The One Show
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Category
Best of Print & Promotional
Annual ID
OS23_PT000G
About the Work
Lebanon, pushed past the brink of collapse, was suffering from a historically high inflation that had thrown 75% of its population under the poverty line. Necessities such as food, petrol, medicine and even ink and paper grew scarcer every day. Lebanon’s predicament is largely attributed to a political class that has dominated parliamentary elections since the 1990s. A nation in pain hung on to the frail hope that the upcoming election would bring critical stability and pave the way towards real change.
However, in an outrageous and blatant attempt to obstruct the election, officials complained that shortages of paper and ink needed to print ballots, could cancel the upcoming elections.
So An-Nahar, for the first time in its 88 years of existence, did not print its daily edition. Instead, on February 2nd, trucks delivered the days’ entire supply of paper and ink to the government’s printing associate, to secure the printing of voting ballots. With this move, An-Nahar would send the Lebanese government a powerful message, that none of their excuses would take away the decisive election. Lebanese people walked to the newsstands that day to find empty racks displaying a single message: "The ink and paper intended for today’s edition has been sent towards the printing of voting ballots for the 2022 election." A QR code directed people to the online version of the newspaper, which explained the cause behind the issue that never went to print.
The non-existent edition went viral with people supporting the movement on social media and taking part in their own way to safeguard the election. The campaign was heavily covered locally by political shows, top broadcast channels and competing newspapers. Even election candidates joined in, offering support for the movement. The online edition that day became the highest-read in AnNahar's history.
Enough paper and ink was donated from this movement to print ballots for the entire voting population of Lebanon.
The government did not mention ink and paper shortage once after our campaign launched. The movement resulting from this added to the growing pressure that ensured the elections taking place on time in May, ushering in a new set of reformist candidates.
However, in an outrageous and blatant attempt to obstruct the election, officials complained that shortages of paper and ink needed to print ballots, could cancel the upcoming elections.
So An-Nahar, for the first time in its 88 years of existence, did not print its daily edition. Instead, on February 2nd, trucks delivered the days’ entire supply of paper and ink to the government’s printing associate, to secure the printing of voting ballots. With this move, An-Nahar would send the Lebanese government a powerful message, that none of their excuses would take away the decisive election. Lebanese people walked to the newsstands that day to find empty racks displaying a single message: "The ink and paper intended for today’s edition has been sent towards the printing of voting ballots for the 2022 election." A QR code directed people to the online version of the newspaper, which explained the cause behind the issue that never went to print.
The non-existent edition went viral with people supporting the movement on social media and taking part in their own way to safeguard the election. The campaign was heavily covered locally by political shows, top broadcast channels and competing newspapers. Even election candidates joined in, offering support for the movement. The online edition that day became the highest-read in AnNahar's history.
Enough paper and ink was donated from this movement to print ballots for the entire voting population of Lebanon.
The government did not mention ink and paper shortage once after our campaign launched. The movement resulting from this added to the growing pressure that ensured the elections taking place on time in May, ushering in a new set of reformist candidates.
2023 Awards
Total Points: 90
Best of Discipline Pencil
Credits
Agency
Impact BBDO / Dubai
Impact BBDO / Beirut
Production Company
DejaVu / Dubai
Art Director
Jithesh Narayanan
Copywriter
Jarrad Pitts
Maher Dahdouh
Chief Creative Officer
Ali Rez
Creative Director
Yasmina Boustani
Executive Creative Director
Joe Abou Khaled
Marie Claire Maalouf
Strategist
Estelle Khayat
Ana Julia de Oliviera
Account Executive
Sophia Waheed
Videographer
Charly Hatem
Business Unit Director
Jad El Rabahi
CEO & Chairman
Dani Richa
Managing director
Emile Tabanji
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