Finding love in the modern world can be a real roller coaster, especially in the dynamic landscapes of the Middle East, where the word “dating” has long been considered a taboo and there has been a longstanding dating app ban.
‿ and us agency and BlackBox Studio have managed to capture the wild journey of dating perfectly in #GetCloserToLove, their new campaign for Closeup, the popular toothpaste brand.
At the heart of the campaign, four social films, featuring vibrant illustrations by Lucas Sales and immersive sound production by Vox Haus, which dive deep into the challenges faced by singles in both the UAE and KSA — offering local, relatable narratives infused with a slice of humor and an inspiring message.
Expats in the UAE know the struggle of navigating a transient population and skewed gender ratios when it comes to dating all too well. In fact, only 50% of Tinder users manage to secure one face-to-face encounter, despite accumulating hundreds of matches.
The campaign's two films follow the journey of a single man and a single woman respectively, as they persevere through the seemingly neverending hurdles of dating apps, from rejections to ghosting. But after all the drama just to secure one date, the refreshing takeaway resonates: make it count with Closeup.
"Finding love today is easier than ever, thanks to continuous tech advancements — but securing that actual meetup is harder than ever," says Fadi Yaish, CEO and CCO at ‿ and us.
Through just a few water cooler conversations, we witnessed first-hand the difficulties faced by singles here. That first romantic encounter has never been more important. And what tops the list of first-date turn-offs? Bad breath. So we wanted Closeup to reassure singles that after all the hurdles to secure the face-to-face meet up, they can rely on us to instill the confidence and freshness they need to make it count and get closer to love.”
Credits
Agency: ‿ and us
Client: Closeup, Unilever
CEO and CCO: Fadi Yaish
Creative Director: Saymon Medeiros
Associate Creative Director: Rob Hall
Senior Art Director: Arthur Melo
Brand Director: Lama Halimeh
Production House: BlackBox
Producer: Serra Chehade
Motion Graphic and Editor: Kaue Akimoto
Illustration: Lucas Sales
Audio Production: Vox Haus
