2022 Winners & Shortlists

AS FAR AS WE GO

Bronze Lynx

Case Film

Presentation Image

BrandALMOSAFER
Product/ServiceRAMADAN POV
EntrantFP7 McCANN Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
CategoryChallenger Brand
Idea Creation FP7 McCANN Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Idea Creation 2 FP7 McCANN Riyadh, SAUDI ARABIA
Media Placement FP7 McCANN Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
PR FP7 McCANN Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Production DEJAVU Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Post Production DEJAVU Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Post Production 2 MANGOJAM STUDIO FZ LLC Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Summary of the work

ALMOSAFER NEEDED TO GROW VS. INTERNATIONAL GIANTS AND LOCAL LEADERS, IN AN OFFER-BASED TRAVEL LANDSCAPE. Almosafer is an online travel platform in Saudi Arabia. Think a Saudi version of Booking.com. And that’s Almosafer. It competes with international giants among online travel platforms like Booking.com. It also faces increasing competition from local platforms like flyin.com. With competition dominating, Almosafer had shrunk to a smaller market share (market versus Flyin.com was 33.2% versus 36.1%). We chose the month of Ramadan, when Muslims celebrate values of togetherness, and travel to meet their family and friends. We didn’t want to overtly ‘sell’ Almosafer but to invest in emotional persuasion and emotional brand building, earning Saudi’s share-of-bookings. RAMADAN AND EID WERE SEASONAL OCCASIONS TO SPUR GROWTH, BUT STANDING OUT IN THE MIDDLE EAST’S SUPER BOWL, WITH LOWER BUDGETS, WASN’T EASY. Saudis travel a lot during Ramadan and Eid. But, Almosafer hadn’t benefitted. Its bookings in Ramadan-2018 were the lowest since inception (only 28,665 flight and 31,323 hotel bookings). Now, Ramadan is the Super Bowl of advertising in the Middle East. Big brands dominate big media with big bucks. With lower budgets versus big brands, Almosafer acknowledged it hadn’t emotionally resonated enough to become part of the public's consideration. THE THINKING BEHIND THE THINKING: Now, Almosafer encouraged Saudis to travel to places they haven’t been to before. But in Ramadan, every brand competed for attention showing stories from within the Middle East. No brand had gone outside the region. Ramadan could be a bridge between two worlds; getting Muslims to share Ramadan’s by being more inclusive and getting non-Muslims to reciprocate. The Turn: What if Almosafer made Ramadan travel abroad to non-Muslims? CREATIVE STRATEGY AND IMPLEMENTATION: We made the generosity and inclusivity of Ramadan travel, representing what Ramadan is and should be all about: living together, harmoniously, side-by-side as different nationalities, religions and races. Through an unexpected approach, we reminded Saudi Arabia, the region and the world, Muslims AND non-Muslims, that Ramadan was for everyone. In a brave move when marketing during a religious occasion, and in sharing a Ramadan message like never before, through the eyes of children from the region, we took the spirit of Ramadan to people and places that have potentially never celebrated Ramadan before. As Almosafer’s story was featured on social media and media platforms across the world, the generosity and inclusivity of Ramadan travelled. Positive endorsements and sentiments from people and media supported Almosafer's message further about what Ramadan is and should be all about: living together, harmoniously, side-by-side as different nationalities, religions and races. Through the moving story, along with content and activations in Saudi Arabia, in challenging Ramadan’s marketing and cultural conventions, with low budgets, Almosafer, challenged its leading global and local competitors. And as a result, the campaign had an unprecedented impact on the brand, on the business and on the culture, as Almosafer won Ramadan, improving its awareness and reputation, and growing its business versus its leading global and local competitors.

Credits

Name Company Role
Mohamed Qanati Almosafer & Seera Group Director of Brand - Consumer Travel
Tahaab Rais FP7 McCann MENAT Film Director
Manasvi Gosalia Dejavu Dubai Executive Producer
Tahaab Rais FP7 McCann MENAT Creative Director
Aunindo Anoop Sen FP7 McCann Dubai Creative Director
Nayaab Rais FP7 McCann Dubai Creative Director
Ramzy Haddad FP7 McCann Creative Director
Tahaab Rais FP7 McCann MENAT Copywriter
Aunindo Anoop Sen FP7 McCann Dubai Copywriter
Tahaab Rais FP7 McCann MENAT Regional Head of Strategy
Kavya Iyer Dejavu Dubai Producer
Bobby Dhillon Dejavu Dubai DOP
Nathalie Viranyi Almosafer Head of Content & PR
Talal Shehadeh Almosafer Manager - Branding
Thalia Shihab N/A Cast - Protagonist 1 - Girl
Mr. Pavle N/A Cast - Protagonist 2 - Santa Claus
Tahaab Rais FP7 McCann MENAT Lyricist and songwriter
Brittin Lane Brittin Lane Music Singer
Joe Dickinson Joe Dickinson Music Composer
Rizwan Maple Dejavu Dubai Editor
Dan Mitre Dan Mitre Grading
Levan Maghradze Dejavu Line Producer - Georgia
Tato Sulaqvelidze Dejavu Producer - Georgia
Guram Bakradze Dejavu 1st Assistant Director
Irakli Pochkhua Dejavu 2nd Assistant Director
Tamo Chavchanidze Dejavu Set and Art Direction
Kato Gelashvili Dejavu Wardrobe
Goglika Khaindrava Dejavu Gaffer
Ms. Ekram N/A Arabic Singer
Wilbur D'Costa Mango Jam Studio Executive Producer
Joe Najm Mango Jam Studio Sound Design and Effects
Achint Singh Mango Jam Studio Audio Engineer
Hosam Mubarak FP7 McCann Riyadh Arabic lyrics
Sara Alhaian FP7 McCann Riyadh Arabic lyrics
Krish Prasad Dejavu Dubai Effects
Mary Bou Akl Dejavu Dubai Post Producer
Asitha HB FP7 McCann Dubai Illustrator
Ashraf Muhammedunny FP7 McCann Dubai Case Editor & Motion Artist