Most Read of 2022: The Middle East & Africa
This year, The Middle East and Africa region has had a spotlight shone on it for several reasons. It started with family-based Eid campaigns, bundles of creative ambition – from the UAE to South Africa – and ended most recently with the FIFA World Cup setting up its 2022 tournament in Qatar. While it’s easy to focus on the latter of that list, there’s been so much incredible creative work in the region as a whole, that we simply could not pass up the opportunity to shine a light on the stories which captured the attention of LBB viewers time and time again.
In this round-up, there’s quite a range of types of stories. There are some classic Behind the Work spots from one of LBB’s most popular channels, there are roundups, Cannes Contenders, mentions of the Metaverse, NFTs and even just good old fashioned ads. As the region continues to prove itself on the global stage, it’s clear that creativity is rife, ambitions are high and the region is here to play.
Whilst you’re at it, check out some of our other most read stories from our Behind the Work, High Five and Film Club channels, as well as from the USA, LATAM, Canada, APAC and ANZ.
How ‘Mr. Molapo’ Ate His Way through South African KFC’s
Would you do ‘Anything For the Taste’ of KFC? One man travelling across South Africa proved that he’d rival the Tinder Swindler by pretending to be an official quality inspector at the chicken restaurant. As the fictional (but based on a true story) Mr. Molapo first enters a KFC, it seems like business as usual – he sits down, eats some chicken and goes through his checklist of criteria – but soon, he runs out, rips his wig off, and wipes away his moustache. It’s all an elaborate ruse. Telling this hilarious tale is HunkyDory / Romance Films director Greg Gray and the team at Ogilvy South Africa.
Kicking Off with FIFA World Cup 2022 Ads
With the final game behind us, there have been so many different takes on this year’s FIFA World Cup that I’m sure we’re all a little tired of hearing them. But we aren’t tired of seeing how a challenging topic can transpire in fun, exciting creative campaigns. This round-up certainly captured the appetite for creativity, the discussions surrounding the sporting event and even showcased how different brands and creatives approached the project.
BMW Archives M Engine Sounds for ‘Museum of Sound’ NFT Collection
By looking forward yet paying homage to the past, car manufacturer BMW celebrated all things electric whilst immortalising the classic sounds of engines revving. As the world turns towards eclectic cars, champions sustainability and looks forward to new ventures, car fanatics will long for the sounds of their beloved engines – so BMW decided to do something about it. Creating the ‘Museum of Sound’ NFT collection, Serviceplan Middle East ensured a lasting legacy for the sounds of the past.
How OREO Rehomed Dogs, Cats and Rabbits Named ‘Oreo’
An American cookie, and a classic black and white pet name. Biscuit company OREO partnered with Saatchi & Saatchi MEA this year to celebrate the beautiful cats, dogs and rabbits who share a name with the brand and find them everlasting homes. In the UAE, many Oreo’s were being abandoned, without homes or families to care for them. In a bid to rectify this, OREO created a website and campaign – alongside the most adorable portraits of these furry friends – in an attempt to find families for all of the animals who deserved a forever home.
VW Launches into the Metaverse with World’s First NFT Embedded Advertising Campaign
Similar to the previous spot on the list, VW South Africa utilised the newest tech to create a campaign which launched their Polo car - with IQ.DRIVE - into the Metaverse. Featuring futuristic, neon visuals and embedded NFTs, the spot encouraged viewers not to skip the ad, but to look frame-by-frame for the hidden gems which feature. Directed by Sam Coleman from Patriot Films and brought to life by Polycat Animation studio, it’s a treat for the eyes.
A Round-Up of 2022's Ramadan and Eid Campaigns
With another round-up featuring in this round-up, it seems we can’t get enough of them! This time, it’s Ramadan campaigns from all over the world which have found themselves in MEA’s most read pieces. With spots from the likes of Tesco, Mercedes Benz, McDonald's, Peugeot, Subway, Uber Eats, Coca-Cola and more, the global community seems to be taking the time to celebrate the tradition more inclusively. We’re happy to see this, and I’m sure you’ll be happy to see the work that is featured.
Cannes Contenders: M&C Saatchi’s 10 High Hopes for Cannes 2022
Everyone wants good creative content to be awarded, and this year, M&C Saatchi Abel held three of the top 10 spots which the network had high hopes for at this year’s Cannes Lions Awards. With campaigns for food brands Nandos and Pizza Hut, as well as others including Superbalist, the NSPCA, The Minderoo Foundation, Big W, the NHS and Business Iceland, hear from the creatives at M&C Saatchi about their work.
OREO Helps Abandoned 'Oreo' Pets in Dubai Find a Home
You’ve seen the Behind the Work piece on this campaign above, and this one is the press release for the campaign. With both featuring in this list, it shows that animals have the power to take the top spots, attract attention, and with the right brand pairing, make waves online.
Can You Decode Jeep's Call to Adventure?
Jeep tapped into its signature car bonnet grill to put a creative twist on this campaign. Working with Publicis Groupe Middle East, a new language of adventure based on the Jeep brand grille’s distinctive dots and dashes was created, becoming a symbol of the Jeep brand’s adventurous spirit: O|||||||O. Using these dots and dashes, the agency and brand paired beautiful location images with messaging that was spelt out in morse code. Can you decipher what it says?
Cannes Contenders: The Serviceplan Group Share Its Best Bets for the Cannes Lions Awards 2022
The Serviceplan Group shared its Cannes Lions contending campaigns and innovations from agencies in Austria, Germany, the Middle East, Korea and the USA for clients including Adobe, BMW, O2, Netflix and PENNY. With entries including BMW’s ‘Museum of Sound’, Dot Inc.’s ‘Dot Pad’, Red Bull’s ’The Tunnel Pass Project’ and Penny’s ‘Der Wunsch’ (The Wish), the agency’s creatives described the process behind the ads which captivated viewers and those which they hoped stood a shot when contending globally.
