Middle East

National Bank of Pakistan offers farmers easier access to loans

Published by Khurram Hussain - Lahore on May 3, 2012 in Middle East. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

An earlier blog post showcased Pakistan’s Fatima Fertilizers for understanding the anxieties faced by farmers and offering a solution. This time around, National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) is working toward eradicating one of the biggest drivers of anxiety among farmers here: getting enough money to sow their crops. They generally have to rely on local lenders, known for their unethical practices and unfair terms, and with little
negotiation power, farmers are forced to go along.

NBP’s “Kissan Dost” (Farmer Friend Agriculture Program) offers a solution by providing lower interest rates than local lenders, with gold as collateral. This eliminates the ills of informal borrowing, such as delayed loan distribution and high interest rates. To illustrate this offering, a testimonial spot shows two farmers, one of whom needs to secure funds. The topic of approaching a local lender comes up, and both appear well aware of the trouble surrounding this approach (“If you are talking about that local village lender, then forget it. I ain’t going to be friends with him, he will be at my door the day after he issues me the loan for his payments,” says the farmer seeking a loan). The other farmer clarifies that he’s referring to the “Kissan Dost” program, which helped him out for last year’s harvest with a cash loan and relaxed repayments. The spot then details the benefits of working with NBP over a local lender.

With most farmers only remotely familiar with formal banking and having limited interaction with the institution—typically to pay utility bills—this NBP program can serve as a great first move to capture a huge market amid the throat-cutting competition in this category.

Crying babies position Philips Avent as a brand that helps ease parental stress

Published by Yoram Dembinsky and Yael Dauber - Tel Aviv on May 2, 2012 in Middle East. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

As wonderful as it is, being a new parent certainly comes with major challenges. One of the most anxiety-producing is coping with a tired, cranky, continuously crying baby who’s refusing to fall asleep. Philips Avent, a manufacturer of baby products, is tackling this with a commercial that features tips from real moms on how to coax a baby to sleep. For instance, Jeanine’s tip for Kian is to produce a hair dryer noise, Sophia’s tip for Maya is to use a gentle bottom pat, and Hiroe’s tip for Saya is to have staring contest. All these examples have one thing in common: They work, at least with these babies, making it easier for mothers to care for their child day-to-day and reducing their level of stress, tension and frustration.

Although there’s no product placement, we perceive Philips Avent, through the video, as a brand that aims to make daily life as a parent easier. To strengthen this concept, parents are encouraged to visit the brand’s Facebook page for more tips and other helpful discussions.

Photo Credit: youtube.com/philips

Zain assures Kuwaitis that they need not fear their phone bill

Published by Anes Alrayes - Kuwait City on April 12, 2012 in Middle East. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , .

In Kuwait you hear people complain about huge unexpected phone bills almost every day, saying things like “They’re ripping us off,” “I hardly used my phone,” and “They are all crooks.” Zain, the leading telecom company here, was being blamed and attacked viciously on the Internet for these reasons. The problem was that customers could not easily access a detailed summary of their usage.

By understanding the problem, Zain had half the solution. The company enabled its customers to get a detailed bill online with ease. JWT then built on the insight that it’s a nightmare to get surprised by unanticipated charges, creating a TV spot that revolves around a man checking out of a hotel who’s being charged for everything you can think of, from using the room’s towels to riding the elevator.

The commercial has helped to calm the nerves of Zain users and also brought to light how transparent the company’s policies are.

Audi’s quattro Action Team rescues drivers stuck in the Bulgarian snow

Published by Yoram Dembinsky and Yael Dauber - Tel Aviv on March 26, 2012 in Middle East. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

Snowy climates present a lot of potential fears and anxieties for drivers, including getting stuck in a snowy spot. Audi claims that its quattro system uses “continuously synchronized four-wheel drive” to provide unique stability that can get cars out of such situations. In Bulgaria, the automaker took advantage of a particularly difficult and snowy winter to sell consumers on the technology by presenting the product idea in an innovative way: They created an Audi quattro Action Team whose purpose, like the vehicle itself, was to help drivers stuck in the snow.

Over three days, the four-man team pushed and shoved 141 stuck cars, resulting in 141 grateful drivers and 141 Audi quattro ambassadors, as the brand says in this video. The campaign potentially increased awareness of the brand’s technology and an understanding of how it addresses a driver’s fear of getting stuck. The campaign allowed Audi to demonstrate that it’s not detached from drivers’ needs, and on the contrary is focused on solving their problems by providing appropriate solutions. It does so by approaching drivers directly, adding a human touch to the message that Audi is reliable and there to help in times of need.

Zain connects Kuwait to what truly matters

Published by Anes Alrayes - Kuwait City on March 20, 2012 in Middle East. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , .

The last parliament in Kuwait was one of the most controversial in the country’s history. Peaceful demonstrations against both the parliament and the government led the Amir of Kuwait to dissolve both and order new elections within the next 12 weeks. And for 12 weeks all of Kuwait was talking about whom they would vote for. Most were pessimistic after the last parliament gave them false hope. Kuwaitis had lost faith in the future of Kuwait.

With the help of JWT Kuwait, market-leading telecom provider Zain launched a flash mob in the country’s largest mall the day after the vote, with the dancers singing national songs. The feedback was overwhelming—in about a month, the video racked up 2.3 million views in a country with a population just under 3 million—not only because it was the first flash mob here but because it reminded people of what Kuwait means to everyone.

How mobile operator Tunisiana tuned in to Tunisia’s anxious optimism

Published by Hazem Kaddour - Khadra on March 8, 2012 in Middle East. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , .

The Arab Spring got started last January after Tunisians ousted Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, their president and dictator. But 24 hours after he flew away, much of the hope generated by the popular uprising started turning into fear. The social instability, the strikes, the uncertain economic situation made Tunisians very anxious—you might say they were anxiously optimistic.

The authorities imposed a curfew in response to rumors of robberies and other crimes, and people became obsessed with staying in contact with relatives so they could be assured of their safety. Since many retailers closed down, Tunisiana, the leading mobile operator, decided to credit each of its 6.5 million subscribers (most of whom are prepaid) the equivalent of 65 cents per day during the curfew. This move was very well received, a note of solidarity that reinforced the brand as the closest to people in Tunisia.

This move was also the reason why a month later, Tunisiana was one of the first brands able to go back to advertising (initially on outdoor and radio ads), the first to give a point of view on what the country was going through. Created by JWT Tunis, it was a simple message, anchored in the brand values: The future can only be bright. This commercial, celebrating the new birth of Tunisia, launched a little over a year ago. A Facebook app invited people to send optimistic messages to their friends in the future, and the number of messages sent was shown on the app as an optimism meter.

The campaign was one of the year’s most remembered, and the slogan “Belmosta9bel metfelin” became a popular expression to express optimism. The brand said just what people needed to hear, to believe again in their future.

Wissotzky positions green tea as a tool to fight aging

Published by Yoram Dembinsky and Yael Dauber - Tel Aviv on December 20, 2011 in Middle East. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .

Everyone wants to look younger. And we all fear appearing worn out, unhealthy and, worst of all, older than we actually are. In Israel, the Wissotzky tea brand is linking the health benefits of green tea with a beauty benefit as well—a way to help look younger and healthier.

The campaign started with two teasers, each showing a man and a woman in their mid-late 30s asking viewers, “How old do you think I am?” They requested that viewers send SMS messages guessing their ages. Two weeks later, commercials aired in which the actors each read one or two of the guesses and revealed their true ages, and viewers discovered that the advertisement was, of all things, about green tea. The man (a cyclist) and the woman (who jogs) are both shown enjoying the tea as part of their active lifestyles. The woman tells viewers that while it’s said that youthful looks are genetic, she feels that green tea is working for her; the spot also explains that green tea’s antioxidants protects the body from within.

Wissotzky is changing perceptions of tea as a soothing drink for the ill or the elderly, placing its green tea brand into the wellness category. And this campaign positions the drink not just as a way to stay well but as a good idea for anyone a little anxious about losing their youthful looks and sex appeal.

AnxietyIndex: August poll finds Pakistan among most anxious nations

Published by Noaman Asar - Karachi on October 14, 2011 in Middle East. 0 Comments Tags: , .

For JWT’s latest AnxietyIndex survey, we launched a baseline study in Pakistan, polling 590 adults aged 18-plus across socioeconomic classes. We found that Pakistan is among the most anxious countries we have studied, with 89 percent reporting that they are nervous or anxious, just a few points behind Japan, which ranks as the most anxious market. Anxiety is being driven primarily by economic concerns. On a micro level, this translates to anxiety around the basics of getting by: employment, and food and gasoline prices.

Given the level of anxiety, it’s not surprising that few Pakistanis are optimistic about the future. Approximately half of all respondents feel that factors that affect them every day—such as the cost of basic necessities—will deteriorate over the next six months. And when asked when the overall state of the economy might improve, few can foresee things improving soon, with 77 percent saying they have no idea when the economy will get better.

Over the past decade, Pakistan has faced severe issues related to law and order. The nation is perceived as a risky venture, so the flow of investment is low. Pakistan is also one of the few economies where the U.S. dollar has gained versus the local currency, so the cost of importing fuel has increased tremendously. This has directly impacted inflation, resulting in a higher cost of living generally and higher costs for health care.

Click here to download the full report.

Fatima Fertilizer empathizes with Pakistani farmers affected by floods

Published by Khurram Hussain - Lahore on March 3, 2011 in Middle East. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

Last year Pakistan was hit with the worst flood in its existence. So in its launch TV commercial, Fatima Fertilizer empathizes with the Pakistani farmer—suffering not only from the floods but from the financial crisis—and conveys that the brand understands his anxieties.

“It’s not easy to be a farmer,” says the voiceover as we see a farmer digging his hand into soil. “One has to make all the right decisions, sometimes one is up against fate and then sometimes against the forces of nature.” The brand is positioned as helping to make the farmer’s life a bit easier.

To break through in a highly monopolized market, the brand is betting that farmers will connect with a company that understands and respects their life and the challenges they take on amid a recession and extreme weather.

With HIV tests broadcast live, Israel brings AIDS testing into the open

Published by Romy Gakh - Tel Aviv on February 23, 2011 in Middle East. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

Despite the prevalence of HIV/AIDS around the globe, HIV testing remains a somewhat taboo topic, even if many people may be anxious to know their status. On World AIDS Day last December, Israeli radio stations addressed this issue head on by turning what’s generally a very private concern into a public one. As part of the “Everyone is being checked” project, commissioned by the anti-AIDS committee, leading radio broadcasters on all stations committed to getting HIV tests live on-air at their stations. Then, for an anxiety-ridden 30 minutes, they waited for the results, which were announced on air (all were negative).

The campaign succeeded in sparking conversations about the importance of getting tested. It received a lot of coverage, appearing on the evening news, and turned out to be the day’s talk on Twitter and Facebook. The live radio broadcasts gave people permission to begin talking about the need to get tested and to confront their anxiety around the test. Brands that want to jump-start conversations around a difficult or taboo issue can learn from this example of a real-time, “reality” initiative that put the topic on the day’s agenda nationwide.

Photo Credit: Jayel Aheram