Halfway in the journey from Heathrow to my hotel to cover D&AD the week before last, the driver asked me if I would allow him to take a sip of milk. Night had fallen and he was allowed to break his Ramadan fast. We got chatting and I asked him what the fasting meant. He told me that it’s to remind you that there are people who are hungry all the time. It exists to create compassion for the plight of others and gratefulness for what we do have. Even the highest people in the land, and the richest, are meant to do it.
The world needs more stories that remind us of our shared humanity. [:ed]
Here’s one.
It’s by agencies, FP7 McCann Riyadh and FP7 McCann Dubai, for Saudi Arabian travel company, Almosafer. It’s the story of a young Middle Eastern girl and her quest to take Ramadan to a place that has never experienced it – Santa’s home at the North Pole.
“The world today is more divided that it has ever been. Even in Ramadan, a time of year that encourages empathy, generosity, compassion and opening doors, people in the Middle East as well as around the world haven’t seized to put down their divides. It often remains a world of ‘us’ vs ‘them’,” the agency explained.
The extra power of the film called As far as it goes, comes from its being told through the eyes of a child. Deep within the story is the knowledge, too, that travel broadens horizons and opens minds. Ramadan content in the Middle East tends to focus on the region itself. This campaign has a standout point of view and Almosafer is breaking precedence among Middle Eastern brands. The film shows a child bringing the magic and beauty of Ramadan to the world, just like Christmas ads do for brands during Christmas. Almosafer is hoping to open up the opportunity for people in the Middle East to travel to bring cultures together.
It is running on YouTube, on prime television across the MBC network in the Middle East and on Almosafer social media channels. Its aim is to inspire people to spread the Ramadan values of peace, inclusivity and giving, wherever they go and with whomever they meet.
As far as it goes has received applause from a number of influential Saudi voices, who are helping to spread its message on Twitter.
Credits
Agency: FP7 McCann Riyadh and FP7 McCann Dubai
Director: Tahaab Rais
Executive Producer: Manasvi Gosalia
DOP: Bobby Dhillon
Cast: Thalia Shihab
Producer: Kavya Iyer
Creative Directors: Ramzy Haddad, Tahaab Rais, Aunindo Sen & Nayaab Rais
Regional Head of Strategy: Tahaab Rais
Production House: Dejavu
Line Producer Georgia: Levan Maghradze
Producer Georgia: Tato Sulaqvelidze
1st AD: Guram Bakradze
2nd AD: Irakli Pochkhua
Art: Tamo Chavchanidze & Beka Sadagashvili
Wardrobe: Kato Gelashvili
Gaffer: Goglika Khaindrava
Lyrics and songwriter: Tahaab Rais
Singer: Brittin Lane
Music Composer: Joe Dickinson
Arabic Lyrics and songwriter: Hosam Mubarak, Sara Alhaian & Bashair Alsaif
Arabic Singer: Ekram
Editor: Rizwan Maple
Sound Design and Effects: Joe Najm @ Mango Jam Studios
VFX: Krish Prasad
Post-producer: Mary Bou Akl
Client: Almosafer
Head of Brand: Mohamed Qanati
Head of Content & PR: Nathalie Viranyi
