2020/2021 Winners & Shortlists

Write a short summary of what happens in the film

Exam time means extra studying, extra assignments, and extra excuses to do anything BUT those. Our campaign consists of three comic films that revolve around groups of students, struggling to focus on their studies. They play on the little distractions that snowball into hours upon hours of procrastination, and the increasingly silly excuses that students tell themselves to justify their lack of focus. Our message: When you’re struggling to study, Nescafé will give you the kick you need to help you focus.

Cultural / Context information for the jury

Egypt’s educational system is very exam-oriented. Tests carry the weight of the year’s grades, so every year, the onset of finals season is cause for a month-long nationwide state of panic. Now as a very lucky coincidence, this year's finals coincided with Ramadan, the month in which our campaign was set to air; a month which is basically Egypt’s answer to the Super Bowl. So while the nation was glued to their TV sets, watching the month’s onslaught of new television dramas, eating the most delicious food, and socializing with their friends and families, students were confined to their bedrooms and study groups, away from any distractions… or so their parents thought. But the truth is that when it comes to procrastination, Egyptian students don’t need much to work with. The smallest distractions can lead to hours wasted, and they can justify their actions to themselves with the flimsiest excuses.

Please tell us about the social behaviour and / or cultural insights that inspired your campaign

Egypt’s educational system isn’t for the faint of heart, with final exams carrying the weight of the year’s grades. The pressure’s so high, that finals are cause for a nationwide state of panic. Students are expected to study constantly, and anything less than an A might as well be an F. With all these expectations placed on their young shoulders, can you blame students for trying to escape? Just for 30mins… an hour? Maybe two? You know what, homework’s best done when you’re focused and fresh. Time for bed… it’s for the best. So, we built our campaign on our students’ uncanny ability to procrastinate for the silliest of reasons - despite the high stakes riding on their grades - and aired it during Ramadan, which this year, coincided with finals. When Egyptian students were struggling to study, Nescafé would give them the kick they need to help them focus.