Prince Salman’s Vision for 2030 launched massive changes in Saudi Arabia. Especially for women. They can now drive, ride bikes, go to sporting events and the movies. The country, the societal norms, the women themselves, and most notably, what they think was possible, is shifting to a more optimistic place. Many brands are jumping to target Saudi women at this historic moment.

Glade wanted to do more than just sell air freshener to the women of Saudi Arabia. We wanted to create a platform that gave them a voice. That ask was complex, because many conservative cultural norms are still in place in Saudi. Advertisements still use men to convey the female story. Women who speak up in favor of the changes run the risk of being ostracized by their community. Glade wanted to champion change and empower Saudi women in a way that was respectful of existing social norms.

The ask to launch a new fragrance in Saudi Arabia was complex, because many conservative cultural norms were still in place in Saudi. Advertisements still used men to convey the female story. Women who spoke up in favor of the changes ran the risk of being ostracized by their community. Glade wanted to champion change and empower Saudi women in a way that was respectful of existing social norms.  Women reacted positively to our message, being seen writing wishes for baby Abeer in stores and crying while doing so.

Glade launched our film on social media, OOH and in movie theaters. Our media team had to seek specific permission to feature clips of the film that showed women, without men, and worked to reach women specifically during experiences that Vision 2030 had opened to them.

Glade was perceived as a “foreign” brand, not in tune with local culture. We formed a team of local and international women to understand what it was like to be female in Saudi at this historic time. We traveled to Ryadh and Jeddah, immersed ourselves in the culture and conducted 1:1 interviews with women in the region. We learned that women, young and old, shared a common feeling of perseverance, patience and optimism, regardless of past hardships and oppression.

We investigated nuances of Arabic language and how different words would be received within the culture. We crafted the film’s call to action – “What will you wish for the next generation of girls” to give women a safe way to voice their hopes for the future. The hashtag #inspirehope encouraged participation while insuring those who shared wishes could aspire to great things for woman without being perceived as being political.

Glade launched our film on social media, OOH and in movie theaters. Our media team had to seek specific permission to feature clips of the film that showed the faces of women, without male chaperones. We worked to reach women specifically during new experiences Vision 2030 had opened to them.

We celebrated unveiled faces and quotes from real Saudi women in the streets of Jeddah on the largest digital OOH board in the world. Our digital billboards targeted women in gyms and malls and invited them to participate. Our film was one of the first that featured women in newly opened movie theaters.

We wanted the campaign to be a quiet swell, with an integrated launch cadence that spanned weeks. We were committed to a long-term platform that gave Saudi women a place to share their hopes and dreams.

Change was in the air for Glade, as consumers now considered the brand “Improved and more contemporary.” Glade’s authentic acts in the region grew sales by 13%, totaling the highest share ever for Glade: 25%.