Advertising is a tortuous task – get it wrong (which most brands do) and your ad is either forgotten or, even worse, hated. Consumers will turn over as soon as they view the ad or hear the copy. But when a brand gets it right, the content becomes engaging, entertaining and even iconic. Think Fairy, Hamlet or Heineken.
Unlike in the U.K., brands in the Middle East are loathe to do things differently. The Kuwait-based telco Zain is different however. They’re often looking at pushing the envelope in terms of both creativity and message.
My wife stumbled across a couple of ads run by Zain this Ramadan. Named "We Know You Well," these ads, which are purely aimed at promoting the brand, are a fun poke at the younger generation of Kuwaitis and how, despite their lifestyle changes, they still revert to their old selves. If you know any Gulf Arabs, especially Kuwaitis, Saudis or Bahrainis, ask them to explain the particulars to you.
The message in the second video is easier to understand, but the nuances and details, from the accents to the music and the voice-over text are uniquely understandable to anyone who knows Kuwait. The title of the ads also plays on the telco’s own name (Zain means well or good in Arabic).
They are simple, the message is clear, and the content is not only engaging but entertaining (both thanks to the voice-over as well as the acting). The characters are believable as well. All in all, they’re a powerful piece of content which consumers can not only understand but enjoy.
For an added extra, Zain also released a behind-the-scenes video on social media.
If you want to be bold, then look no further than Zain Kuwait and how the telco does advertising. You are truly Zain my friends…
Enjoy our weekly installment from Alex of Arabia, a blog featuring commentary on the media and marketing industry in the Middle East. Read former posts here .