High Five: Pakistan

Pakistan Super League or PSL is huge in cricket-crazy Pakistan. The challenge in 2021 was to keep the crazy enthusiasm going for the fans despite the sad realisation of not being able to attend their favourite sporting event in the stadiums because of Covid-19. ‘Groove Mera’ translates into 'My Groove', a new type of cricket anthem spearheaded by breakthrough young musicians to break the stereotypes while breaking the internet and capturing the attention of a country that consists of over 60% youth. People loved it, others hated it for breaking so many conventions, but it was impossible to ignore it. Crazy. Trippy. Lovely.

This is one of ours. Covid-19 hit Pakistan hard as people were forced to stop their everyday lives in their tracks and people were sick and tired of having their lives interrupted while waiting for the vaccine to become widely available. We created a brand known as KhairKhwah (well-wisher) to role-model positive behaviours for people in a positive and heartfelt manner, while dealing with the inconvenient reality of constantly distancing, mask-wearing and hand-washing. The KhairKhwah communications tested really well in research and was highly appreciated by the top government officials of Pakistan.

This one has very strong connection with the role that mothers play in building a strongly connected and bonded household / family, while remaining strong as a mountain. The commercial challenges traditional stereotypes on the role of women, role-modelling them as they lend their strength to their families, while building a credible connection to the brand equity of Amreli Steels. A really smart way to appeal to women who are key influencers in the decisions of purchasing steel for their housing by linking the strength of the brand with the inner strength of women, which is not always acknowledged.

A mainly digital commercial for an insect killer brand, which cleverly takes an off-centre approach to capture the attention of the audience in an otherwise crowded and boring category. Humorous and outrageous, yet linked to the brand in a clever way. Kudos to the team, enough said.

The busy routine pre-pandemic had created physical distances between people within households and the community. People were mostly relying on the technology to stay connected. However, the pandemic gave the families and communities a chance to bond better and stronger, with frequent yet safe interactions. This is what Walls Ice Cream captured beautifully, and highlighted the importance of community living, staying close to each other and being together.