Y&R Group MENA left the 2016 Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity with 5 prestigious Lions – one Gold, 3 Silver and one Bronze, plus 8 shortlists. The Gold Lion was won by Classic Partnership Dubai, part of Y&R Group MENA, in the Pharma category, for its Aster Healthcare client, with the Nazar Initiative. The work also bagged a Silver Lion in the Pharma category. The wins marked the first time Classic Partnership has scored metal at Cannes Lions. Y&R Dubai took home two Silvers – in Design and Mobile for Be Seen and Traffic Gaaye campaigns respectively – and a bronze in Outdoor for the Be Seen campaign.
The Nazar Initiative was established to educate Dubai’s South Asian construction workers on the importance of eye care. The biggest challenge was to develop a version of the “Snellen Eye Chart” that could be implemented effectively across an uneducated workforce. Classic Partnership devised an eye chart that was technically accurate and worked just as efficiently as the traditional eye chart, utilising icons of construction equipment – hammer, drill, nails etc – in place of the traditional letters. Aster Healthcare rolled out a series of activities to check the workers’ eye condition, and free glasses were distributed to all of those with a condition.
The Group’s 8 shortlists were made across Design, Direct, Outdoor, Promo & Activation and Print & Publishing categories, for 6 separate campaigns. Y&R Amman succeeded in gaining 2 campaigns shortlisted in Print & Publishing category, racking up another “first” for the Y&R Group MENA at Cannes this year.
Ramzy Abou Ezzeddine, Y&R Group MENA CEO stated “We have been relentless in our pursuit of excellence and we will keep on pushing. The wins demonstrate how consistent the agency is and I am absolutely thrilled that Classic Partnership Dubai landed their first Lions this year, and in such style, with a Gold and Silver for Aster Healthcare. It is thanks to a strong client partnership and tremendous collaboration that they achieved these results.”
