How Tide Brightened Lebanon’s Dark Streets
In October 2021, Lebanon began experiencing power cuts. From that point onwards, electricity shortages, water outages and a nationwide crisis have impacted the people of the nation. In an effort to brighten the dark streets of the country, laundry detergent manufacturer Tide took it upon itself to spread light.
The latest campaign from the brand saw bright white shirts adorn billboards in the darkest neighbourhoods and streets of the capital city of Beirut, where pedestrians and small shops may have felt the effects of low to no light surrounding them. Boosting the brightness of billboards by 15%, the bright white power of Tide was able to cut through to make life a little easier for people walking the streets.
Leo Burnett Lebanon’s creative director Manal Naji and associate creative director Charbel Abou Jreich speak to LBB’s Nisna Mahtani about choosing the right image, working to make it as bright as possible and why Tide made a stance against the system.
LBB> What was the starting point of this bright idea?
Manal> Tide has been in the region, through the good and the bad, for over 65 years. Its values begin with brightening the everyday. Making people’s days brighter, leaving room for joy in even the smallest of places. But what happens when all the people of Lebanon have known is darkness? How can Tide, as a brand, be there for others, show solidarity and still abide by its own values?
LBB> Why was it important to light the streets of Lebanon during this challenging time?
Manal> Where there is light, there is life. We wanted to bring life back to a city that has suffered a lot. Even though it was a small gesture, we are hopeful that it will go a long way in making someone’s day, and night, a bit brighter.
LBB> How did you choose an image to be showcased on the billboards?
Manal> We opted for using an extreme close-up image of a collared bright white shirt to communicate Tide's superior cleaning. We insisted on having an overall simple art direction using white as the dominant colour on LED screens in order to illuminate the streets with the maximum brightness possible. So, if you compare our billboards to the regular ones, you’ll see the difference in the light emerging from a full white visual versus a busy coloured visual.
LBB> In terms of the location of each billboard, what was the strategy behind where they were placed?
Charbel> We covered 28 streets overall. Our strategy was simple: going in the streets and finding the darkest and busiest areas in Beirut, covering key intersections with high traffic, streets that usually attract pedestrians, as well as neighbourhoods with small shops.
LBB> What was the process of creating such a bright image and did you face any challenges in bringing it to life?
Charbel> With a full white bright visual image, we needed a push from the actual luminosity of the billboards. Therefore, we teamed up with a media agency to boost brightness by 15% for our Tide billboards, lighting up at 7 pm each evening, providing a constant source of light for the surrounding streets.
LBB> How long is the campaign running for and how long did it take to create?
Charbel> The campaign ran for two weeks, and it took a couple of weeks of preparation, mainly to find the right locations that could benefit from the initiative.
LBB> Why was Tide keen to make a statement and how does it reflect the brand’s vision?
Charbel> Part of being youthful and cheeky is rebelliousness. It is rebellious to find light in dark situations, to find joy in the little things, and to stay youthful even when others are forcing you to ‘grow up’. It is also rebellious to be against a system that is stripping the light away from its people. This is an act of pure defiance against the status quo and an act of kindness towards its people.
LBB> How have the people of Lebanon reacted to the campaign?
Manal> We were expecting some sort of backlash to the campaign for Tide’s stance against the system. However, we were pleasantly surprised by the great feedback we received. Magazines have started talking about our campaign, criticising the system that has failed them and obscured the hope left in the country. People felt safer being on the streets. Tide’s ‘Brightening Billboards’ have behaved like a glimmering beacon of hope, illuminating the streets as well as the hearts of the people in need. Regardless of the limitations that we had, as a laundry care brand, we still managed to find a way to inspire positive change and show others that no matter where you are in life, an act of kindness could go a long way.
LBB> Would you like to share anything else?
Charbel> The first step is always the hardest, and someone has to do it. We hope that Tide’s Brightening Billboards have made enough impact to ignite the spark inside people’s hearts. May they find the light again in the darkest places, and have hope for a better Lebanon, despite all the failures.
