Brand | TECOM GROUP / DUBAI DESIGN DISTRICT |
Product/Service | DUBAI DESIGN DISTRICT |
Entrant | SERVICEPLAN MIDDLE EAST Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES |
Category | Local Brand |
Idea Creation
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SERVICEPLAN MIDDLE EAST Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
|
Production
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SERVICEPLAN MIDDLE EAST Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
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Why is this work relevant for Social & Influencer?
With physical interactions limited during Covid, people turned to places like Instagram and Pinterest for inspiration during the day. We used this shift to create something that feels grassroot started by the community and almost managed by a community. Social Design became the heart of this idea, working intuitively in terms of social behavior.
Background
The avant-garde Dubai Design District is known for global fashion and design festivals, plus chic galleries showcasing work by up-and-coming designers and artists. But with the global pandemic and strict lockdowns, the visitors and energy all but disappeared.
For a business that thrives on up-close and immersive interactions with the people, this situation was far from ideal. We needed an organic way to seep back into people’s imagination and conversations, like they’ve always experienced on our premises.
Describe the creative idea (30% of vote)
A virtual-apartment building on Instagram, that abstracts images sent by co-creators into minimal illustrations and features them on the feed. Creating and infinite growing community with clever aesthetics.
Describe the strategy (20% of vote)
With Instagram being the go-to social media app of our core audience, and tying the newly created account with D3’s own Instagram page, we piqued their curiosity and imagination. We were certain that the living spaces of creatives would be an extension of themselves, and thereby worth sharing for inspiration during a tough lockdown.
Describe the execution (20% of vote)
We launched the initiative on the D3 Instagram page with a video that was viewed over 100,000 times. We started receiving entries right away. Curated entries were then turned into illustration tiles, as the virtual apartment started taking shape. We went a step further and held online mental health webinars with certified doctors from The Lighthouse Wellbeing Clinic.
Once lockdown measures were eased, we launched an exhibition with the artworks created in the art galleries of D3, where visitors can scan a barcode to visit the Insta-Apartments thereby closing the circle
List the results (30% of vote)
Submissions from over 30 countries
Over 100 qualifying submissions
Over 10,000 interactions
Over 4 million impressions
Followers to D3 page up by 20% during lockdown months
Site traffic highest in the last quarter
Retail and business enquiries up by 30% during lockdown months, even from overseas
Please tell us about the brand in relation to the locality or market where the product / service is distributed
Dubai Design District is the region’s hub for design, fashion, and culture, where trendsetters and forward-thinkers shape the future of design every day.
An interactive ecosystem that houses established designers, nurtures emerging creatives and provides a platform for startups and students to rethink the regular.
Distant Neighbours came to fulfill the needs of this ecosystem when everything got empty during lockdown.
Credits
Rami Hmadeh |
Serviceplan Middle East |
Manager Partner |
Natalie Shardan |
Serviceplan Middle East |
Manager Partner |
Azhar Siddiqui |
Serviceplan Middle East |
Manager Partner |
Frances Valerie Bonifacio |
Serviceplan Middle East |
Head of Strategy |
Jason Romeyko |
Serviceplan Group |
Worldwide Executive Creative Director |
Akhilesh Bagri |
Serviceplan Middle East |
Chief Creative Officer |
André Couto |
Serviceplan Middle East |
Creative Director |
Sahar Iqbal |
Serviceplan Middle East |
Art Director |
Kunal Gagwani |
Serviceplan Middle East |
Art Director |
Lee Sharrock |
Serviceplan Group |
International Communications Officer: |
Khalil Haddad |
Serviceplan Middle East |
Copywriter |
Vineeta Pulkit |
Serviceplan Middle East |
Account Director |
Kenan Baki |
Serviceplan Middle East |
Project Manager |
Links
Social Media URL