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Campaign ME
08-04-2025
- Business
- Campaign ME
MENA region is leveraging sustainability for effectiveness: WARC report
The MENA region is showing great opportunity for engaging on sustainability, and is making the case that a focus on sustainability – even during uncertain times – is effective. A new report titled Sustainability in the WARC Effective 100, published by the World Advertising Research Centre (WARC) in partnership with global sustainability marketing expert Thomas Kolster, explores how sustainability work – whether defined as social or environmental – shows up in ten years of the Effective 100 Rankings (2014-24). The research evaluates a decade of most effective campaigns – and demonstrates how sustainability punches above its weight. The report analysed 10 years of WARC Rankings Effectiveness 100 data to understand how social and environmental sustainability campaigns have changed over the also identifies what sustainability messaging looks like in different regions, which categories are most active in sustainability, and showcases some of the winning work from the Effectiveness 100 rankings from 2014-2024. The report highlights common themes that emerged from the analysis and offers lessons about how to be effective in this space. In the global research the Middle East region has 23 campaigns featured across the decade compared with North America with 73, which has the highest number of campaigns featured. 'This testament to the effectiveness of thinking outside the box and how purpose leads to more effective campaigns and increased profits,' Thomas Kolster, Founder of Goodvertising, told Campaign Middle East. Kolster added, 'Many of this decade's most groundbreaking campaigns succeed not by exploiting people's fleeting desires, but by boldly addressing their deeper, more profound human needs. Social sustainability and environmental sustainability campaigns cut through the noise because they dare to address what truly matters to people.' The most highly ranked social and environmental campaigns, (Mean: 2014-2024), included: Vodafone: How to make small seem big Rank: 1 (2014) Home Centre: A Dad's Job Rank: 2 (2022) Lifebuoy: Help a child reach 5 Rank: 4 (2015) From the Middle East region, children's retailed Babyshop: Making Arab Mums More Visible in Culture – Rank: 6 (2022) was also featured in the research. With the intent to build emotional affinity with customers and to earn the respect of Arab mothers, Babyshop reformed the Arabic word for 'parenthood' – which really meant 'fatherhood' – and created a new word that incorporated both the mother and the father, 'Al Umobuwah.' The word was launched on Mother's Day with an online film, and a new clothing collection. Following the campaign brand love was up with 42 per cent and new customers increased with 6.3 per cent. Importantly, the initial 50 per cent negative sentiments towards the word changed to positive. As a result, the campaign successfully reached people, culture and business. The top takeaways of the WARC research Social sustainability themes underpin effective work: Work with a socially progressive theme shows up strongly in 10 years of the WARC Effectiveness 100. Over 10 years, a quarter (250) of awarded Effectiveness 100 campaigns had a social sustainability theme. Female empowerment and challenging bias are key themes: Social sustainability themes prioritise female empowerment, breaking down stigmas, public health, or tackling poverty. Fewer environmental themes across 10 years: Environmental sustainability campaigns are less prominent across the 10-year analysis. Michelob Ultra's Contract for Change in the US, Tesco's Unforgettable Bag in Asia and Intermarché in France are stand-out environment campaigns. Reducing waste is a dominant environmental theme: Environmental themes prioritise reducing waste, supporting local businesses, and finding new routes to growth via the circular economy. Toiletries, cosmetics and retail sectors lean into social issues: In Asia and North America the toiletries and cosmetics sector has the highest volume of sustainability campaigns. In Europe, the retail sector has the highest volume of sustainability campaigns across 10 years. Highlight the customer benefit: Transform social or environmental issues into tangible benefits for your target audience. For example, Dove effectively translates the broader issue of Real Beauty into a customer benefit, such as boosting confidence. Having a core issue, and supporting it over time, is key: Brands like Dove and SK-II see long-term success by consistently addressing social issues over time. Consistency doesn't mean boring. Updating creative work with fresh insights keeps it relevant. Apply creativity to find novel solutions: Use creativity to develop innovative solutions to challenges, rather than simply raising awareness about an issue. For example, Intermarché reduced food waste in the supermarket sector while Back Market created a new category.
South China Morning Post
25-02-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Kim Kardashian reps Balenciaga and Dolce & Gabbana, Beyoncé sings in Tiffany jewels, Rosé carries Saint Laurent luggage and Timothée Chalamet wears Chanel scents – but is the age of endorsements endin
When was the first time you were sold something by a celebrity? Not literally, but you get the gist: think red lipsticks swiped on in slow-motion video; high-production perfume ads set against azure waters and rugged Italian coastlines; food supplements endorsed by lithe household names (many of whom are probably taking more than just vitamins to preserve their youthful looks). In today's fashion landscape, starry ambassadors giving endorsements are so ubiquitous, it can be hard to keep track of who's wearing what and where. It's been going on for a while too: according to the World Advertising Research Centre, the first celebrity in the modern sense to endorse a commercial product was the socialite and West End stage actress Lillie Langtry, whose likeness was plastered on posters in 1882 to sell Pears Soap. Before that, England's Royal Warrants bestowed on trusted suppliers a literal monarchic stamp of approval for centuries. To this day, you'll find the phrase 'By appointment to …' trumpeted by businesses ranging from Smythson to Burberry to Fortnum & Mason. Advertisement Balenciaga's 2024 Closet campaign starring Kim Kardashian. Photo: Handout In today's media landscape, reaching peak influencer often means being an A-list brand ambassador. Alongside her various entrepreneurial pursuits, Kim Kardashian reps Balenciaga, as well as Dolce & Gabbana; Beyoncé tours in and posts Tiffany & Co.; Rosé travels exclusively with Saint Laurent bags and Rimowa suitcases in tow; and Timothée Chalamet smells like Bleu de Chanel – or at least that's what we're led to believe in Martin Scorsese's promotional film for the scent. Even the more aloof fashion brands aren't immune to star power. Witness The Row, which in 2021 was tagged in Instagram carousels by actors Zoë Kravitz and Jonah Hill, who were both clad in the label's opulent looks, not long after Kendall Jenner was seen on several occasions donning full The Row runway ensembles. The label, helmed by former child stars Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen and famous for banning phones at its runway shows, has since dressed the likes of Greta Lee, Jennifer Lawrence and Ariana Grande for red carpet appearances. Greta Lee wears The Row to the Lacma Art+Film Gala in November 2024. Photo: AFP Indeed, in this day and age, it's a struggle listing luxury brands that don't dabble in celebrity marketing in one way or another. Designers Dries Van Noten and Rick Owens, both known for not loaning looks to celebrities or paying for A-listers to wear their designs, are two holdouts. French jeweller Van Cleef & Arpels is a rare exception within its category due to its policy of not dressing celebrities for red carpets – a page on the brand's website entitled 'Icons of Van Cleef & Arpels' lists only four women, including Princess Grace of Monaco and opera star Maria Callas, all of them dead for decades. Then there's ever-elusive monogrammed bag-maker Goyard (the consensus is the company does little to no advertising at all) and fellow leather goods maison Hermès, which made a rare departure from its consistent celeb-averse strategy by dressing Nomadland director Chloé Zhao for the 2021 Academy Awards. Chloé Zhao wears Hermès as she poses with one of her Oscars for Nomadland (2020). Photo: Ampas/PA Media/dpa Clearly brands don't need celebrities to be successful, but in a world littered with influencers and infinitely scrollable feeds, expensive celebrity tie-ups are key to a fashion brand's ability to be visible and stay that way as the trends, and the years, come and go. This is especially true in Asian markets, where Thai heartthrobs and Korean girl groups are relatively direct, albeit transient, short cuts through which businesses can reach young, and particularly female, target audiences.
