2019 Winners & Shortlists

Write a short summary of what happens in the radio advert.

Through a digitally led platform called #MySoundCounts, the brand collaborated with local artist/influencer Blu-Feifer and producer Jana Saleh to record the live sounds of the Lebanese millennials over three weekend nights in streets/bars/clubs/house parties. Prior to launching the dance-track made of the Lebanese partying at night, we released a manifesto edit establishing the idea and platform of #MySoundCounts on Facebook/YouTube/Instagram and on Anghami (the #1 regional music-streaming app). In order to substantiate our journey through the different scenes of the Lebanese nightlife (our recording studio) we created documentary style edits. These pieces of content were released a couple of days after each recording recapping the experience to viewers online. The outcome is a track which strictly contains the sounds of the people, without any synthetic or pre-fabricated sounds. We released the dance-track on Anghami and on Virgin radio, and a live club release, capturing the attention of the subculture community.

Cultural/Context information for the jury.

The brand’s purpose is to help shape a more inclusive world. Globally the brand invested in Electronic Dance Music (EDM) as a medium to connect with millennials. Music for them is a tool for uncensored expression. It carries their messages, identities and interests cross-barriers faster than any other medium. In Lebanon, the voices of the alternative millennials who advocate for a more open/tolerant/diverse society are still suppressed by the conservative mainstream. Music became the obvious vehicle choice and the Lebanese nightlife became our main engagement platform. Through an inclusive and participative approach, we went to where the millennials meet at night and recorded their live voices/sounds. The content (audio and visual) exclusively featured real people, in real situations, in an uncensored and unscripted way. Resulting in a youth manifesto, in the form of a dance anthem, that could travel the airwaves and online platforms without any obstruction from mainstream institutions.

Provide the full radio advert script in English.

N/A it is an instrumental track with statements from the Lebanese youth.