The New National Anthem Edition.
Two weeks into Lebanon's 2019 protests, An-Nahar printed the national anthem with one line rewritten to call Lebanon the birthplace of women as well as men, and gave the day's edition to women.
- Brand
- An-Nahar
- Agency
- IMPACT BBDO / Impact BBDO Beirut
- Market
- Lebanon
- Region
- MENA
- Year
- 2019
The challenge
Women were at the front of Lebanon's October 2019 protests but held few seats in government, and the national anthem described the country as a birthplace of men only. The agency's entry says An-Nahar wanted women to lead the movement.
The idea
On Thursday 31 October 2019, the 15th day of the protests, An-Nahar printed the anthem on its front page with the line "منبت للرجال" (birthplace of men) changed to "منبت للنساء والرجال" (birthplace of women and men), and dedicated the whole edition to women, renaming its masthead نهارِك ("your day", addressed to a woman). According to the agency's entries, the singer Carole Samaha sang the new version in the protests' main square, it was broadcast on TV and radio, and it hung as a giant banner on An-Nahar's building in Martyrs' Square.
Results
- The number one trending topic on Twitter, 745 million impressions, US$150 million in earned media and An-Nahar's best-selling edition ever, according to the agency's Dubai Lynx entry
- Lebanon's next cabinet, formed in January 2020, had a record six women ministers, including Zeina Akar, the first woman defence minister in the Arab world (Arab News); the agency's entry links the change to the campaign
Case study source: LBCI Source ↗
Awards
- Clio Awards 2020Clio Awards / PrintBronze
- Cresta Awards 2020Brand Purpose – Brand ActivismGold
- Cresta Awards 2020Print, OOH – Print adGold
- Cresta Awards 2020Brand PurposeGold
- Dubai Lynx 2021 Grand Prix in Direct, Glass, Print and Radio
- Dubai Lynx 2022 Grand Prix, Creative Effectiveness
- Cannes Lions 2020 Gold, Brand Experience & Activation; Silver, Sustainable Development Goals; Bronze, Print & Publishing
Credits
- Production
- Boomtown Productions
- Music
- Jean-Marie Riachi (JMR Music Studio)
- Singer
- Carole Samaha
