Throughout our history, we have given birth to inventions and creations with good intent. But their impact on our lives and on our world comes down to how people make use of them. The same goes for the internet. From bad news being shared to online hate, from cyberbullying to online shaming and from fake news to trolling, the internet can be an unhappy place, because of the way we make use of it.
With Ramadan a time for introspection, thoughtfulness and reflection, global telecommunications brand Ooredoo wanted to celebrate the Holy Month by encouraging online kindness and positivity. Yet the company hasn’t launched another promotional Ramadan campaign, or a typical Ramadan music video, or a standard goodness campaign.
Instead, in aiming to inspire and connect with the younger generation in particular, Ooredoo has shared its message using a format that no brands have attempted to use before during Ramadan.
Through a beautifully crafted animated film that has rolled out across the Middle East, South East Asia and North Africa, Ooredoo tells a story that’s based on the premise that the Internet is literally what we make of it.
The film delves into how the internet is a reflection of society and how in many ways it’s like a child. Our child. One that is moulded and shaped by internet users- for better or for worse.
The film highlights, through subtexts, that the problem is that we don’t treat the Internet with the same care that we would treat a child. We’re far more callous and far more negligent. And it then shows the result is an Internet with a lot more issues than it would have had with a loving upbringing… a loving village.
Ending on a hopeful note, respectful to Ramadan, the film shares that luckily, in “Internet years”, the Internet is still young. Therefore there’s still time to save it. There's hope that the ever-growing online community can still work together for a safer, more positive digital world, encouraging people to "make the Internet happy again". And what better time to start than Ramadan?
The campaign highlights the Holy Month as the ideal time to examine the impact online interactions can have on us all, and the ideal time to start changing behaviours.
Beyond the film, across channels during Ramadan, Ooredoo is continuing to inspire the younger generation and supporting the film's main message through short videos that convey the same idea that we can still give the Internet a better future, and it is our collective responsibility to make the internet a better place and use it diligently, calling out negative behaviour online and using this valuable instrument to support each other and important causes.
Credits:
Brand – Ooredoo
Agency – FP7 McCann Doha
Production House: Digital District Paris
Fabio Bellicanta: Senior Director - Brand & Media, Ooredoo Group
Mohamed Bourai: Consultant, Ooredoo Group
Christopher Sadana: Director - Media Agency Performance, Ooredoo Group
Lara-Lynn Schmallenberg: Senior Manager - Brand, Ooredoo Group
Huda Barakat: Consultant, Ooredoo Group
Gareth Paul: Executive Creative Director
David Schild: Creative Director
Tahaab Rais: Creative Strategy
Osama Elsayyad: Managing Director
Kyle Light: Designer
Mario Atallah: Agency Producer
