Glass Grand Prix

J. WALTER THOMPSON, RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA, ‘Akhou Nora’, Saudi Telecom Company

THE IDEA

2018 was a transformational year for women in Saudi. In a country where women had faced restrictions from voting, the ability to work in certain sectors to even entering football stadiums-this all changed. The decree allowing women to drive also came into effect in June 2018. Women had had little representation beyond the family and the kitchen, and with these new changes taking place, STC wanted to lead the change in mindset, in a country where the decision to allow women to drive had divided the nation. So with this campaign, they turned to the past, took the nation back to 1902, and reminded Saudis of their roots with an online film - saying if there is a Saudi Arabia today, it’s because of a woman, Princess Noura, who drove her brother to lay the foundations of the kingdom. The film tells the story of Noura’s brother (akhou Noura)- King Abdulaziz, a young man who went on a quest to reclaim his grandfather’s kingdom and succeeded. All because of Noura. In doing so, not only did STC demonstrate that women have always had a role but that it’s not by celebrating women being allowed to drive that you promote female empowerment but it’s by acknowledging their historic right to drive the country forward. The film ended with a call to action to all men to support all women on the day of driving and even every day, asking them to change their names by following in the footsteps of King Abdulaziz and share on the hashtag #akhounoura. On social media, filters and profile templates were created that the nation could personalize to show support for the women in their lives. STC had to walk the talk and so it changed STC’S 17,000 email signatures. And streets names were renamed within the telco compound after the first five female employees who took the driver’s seat.

It was a big night. Big work and big results, with every one of our offices contributing. When real, briefed work, for big clients such as STC, DHL, Nestle, Tunisie Telecom, Zain and Coca Cola to name a few, gets recognized, everyone feels rewarded for their late nights and weekends. But the icing on the cake must go to STC and the first ever Dubai Lynx Glass Grand Prix for “Akhou Noura”. This was edgy, courageous and deeply significant work. For an admirably brave client and agency, this was not just big. It was huge. Ramsey Naja, J. Walter Thompson MEA Chief Creative Officer