2020/2021 Winners & Shortlists

Write a short summary of what happens in the radio or audio execution or campaign.

Dubai Eye, Dubai’s only news, talk and sports radio station, entertains listeners across the city. During ‘The Agenda’ – a show designed to discuss the most pressing topics in the region, Betty Crocker, a cake-mix brand who recently changed over 20 million units of its packaging, joined the discussion to discuss the changing roles of women in society and promote inclusion for everyone in the kitchen by encouraging other FMCG brands to take initiatives of their own.

Cultural / Context information for the jury

While most radio shows are focused on the entertainment of listeners. For the first time on a radio show, a brand decided to start a discussion that should have been addressed a long time ago – the need to change the stereotype that the kitchen was a place for women. This was especially relevant to the region where women have made huge strides in both the domestic and corporate world.

Script. Provide the full to radio/audio script in English.

Georgia Tolley (Host): Because it all happened when you suddenly received a tweet from a young guy in Ras Al Khaimah, saying “Hang on a second! These Arabic instructions are essentially sexist.” Ali Shaikh (Commercial Director – Betty Crocker): What we are witnessing everywhere, from Saudi Arabia to UAE to Qatar to Kuwait, is that people are questioning the role of women in society. It’s our responsibility to take a stand. I think what Sultan did – he kind of woke us up in terms of what we have been doing. He basically highlighted (and for many of our non-Arabic native speakers, they won’t get this) that the Arabic language is either masculine or feminine. It’s not like English. So, he pointed out ‘You know, I like to bake, but most of the instructions are addressing my sisters. So why don’t you change that?’ We’ve all grown up in societies where there were stereotypes of what women used to do or what women are not supposed to do. As women are getting more and more into the mainstream workforce of UAE; of Saudi Arabia; a household staple brand like Betty Crocker took a stand and changed its entire packaging, and now addresses both men and women. Zeena (Host): But we were very, very shocked that it led you to change the wording on 20 million units of packaging. Ali Shaikh (Commercial Director – Betty Crocker): The change in the wording is that we made the instructions gender-neutral. So irrespective of whether boys are cooking or girls are cooking, or men are cooking or women are cooking, they’re equally addressed in the language now. Kid 1: Why are you talking about boys baking? I thought baking is for girls. Kid 2: My uncle. He always rates me low rating. Georgia Tolley (Host): Outrageous. He’s supposed to be family. He should support you in your banking efforts.

Explain how the work innovatively used the radio / audio medium.

Rather than using a radio spot as a means of promoting our packaging initiative where we changed over 20 million packs, we started a discussion about the changing roles of women in a LIVE radio show and podcast featuring young boys who love baking, and was joined by Betty Crocker’s Commercial Director.