Abaad Resource Center For Gender Equality: #Undress522

Credits & Description:

Title: #Undress522
Agency: Leo Burnett Beirut
Brand: Abaad Resource Center For Gender Equality
Country: Lebanon
Entrant Company: Leo Burnett Beirut
Advertising Agency: Leo Burnett Beirut
Pr Agency: Leo Burnett Beirut
Chief Creative Officer: Bechara Mouzannar (Leo Burnett Beirut)
Regional Executive Creative Director: Malek Ghorayeb (Leo Burnett Beirut)
Managing Director: Nada Abi Saleh (Leo Burnett Beirut)
Creative Director: Rana Khoury (Leo Burnett Beirut)
Digital Planner: Joe Abi Mansour (Leo Burnett Beirut)
Senior Pr Executive: Diaa Al Jurdi (Msl/Leo Burnett Beirut)
Pr Managing Director: Jo Chemali (Msl/Leo Burnett Beirut)
Creative Director: Rana Najjar (Leo Burnett Beirut)
Communication Supervisor: May Chaker (Leo Burnett Beirut)
Communication Manager: Nour Jurdi (Leo Burnett Beirut)
Junior Art Director: Nour Abou Jaoude (Leo Burnett Beirut)
Senior Art Director: Wassim Olabi (Leo Burnett Beirut)
Pr Executive: Maia Sahyoun (Msl/Leo Burnett Beirut)
Digital Executive: Orson Baz (Leo Burnett Beirut)
Regional Digital Director: Philippe Araman (Leo Burnett Beirut)
Synopsis:
Lebanon is one of only 10 countries in the world that allows a rapist to be exonerated if he marries his victim, under Article 522 of the Lebanese Penal Code. Only 1% of the population was aware of the law’s existence (data shared from client’s statistics), even though it remained in practice. Our objective was to raise awareness on this law and put pressure on Parliament to abolish it.
Execution:
We launched the campaign with a bride in her 522 Dress, asking people to Undress 522 on national OOH networks. We then released a film online and on TV, creating a passionate discussion. Our campaign pushed the Parliamentary Committee to meet and discuss Article 522 the following month. Capitalizing on this occasion, we were outside Parliament with a protest led by 13 rape victims, wearing Dress 522 and creating an iconic image that was shared worldwide.Sensing the emotional response, we created a direct outlet for people’s demands with an online/offline petition.Our pressure pushed the committee to draft an amendment of the law. We continued this pressure with an artistic installation by a famous Lebanese artist, with 31 hanged dresses.Our efforts see the light of day as the Committee unanimously votes to abolish Article 522 and forces Parliament to ratify the change.
Strategy:
Our audience was primarily the Lebanese public, including public figures, influencers and people at large -- anyone who can mount pressure on Parliament. Our secondary target was Parliament who has to abolish the law.Our creative idea: A white dress doesn’t cover the rape #Undress522 We created a number of touch points to bring the law’s atrocities to people’s attention through the central campaign idea of a white dress made of gauze, creating the 522 dress: a film that dropped the mask of this law and introduced it to the public, a jarring OOH visual that appeared in every major city and rural town in the country, an on-ground movement that stirred opinions worldwide, and an online/offline petition that gave people a voice.
Campaign Description:
A white dress does not cover the rape - #Undress522The symbol we chose as the central point of our campaign was the white dress made of gauze. White is a representation of purity and virtue - a woman who is forced to marry her rapist under Article 522 wears a wedding dress like any other woman, but her white is impure. It is made of gauze to magnify its impurity. By dressing her in a white dress, there is an attempt to wash away the crime. We are proclaiming that what happens after the rape is still a rape, even if is covered in a white dress, and our rallying call is to Undress 522.
Outcome:
JUDICIARY-Parliamentary committee voted for Article 522’s abolition from Lebanese Penal Code.-Law amendments require a social worker to perform 6-months checks on marriages involving minors. SOCIAL IMPACT & REGIONAL SPILLOVER-Prominent politicians tweeted their support.-Media anchor Pierette Katrib calls to Undress 522 on Dancing with the Stars.-A Tripoli band released a song in protest of 52
sampling the TVC soundtrack.-Singer Mike Massy collaborated with Abaad to create a song in tribute to the victims of article 522. -Tunisia, where a similar law exists, adopted our campaign and hashtag. 3 days later, the law was abolished.VIEWS & ENGAGEMENT-7.5 Million+ views-52K+ shares-21K+ signatures-230+ publications and TV channels in 100+ countries-$9.5 Million earned media value (Online earned media calculated based on $2.8 CPM)-2.8 Billion media impressions (Based on visits/publication/week)
Relevancy:
Through a film, PR stunt, OOH, and an online activation, we brought the country’s attention to a law that allows rapists to be exonerated from their crime if they marry their victims. Before this ecosystem was created, only 1% of the country was aware of this law’s existence. The movement that was created as a result of the campaign led to the abolishment of the law by a Judiciary Committee.