This campaign used a unique engagement method to enable the women of Dubai to transform outdoor billboards across the city in real-time to change what sports advertising looks like in the city using their own Instagram feeds.

The real-time transformation of digital billboards as a result of women of the city populating their Instagram feeds is what makes it relevant to this category.

88% of women in the Middle East believe that sports is not meant for them. Being raised in communities that don't encourage women to pursue sports after a certain age and label those who do as not feminine enough, has led to this mindset. Adding to this perception, most sports advertising has always featured athletes or models who have driven a particular stereotype of the kind of women who belong in the world of sports.

We called upon every woman in the city of Dubai to become the face of a movement to inspire the whole region to change the perception of sports.

Through social media, we invited them to share photos of what sports means to them along with their story of turning impossible into I’m possible every day.

Every post shared, irrespective of the sport, was turned into billboards across the city in real-time. Each billboard in return became countless pieces of social content, starting conversations about making sports more inclusive across 25 countries and reminding every woman that no matter what society tells them, nothing can stop them from seeing Impossible as I'm Possible.

Only 1 in 10 women in the region feel sports is for them.

Research revealed over 70 potential barriers that hinder their way into sports. If we were to be effective in inspiring their participation we had to acknowledge every single woman with their very own unique barriers.

The aim was simple, but the target audience was broad - all women regardless of their age, body shape, ethnicity, or creed. The solution needed to trigger mass behavior change and needed mass influence.

In short, we needed to turn barriers into possibilities and challenge the region’s status quo that makes women assume they have no place in sports.

The campaign started on social media where we asked women to share a photo of what sports mean to them and how they use the entire city of Dubai as their playing field. From pushing their limits in outdoor gyms to enjoying a run through the old streets to turning playtime with their kids into a workout. Any interpretation of sports was welcomed. With each photo, women were asked to complete the sentence I'm Possible because _____________.

Every photo shared on social media was celebrated in real-time by being turned into full-size billboards across the city.

Turning what sports really looks like for women into a completely new portrayal of sports advertising.

Each billboard in turn became countless more pieces of content that took the conversation to other social platforms and across 25 countries.

+250M total reach

Covered in over 25 countries

+100 billboards across Dubai

The campaign became a collective initiative by the women of Dubai to inspire the entire region to rethink their perception of what they can do and see possibilities like never before.

A major segment of the influencers in Dubai create fitness-based content. We reached out to them first to participate in the campaign and change the city's sports advertising to look like what they believe would inspire real women.

Through their networks and followers, the word spread and more women participated every day.

We gave them an outlet to show the city a side that even their social channels don't always enable them to show. That is what makes it relevant to thsi category.

In the Middle East, most women have grown up being told that sports are not meant for them. They are to behave more feminine and not dream of pursuing physical activities that are predominantly considered masculine.

Over time, these beliefs lead to a lack of confidence and body image issues for many women.

Adding to this, sports advertising in the region tends to primarily feature models or professional athletes who look nothing like the average woman living in Dubai or any other city in the region.

Reinforcing the sentiment that sports are not meant for them.

The reality, however, is that thousands of women play sports across Dubai every day. Women who are not perfect, yet determined to outperform themselves and others.

If they became the face of sports advertising, perhaps more women who feel incapable would be motivated to break this stigma.