2020/2021 Winners & Shortlists

CLOSE THE GAP

BrandFIFTY FIFTY LEBANON
Product/ServiceWOMEN'S EQUAL PAY INITIATIVE
EntrantIMPACT BBDO Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
CategorySocial Behaviour & Cultural Insight
Idea Creation IMPACT BBDO Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Production BIG KAHUNA FILMS Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Why is this work relevant for Media?

The objective was to spread our message with maximum impact, engagement and reach. So we launched our campaign across different media. Our print and outdoor ads were seen in major newspapers and business centers to inspire change. Women were handed out flyers in banks. We populated digital and social platforms with animated banners and interactive posts to ensure maximum engagement. Using Anghami's wide pool of data and reach, we targeted different people with different messages.

Background

The gender pay gap has been steadily narrowing globally. But in Lebanon, not as fast as it should. To date, a 21% average gender pay gap remains to be closed; contributing to Lebanon’s poor ranking at 145 out of 152 countries (Global gender Gap Report 2020). As part of its initiatives to build a gender balanced Lebanon, Fiftyfifty wanted to raise awareness about the 21% gender pay gap; and inspire a behavioral change in women, and towards women in the workplace.

Describe the creative idea / insights (30% of vote)

The idea was to show people what it means to close the gap, literally. In Arabic, a gap between two words or two letters impacts the way they are read and understood. And in some cases, by closing the gap between the letters, we reveal a new word with an entirely different meaning. So we chose words that with the gap, reflected women’s reality at the workplace today: Unequally paid, stagnating in lower positions, with unequal opportunity to grow. We asked people to close the gap, to reveal new words with empowering, positive and hopeful meanings. By inviting people to close the gap between letters, we showed them what it means to close the pay gap between genders.

Describe the strategy (20% of vote)

Knowing we were talking to one of the female populations with the least gender equality around the world, one who had only recently begun to find their voice during the recent Lebanese revolution, we knew we had to strike while the iron was hot. Still, we were aware these were women had long faced discrimination in every facet. So confronting them with the injustice of a 21% pay gap would be regarded as another way in which they were oppressed. Yet in this instance, the law was actually on their side. ARTICLE 26 of the Lebanese Labor Law clearly prohibits all forms of discrimination against women in the workplace. We firstly had to simply and visibly illustrate to them the real and massive impact a 21% gap can make. Secondly we had to make them aware of the equal opportunity law to empower them to demand what was rightfully theirs.

Describe the execution (20% of vote)

We used words that with the gap reflected the reality of women in the workplace today and invited people to close the gap, to reveal new words with empowering, positive and hopeful meanings. We created graphical elements and a typeface inspired by the Lebanese currency and printed the words on security paper with money texture, background and color. The campaign was launched on February 10th for two weeks across media channels. we populated digital and social platforms with animated banners and interactive posts to ensure maximum engagement. Anghami, the most popular music platform in the region also supported our message, allowing us access to its wide pool of data and reach to target different people with different messages. Our ads were released in major newspapers who decided to support the cause. Women were handed flyers in banks. Posters were placed in popular areas and business centers to inspire change.

List the results (30% of vote)

The campaign had a noticeable impact on the culture. With more than 2 Million impressions, and a trending campaign, our simple words made thousands of Lebanese women aware of the law that is behind them when it comes to demanding equal pay. All they had to do was close the gap. Website visits for the organization rose by a whopping +40%, while awareness of the Labor Law increased by an incredible +80%.

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

The campaign was inspired by two things: Firstly, by the 21% average pay gap that remains to be filled in Lebanon, contributing to its poor ranking at 145 out of 152 countries in the Global gender gap report 2020. And secondly, by the shift in behavior that we witnessed in the Lebanese women who led the latest revolution in Lebanon. After we’ve seen them dominate the street, as outspoken as ever and as far as ever from the “polite lady” narrative society has perpetuated for years; protesting against the ruling elites in Lebanon and the patriarchal systems in place, with voices, demands and honor, it was a high time for them, and the right time for 50/50 to ask them to rise even further above societal barriers and fight for their legal right to economic security and financial stability.

Credits

Name Company Role
Dani Richa Impact BBDO CEO
Paul Shearer Impact BBDO Chief Creative Officer
Marie Claire Maalouf Impact BBDO Creative Director
Sarah Berro Impact BBDO Creative Director
Bijoy Purayil Impact BBDO Art Director
Noor Hassanein Impact BBDO Strategic Planning Director
Emma Jane Randall Impact BBDO Account Executive
Ali Rez Impact BBDO Executive Creative Director
Ahmed Nawara Impact BBDO Designer
Rima Hussein Impact Plus Account Manager
Ann Geleen Amparado Impact BBDO Producer
James Keith Elgie Impact BBDO Motion And Image Making Lead
Tennyson Torcato Impact BBDO Creative Services Director
Nabil al Mawla Freelance Typography artist
Rawad Keyrouz Impact BBDO Beirut Producer
Charly Hatem Freelance Videographer
Nidal Bou Ghanem Impact BBDO Beirut Motion Designer
Ramy Tannous Impact BBDO Head of Multimedia
Lilas Sinno Impact BBDO Account Director
Joelle Abou Farhat Rizkallah Fiftyfifty Lebanon Co-Founder – President
Razan Hamdan Big Kahuna Producer
Stephanie Nassar Big Kahuna Editor