War. Pandemic. Natural disasters. Crises.

In the Middle East, they have caused deaths, including of adults, including of parents.

In turn, they’ve caused families to break.

And the aftermath has left children, orphaned, without a home.

These children need families and homes to adopt them and make them their own.

But adoption and giving children a home, is inaccurately perceived to be against religion and is hence, perceived to be illegal.

So, the process to adopt a child has been unknown.

Children needing a home, are left in orphanages.

Home Centre, is a leading furniture retail brand in the Middle East.

Its belief is that everyone deserves a home they feel at home in.

And its purpose is to enable people in every home to create and share their own home’s story.

With many orphans left without a home, Home Centre had to pivot its social good initiative towards adoption.

We launched “The Homecoming”, the first initiative by a brand in the Middle East to help orphaned children find a family and a home to call their own.

We enabled Home Centre to become the first brand to propagate and support adoption in the region, by challenging the cultural taboo around adoption in the Middle East, and by helping and enabling parents-in-waiting to adopt through content, tools and resources.

A narrative short film on social and digital platforms launched the initiative, sharing the journey of an Arab couple expecting a baby over 9 months; the time it takes to adopt a child. Based on the insight that you’re also “expecting your adopted baby” just like other parents “expect their own baby”, with intentional misdirection, it feels like a typical film of expecting parents, until the rug-pull, where we reveal the wife isn’t pregnant, and that they are adopting a child.

The brand's POV: “Just because they aren't born our own, doesn’t mean we can’t give them a home.”

More often than not, the most pertinent societal problems are also the ones with the biggest taboos.

In the Middle East, adoption and fostering as a topic and a concept isn't just frowned upon, it is actively denounced - by some religious scholars, by society, by relatives in the family (including one’s parents) and by social circles.

Legally, it is challenging as well owing to the lack of knowledge and the societal taboo.

First, we had to break the taboo and disarm people into seeing the good they’d do to a child’s life by adopting the child.

Then, we had to be the ally to those who wanted to adopt by giving them access to knowledge, organizations and emotional support they needed to make the process of adoption known, easier and effective.

The social film, backed by Elvis Presley’s iconic track, “Falling in Love”, captured attention.

As the film went viral, taking on a cultural taboo drove negative backlash.

But we persisted.

The website transformed from just promoting products to also promoting adoption.

A directory of organizations showed couples where they could adopt from.

A content series with a famous Arab psychologist, shared insights to help couples pre, during and post adoption.

A content series with a reputed legal advisory firm shared the legal process for adoption.

Influential voices joined us, to give adoption their voice.

We worked with a photographer to capture the tears of orphaned children who needed a home, and gave their stories a voice, at events, across retail environments and digital channels.

Original soundtracks around adoption became part of a music album on streaming platforms, with proceeds going to adoption NGOs.

All touchpoints redirected people to the website.

The narrative short film travelled the region, but it also travelled the world.

TOP-TIER TRADE MEDIA SUPPORTED IT:

“Addressing a topic unspoken of.” (Asianet Newsable)

“Challenges stigma around adoption.” (AdAge)

“Adopts a broader definition of family.” (Shoot Online)

“A meaningful initiative.” (Arab Ad)

MAJOR NEWS PLATFORMS PROMOTED IT:

It was promoted on The CW, FOX, NBC, CBS, abc Khaleej Times, Gulf News, Times of India, Lovin’ Dubai, MeTV, The Family Channel, The Action Channel, Ion Television, The Walk TV and LNTN, among many others.

IT EARNED ATTENTION:

180+ million reach.

1.2 billion earned impressions.

1219 free airings.

132+ million views.

Reached 65% of the region.

$6.2 million free media.

135,000+ engagements.

467,000+ website visits.

AND IT MADE AN IMPACT:

Importantly, as the message found its home in people’s hearts and sentiments changed from 54% negative to 82% positive, more children without a home found a family, and a home too.

Some testimonials from Arabs, in particular, as seen in the Case Film submitted:

“You have paved the way for many parents struggling with this decision.”

“Giving an orphan a home is the highest divine reward.”

“This child came as a gift from God for us in a challenging time.”

“It’s a feeling I cannot describe. I’m so happy I did it.”

“We were encouraged to do this. Everyone was so positive.”

“With this child, I have learned the meaning of life more than ever before.”