Latest news with #Saatchi&SaatchiMiddleEast
Campaign ME
14-04-2025
- Health
- Campaign ME
Nana, Saatchi & Saatchi ME ‘listen, adapt, design' for young girls with autism
Global hygiene and health company Nana, a brand of Essity, and Saatchi & Saatchi Middle East have launched Ruby Blooms, a sensory guidebook created to help young girls on the autism spectrum understand menstruation in a way that meets their sensory needs. Period education often falls short when it comes to neurodivergent audiences. For young girls with autism, conventional approaches — typically reliant on verbal or clinical explanations — can trigger anxiety and sensory overload. Ruby Blooms aims to offer an entirely new model: a tactile, calming, sensory-led experience that prepares girls for menstruation through gradual, intuitive engagement. Commenting on the campaign, Sebastien Boutebel, Chief Creative Officer (CCO) of Saatchi & Saatchi Middle East at Publicis Groupe Middle East, said, 'True inclusivity in brand communication doesn't come from talking to everyone the same way — it comes from listening, adapting and designing differently. 'Ruby Blooms' is a great example of what happens when empathy is built into the creative process right from the start.' The collaboration between Nana and Saatchi & Saatchi Middle East focused on designing each page to mimic the real-life sensory elements girls encounter when they get their period — the texture of pads, the rustling sound of the wrapper, the distinct smell of blood. Every detail, from the colour palettes to material choices, was tested and refined to help reduce the shock of the unknown and replace it with familiarity and confidence. Michelle Karaa, Regional Marketing Manager MEA at Essity, explained, 'Periods are never just periods, especially in a region where such topics are still considered taboo. Our mission has always been about breaking taboos and making periods easier for all women, without exception. This initiative ensures that young girls on the spectrum receive the education and support they deserve, tailored specifically to their needs.' The project marks a bold move for a hygiene brand in the Middle East, tackling both menstrual stigma and accessibility in one thoughtful piece of communication. Dr. Rama Kanj, an autism specialist who supported the initiative, concluded, 'Periods are already a significant emotional and physical milestone. For girls on the spectrum, the sensory impact can be profound. 'Ruby Blooms' is carefully designed to empower these young girls and provide their families with essential, tailored support.' CREDITS: Client: Nana Regional Marketing Manager MEA at Essity: Michele Karaa Senior Brand Manager ME at Essity: Romy Abou Tayeh Associate Brand Manager ME at Essity: Yasmina Kawass Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi MEA Chief Executive Officer, Publicis Groupe Middle East & Turkey: Bassel Kakish Chief Executive Officer, Publicis Communications UAE: Nathalie Gevresse Chief Strategy Officer, Publicis Groupe Middle East & Turkey: Tahaab Rais Chief Creative Officer (CCO), Saatchi & Saatchi ME: Sebastien Boutebel Senior Creative Director: Bruno Barbosa Creative Director: Anika Marya Associate Creative Director: Siddarth Joglekar Senior Art Director: Vinicius Claudino Senior Art Director: Ludmila Abramov Senior Art Director: Bruno Cavalcante Associate Design Director: Joao Xavier Associate Creative Director: Maya El Kai Animator: Daniel Masilang Head of Saatchi & Saatchi ME: Ramzi Sleiman Production House: Prodigious MEA Chief Executive Officer, Prodigious ME: Sami Saleh Business Director, Saatchi & Saatchi ME: Shauna Byrne Business Director, Strategy & Insights: Adrian Mutescu Associate Business Director: Line Mansour Manager, Strategy & Insights: Fatima Talaat Manager: Aya Abi-Saleh Head of Content: Vikrant Shetty Manager, Influencer Marketing: Lea Nahed Senior Executive, Influencer Marketing: Tarek Khalil Senior Producer: Upasana Kumar Producer, Prodigious ME: Carmel Missilmany Videographer, Prodigious ME: Issam Saadane Director, Corporate Communications: Angela Bak Manager, Corporate Communications: Chhaon Bahl Educational Psychologist: Dr. Rama Kanj Occupational Therapist: Fabiana Fernandes Book Mockup: Mockup10 Illustrator: Niveo Co-Founder, Enso Studios: Faisal Shah Co-Founder, Enso Studios: MannButte Producer, Enso Studios: Reem Hageali Director of Photography: Duane Mendes Photographer: Sophia Sem
Campaign ME
09-04-2025
- Business
- Campaign ME
These are the MENA shortlists for Campaign's Global Agency of The Year
Agencies from the Middle East have made a strong impact on the Campaign's Global Agency of the Year, collecting nine shortlists for the MENA region amongst 18 markets shortlisted from around the globe. There were entries from 117 companies from 27 countries for this year's Campaign Global Agency of the Year Awards. Within the region, shortlists represent the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Publicis Groupe Middle East, Saatchi & Saatchi Middle East, TBWA\RAAD, Impact BBDO, Create. Group, and Magna MENA are among the Middle East shops across three category groups. These individual categories include Agency Growth Leader, Strategic Planning Leader, Best Network: Middle East & Africa, Corporate Communications/Marketing Team or Person, Creative Agency, New Business Development Team or Person, Head of Agency and Performance Agency. Trix van der Vleuten, Head of Global Brands and Marketing Strategies, The Social Hub chaired the 2025 jury. In a statement to Campaign, she said the true strength of Campaign's Global Agency of the Year Award lies in its global reach. Winners will be revealed at a ceremony at London's Carlton Tower Jumeirah on 12 June. Here's the full breakdown of the MENA shortlists of Campaign's Global Agency of The Year: People & Teams: Agency Growth Leader: Jennifer Fischer, Publicis Groupe Middle East Strategic Planning Leader: Tahaab Rais, Publicis Groupe ME&T Corporate Communications/Marketing Team or Person: Romy Abdelnour, TBWA\RAAD New Business Development Team or Person: Publicis Groupe Middle East, Growth & Innovation Team Head of Agency: Bassel Kakish, Publicis Groupe ME&T, and Tom Otton, Create. Group Network: Best Network: Middle East & Africa: Saatchi & Saatchi Middle East Agency: Creative Agency: Impact BBDO Performance Agency: Magna MENA Find out more at the Global Agency of the Year Global website here. See the full list of last year's winners here.
Campaign ME
09-04-2025
- Business
- Campaign ME
ItsHerWay launches campaign to spark policy change on miscarriage leave in UAE
Saatchi & Saatchi Middle East and UAE-based women's platform ItsHerWay have launched a new campaign titled The Leave of Absence, addressing a workplace policy gap often overlooked: miscarriage bereavement leave. The campaign aims to normalise conversation around miscarriage grief and push for systemic change by encouraging companies to introduce formal policies for leave following pregnancy loss. At the centre of the initiative is The Needed Space, a short film created and directed by Tahaab Rais, Chief Strategy Officer at Publicis Groupe MENAT. The wordless film moves through empty nurseries — a crib untouched, folded baby socks, a gently swinging chair — offering a visual metaphor for absence and unspoken grief. The visuals are set against a lullaby version of Sweet Child O' Mine, carefully chosen to evoke emotional resonance without explicit dialogue. The creative concept was born out of a desire to not only raise awareness, but to provide a direct action route for companies. The film drives viewers to where employers can sign a downloadable pledge to adopt miscarriage bereavement leave, and employees can share the template internally. 'Sometimes a lot can be said by not saying a lot,' said Tahaab Rais, Chief Strategy Officer at Publicis Groupe MENAT, who directed the film and spearheaded the initiative. 'A lot of us, including I, as a father, have gone through the unseen trauma of miscarriage. Companies don't treat it as that. This initiative matters in unveiling it as what it is — a death to a loved one — and allowing the space for grief.' To complement the film, Saatchi & Saatchi and ItsHerWay also developed a series of disguised classifieds, styled as ads for baby items never used — cribs, clothes, toys. Each ad lists the 'asking price' as bereavement leave, redirecting audiences to the pledge site. The visuals were deployed across Facebook Marketplace, blurring the line between marketing and social commentary. 'This campaign strikes a deeply personal chord,' said Armin Jamula, co-founder of ItsHerWay. 'It sheds light on a topic often left unspoken in our region. We are proud to champion this dialogue and encourage actionable change.' Chief Creative Officer at Saatchi & Saatchi Dubai, Sebastien Boutebel, added: 'These ads speak volumes. They're not just visuals; they're a reflection of real, silent loss. The creative team found a way to respectfully surface the conversation through a layered campaign that connects emotionally and directly.' As part of the broader effort, ItsHerWay is also organising free support sessions with psychologists for women and men coping with miscarriage grief. The campaign reflects a growing trend in purpose-driven creativity, where marketing not only sparks awareness but also aims to deliver structural change. As brands and agencies increasingly look for ways to align their output with social impact, The Leave of Absence represents a collaboration between creative ambition and a drive for meaningful progress.
