THE 'HEADLINE NEWS' CUP SLEEVE

Creative Director : Shahir Zag, Joseph Bihag

Copywriter : William Mathovani

Art Director : Joseph Bihag

Gulf News, the UAE’s leading English daily newspaper, wanted to reach even more readers and convert them into subscribers. Consumption habit suggests that people read newspapers while having their morning cup of coffee. Since fresh news goes well with fresh coffee, we adapted the coffee cup sleeve of Tim Hortons, a global coffee chain, into an advertising medium and we created The ‘Headline News’ Cup Sleeve. Using a special News Printer, the baristas pulled out the headline of the hour from the Gulf News’ Twitter account and printed it on the custom-made sleeve. So everyone could read the latest news as they enjoyed their freshly brewed Tim Hortons coffee. Every hour. Every day. The short URL and QR code on the sleeve then directed them to the Gulf News website where they could read the full story. So far, over 1,440 breaking news tweets have been printed on more than 840,000 coffee cups, increasing the traffic to the Gulf News website by 41% and subscription by 2.8%. We’re rolling out this project in Tim Hortons outlets across the UAE, including in 14 stores soon to be opened.

Radio Spots : Constant Craving

Client : Nando’s

Product : Home Delivery Service

Creative Director : Ryan Reed/Ash Chagla

Scriptwriter : Shahir Zag/Jed Dawson/Dane Oglivie

Radio Spots : Animal Instincts

Client : Land Rover

Product : Defender

Creative Director: Shahir Zag/Ryan Reed

Scriptwriter: Shahir Zag/Jed Dawson/Dane Oglivie

TVCs : Movie Plots

Description : These commercials give a short, video synopsis of a very poorly rated movie. However, it then explains that with delicious American Garden Microwave Popcorn by your side, the quality of the film becomes irrelevant, because you’re able to sit through anything.

Client : American Garden Popcorn

Creative Directors : Shahir Zag, Kalpesh Patankar

Writers : Shahir Zag, Ash Chagla, Jed Dawson

Art Directors : Kalpesh Patankar, Hugo Lucas, Dane Ogilvie

Director : Amin Soltani

DoP : Arturo D. Smith

Our Land Rover Edible Survival Guide has gone places

Quite stoked last week when we saw our industry peers tweeting and posting our latest direct mail for Land Rover. Big thanks to everyone for sharing our work to the world.

We got mentions from FastCompany, Creative Review, Huffington Post, Inspiration Room, Creativity-Online, Design Taxi, I Believe in Advertising, I Have An Idea and Ad Age (which made us pick-of-the-day) to name a few.

Our little mailer even got mentions from Gizmodo, Neatorama, Trend Hunter, Jalopnik and Bon Appétit Magazine. Woot Woot!

[UPDATE]

Just made it to TOP 3 Creativity-Online for the week.
Best ‘Print’ of the Week at Best Ads on TV.

In Case of Emergency: Eat this Book.

While Land Rover vehicles can take on any obstacles in the desert, it cannot be said the same of their owners. Scorching temperatures, deadly animals and sinkholes are just a few things they might encounter. And when they venture deep into it, even the most experienced drivers can quickly succumb to the harshness of the desert. We wanted to create something that would cut through the clutter and that these people would like to keep. So we created a survival guide, which explained the basics for staying alive in the Arabian Desert, and packaged it in a way that would spur the attention of our target audience.

We researched every indigenous animal and plant, people could encounter in the Arabian Desert and how they could be used to survive. We studied the topography of the region to guide people to safety. We used a reflective packaging similar to army rations, which could be used to signal for help, and bound the book with a metal spiral, which could be used for cooking. Finally, we even took an extra step so that in case of emergency, people could always EAT the book. It was made out of edible ink and paper, and it had a nutritional value close to that of a cheeseburger.

We sent the book to 5,000 existing customers, gave it away as a supplement to the cars’ manual and made it freely available in sports shops.

The initial response was very positive. And the client was so happy with the concept that they asked us to include the book as an insert in the next edition of a car magazine, with a 70,000 circulation.

Credits:

Chief Creative Officer: Shahir Zag
Creative Director/Copywriter: Shahir Zag
Creative Director/Art Director/Illustrator: Joseph Bihag
Copywriter: Guillaume Calmelet
Designer/Copywriter: Khaled Said
Retoucher: Gitten Tom
Head Of Production: Amin Soltani
Producer: Leng Panganiban
Account Supervisor: Sarah Locke
Account Manager: Pierre Farra
Photographer: Mojtaba Komeili

Another Great Night for Y&R Dubai

Although the main show of Cannes Lions was held in June and we were presented with our gold Lions then. But we were handed over our Silver Lions and Bronze Lion last week at our region’s screening of Cannes Lions 2010 winning work. And yes we ended up celebrating… again.

It may be recalled that in 2011 Y&R Dubai became the most awarded Middle East agency in Cannes Lions history following its winning of two golds, two silvers and a bronze.

The agency had picked up a gold each for its ‘Accessories Required’ campaign for Harvey Nichols in the Press and Outdoor categories. Its Land Rover campaign ‘Rare’ won both silver and bronze in Press and Press Craft category, respectively.  Apart from these it also won silver in Design for its ‘Splitting Headache’ campaign for Paras Pharma.

Y&R Dubai's Print Ad Thabo Included in South African National Curriculum.

Y&R Dubai’s print ad Thabo has been included in the national curriculum for Grade 10 students in South Africa.

The ad, which is taken from the campaign ‘Zombieland’ for Resident Evil 5 on the Xbox 360, features in the textbook Grade 10 Spot On English First Additional Language - one of only eight Grade 10 ‘English First Additional Language’ titles to make it onto the national textbook catalogue in South Africa.

Sonja Burger, an English textbook author in South Africa, prepared the material on the ‘Thabo’ ad for its implementation in the new South African curriculum next year. A Heinemann publication, the book asks questions relating to the ad, such as ‘How does the slogan support the idea communicated by the T-shirt?’ and ’ What does the nutritional  label on Thabo’s T-shirt suggest is possibly going to happen to him?’.

Approved by the Ministry of Education in South Africa the textbook is aimed at Grade 10 English Second Language learners.

Y&R Dubai Shortlisted for LIA

On a winning trail from the beginning of this year Y&R Dubai has now earned quite a few shortlists at The London International Awards (LIA). The winners are to be announced on November 14, 2011 at the Troxy in London.

One Show Design Awards - a Twistory.

Last night Shahir Zag our Chief Creative Officer was at the One Show Design Awards in New York. We asked him to live tweet the awards ceremony and he rocked it. We even got some twitpics (not bad for a blackberry user). Here’s an account of the night through his tweets, our tweets and a few of our industry friends. (For the exact list of all winners follow @OneShow on twitter).

ShahirZag: En route to the One show design night. All the seats are sold out. Should be fun. #OneShowDesign

ShahirZag: Just arrived at the IAC building designed by Frank Gehry. @OneShow #DesignAwards

ShahirZag: Gold chocolate pencils at the door. Cute. Delicious. Will bring one back for @AshChagla. @OneShow #DesignAwards

AshChagla: Mine! RT @ShahirZag: Gold chocolate pencils at the door. Cute. Delicious. Will bring one back for @AshChagla. @OneShow #DesignAwards

ShahirZag: Heinekens at the bar. @OneShow #DesignAwards

ShahirZag: Lots of under dressed people, a few over dressed and one top hat and fake mustache. @OneShow #DesignAwards

ShahirZag: Talking to Rishi Chanana. He’s definitely going to win Gold for his Yatra.com calendar. @OneShow #DesignAwards

ShahirZag: He says he thinks it’s Gold, too. Sweet confidence. Google the Yatra.com calendar if you haven’t seen it. @OneShow #DesignAwards

AshChagla: Dubai ad peeps, if you’re awake, @ShahirZag from@yrdubai is @OneShow #DesignAwards. Follow him for updates!

ShahirZag: Can’t send pictures for some reason takes about 28 minutes. @OneShow #DesignAwards

AshChagla: Come on @OneShow give the man some wifi! RT @ShahirZag: Can’t send pictures for some reason takes about 28 minutes. @OneShow #DesignAwards

ShahirZag: Smoking outside. The setting sun is hitting the building beautifully. Google IAC if you haven’t seen it. @OneShow #DesignAwards

ShahirZag: Creatives who look like G-Men smoking outside. Must be BBDO NY. Be afraid. Very afraid. @OneShow #DesignAwards

ShahirZag: Gold chocolate pencils. Yum. @OneShow #DesignAwards http://t.co/C0kf67W

ShahirZag: Rishi Chanana and me. He will win Gold. I’ll settle for bronze or silver or Gold. @OneShow #DesignAwards http://t.co/pMtLuyh

ShahirZag: Scary robot voice asks us to be seated. Resistance is futile. @OneShow #DesignAwards

OneShow: @shahirzag Resistance IS futile. Take your seat!

OneShow: @ashchagla There’s enough chocolate gold pencils to go around. No fighting!

ShahirZag: Always bring hot date to design events. Or else. @OneShow #DesignAwards http://t.co/eqbgxDX

AshChagla: Bwahaha, you got told! RT @OneShow: @shahirzag Resistance IS futile. Take your seat!

Ashchagla: I’m home in Dubai. Give extras to @ShahirZag for me RT @OneShow: @ashchagla There’s enough chocolate gold pencils to go around. No fighting!

ShahirZag: “@OneShow: @shahirzag Resistance IS futile. Take your seat!” These guys are serious. @OneShow #DesignAwards

ShahirZag: I’m on my seat, Sir. @OneShow #DesignAwards

ShahirZag: This is nice. @OneShow #DesignAwards yfrog.com/h4gt8bzbj

OneShow: @shahirzag I’d rather you be IN your seat, but we don’t have enough time to get picky. Enjoy the show!!!

ShahirZag: I am seated. Stop shouting in robot voice @OneShow #DesignAwards yfrog.com/h728xoqfj

ShahirZag: Okay, this is pretty cool. Very open plan and simple. Love the screen. @OneShow #DesignAwards

AshChagla: @OneShow Design about to start! Come on team! RT @ShahirZag: This is nice. @OneShow #DesignAwards http://yfrog.com/h4gt8bzbj

ShahirZag: Start already. This is false advertising. Scam even. #DesignAwards

OneShow: @ashchagla Thanks :-) We hope that you enjoy the show. Good luck!

Adland: HA! This cracking me up. RT @OneShow: @shahirzag Resistance IS futile. Take your seat!

ShahirZag: 300 to about 950 people here. Who can count? #DesignAwards

AshChagla: @OneShow Thank you! Have a good show you guys!

Adland: That does look good, wish I was there RT @ShahirZag: This is nice. @OneShow #DesignAwards http://yfrog.com/h4gt8bzbj

ShahirZag: Started. #DesignAwards

ShahirZag: @adland can’t be everywhere, man. :)

OneShow: @adland We wish you were here. Here comes the first award. #DesignAwards

Adland: @ShahirZag as soon as I get that stubborn fly out of my teleporter, I’m gonna try.

AshChagla: @adland I wish we were both there!!

Dabitch: @AshChagla We’d raise hell if that happened. ;) @adland

ShahirZag: So it begins. With Seth Calloway. #DesignAwards yfrog.com/gy64xhyj

ShahirZag: Spatial Design bronze to someone in Korea?, Silver to SAP Bitcode. So effing pretty. #DesignAwards

ShahirZag: Spatial design Gold to Autobot? Healthcare. Bit of light magic. #DesignAwards

ShahirZag: Spatial design Gold to Cosmopolitan hotel. Sweet. #DesignAwards

AshChagla: @dabitch We really would! I’m waiting for the day…

ShahirZag: The Head of Jury looks like the Elf Whisperer (AKA Santa Claus) #DesignAwards yfrog.com/hs4s9duj

ShahirZag: Ikea catalogue wins silver. This is so pretty. #DesignAwards

AshChagla: Appropriate! RT @ShahirZag: The Head of Jury looks like the Elf Whisperer (AKA Santa Claus) #DesignAwards http://yfrog.com/hs4s9duj

ShahirZag: Bronze. Cool. #DesignAwards yfrog.com/h2zfmcdpj

ShahirZag: Steve Sandstrom on the stage for Gold. My hero. One of them. #DesignAwards

ShahirZag: CI Gold pencil goes to a campaign I voted for at the Loeries. Deserved. #DesignAwards

ShahirZag: #DesignAwards yfrog.com/h3bjrtjwj

ShahirZag: Y&R Melbourne gets bronze for French Film Festival. #DesignAwards

OneShow: A SILVER Pencil in Point of Purchase and In-Store Collateral Design goes to Y&R Dubai for Stopache.

AshChagla: Wooot!! @yrdubai @ShahirZag RT @OneShow: A SILVER Pencil in Point of Purchase and In-Store Collateral Design goes to Y&R Dubai for Stopache.

yrdubai: Congrats team!! RT @OneShow: A SILVER Pencil in Point of Purchase and In-Store Collateral Design goes to Y&R Dubai for Stopache.

ShahirZag: Silver to Y&R Dubai for Stopache! Yay. #DesignAwards

ShahirZag: Accepting our Silver Pencil from Willy Wong. #DesignAwards yfrog.com/h82cjfnj

yrdubai: Nice! RT @ShahirZag: Accepting our Silver Pencil from Willy Wong. #DesignAwards http://yfrog.com/h82cjfnj

ShahirZag: Silver. #DesignAwards yfrog.com/gznm3sjkj

yrdubai: Silver Pencil for Stopache! RT @ShahirZag: Silver. #DesignAwards http://yfrog.com/gznm3sjkj @OneShow

AshChagla: @ShahirZag Awesomeness!

Adland: Congrats. :) RT @ShahirZag: Accepting our Silver Pencil from Willy Wong. #DesignAwards http://yfrog.com/h82cjfnj

ShahirZag: @adland Thank you. Coming to the One Show on the 12th? :)

ShahirZag: Steve Sandstrom presenting. This man is a genius. #DesignAwards

Adland: @ShahirZag Nope, stuck in Sweden.

ShahirZag: Two Silvers for Yatra.com. Lovely piece. #DesignAwards yfrog.com/h2m6jhqj

ShahirZag: @Adland There’s always next year. Enjoy Malmo.

ShahirZag: Y&R South Africa Bronze for Unicef. @MickBlore #DesignAwards

ShahirZag: Last trophy. That was fast. #DesignAwards

AshChagla: @ShahirZag Nice work Captain. Hit the bar.

ShahirZag: Sweet. Where’s the beer? Night @AshChagla xo

AshChagla: @ShahirZag Night John Boy. x

ShahirZag: Who stole all the Gold chocolate pencils? Okay, okay it was me. Skipping dinner. :) #DesignAwards

AshChagla: @ShahirZag Big department. Hope you got one for all of us. But mainly me.

ShahirZag: Enough Gold chocolate pencils for every creative in Y&R Dubai. Going to eat the rest.

Update:

ShahirZag: 10 Gold chocolate Pencils. One Silver Pencil. Not a bad night. http://t.co/SljWz4J

Oh, what a night!

Two weeks ago we had a Wednesday night that could only be described as ‘epic’. And not just because of the copious amount of bubbly we consumed. It was Dubai Lynx night, when all of Middle East advertising gets dressed up and goes on stage to collect their shiny pieces of metal. And this year, Y&R Dubai pretty much rocked the stage.

It started off with a Print gold for our Harvey Nichols ‘Accessories Required’ campaign, and then it didn’t stop. Harvey Nics also picked up a Grand Prix in Print, a gold in Outdoor and a gold in Print & Outdoor Craft. We followed that up with a Grand Prix in Design for our ‘Splitting Headaches’ campaign for Paras Pharmaceuticals. The same campaign also picked up a silver Lynx in Outdoor.

But Harvey Nics & Paras weren’t the only clients that were happy that night, our work for Land Rover, LG, Colgate, KAFA, Al Noor and Home & Beyond also picked up their fair share of Lynxs, and at the end of the night our awards tally was 2 Grand Prix, 3 Golds, 6 Silvers and 11 Bronzes.

And when all the back slapping, glass clinking, cheering, hugging and in some cases crying (The Zoltan) was done, we won the biggest award of all - Agency of the Year 2011. Which was swiftly followed by Y&R being awarded MENA Network of the Year 2011 too. This of course led to more back slapping, hugging, crying, I love you’s (Matt), the inevitable popping of multiple corks and an after party that continued for the next 24 hours including breakfast, afternoon bubbly and an impromptu celebration on Menacom’s rooftop.

So yeah, pretty good start to 2011. Woot! Here’s to more Thursdays with sunglasses and Alka-Seltzer.

Y&R Dubai says KAFA to verbal abuse.

SLUT

BITCH

WHORE

Y&R DUBAI SHINES AT THE MENA CRISTALS

It’s been a wonderful start to the awards season for us with a rich haul of 5 Cristals at the first awards show of the year, the MENA Cristal Festival.

In Outdoor, we won a Cristal in the Beauty / Hygiene / Health category for the Stopache campaign for Paras Pharmaceuticals. In Magazine, we won a Cristal in the Service Activity category for the Full Life campaign for Neenah Papers and another Cristal in the Home / Clothing category for the Harvey Nichols campaign, Accessories Required.

The Harvey Nichols’ campaign also won the Magazine Grand Cristal as well as the Festival Grand Cristal, the ultimate award to be won at the MENA Cristal festival. And overall, Y&R Dubai came second in the UAE National Rankings!

Here’s looking forward to more metal in 2011.

ACCESSORIES REQUIRED

FULL LIFE

STOPACHE

Rare - Our Latest Land Rover Campaign

Bosavi Giant Wolly RatYakla Snow LotusGiant South African EarthwormElectric EelLuminous MillipedeSnow Mountain GarlicCoromandel Striped GeckoEcuadorian Hillstar

Ta Ta 2010!

A successful Movember at Y&R Dubai

Movember (the month formerly known as November) is a moustache growing charity event held during November each year that raises funds and awareness for Prostate Cancer.

Movember challenges men to change their appearance and the face of men’s health by growing a moustache. The rules are simple, start Movember 1st clean-shaven and then grow a moustache for the entire month. The moustache becomes the ribbon for men’s health, the means by which awareness and funds are raised for cancers that affect men.

Pictures by Umran Shaikh and Daniel Botezatu

Check our ‘Mos here: Y&R Movember

Check us out at the Movember site: Y&R Dubai Movember Page