2020/2021 Winners & Shortlists

LIFTING BARRIERS

BrandWESTERN UNION
Product/ServiceWESTERN UNION APP
EntrantINITIATIVE MENA Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
CategorySpecial Build
Idea Creation INITIATIVE MENA Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Media Placement INITIATIVE MENA Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Write a short summary of what happens in the digital or ambient execution or campaign.

We placed lightboxes on top of parking barriers with the simple message: "SEND MONEY WITHOUT BARRIERS. TRANSFER THROUGH WESTERN UNION." The physical barriers were representative of the metaphorical barrier that more affluent audiences in the UAE - who lived and worked behind these barriers - have to using money transfer services. Every single one of our target audience had to pass through these barriers on a daily basis, making our execution literally unmissable

Cultural / Context information for the jury

There is a metaphorical barrier that affluent people feel towards money transfer services in the UAE, owing to the fact core users of these services in the UAE are lower income expats sending remittances to support family in their home country. More affluent people simply don’t perceive it as a service for them. Yet Western Union is a service for all. And much cheaper than international online banking transfers. Seemingly, a no brainer. Affluent audiences in high end residential and office communities are separated from the outside world by physical entrance barriers to their communities. There was a perfect synergy between the physical barrier and symbolism of the mental barrier. With a clever creative, we bridged the two using a physical space that lent itself perfectly to the message.

Credits

Name Company Role
Bijal Pathak Initiative MENA Client Lead
Marwan Bakhos Initiative MENA Campaign operational lead
Affaf Ansari Initiative MENA Campaign operational support