2020/2021 Winners & Shortlists

Background

In times of global confinement and unprecedented disruption due to COVID-19, women’s lives were redefined in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and Pakistan. Their duties were multiplied and the pressure on them drastically increased. As a feminine care brand, Always’ efforts were focused on breaking gender stereotypes, and empowering women in the region. The challenge was to live up to the brand’s purpose of being ‘the force for female good’ when the core of its consumers was facing hardships. Always set out to stand close to the women, build their confidence, and celebrate them. The campaign was conceived as a global movement, catering to different markets, mindsets and cultures. The intent is to solidify Always’ role in their lives while bringing them together during these tough times. Our objectives were focused on further pushing brand presence and engagement, measured by the primary KPIs of reach, engagement rate and UGC.

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

Women in the region have been greatly impacted by the dominant culture practices, which do not serve in their interest. These would range from political repression, discrimination, assault and abuse, and male guardianship, to say the least. In these unprecedented times, women have been disproportionately affected by the lockdown, and faced with more inequalities than ever, especially in terms of social protection, economy and healthcare. Always’ felt it had a role to play in responding to the pandemic and to take a step forward in building a resilient world in the interest of women in the region. The campaign’s efforts were to encourage women to be bold, brave and to build a sense of belonging. We are not alone. We stand together hand in hand. We encourage and we praise one another.

Describe the creative idea

COVID19 affected every person and every gender, but women have been on the frontline during this period, whether at home or at hospitals. They’ve taken on extra duties, had to learn new skills, and were literally first responders in every aspect at home. They redefined what bravery means, with courage, compassion, softness, and strength. Their bravery saw no limit, and not one definition. With mounting pressure in and out of home, they emerged as the unsung brave heroes of the lockdown. Always wanted to celebrate this New Brave by creating a platform that built-up women’s confidence, made them feel appreciated, and redefined through their actions, how they stood up to the occasion. We built affinity and celebrated women’s bravery not only via a pushed video but also by forming a two-way conversation with them that could create human connections and strengthen a community of women defining the New Brave.

Describe the strategy

We addressed women from the UAE, who are part of the generation of possibilities, propelled forward by the government and the society to achieve their dreams. The Saudi Arabians, part of the generation of firsts, who have taken advantage of the governmental and societal support to lead a wave of change and firsts, together. The women of South Africa, who are defying expectations of how society perceives them and fighting societal barriers. The women of Pakistan who are advocating freedom from societal pressures and expectations. Our communication caters to all of them under an umbrella message that established the Always “Force for female good” character. They are all on the forefront of history, trailblazing the way for change, and the pandemic had become their common denominator. We chose to address them in a genuine manner and uplift their moral. A spoken-word script and delivery was the way to do so.

Describe the execution

The campaign was launched with a branded affinity film pushed on YouTube in mid-June 2020 to celebrate #TheNewBrave through slam poetry, using footage-based films and produced in 3 different versions for each market. It is also worth mentioning the speed at which the project was expedited and finalized. Having launched the platform, we then opened up the conversation to the public through KOLs, to drive awareness and engagement on Instagram and Tiktok. To reach out to the women individually, 34% of the budget was allocated to mobile. Influencers were a major contributor to the work because in today, the online community would rather listen to people than brands. Our content on social platforms focused on creating engagement through stickers on Instagram, relatable stories from KOLs, and a CTA on Tiktok pushing for UGC. We also utilized our footage in programmatic, targeting look-alike audiences, to maximize on reach.

Describe the results / impact

The campaign surpassed expectations. Following 2 months of airing, the iVideo reached 3.5 million users, and the mega influencers’ activation helped us reach 9.8 million people across 3 markets. In the first week, the average view time in South Africa was at 51 seconds (versus 6 seconds industry benchmark). The Arab Peninsula set new records with 39% View-through Rate (+13% versus benchmark). We also piloted the Tiktok activation for the first time in the Arab Peninsula and garnered 818,000 organic reach with 62% VTR for a 17-second video. The campaign has witnessed the highest ever engagement with mega influencers’ posts: Pakistan 3.75%, South Africa 5.25%, and UAE & KSA 11.5% engagement (versus 2.5% average benchmark). The brand observed a 5% increase in equity for KSA and UAE on the parameter of championing and empowering women (Brand Health Track, Jul’20). Also, 306,6240 were donated in Pakistan and 4,407,680 in South Africa.