2022 Winners & Shortlists

Why is this work relevant for Glass: The Award for Change

In the world of international football, women have always struggled to get their fair share of fame. Leading to only a handful of female icons for young girls to look up to. When it comes to the Middle East, there are almost none. So we turned a local female footballer from Dubai into a name celebrated worldwide in less than a month. Proving to every young Arab girl that they all have what it takes to be celebrated, just like the male legends everyone looks up to.

Background

Our brief was to create a powerful piece of online content featuring the legend Zinedine Zidane. adidas has always believed in making the world of sports more inclusive and reducing the gender gap seen among athletes. So instead of simply creating a film that celebrates all of Zidane's achievements, we turned this into an opportunity to make the whole world celebrate someone he sees the potential in to be the future of women's football.

Describe the cultural / social / political climate in your region and the significance of your campaign within this context

In the Middle East, 77% of men grow up playing football. Due to societal pressures and norms of the community, that number is less than 23% when it comes to women. As a result, there are almost no Middle Eastern women representing female athletes in the international football fraternity. We wanted to give every young Middle Eastern girl a new icon to look up to. Someone who made them feel that they too could one day be recognized for their talent.

Describe the creative idea

We turned Nouf Faleh, a rising star from the local Dubai football scene and turned her into a global phenomenon. Her journey started with a film showing her exceptional skills being noticed by the legend, Zinedine Zidane. Seeing him ask for her name sparked instant global conversations. Then at one of Dubai's most iconic landmarks, the legend of today passed on his legacy to the icon of tomorrow, by playing the ultimate game of footvolley through the Dubai Frame. Something that had never been done before. In less than a month, Nouf went from being a local player with a modest fan following to having the whole world talking about her being the future of football. Firmly putting female athletes from the Middle East on the global map.

Describe the strategy

Middle Eastern Female athletes like Nouf have always had the talent worthy of being celebrated globally. The only thing they've never had is the platform to showcase their skills. We knew that the best way to capture the world's attention was to capture that of a legend worshipped by every football fan. No one fit that bill better than the legend himself, Zinedine Zidane. Once Nouf piqued his interest, we were certain that the world would follow. All we had to do was have the two of them do the unthinkable - playing a game of footvolley in the most unexpected place in Dubai, the Dubai Frame.

Describe the execution

We started with an online film showing Zinedine Zidane attending a practice match of one of Dubai's local clubs. That's where he notices a young girl with skills exceptional enough to perform his own signature moves to perfection. Instead of the brand telling the world who she was, we had Zidane ask the question that was on everyone's mind. Once he did, the name Nouf Faleh took social media by storm. Zidane and Nouf then took everyone's excitement to new heights with the ultimate stunt. Playing a game of footvolley through one of Dubai's most iconic landmarks, the Dubai Frame. The video of the two lobbing the ball through this landmark instantly made the news across 15 countries. Turning Nouf Faleh, a local female footballer from Dubai, into the face of the future of Middle Eastern football.

Describe the results / impact

Total reach: +70 Million Earned media: + $4 Million Global coverage: Across 15 countries