to them on a one-to-one basis and communicating the benefits of picking affordable dental care. In collaboration with 50 of the most popular restaurants across Dubai, regular toothpicks were replaced with the ones designed to look like a weapon, with a thought-provoking message aimed at motivating people to pick their battles and pick affordable dental care. Special packs with the weaponized toothpicks were sent to food bloggers and influencers, to make their fans reconsider and get them to go for a dental check-up. Those who posted the weaponized toothpicks with #PickYourBattles were targeted on social media and given a free dental consultation.

List the results (30% of vote)

10000 toothpicks distributed 10000 toothpicks directly reached people and their teeth 60% increase in dental check-ups in 2 weeks