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  • SUB CATEGORY :
    USE OF GUERRILLA MARKETING & STUNTS
  • COMPANY ENTERING :
    IMPACT BBDO, DUBAI
  • TITLE :
    THE ELECTIONS EDITION
  • BRAND :
    ANNAHAR NEWSPAPER
  • ADVERTISER :
    ANNAHAR NEWSPAPER
  • AGENCY :
    IMPACT BBDO DUBAI, DUBAI
  • CHAIRMAN :
    DANI RICHA
  • CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER :
    SYED AZEEM AFZAL
  • MANAGING DIRECTOR :
    EMILE TABANJI
  • CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER :
    ALI REZ
  • EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR :
    JOE ABOU KHALED/MARIE CLAIRE MAALOUF
  • CREATIVE DIRECTOR :
    YASMINA BOUSTANI
  • ART DIRECTOR :
    JITHESH NARAYANAN
  • COPYWRITER :
    JARRAD PITTS/MAHER DAHDOUH
  • EXECUTIVE PRODUCER :
    MANASVI GOSALIA
  • CLIENT SERVICE DIRECTOR :
    JAD EL RABAHI
  • ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE :
    SOPHIA WAHEED
  • STRATEGIC PLANNER :
    ESTELLE KHAYAT
  • FILM PRODUCTION COMPANY :
    DEJA VU, DUBAI
  • PHOTOGRAPHER :
    CHARLY HATEM
  • CAMPAIGN SUMMARY :
    Lebanon was collapsing, suffering from historically high inflation that threw 75% of its population under the poverty line. A nation in pain waited in hope for the 2022 elections, but in an outrageous and blatant attempt to obstruct democracy, government officials complained that shortages of paper and ink needed to print ballots could cancel the upcoming elections. AnNahar, Lebanon's leading newspaper, has had a historical role in protecting the sanctity of free speech and Lebanon’s fragile democracy.

    And so, AnNahar, instead of printing its daily edition, donated the paper and ink that were to be used for that day's edition towards a greater cause - the printing of voting ballots. Trucks delivered that days’ entire supply of paper and ink to the government’s printing associate.

    Thousands of Lebanese people walked to newsstands to find empty racks displaying a single message: The ink and paper intended for today’s edition has been sent towards the printing of voting ballots for the 2022 election. A QR code directed people to the newspaper's online version, which explained the cause behind the issue that never went to print.

    The online edition that day became the highest-read in AnNahar's history. After this activation, the government stopped using the excuse of paper shortages to print ballots. The campaign was heavily covered locally by political shows, top broadcast channels and competing newspapers. Even election candidates joined in, offering support for the movement.

    Enough paper and ink was donated from this edition to print ballots for the entire voting population of Lebanon. On May 15, the 2022 Lebanese elections took place as scheduled.
  • THE BRIEF :
    Lebanon, pushed past the brink of collapse, is suffering from historically high inflation that has thrown 75% of its population under the poverty line. Necessities such as food, petrol, medicine and even ink and paper are scarcer every day. Lebanon’s predicament is primarily attributed to a political class that has dominated parliamentary elections since the 1990s. A nation in pain hangs on to the frail hope that the upcoming election will bring critical stability and pave the way towards real change.

    In an outrageous and blatant attempt to obstruct the election, officials have complained that shortages of paper and ink needed to print ballots could cancel the upcoming elections. An- Nahar had a historical role in protecting the sanctity of free speech and Lebanon’s fragile democracy. As the newspaper strived to stay true to its essence, it was imperative to prevent the sabotaging of a decisive and long-awaited election.
  • THE STRATEGY :
    Lebanon has long prided itself on being one of the few democracies in the Arab world. However, it is home to a fragile and manipulable one that has needed protection over the years. As the country anticipated the 2022 election, we saw the cornerstone of our democracy being threatened right before our eyes.
    An-Nahar had always outspokenly stood up for the rights of the Lebanese people and paid the ultimate sacrifice for the sanctity of free speech. It would not, at any cost, quietly condone the sabotaging of rightful elections.

    How could we save democracy when all we own is the power of ink and paper? This time, we saw an opportunity for our supplies themselves, rather than our words, to brighten our democracy’s grim prospects. We would go paperless so the people can remain voiceful. On February 2nd, we were not saving ink and paper, we were saving democracy.
  • THE EXECUTION :
    On February 1st, the newspaper’s editor-in-chief announced the next day’s special Election Issue, inviting people to be on the lookout for it.
    But the special issue of An-Nahar was never printed. On February 2nd, there was no physical newspaper to purchase. Instead, people walked to the newsstands to find empty racks displaying a single message: The ink and paper intended for today’s edition has been sent towards the printing of voting ballots for the 2022 election. A QR code directed people to the newspaper's online version, which explained the cause behind the issue that never went to print.

    The newspaper also stirred up conversation online, with powerful social content.
    An-Nahar called upon publishers, press companies and printing factories to rally around the cause to exert undeniable pressure on the government. Competing publications also printed the An-Nahar ad, calling for the safeguarding of our elections.
  • THE RESULT :
    The online edition that day became the highest-read in AnNahar's history. The campaign was heavily covered locally by political shows, top broadcast channels and competing newspapers. Even election candidates joined in, offering support for the movement.

    Enough paper and ink was donated from this campaign to print ballots for the entire voting population of Lebanon. The government stopped using the excuse of paper and ink shortage eventually, and under pressure from this and other national campaigns, the Lebanese elections went ahead as planned.