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Making orange evergreen. Originally founded by Henkel in the 1970s, Creme 21 was later acquired in 2003 by Antje J Willems Stickel, which was then acquired by Emami in 2019. AHA secured the global mandate for the brand, with an initial focus on making it appealing to Emirati and Arab women in the GCC region. Go Back MAKINGORANGEEVERGREEN Originally founded by Henkel in the 1970s, Creme 21 was later acquired in 2003 by Antje J Willems Stickel, which was then acquired by Emami in 2019. AHA secured the global mandate for the brand, with an initial focus on making it appealing to Emirati and Arab women in the GCC region. In a market where brands like Nivea, Jergens, St.Ives, and Vaseline had long dominated, Creme 21, with its no-frills vitamin-focused formulation, aimed to become the most preferred skincare brand in the market. Our goal was to make Orange the new rage. 2019 While consumers embraced the complexity of regimens in beauty and cosmetics, research uncovered a contrasting preference for a simpler, safer, and natural approach to skincare. This contradiction inspired our organising idea, a powerful concept that not only set the brand apart from competitors but also celebrated its 50-year legacy of German skincare expertise. INJECTING AHAIN THE IDEAS While creams and lotions serve the purpose of nourishment and moisturisation, women associate their benefits with beauty. Women aspire to display the radiance of their skin, considering glowing, healthy, and nourished skin as a testament to beauty. THUS “SIMPLICITY IS BEAUTIFUL” WAS BORN The beauty of Creme 21 lies in the simplicity of its vitamin-enriched formulation. The beauty of a woman lies in the simplicity of her radiant skin. TAKING THE IDEA TO THE CONSUMERS  VISUAL LANGUAGE: VISUAL LANGUAGE: Given that the fundamental concept revolved around “simplicity,” we needed the visual language to align with it – a clean, simple, contemporary yet powerful appeal. FILM: FILM: To illustrate the power of the idea, we felt that a musical montage would be an ideal construct. This montage captured various phases of a woman’s life, spotlighting her fulfilment of simple yet significant milestones. These moments, including embracing self-love, coming of age, savouring womanhood, experiencing love, uniting with family, and other personal milestones, are reflected in the radiance of her skin. Creme 21 celebrates and stands as a companion in these moments, reinforcing her sense of beauty. The film’s magic is woven through its music, and at AHA, we hold the belief that where words may falter, music steps in to fill the void, embodying the sentiment that “Music is the shorthand of emotion.” We crafted the lyrics, composed the track, and brought in local artists from their regions to perform it. The song was created in English, Arabic, French, and Urdu, with a strategic focus on reaching audiences in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Pakistan. RESULT: RESULT: QUALITATIVE Brand track showed a steep rise in awareness and salience in the first phase of the campaign. QUANTITATIVE By the end of the 180-day campaign, the brand climbed up to the fifth position and attained a market share of 2.2%. 2021 Two years post its introduction in the Middle East, Creme 21 aimed to establish a stronger presence in the region’s largest market – Saudi Arabia. However, the hurdles were substantial. One significant challenge was connecting with the younger generation, who although stepping out of the shadows of the past, still grappled with the constraints of a conservative culture, limiting avenues for expressing their freedom. How could a brand known for its bold and disruptive identity make its presence felt in a country where voices struggled to be heard? The answer rested in positioning Creme 21 beyond a skincare brand— an enabler that nurtures confidence and resilience in women. A confident person who celebrates and cheers those who aim to live life on their own terms. INJECTING AHA IN THE IDEAS As women in Saudi Arabia progressively embrace their individuality and pursue their aspirations amidst the challenges they face, many struggle to find a broader platform for self-expression. Frequently, they experience isolation, with limited societal influencers supporting or catalysing the change they aim to bring about. Through this campaign, we aimed to add voice and velocity to this movement, honouring and celebrating the confidence and passion of women who radiate beauty through their accomplishments. Our goal was to take the lead in redefining beauty, shifting the focus from ‘Looking good’ to ‘Achieving big.’  That’s how ‘I am comfortable in my own skin’ was born. TAKING THE IDEA TO THE CONSUMERS VISUAL LANGUAGE:  VISUAL LANGUAGE: In our campaign visuals, vibrant and diverse women take centre stage, each exuding confidence and purpose. The imagery shifted away from conventional beauty standards, showcasing the strength and resilience that define true beauty. The campaign’s visual language communicates a powerful message: beauty lies in accomplishments, individuality, and the pursuit of one’s dreams. It’s a celebration of women breaking barriers and redefining societal expectations. FILM: FILM: While our initial intent was to produce one big film, our exploration into the culture led us to a fascinating discovery—the number 6. In Arabic culture, the number 6 holds deep symbolic significance, associated with balance, harmony, completeness, and perfection. Inspired by this cultural context, we crafted six films instead of one. Each film vividly portrayed the unique stories of six women and their unconventional journeys. Moving beyond the conventional societal roles of mother, daughter, wife, and sister on the one hand and the vanity of superficial beauty on the other, these women transcend as champions and contenders, embodying the essence of balance, harmony, completeness, and perfection. The recurring line, ‘It makes my skin soft and my determination stronger,’ served as a unifying thread across all six films, forging a powerful and deep connection throughout the series. RESULT: RESULT: QUALITATIVE Creme 21 was awarded the “ET Best Brand 2021” in personal care and is widely recognized as a power to reckon with. QUANTITATIVE Creme 21 climbed 2 spots to number 3 in overall market

Normalising quiet time. Often unnoticed, mental health is a silent struggle that impacts a significant portion of the human population, particularly within a corporate environment. Stress plays a significant role in contributing to this problem. Failing to address this with utmost priority can lead to lasting and irreversible effects.   Go Back NORMALISINGQUIET TIME Often unnoticed, mental health is a silent struggle that impacts a significant portion of the human population, particularly within a corporate environment. Stress plays a significant role in contributing to this problem. Failing to address this with utmost priority can lead to lasting and irreversible effects. Corporations sometimes try to address these concerns by launching mental wellness programs that lack a solid framework, which is ineffective in the long run. These initiatives yield minimal results and substantially impact morale, productivity, health, family, and more. Stress is an enduring reality; there’s no escaping it, and no magic silver bullet can eliminate stress from this equation. But is this acceptable? How can we continue perpetuating this cycle of apathy? One-size-fits-all wellness programs cannot address issues unanimously. People are built differently, and their capability to deal with and manoeuvre through day-to-day stress differs. So, when issues are personal, why aren’t solutions personalised? Individuals’ quiet time preferences vary, and a solution that is bespoke and tailored to the needs of each person is essential. This realisation uncovered a significant gap, and Q Studio aimed to fill that space with a two-pronged approach. First, to foster a positive culture around mental well-being, helping individuals navigate workplace challenges and helping individuals be more resilient and confident. Second, to normalise breaks and stimulate more workplace discussions on stress and mental well-being. INJECTING AHA IN THE IDEAS While the intent was to bring about change, the question was how. While the space was already cluttered with multiple apps like meditation, yoga, and personal wellness, there wasn’t a single platform that bridged the gap between the online and offline worlds. Therefore, competing in the market with similar solutions wasn’t going to be effective. This led us to delve deeper and seek studies and research papers that could validate the idea and the need for it and lead us to the moment of truth. Discovery 1: Many people felt guilty about taking breaks. In the fast-paced professional environment, a prevailing culture often values constant productivity and perceives breaks as a hindrance to work. Individuals may fear being judged or viewed as less committed if they prioritise taking breaks for self-care or relaxation. We came across some astounding studies, of employees don’t feel encouraged to take a lunch break. employees said guilt is the reason they don’t take any breaks. people say they only occasionally, rarely, or never take breaks. Discovery 2: While it was widely accepted and even normalised for individuals to take breaks for smoking or caffeine consumption, there was a noticeable stigma or hesitation associated with taking breaks for mental well-being. Employees often felt reluctant to step away from their tasks to prioritise their mental health, fearing judgement or being perceived as less dedicated to their work. Discovery 3: The importance of taking pauses often eluded many working professionals who underestimated the profound impact of brief breaks on their overall well-being and productivity. In the relentless pursuit of meeting deadlines and achieving targets, individuals frequently neglected the significance of stepping back and allowing themselves moments of respite. Discovery 4: We discovered something called the Pomodoro Technique, a time management method that revolved around structured breaks. The technique was about taking a 5-minute break every 25 minutes; these intervals are known as “Pomodoros.” The approach acknowledged the human brain’s limited ability to maintain focus for extended periods. By incorporating regular breaks into the work routine, the Pomodoro Technique aimed to enhance productivity, reduce mental fatigue, and foster a sense of accomplishment. From all these discoveries, our winning idea emerged—microbreaks. This realisation made us understand that normalising breaks was essential to disrupt the stress cycle and foster a healthier environment. Consequently, it led to the creation of an environment centred around mindfulness. Hence, Q Studio was born – a phygital space crafted for individuals to take breaks, reflect, recharge, and #BeYourBestFriend. TAKING THE IDEA TO THE CONSUMERS VISUAL LANGUAGE and Identity: The logo featured the alphabet Q as a logotype, where the circle symbolised the workplace in which people work and thrive, and the protruding tail represented a space or a moment where one can pause and take short breaks to de-stress, recharge and be a better version of themselves. Q Studio’s visual language was meticulously crafted, drawing on the psychology of stress reduction through semiotics, fonts, designs and colours. Embracing a sense of calm, the usage of teal and purple was carefully integrated, creating a visual atmosphere that promotes relaxation and well-being. AppS: The app was designed with empathy and inclusivity in mind. We paid careful attention to colour psychology, deliberately selecting soothing tones. In particular, inclusivity for those who are colour-blind was given top priority during the design process. Each screen featured calm and positivity-inducing images and visuals, and every detail aimed at maintaining a calm ambience. Making usability frictionless and seamless. Communication: In our communication strategy, we embraced a monthly thematic approach tailored to connect with our audience profoundly. Each word, colour, and content piece underwent meticulous research and thoughtful consideration. The emphasis was not only on imparting information but also on captivating attention. By encouraging pauses and breaks, we cultivated a guilt-free zone, highlighting the significance of prioritising oneself. The core idea was to communicate a message that was not just educational and inspiring but also inherently interesting. This approach centres around effective communication, with supporting elements like colour and tone serving to enhance and reinforce the overarching concept. Explore more TAAP inito savia Want to give your brand a big break? Get in touch