Private View
MAGDI YACOUB FOUNDATION: LONESOME TRAVELLER (1)
This film is beautifully produced to capture the ordeal of a lower-middle-class family without access to quality healthcare in a developing country. As my Egyptian colleague told me, it has great lyrics, supported by a soothing music score. But the storyline is very linear, without any surprises. If this were a movie, I would award it best cast but not best picture.
YAS ISLAND: HARTIFY (2)
Promoting the ‘World’s Most Entertaining’ island is a big deal, so it’s clever to recruit the world’s smallest celebrity to promote their offerings (I am sure the original idea had Dwayne Johnson as well). This campaign attempts to take the Yas Island narrative to the next level using Kevin Hart, who is basically just being himself as he showcases everything the Island as to offer. Entertaining? For sure. Memorable? Not so much.
RAKTDA: LIVE YOUR MOMENTS (3)
The team were brave enough to ditch the horizontal screen to create a piece of work that manages to stand out in the clutter of tourism videos and the barrage of influencer marketing. Focusing on just a few key offerings helps the idea. The ad makes for some sticky content that makes you want to see the entire film to the end. One can overlook some of the technical flaws in the execution and give credit where its due. I wish I had done something like this the last time I got an influencer content brief.
LEGO MEA: #BRICKTHERULES (4)
Lego ignites a child’s imagination like no other toy. This insight has been translated into a well-executed film. I am not sure if I agree that five minutes is enough for the #BrickTheRules proposition, although I love the hashtag. I am more than happy for my son to brick the rules – if he promises to clean up after himself and I don’t step on a single brick. Fun client = fun brief = fun creative.
TLTA – NO CORRUPTION: LOLLAR – CURRENCY OF CORRUPTION (5)
Considering how many people have had their life’s savings wiped out by the policies of corrupt politicians, this stunt serves as a clever and timely reminder. The Currency of Corruption has been meticulously illustrated, and putting up a mock ATM to encourage people to support the ‘Monetary Disobedience’ movement was a genius move. But what I find missing in this entire narrative is the actual use of the currency and the results that followed.
MAGDI YACOUB FOUNDATION: LONESOME TRAVELLER (1)
Very emotional film to watch. The cast is real and the cinematography feels like a short film as opposed to a commercial. It’s heart-warming to see that, with a simple brief of opening a new centre in a new location that shortens the trip for treatment, there was a human story to tell and create a short film about it. Some areas needed a bit more crafting. The ending with the new centre opening feels suddenly like a real estate ad and takes the viewer out of mood of the story. The supers on screen during the film and the end-frame logos overwhelm the film a bit with info.
YAS ISLAND: HARTIFY (2)
Big things are coming. So we show big things. A big production with a big celebrity in a big car brand in a big location... promising big things. Good recipe for attention, fame and keeping the viewers who like big things hooked.
RAKTDA: LIVE YOUR MOMENTS (3)
Smart use of format, platforms and celebrities to create buzz around RAK and a smart way to introduce the influencers activating the campaign and their social handles It has a good mix of different talents that appeal to different target groups, good entertainment value, good coverage of what RAK is offering. A good formula to get effectiveness in communication. Could it have been executed in a bit more spontaneous way that feels less engineered?
LEGO MEA: BRICK THE RULES (4)
Well-crafted graphics and good retro references. Why does it sound like we are alienating parents from playtime, portraying them as the enemy of fun in 2022, regardless of this being a typical scene in the 1970s? Lego globally is encouraging partnerships, creating bonds between kids and their parents and using building bricks to open conversations and discuss emotions.
TLTA – NO CORRUPTION: LOLLAR – CURRENCY OF CORRUPTION (5)
Beyond creative, this spoke to me as a Lebanese who was affected by the Lollar crisis as well as the Beirut blast. On a creative level, these are the types of ideas that make me ask, how didn’t I think about it? It’s so obvious in front of our eyes screaming for someone to actually do it. I really like the Lollar bills designs. What was presented on the link left me feeling that this idea must live beyond design. I looked at TLTA’s social pages and saw the May 13 stunts where people attempted to use the new Lollar bills to pay their government bills. This left me wanting to see more of this to see where it shifted a needle and what impact it made. I’m looking forward to seeing the case study and results. The review is only based on what was publicly shared so far.