Media > Channels
FP7 McCANN, Dubai / BABYSHOP / 2023
Awards:
Overview
Credits
Why is this work relevant for Media?
Frequencies of Peace used radio in an innovative way to seamlessly reach refugees and the homes of families with a scientifically backed lullaby that would help create peaceful environments, calm the nerves of children affected by war and elicit peaceful sleep even when heard ambiently.
The lullaby deliberately interrupting radio listening time for adults, with something for children, serving as a powerful reminder that children are listening too.
By playing the lullaby every night on Syria’s 2 largest radio stations at exactly 8pm. the lullaby gave families an effective tool they could use every night.
Background
Nearly five million children born in Syria since March 2011 have known nothing but war and conflict, and in many parts of the country, children and families continue to live in fear of violence, landmines, and explosive remnants of war. The sounds of war are heard all around them, from everyday conversations, to actual conflict and constant radio broadcasts featuring news of war and propaganda.
Children living in these stressful and traumatic environments are denied the privilege of peaceful bedtimes, which has adverse effects on their sleep - leading to long-lasting mental health issues.
As a brand that believes every child deserves the best start in life, Babyshop a leading retailer for babies in the Middle East, sought a unique way to provide comfort to children suffering from trauma and help them get the sleep they deserve.
Describe the creative idea / insights
For more than 10 years children in Syria have been going to bed to the sound of war – often heard on the radio around bedtime in war news coverage and even propaganda.
To help children get the sleep they deserve, Babyshop took over the airwaves in Syria every night at bedtime, to replace the sounds of war with a specially composed Arabic lullaby.
The lullaby was created collaboration with Ghaliaa Chaker and a team of neuroscientists and music therapists, specifically composed to soothe and calm the nerves of children traumatized by war.
Babyshop played the lullaby on Syria’s two largest radio stations, and on loudspeakers in refugee camps at 8pm. every night, reaching millions of families, giving them a tool they could use every night at bedtime.
The lullaby was created as a permanent tool for families across the Middle East to help children get the sleep they deserve.
Describe the strategy
For many children in Syria, there is no respite from the stresses of war, even at bedtime, with radio content characterized by news of war and propaganda. Babyshop decided to change the tone on radio at bedtime, deliberately interrupting listening time for adults, by playing a unique Arabic lullaby for children, composed in collaboration with neuroscientist and music therapists.
The lullaby played on Syria’s two largest radio stations at 8pm. every night from March 2023 onwards, to replace the sounds of war, encourage an important routine of putting children to bed and serving as a powerful reminder to adults that children are listening too.
Using radio allowed Babyshop to reach families and refugees on a large scale, seamlessly entering their homes with a soothing and effective piece of music that could be used by families as a tool to help children get the sleep they deserve.
Describe the execution
To create an effective lullaby we collaborated Syrian singer songwriter Ghaliaa Chaker, and a team of neuroscientists and music therapists to ensure the song followed musical principles proven to calm the nerves of children, including: a gentle rhythm, simple melody, slow tempo, repetition and short intervals.
The full lullaby played on Syria’s two largest radio stations, and on loudspeakers in refugee camps, every night at 8pm. from March 2023 onwards, serving as an effective daily tool for parents and children, and reminding adults that children are listening too. Using radio, Babyshop reached hundreds of thousands of children daily, encouraging a routine for families to put their children to bed.
Families could also listen to the song on Anghami or a special radio Frequencies of Peace FM that plays the lullaby 24/7. The campaign was further amplified through extensive global news coverage reaching millions more around the world.
List the results
The lullaby interrupted radio listening time for adults, to help children fall asleep peacefully, while reminding adults that children are listening too.
The lullaby played on Syria’s two largest radio stations every night at 8pm. from March 2023 onwards, and will continue to air as an ongoing initiative. Through radio the lullaby reached over 4 million radio listeners across Syria every night.
By creating this scientifically backed lullaby, Babyshop gave families a permanent tool, to help children affected by conflict across the Middle East for as long as they need it.
The initiative was amplified on TV news networks and publications across the world including Sky News, CNN, Euro News and more – reaching a total of 147,860,000 people.
The song is permanently available for families on Anghami, the Middle East’s leading music streaming platform, and a permanent radio station Frequencies of Peace FM, created to play the lullaby 24/7.
How is this work relevant to this channel?
Instead of creating a traditional awareness message Babyshop decided to play a unique Arabic lullaby over radio, and loudspeakers in refugee camps, every night at 8pm.
Using radio, Babyshop could reach millions of families with a soothing and effective piece of music, every night at bedtime.
Using a fixed time, every night at 8pm., Babyshop used radio to give families a tool to put their children to bed.
To create an effective lullaby we collaborated with the artist and a team of neuroscientists and music therapists at every stage of the composition.
Is there any cultural context that would help the jury understand how this work was perceived by people in the country where it ran?
The Syrian civil war is a multi-sided conflict that began in March 2011, it has been the cause of 12 years of continuous violence, hardship and trauma, leading to the displacement of millions of Syrians including children, many of whom now reside in Syrian refugee camps.
Nearly five million children born in Syria since March 2011 have known nothing but war and conflict, and in many parts of the country, children and families continue to live in fear of violence, landmines, and explosive remnants of war.
According to a 2021 survey, one third of children throughout Syria showed signs of psychological distress including anxiety, sadness, fatigue, or trouble sleeping.
The sounds of war are heard all around them, commonly in the form of constant war coverage and even propaganda on radio.
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