The Elections Edition.
On 2 February 2022 An-Nahar didn't print, for the first time in its 88 years, and offered that day's paper and ink towards printing ballots for Lebanon's parliamentary elections, which officials had said shortages could derail.
- Brand
- An-Nahar
- Agency
- IMPACT BBDO / Impact BBDO Beirut
- Market
- Lebanon
- Region
- MENA
- Year
- 2022
The challenge
Lebanon was deep in economic crisis, and officials warned that shortages of paper and ink to print ballots could cancel the 2022 parliamentary elections, Campaign Middle East reported. An-Nahar, once the country's best-read newspaper, had also seen its circulation decline, according to the agency's award entry.
The idea
An-Nahar announced a special election issue on 1 February. The next day, newsstands held empty racks carrying one message, that the ink and paper for today's edition had gone to printing voting ballots, with a QR code to the online edition, which explained the cause. An-Nahar's own notice that day called its offer to the Interior Ministry a symbolic contribution to the cost of the elections, and the issue appeared online only, free. According to the entry, competing publications also ran An-Nahar's ad.
Results
- The 2 February online edition was the most-read in An-Nahar's history, according to the agency's entry
- US$12 million in earned media, according to the entrant's case study published by WARC
- People donated paper, books and magazines, enough to print ballots for every voter, the entry says; An-Nahar called its own gift a symbolic contribution
- The government stopped citing the shortage, the entry says, and the elections were held on 15 May 2022
Case study source: Campaign Middle East Source ↗
Awards
- Cannes Lions 2023Creative Strategy – C05 CORPORATE PURPOSE & SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITYBronze
- Cannes Lions 2022Outdoor – F05 CULTURAL INSIGHTBronze
- Cannes Lions 2022Outdoor – F01 LOCAL BRANDSilver
- Cannes Lions 2022Direct – F01 LOCAL BRANDGold
- Clio Awards 2022Clio Awards / Experience/Activation / GuerrillaSilver
- Cannes Lions 2022PR – F01 LOCAL BRANDBronze
- Cannes Lions 2022Media – F01 LOCAL BRANDSilver
- Cannes Lions 2022Direct – A07 MEDIA / ENTERTAINMENTSilver
- Cannes Lions 2022Print & Publishing – B01 COMMERCIAL PUBLICATIONSGrand Prix
- Clio Awards 2022Clio Awards / Direct / PrintSilver
- Cresta Awards 2022Print & OOH – Innovation in Print or OOHGrand Prix
- Cannes Lions 2022Print & Publishing – C01 ADAPTED PRINTSilver
- Cresta Awards 2022Ambient & Experiential – AmbientGold
- D&AD 2022 Yellow Pencil, Press & Outdoor: Tactical Poster Adverts
- D&AD 2022 Wood Pencil, Impact: Local Solution
- Dubai Lynx 2022 Grand Prix in PR, Print & Publishing, Outdoor, Integrated and Creative Strategy
- Dubai Lynx 2023 Grand Prix, Creative Effectiveness
Credits
- PR
- Impact Porter Novelli
- Production
- Deja Vu
