FP7 and Almosafer take the spirit of Ramadan to an unexpected destination

Posted on 2019 May,29 | By ArabAd staff

How far does the true spirit of Ramadan travel? In Ramadan 2019, FP7 and Almosafer have taken Ramadan to a place where there has been no Ramadan. Because while Ramadan draws to an end, its spirit shouldn't.

The world today is more divided that it has ever been. Even in Ramadan, a time of year that encourages empathy, generosity, compassion and opening doors, people in the Middle East as well as around the world haven’t seized to put down their divides. It often remains a world of “us” vs “them”.

Almosafer, a leading omni-channel travel brand from Saudi Arabia, is sending a message during Ramadan, an unexpected message, yet one that carries the values and the true spirit of the holy month from the Middle East to the world, through the eyes of a child.

With travel known to broaden horizons and open minds, the film, released on YouTube, and across prime television (across the MBC network in the Middle East) and Almosafer social media channels, is created to inspire people to spread the Ramadan values of peace, inclusivity and giving, wherever they go and with whomever they meet.

Ramadan content in the Middle East tends to focus on the region itself. Through its content this year during Ramadan, Almosafer is breaking precedence among Middle Eastern brands. In adopting a fresh approach, the brand is sharing a story of a child travelling abroad, carrying the spirit of Ramadan to a place that has not experienced Ramadan, forging new cultural connections. The launch film shows the child bringing the magic and beauty of Ramadan to the world, just like Christmas ads do for brands during Christmas.

The film starts with the child planning her journey to meet someone very specific, setting off post Iftar (the breaking of the fast) at night, starting her Suhour (the opening of the fast pre-dawn) with a meal and dates on a flight, travelling across continents and finally, reaching her destination in a surprising reveal.

This film is also a great reminder of the everlasting spirit of Ramadan. A month of giving that should be extended all year long with all its values applied throughout the year, because Ramadan is supposed to teach us habits that we carry with us—like investing some time every day into religion and spirituality and generosity.

As such, Ramadan always brings with it a strong communal atmosphere and ties between the community are strengthened greatly as a result. Most Muslims are therefore very sad to see the month of Ramadan go and its return is highly anticipated well in advance of its arrival.

Therefore, acts of goodness and generosity should be perpetuated all year long, extended to all communities and not directed toward ‘our own’— the Muslim society— nor restrained to the holy month… This is the ultimate message of this beautiful film.

As a travel brand born in Saudi Arabia, Almosafer is opening up the opportunity of travel to bring cultures together. Just like travelling and broadening our horizons does.

Credits

Client: Almosafer

Agency: FP7 McCann Riyadh and FP7 McCann Dubai

Production House: Dejavu

Head of Brand - Almosafer: Mohamed Qanati

Executive Producer: Manasvi Gosalia

Director: Tahaab Rais

DOP: Bobby Dhillon

Cast: Thalia Shihab

Producer: Kavya Iyer

Creative Director: Ramzy Haddad

Creative Director, Copywriter, Art Director: Tahaab Rais