Almarai, a prominent dairy product player in the Arab world, is creating quite the buzz with its recent film on breastfeeding. In partnership with its agency Leo Burnett KSA, Almarai launched the campaign last month.
Within a week of launch, the film became the second most shared video in the world at almost 1.3 million shares. Almarai’s Facebook page became the fastest growing page in the world, garnering over 39,000 new fans a day. This made Almarai the third most popular FMCG brand on Facebook, right after Nestle and P&G with over 45 million views on social media.
“It was our strong partnership with Leo Burnett KSA that helped create an exceptionally committed and passionate team. We, at Almarai, were pleased with Leo Burnett KSA’s creative approach that treated the subject with great care and sensitivity, yet boldly challenged the status quo. We are looking forward to continuing the momentum of this movement through our ongoing collaborating with Leo Burnett KSA on new and innovative ways to improve the lives of infants and mothers in the region,” said Hussam Abdulqader, Head of Corporate Communications at Almarai.
The Sensitive Issue
There has been a growing trend amongst Saudi mothers to avoid breastfeeding their babies, and to seek out more convenient alternatives. This trend has been fuel by lack of accessible information to new mothers regarding the vast benefits of breastfeeding, as well as the fact that such a subject matter is considered extremely private and almost never discussed in a public forum.
In a bold move, Almarai decided to tackle this subject head on in the interest of educating young mothers on the importance of breastfeeding for the good health of their newborns.
The campaign elevated the subject of breastfeeding onto a national platform and inspired a movement focused on one single big idea: The best milk for your baby cannot be purchased.
Commenting on the campaign, Raja Trad, CEO of Publicis Communications ME, said, “The creation of this important national movement by Almarai in partnership with Leo Burnett KSA gives us all a deep sense of satisfaction. Embracing social responsibility under challenging circumstances brings out the best in people, and this campaign has unfolded a truly exceptional story in Saudi, with plenty more yet to come.”
The national campaign from Almarai in support of breastfeeding was launched with the release of an online film that captures the emotions of a new mother who desires the very best for her baby. The film explores all the emotions and aspirations that a newborn inspires within all mothers, and by tapping into these emotions, the film has been able to create conversations amongst its citizens at a national and public level.
“The hard work and collaborative effort put in by the team at Almarai and ourselves has resulted in a tremendous wave of support for breastfeeding in the country. Being part of something this big is humbling and energizing. I would like to thank Almarai for trusting us with their business,” said Georges Maktabi, Regional Managing Director of Leo Burnett KSA.
