'The Sound of Shisha' is a new a campaign created by TBWARaad in Beirut for the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC), to raise awareness on the life-threatening repercussions of smoking shisha but also to entice shisha smokers to quit this dangerous habit.
The shisha also referred to as narguile, and known as a hookah or hubbly bubbly in western countries, is a water pipe for smoking flavored tobacco. Smoking shisha is a leisurely, sociable activity that has been part of life and culture in the Middle East for centuries. Shisha gatherings are among the most popular, having become a social routine that can last for hours.
Often perceived as less harmful than smoking cigarettes, the new campaign wanted to show that nothing could be further from this truth, as the damages caused are far worse.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the smoke that emerges from a water pipe contains several toxins known to cause lung cancer, heart disease and other diseases. In addition, the charcoal burned in the pipes often produces its own toxins, including high levels of carbon monoxide and cancer-causing chemicals.
Therefore, the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC) felt it had to send a message that would make smokers put down their shishas once and for all. The approach it had taken through a social experiment was unusual, and left the shisha smokers in awe, once they were told what was going on and around.
The film has garnered around a million organic views since it was launched on the Facebook page of AUBMC, a sound proof of the relevance of this campaign for the Lebanese public as well as its impact on viewers. So far, smoking shisha hasn't been taken seriously in Lebanon; on the contrary Lebanese people has taken it to a whole new level where it became more of a fashion statement and a hip trend. However, if we look at the numerous comments in relation to the video, we are allowed to think that things are about to change...
Credits:
Agency: TBWARAAD
Client: AUBMC
Chief Creative Officer: Walid Kanaan
Regional Creative Director: Krix Berberian
Art Director/ACD: Oswaldo Sá
Junior Art Director: Tracy El Houeiss
Production House: G. Nahhas Films
Director: Elie Kamal
