Solving problems and coming up with ideas is what got me to join the advertising industry, and is also what has kept me going for the past 10 years. When LBB asked me to choose my top five immortal projects from the MENA space, I couldn't do anything but go back down memory lane and reflect on what makes our region so special: beautiful yet chaotic with decades of history and traditions inspiring amazing work. Here are my immortal picks - those that I trust drove me to push further down this path for the perfect idea. My inspiration.
TENA - 'Despair No More'
Agencies: Impact BBDO Dubai & AMV BBDO
'The age of despair' - menopause in Arabic is deepened by essence the stigma around the transition in a woman's life. It was high time someone challenged that perception and brought a positive connotation to menopause in the Arab world. TENA brilliantly took on this mission and rebranded menopause forever.
Bou Khalil Supermarket - 'The Good Note'
Agency: JWT Beirut
I love this campaign because it exemplifies creative problem solving for a complex humanitarian issue. 'The Good Note' intelligently delivers a solution that both helps resolve a deep humanitarian problem, and ultimately also helps the client. What's not to love?
Vodafone - 'Fakka'
Agency: JWT Cairo
The brilliance of 'Fakka' is that it cleverly positions a new product into a very traditional ecosystem. The campaign introduced the new product into a natural space in the Egyptian market which allowed it to reach a mass population and solve the product innovation for the client.
Hariri Foundation - 'Khede Kasra'
Agency: Leo Burnett Beirut
'Khede Kasra' plays on so many intricacies of the Arabic language. The campaign takes something as basic as our everyday spoken language and amplifies it to show gender inequality, proving, once again, the impact and power of language.
Master MoltyFoam - 'BillBed'
Agency: BBDO Pakistan
Creativity, disruption, and - above all - kindness, are exemplified in this campaign. BillBed reinvents the traditional billboard by giving a brand a space, but also giving it a cause. Through creatively using the outdoor medium, the brand can also give back to those who need it most.