Henna is a symbol of health in Middle Eastern culture. Serviceplan Middle East has turned it into a life-saving tool for health. The agency and MINI AGMC’s initiative, In Your Own Hands, turns henna tattoos into a reminder for women to check their breasts.
Breast cancer is among the most common cancers in women, impacting over 2.3 million women each year, with one in eight women diagnosed in their lifetime, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). Early detection remains a pivotal factor in the success of treatment but women still forget to check their breasts or ignore its importance.
The partners worked with Dr Azra, a contemporary henna artist, to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month in an unexpected and heartfelt way with her beautiful custom henna designs. Henna was traditionally used to celebrate and protect women’s wellbeing, and its two to three week presence on the skin makes it an ideal medium, encouraging women to integrate the self-exam into their routine. Each pattern represents a step in breast self-exams (spiral, wedge, circular, and up-and-down movements), turning traditional henna art into gentle prompts for regular health checks.
A 60-second video amplifies the idea with the message, “There’s no bigger act of love than keeping your health in check,” that encourages women to see early detection as an empowering act of self-care.
“As a female director, it was inspiring to unite with women to choreograph the breast cancer self-exam steps into movement, turning it into a powerful ritual. This campaign brought MINI AGMC together with art, taking us on a journey that blends tradition with modern empowerment,” stated the campaign film’s director, Hana El Sadek.
“I have always been passionate about women’s health. Using my art to send a positive message and help educate others has always been something I’ve wanted to do. I am so grateful to have had this opportunity to collaborate with MINI on this campaign,” added Dr Azra Khamissa.
MINI and Serviceplan have also produced a pocket guide showing how each design supports self-exams, making it easy to turn the self-exam into a lasting habit. “The act of applying Henna on someone has always been a very intimate moment shared between two women. Even though ideating and sketching happened digitally between myself and Dr. Azra, having this activation done by women for women was very important to us,” noted Dana Al-Sheyyab, senior graphic designer at Serviceplan Middle East.
To connect more deeply with the community, MINI AGMC hosted an event every weekend during the month of October at the AGMC showrooms in Dubai, inviting women to explore the campaign first-hand. “This campaign is a celebration of strength and self-care, reminding every woman that her health is the most beautiful journey she can embark on,” commented Ziad Boghdady, director of marketing at MINI AGMC.
Credits
Creative Agency: Serviceplan Middle East
Natalie Shardan: Managing Partner
Akhilesh Bagri: Chief Creative Officer
Nishant Shah: Executive Creative Director
Andre Couto: Creative Director
Vineeta Vasisht: Business Director
Kenneth Barnes: Associate Creative Director
Aashna Gopalkrishna; Associate Creative Director
Mariyam Maroof: Junior Copywriter
Noor Bakr: Senior Social Media Account Executive
Peach Fantastic: Digital Lead and Culture Consultancy
Laith Alemailat: Account Manager
Farah Mihilmy: Senior Account Executive
Geetika Sood: Senior Producer
Saquib Wakankar: Junior Production Manager
Nehal Saleh: Arabic Copywriter
Dana Al-Sheyyab: Senior Graphic Designer
Alejandro Bucoy: Junior Art Director
Artchie Belcena: Head of Studio
Binesh Uppathil: Studio Freelancer
Production: Bigfoot Films
Aly Seifelnasr: Executive Producer
Hana El Sadek: Director
Jad Beyrouthy: Director of Photography
Rania Salame: Producer
Client: MINI AGMC
Ziad Boghdady: Director, Marketing & Customer Life Cycle Management
Riad Joumblat: MINI Marketing Manager
Marwan Alsherif: Customer Experience & Innovations
Dr. Azra Khamissa: Contemporary Henna Artist
