Saudi Arabia is portrayed in mainstream media as one of the new monarchies that emerged in the region in the early 20th century. Its people are perceived as homogenous and insular, and its customs and traditions as inherently resistant to change.
But historically, that couldn’t be farther than the truth! In fact, Saudi has been transforming at warp speed for the last six years with an ambitious vision for 2030. However, that vision is just the latest phase in a 300-year journey that united diverse tribal communities and brought stability and prosperity to an ancient land steeped in history and resilience.
So, in partnership with the Saudi Tourism Authority, we set out to launch the first Founding Day holiday to celebrate that truth.
On XX, King Salman bin Abdulaziz issued a royal decree establishing February 22nd of each year as an official Founding Day holiday to celebrate the founding of the Saudi Kingdom.
A SPECIAL DAY FOR THE KINGDOM
As the strategic and creative partner entrusted with launching the nation’s first Founding Day, we delved into researching the Kingdom’s centuries-old history. Some of that history is documented in a select few books, while most of it is preserved through the oral traditions safeguarded by elders.
We held workshops with the top Saudi Arabian historians, scholars, and royal family members to trace the origins of Saudi Arabia’s traditions, culinary arts, agriculture, trade, architecture, arts, crafts, and fashion.
We harnessed the power of symbols to create the brand, crafting a national emblem inspired by the nation’s founding values that united vast parts of the Arabian Peninsula under the first Saudi Kingdom in 1727.
EXPERIENTIAL
To set the stage for the launch of the new holiday, we rolled out a social media and an outdoor campaign with the tagline: Youm Badena (The day it all started).
We unearthed 300 years’ worth of undocumented oral history and brought it to life through 4 experiential events held around the Kingdom. The events created by our experiential team took the nation on a journey through time, recalling the country’s multifaceted historical roots: A national parade to launch the festivities. An operetta highlighting the historical facts behind Founding Day. And Nijnaj, a vibrant Souk experience portraying the richness of trade and cultural exchange across the Kingdom. The celebrations culminated with a sky show to commemorate the national holiday and illuminate the skies of Saudi Arabia with the timeless symbols that started it all.
RESPONSE
It was ecstatic. The whole nation embraced the new national day expressing pride in the cultural diversity of their ancestral land and their unifying values. The young generation dressed in their regional outfits, engaged in traditional activities and shared exuberant expressions of their national identity all over their social media channels.
The new holiday caused a cultural shift. It widened people’s perceptions of their country’s history as a long journey of a nation carving its unique identity from its diverse cultures and shared values; a nation that forged and continues to forge its own future as one, under the unifying banner of The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
DETAILS
Services
Branding, Design, Communication, Events
Client
Saudi Tourism Authority
Role
Sr. Creative Director
Date
January 2022