Local agency’s groundbreaking win demonstrates the power of creativity with a purpose

VMLY&R Amman has achieved a new milestone for the local advertising industry, winning a coveted Bronze Lion in the ‘Design Lions’ category at the 2021 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity for its heartrending campaign for Save the Children, The Last Possessions.

The award-winning campaign was a collaborative effort between VMLY&R Amman and the agency’s regional partners at VMLY&R Dubai, and takes an impassioned look at the impact of war and displacement on young refugee children. Explaining how the concept came to fruition, VMLY&R Amman’s Creative Director Emad Khayyat said, “The Regional Chief Creative Officer for VMLY&R MENA, Kalpesh Patankar, approached our team here in Jordan with this very powerful idea to highlight the heartbreaking struggles of Syrian refugee children. Working together and building on his initial concept, we decided to take a closer look at the last items these children grabbed before fleeing their homes—because when you have only moments to prepare, you’re going to take whatever mean the most to you. And 10 years into the Syrian crisis, many of these children continue to hold tightly to these prized possessions—not because of their material value, but because of what they mean to them emotionally, and what they represent.”

Immediately, the VMLY&R Amman team jumped into action and began working to implement the idea on the ground. Overcoming the enormous hurdles posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the agency’s creative team managed to visit the Za’atari Refugee Camp in the north of Jordan, meet with dozens of refugee children, and shoot footage for the campaign, which they developed into a powerful and emotionally resonant book, along with a series of accompanying videos.

The agency then approached Save the Children and presented them with the concept, which the non-profit organization was eager to implement as part of its tireless global efforts to keep children protected, healthy, nourished, and educated. To enhance the impact of the campaign, VMLY&R Amman created a microsite for The Last Possessions, with the goal of both raising awareness for the plight of young refugees—especially at a time when the pandemic had shifted the global focus away from this ongoing crisis—and encouraging direct donations to Save the Children.

Save the Children Jordan CEO Diala Al Khamra said, “Working with VMLY&R on this campaign has been an absolute pleasure. We deeply appreciate their creativity and proactive support in highlighting the powerful stories of refugee children—not only those here in Jordan, but throughout the region and across the globe. By placing these children at the heart of their work, VMLY&R shares the same vision of our organization, and we are delighted that The Last Possessions has been recognized on such a massive international scale.”

Launched on the eve of the 10^th anniversary of the Syrian crisis, The Last Possessions touched the hearts of people across the globe: donations to Save the Children increased substantially, and microsite visitors in dozens of countries downloaded copies of the e-book. Locally, the launch of the campaign was supported by media outlets like Amman TV, which hosted a special segment on the book and its message.

Now, with the campaign winning a coveted Bronze Lion in the highly competitive ‘Design Lions’ category, VMLY&R is further demonstrating the power of using creativity as a vehicle for good. Commenting on the agency’s latest achievement—a first for advertising agencies in Jordan—VMLY&R Amman’s Managing Director, Ivan Milovanovic, said, “It is truly extraordinary to achieve this kind of recognition for our team’s hard work, and to receive an award that represents the pinnacle of creative achievement in our industry. It is even more fulfilling to be able to gain this recognition for such an impactful campaign, and for such an important cause. I would like to thank our entire team, both locally and regionally, for putting so much effort and heart into this project, and I would like to thank Save the Children for allowing us to support the very meaningful work they do.”

VMLY&R Amman operates under the umbrella of MENACOM Jordan, the Kingdom’s largest communications conglomerate. In addition to VMLY&R, MENACOM Jordan comprises five other fully integrated agencies: advertising agency Intermarkets, marketing and digital agency Wunderman, public relations firm Asda’a BCW, media and content specialists Wavemaker, and retail marketing firm Interface.