Brand | UAE GOVERNMENT MEDIA OFFICE |
Product/Service | WORLD'S COOLEST WINTER: UAE'S WINTER TOURISM CAMPAIGN |
Entrant | GOVERNMENT OF UAE MEDIA OFFICE Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES |
Category | Fiction & Non-Fiction Films up to 5 minutes |
Idea Creation
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GOVERNMENT OF UAE MEDIA OFFICE Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
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Media Placement
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GOVERNMENT OF UAE MEDIA OFFICE Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
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PR
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GOVERNMENT OF UAE MEDIA OFFICE Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
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Production
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DEJAVU Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
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Post Production
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DEJAVU Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
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Post Production 2
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MANGOJAM STUDIO FZ LLC Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
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Additional Company
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FP7 McCANN Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
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Additional Company 2
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ACTION FILMZ RENTALS AND STUDIOS Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
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Why is this work relevant for Entertainment?
In the winter of 2021-2022, an unexpected perspective broke the mold of typical travel and tourism content from countries from the MENA region, that has been seen on social media and media platforms that people go to for entertainment.
An entertaining and emotional film helped the world see the beauty of the UAE in winter through the story of a 11-year-old child who cannot see, as she enjoyed winter in the UAE.
Background
There is no better way to experience the UAE than in winter.
Amidst the pandemic, the UAE’s tourism has recovered the quickest globally. The seven emirates that form the UAE have rich history, geography, nature, urban architecture, and community. The UAE’s archaeological sites, culture centres, historical landmarks, and nature reserves, offer visitors a holistic experience.
And carried out by the UAE Government Media Office, in collaboration with the Ministry of Economy and relevant tourism and culture entities, “The World’s Coolest Winter” platform was launched to celebrate and promote the UAE’s most beautiful tourism experiences and hidden gems.
We were briefed to create a moving and uplifting story that showed the rare and holistic beauty of the UAE. But the client ambition was to not create another typical campaign about the UAE with celebrities and touristic content, but to intently, do something different and create a travel story that would travel.
Describe the creative idea
When we really want to feel something, we don’t need to look with our eyes. We need to look with our hearts.
To show the beauty of winter in the UAE, a winter unlike any other, we found a unique and meaningful perspective, creating a tourism campaign unlike any other.
Called ‘A Winter Through My Eyes’, the idea encompassed in a short film, tells the story of a 11-year-old girl, Clara, who has been visually impaired since birth, who got the opportunity to enjoy “The World’s Coolest Winter” in the UAE.
Clara was flown to the UAE and in an all-expenses paid trip across the 7 diverse Emirates, her first trip abroad, over a period one week, she experienced the country’s distinctive destinations and hospitality.
A production crew followed her every day, documenting her real emotions and journey into a compelling story that shows her unique, unfiltered, and authentic perspective.
Describe the strategy
Usually, in the region, we see travel influencers promoting the beauty and wonders of a place, or celebrities in ads, or generic cliché-ridden manifesto films.
But we chose to put a different spin to travel marketing by influencing and inviting tourists to enjoy winter differently by seeing the UAE through a different set of eyes.
Our strategic ambition behind the work was to create a human story and not a typically produced tourism commercial.
We wanted people to feel connected to our story (and to our protagonist), on a personal level.
We wanted them to feel the unbridled joy and happiness of enjoying the experiences in the UAE. And we wanted it to be an authentic story that wasn’t scripted.
This would help us be more distinctive and earn endorsements from influential figures and media, giving the message the amplification and the expansion needed to make an effective impact.
Describe the execution
Sharing her experience, Clara says, “This winter the UAE was the first country I’ve ever travelled to. And in one just week I’ve enjoyed an entire lifetime.”
And she adds, “You know what I learnt, So, even if I cannot see, it’s everything I have felt here that has helped me see so much more.”
The experiences were captured in a film that was promoted on social media platforms.
We connected with and gained endorsement from the UAE’s Deputy Prime Minister, Saif Bin Zayed, who shared the film and stated, “Shows how real joy is felt through one’s heart. Not through one’s eyes”.
With this endorsement, the film travelled virally.
We engaged popular news platforms worldwide who shared the film and the story to help amplify it further in media.
And popular media publishing platforms locally, regionally, and globally featured the story too, giving it reach and visibility.
Describe the outcome
In giving Clara a holiday that she loved, this film was loved by all.
By marketing media:
“Unique, unfiltered, and authentic perspective.” (Shoot)
“Inclusive tourism gets a boost from UAE.” (TrendHunter)
“Beautiful visuals. Incredible sound. A human story.” (Little Black Book)
“Cuts through the formula of travel advertising.” (The Stable, Australia)
“An unexpected, emotional and uplifting film.” (CMOs Magazine)
By people worldwide:
“A statement about inclusive tourism.” (Veronica Smulders)
“I’d like to donate my eyes, for people, when my life ends.” (Amit Kumar)
“Perfectly shows the country’s focus on people with determination.” (Carlos Casta)
“The perfect way to show UAE’s beauty.” (Aman Dhami)
And was effective:
31.2 million cross-platform views.
1.1 billion global impressions.
6,870 free media mentions.
41,139 hashtag mentions for the campaign.
$1.4 million earned media value.
+18% winter tourists.
Top 3 films for direction globally (AdForum).
Most Shared Film in Winter 2021/2022 (Source: WhatsApp, Social bakers).
Credits
Khaled AlShehhi |
UAE Government Media Office |
Executive Director of New Media and Visual Production |
Ammar Al Khrisat |
UAE Government Media Office |
Executive Producer |
Latifa Almarzooqi |
UAE Government Media Office |
Senior Social Media Manager |
Ghaya Albannay |
UAE Government Media Office |
Social Media Specialist |
Tahaab Rais |
Dejavu Dubai |
Film Director |
Manasvi Gosalia |
Dejavu Dubai |
Founder and Executive Producer |
Tahaab Rais |
Dejavu Dubai |
Writer |
Kavya Iyer |
Dejavu Dubai |
Head of Production |
Sampada Harkara |
Dejavu Dubai |
Producer |
Aeyaz Hassan |
Dejavu Dubai |
Director Of Photography |
Rizwan Maple |
Dejavu Dubai |
Editor |
Rafic Sawaya |
Dejavu Dubai |
Post Producer |
Georges Cassab |
Dejavu Dubai |
1st AD |
Danielle Barakat |
Dejavu Dubai |
Production Manager |
Artem Streltsov |
Dejavu Dubai |
Production Coordinator |
Joseph Kfoury |
Dejavu Dubai |
Focus Puller |
Ali Ayach |
Dejavu Dubai |
2nd AC |
Cai Willis |
Go Aerials |
Drone Pilot |
Will Ferguson |
Go Aerials |
Drone Camera Operator |
Aladdin El Sherbiny |
Go Aerials |
Drone Technician |
Walid Hamieh |
Dejavu Dubai |
Gaffer |
Elie Eid |
Dejavu Dubai |
Sound |
Khaled Abdelnaser |
Dejavu Dubai |
Sparks |
Shahid Iqbal |
Dejavu Dubai |
Sparks |
Christina Chole |
Dejavu Dubai |
Wardrobe & stylist |
Samantha Ayoub |
Dejavu Dubai |
Hair & Make-Up |
Adarsh Arjunan |
Dejavu Dubai |
Location Manager |
Danish Raza |
Dejavu Dubai |
Assistant Location Manager |
Karim Mira |
LZRD |
Colouring & Grading |
Wilbur D’Costa |
MangoJam Studio |
Executive Producer |
Vaughan Gardiner |
MangoJam Studio |
Music / Sound engineering |
Ameen Alobaidi |
MangoJam Studio |
Music / Sound engineering |
Shivani Sehgal |
MangoJam Studio |
Producer and Vocalist |
Tahaab Rais |
FP7 McCann MENAT |
Regional Head of Strategy |
Manar Munjed |
FP7 McCann Dubai |
Arabic Writer |
Links
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