Lebanese women had long been fighting for legal protection against sexual harassment. Until 2021, there was no formal law criminalizing it, reflecting the deep-seated societal issues that gender-equality NGO ABAAD aimed to address.
In a society where women are expected to protect and nurture but are often at risk in public spaces, simply walking down the street can be dangerous. Partnering with ABAAD and local artist Remie Akl, we launched a digital campaign that turned the infamous catcall "baklava"—a word meaning "sweet"—into a powerful rallying cry for legal change.
The campaign went viral, reaching tens of millions and driving the Lebanese parliament to pass the first law criminalizing sexual harassment. It also snagged a Gold Cannes Lion in Entertainment and numerous other awards.
Agency: Leo Burnett Beirut
Credits: Natasha Maasri, Malek Ghorayeb, Nada Abisaleh, Rana Khoury, Nadia Deghayli, Lama Bawadi, Layane Makhlouf, Farah El Beaini, Karen Maroun, Ameer Jabak, Tala Ezzeddine,
Layla Gaussin
Awards: Gold Cannes Lion in Entertainment, Grand prix for Good, 2 Gold in entertainment and film, and a Bronze In Digital Dubai Lynx 2021
Credits: Natasha Maasri, Malek Ghorayeb, Nada Abisaleh, Rana Khoury, Nadia Deghayli, Lama Bawadi, Layane Makhlouf, Farah El Beaini, Karen Maroun, Ameer Jabak, Tala Ezzeddine,
Layla Gaussin
Awards: Gold Cannes Lion in Entertainment, Grand prix for Good, 2 Gold in entertainment and film, and a Bronze In Digital Dubai Lynx 2021
