CHALLENGE
Within Saudi Arabia's rapidly modernising society, its biggest book retailer – Jarir Bookstore – faced a challenge. How to reignite a passion for reading in a generation caught up with attention-drying social media. Dwindling attention spans coupled with the disconnect from the deep engagement required by books challenged Jarir's core business.
INSIGHT
When you are lost in the arid digital landscape, it oftentimes takes just one book to bring you back to the fold of a reading habit. One book that engages you enough to return to it again and again until you turn the back cover one final time. It quenches your thirst for meaningful engagement and sets you up for many more reading journeys.
IDEA
“One book is all it takes to break your dry spell” became the articulaton of the campaign idea. And for its execution, Jarir recognised that it needed to connect with audiences on a deeper level in order to combat the grip of digital distractions. So it used a metaphor that became the core of the campaign – a “single” cloudburst of rain revitalising the arid Saudi Arabian deserts. Capturing the rejuvenating power of a “single” book. Resonating well in a land where water is considered precious and transformative.
The campaign's placement within Jarir's retail spaces as in-store posters transformed the bookstore environment into a positive affirmation for already-browsing customers – that ‘dry spells’ are temporary thanks to the profound impact a single book can have. The evocative posters featured stunning visuals of desert landscapes about to be reborn by rain; with the idea being unpacked with poignant copy. In effect: Powerful reminders that enriching experiences are just a book away.
This campaign arrived at a pivotal moment in Saudi Arabia's cultural evolution. Offering a timely antidote to the sirens that digital algorithms are. Reaffirming the enduring power of storytelling and its vital role within the Saudi cultural landscape. This wasn't just selling books. It was preserving and promoting a love of reading for all generations.