Finding love in the modern world can be a real rollercoaster, especially in the dynamic landscapes of the Middle East, where the word 'dating' has long been considered a taboo and there has been a longstanding dating app ban. ‿ and us Agency and BlackBox Studio capture the wild journey of dating perfectly in their captivating campaign for Closeup, the region's most popular toothpaste brand, titled #GetCloserToLove. The social films at the heart of the campaign shared last week featuring vibrant illustrations by Lucas Sales and immersive sound production by Vox Haus, dive deep into the challenges faced by singles in both the UAE and KSA - offering local, relatable narratives infused with a slice of humour and an inspiring message.
UAE: Swipe Right on Closeness
Expats in the UAE know the struggle of navigating a transient population and skewed gender ratios when it comes to dating all too well. In fact, only 50% of Tinder users manage to secure one face-to-face encounter, despite accumulating hundreds of matches. The campaign's two films follow the journey of a single man and a single woman respectively, as they persevere through the seemingly never ending hurdles of dating apps, from rejections to ghosting. But after all the drama just to secure one date, the refreshing takeaway resonates: make it count with Closeup.
"Finding love today is easier than ever, thanks to continuous tech advancements - but securing that actual meetup is harder than ever," says Fadi Yaish, CEO and CCO at ‿ and us. Through just a few water cooler conversations, we witnessed first-hand the difficulties faced by singles here. That first romantic encounter has never been more important. And what tops the list of first-date turn-offs? Bad breath. So we wanted Closeup to reassure singles that after all the hurdles to secure the face-to-face meet up, they can rely on us to instil the confidence and freshness they need to make it count and get closer to love.”