MIDDLE EAST
IN FOCUS
THE HARIRI
FOUNDATION:
KHEDE KASRA
(Winner of the Integrated Grand Cristal)
Chermine Assadian Shamim Kassibawi
Creative director PR executive
H&C Leo Burnett
AGENCY VIEW:
PUBLIC VIEW:
Accentuating
Thought-provoking
inequality
and powerful
Our client, The Hariri Foundation, wanted I’m from a Sudanese/Egyptian/Turkish
to promote its “Women Empowerment background, but I was raised in New
Program”, which aims to address the Zealand. For me, to see something like
imbalance of gender roles in Lebanese this coming out of the region is really
society. This integrated campaign was the inspiring. In the Arabic language, the
first of its kind in the Arab region. And it’s vowels aren’t written—generally. But the
a great example of a small act with a huge kasra can change a word completely. It’s a
impact, rather than a big ad with no impact. very clever idea.
We undertook several research projects The first thing I watched was the
about the reality, needs and aspirations TVC. I think it’s very strong. Just the
of women in our region. Then we thought sound that is used when the kasra is
about our communication and the impact it added is really powerful. And I loved
could have. We chose to keep it simple, yet the magazine campaign—and the
ambitious. We wanted to create an idea so billboard—the stickers get you involved
powerful it would encourage a subsequent and make you think about the altered
change in human behaviour. So, we went meaning of the word.
back to basics and decided to tackle gender But the thing that hit home hardest
inequality in our daily vocabulary, focusing was the radio ad with the telephone
on Arabic grammar. message. That’s really effective. If you call
The campaign started with a multi- up an office anywhere in the region, the
visual teaser: three strong words with no automated messages—“Press one for…
accent (kasra) placed below or above them. ”—are all directed at men. It’s something
Naturally, everyone read the words as being about our language that really sucks, the
addressed to men. way basic words, generally, are male-
At the ‘reveal’ stage, we added the oriented. That’s why this whole campaign
kasra below the word. This small gesture is so cool; they’ve given examples that
encouraged viewers to change their point of never really occur to you.
view on society’s gender imbalance.
This campaign
This campaign is a
is great. It’s very
great example of
powerful, it’s
a small act with a
creative, it’s unique
huge impact, rather
and it’s very modern.
than a big ad with
no impact.
Normally, in the West, campaigns for
women’s rights tend to bring out the bad
side of things—the violence—instead of
The message was spread across an empowering message. They’ll have a
traditional media, but we pushed it graphic image and say, “Stand up for your
further and made the campaign physically rights, call this number.” Or something.
interactive. By distributing stickers and And I’m not sure that works for Arabic
putting up posters, we encouraged women women. Sometimes when you see those
to literally take the kasra as a symbol of their graphic images—as a woman—they make
“movement”. Surprisingly, men showed you scared to stand up, in case you get
themselves to be just as concerned with the beaten like that.
success of the campaign. We also initiated a This campaign is great, though, because
mobile interactive billboard in rural areas to it’s using the power of language to tell
demonstrate the reach and collective power women to stand up for themselves. It’s
of the kasra. very powerful, it’s creative, it’s unique
The kasra also went digital; online forums, and it’s very modern. They’ve initiated
blogs and Facebook groups passionately something really cool.
discussed the campaign and even went on I’m not surprised it came out
to debate women’s rights. of Lebanon—they tend to be less
The people’s reaction surpassed our conservative when it comes to the man/
expectations. We may have been the woman thing. I really hope it carries on
initiators of the kasra, but we were no longer
Agency: H&C Leo Burnett, Beirut
to the rest of the region.
its owners.
Creative directors: Bechara Mouzannar, Chermine Assadian
www.mediaweekme.com 08 FEBRUARY 2009 / 27
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