2020/2021 Winners & Shortlists

KICKS & KARAK (CONVERSE X PROJECT CHAIWALA COLLAB)

BrandCONVERSE UAE
Product/ServiceSNEAKERS (CHUCK TAYLORS)
EntrantGULF MARKETING GROUP Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
CategorySingle Market Campaign
Idea Creation DUKKAN MEDIA Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Media Placement DUKKAN MEDIA Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
PR DUKKAN MEDIA Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Production DUKKAN MEDIA Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Additional Company PROJECT CHAIWALA Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Additional Company 2 WAXFELLER FZ Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Why is this work relevant for Brand Experience & Activation?

In 2018, Converse launched its first flagship store in the UAE, communicating with its customers directly for the first time ever via retail space and online. Their only online communications tool, Instagram, was launched 5 months after the store opened its doors. This delay left them eons behind their competitors, who dominated the market. This campaign was the first time the brand ever communicated locally, and actively engaged in the target audience culture.

Background

In the UAE, Converse’s target audience are the young, the rebellious and the leaders of the pack in the world of Skate/Action, Music and Street Art .The spaces where the our audience lives is currently saturated with brands vying for their valuable attention.The flagship store opened in May 2018. CHALLENGES: 1. The brand has strong recognition for its legendary silhouette that has been imitated by many fashion brands. 2. Sales were spiraling 3. The brand never marketed locally, and created its Instagram account on the 20th of October, 2018, after the flagship store opened. 4. When Converse releases exclusive drops, it generated a lot of excitement but rarely sells out nor is as coveted as competitors.

Describe the creative idea (20% of vote)

Kicks & Karak: A Cultural Collab That Repositions Converse We got the culture involved, and got to the heart of it. We made it home-grown. For the UAE by the youth who call this country their home.

Describe the strategy (20% of vote)

TARGET AUDIENCE The cool, rebellious, and anti-authoritarian youth of the UAE (GenZ). CHALLENGES: Moms were purchasing and wearing the shoes. We had to bring Converse back to the centre of culture, where it belongs. If there’s one thing GenZ knows, it’s authenticity. Anything that isn’t for or by the culture is immediately cancelled. INSIGHT: Culture is made by those in it. STRATEGY: Make It Theirs.

Describe the execution (30% of vote)

We commissioned a local sneaker designer, Waxfeller, to create a custom collection that celebrates the local culture, which took two months to design 200 pairs. The iconic sneakers were designed in collaboration with Project Chaiwala, a homegrown karak tea social enterprise whose brand is loved by the youth. We created culturally focused, insight driven content. A promo video that was wholistically created by a team of all young innovators, homegrown in the UAE - from the videography, photography, animation, design and production. They owned the project, making it a collaborative piece for the youth, by the youth. The music and sound design was created by a local music producers - who used the sounds of the Chaiwalas as the backbone. We got the word out of the campaign through our networks.

List the results (30% of vote)

The noise generated online and offline by the youth was unprecedented. The results: 1. A collaborative piece that made a deep and authentic contribution to the culture. 2. 50% of the shoes were sold out on Day 1 and completely sold out in a week. 3. 57% increase in sales 4. 54% increase in footfall 5. Some of the most influential personalities joined and posted about - for the love of Converse and culture. Making our campaign a true success...coveted by collectors, sneaker-heads, GenZ of the UAE and lovers of the culture.

Please tell us how you designed / adapted your campaign for the single country / region / market where it aired.

We got the local youth culture involved. The campaign was inspired, conceptualized, and executed by the creative youth of the UAE.

Credits

Name Company Role
OMAR TOM DUKKAN MEDIA LLC STRATEGIC PLANNER/ EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
REEM A. HAMEED DUKKAN MEDIA LLC PRODUCER
SAMUEL ALLISON DUKKAN MEDIA LLC DIRECTOR
RAKAN GHRESHI DUKKAN MEDIA EDIT + ANIMATION
YOUSEF ELMOHANDES DUKKAN MEDIA MUSIC PRODUCTION + SFX DESIGN
AADAM OMAR FREELANCER MUSIC PRODUCER
ASHAY BHAVE FREELANCER EDIT + ANIMATION
DANNY MACKIE DUKKAN MEDIA VIDEOGRAPHER
KHALED ALFICK WAXFELLER SNEAKER DESIGNER
SAMIA BOUMEDIENE WAXFELLER SNEAKER DESIGNER
MOHAMED MANSOUR N/A SKATER/MODEL
FAKRUDDEENN KUDAVU PROJECT CHAIWALA CHAIWALA/MODEL
MOHIDEEN KUNHI PROJECT CHAIWALA CHAIWALA/ODEL
CONNOR RYCROFT FREELANCER PHOTOGRAPHER
Links
Video URL