01
The creative
Essence Adverts owned the creative from the start: we developed the concept, wrote the commercial and set the direction that guided it through production.
FMCG creative, production & media case study
From the first idea to millions of views
Some agencies develop ideas. Others produce commercials. Others buy media. We brought all three together.
For Ahmad Tea’s GCC campaign, Essence Network connected the whole creative and media journey under one roof. Essence Adverts developed and wrote the creative, managed the casting and ran the digital media buying in-house. Starcut Films, the production house within Essence Network, brought the commercial to life.
Together, we delivered an integrated FMCG campaign that recorded more than 4.1 million video views and 5.28 million advertising impressions in September 2023.
✦ At a glance
One creative vision. One integrated network. Millions of views.
4.1M+Video views
5.28MAdvertising impressions
2M+Unique viewers in the first week
70%Up to 70% reported media-cost savings vs TV
01 The challenge
Making a global brand unmissable.
Ahmad Tea, a premium British tea brand distributed in more than 80 countries, wanted to strengthen its presence in the competitive Gulf FMCG market.
The challenge was twofold: create a commercial that connects with diverse audiences across the region, and distribute it at real scale without relying on the expensive economics of traditional television.
The brand needed more than a production supplier or a media buying agency. It needed creative consistency, premium execution and intelligent media investment, brought together in one campaign.
02 The execution
Created, cast, produced and distributed.
02
The casting
We managed the casting, sourcing and hiring the talent the idea needed. Keeping creative and casting together kept one consistent vision from concept to screen.
03
The production
Starcut Films, the production house within Essence Network, shot the commercial, so the move from idea to film stayed connected instead of passing between unrelated suppliers.
04
The media
We took full responsibility for the digital media strategy, planning, buying and optimisation that took the film to audiences across four GCC markets.
03 The media strategy
Premium reach without premium waste.
The campaign ran on Google Display Network, YouTube and Instagram, reaching audiences in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar.
Strategic digital placements put the brand in premium news, entertainment and sports environments, including inventory on channels such as Rotana, Al Arabiya, Al Jazeera, Sky News Arabia, Al Hilal and Al Nassr.
We combined geographic targeting, locally relevant creative versions and performance-led bidding. Instead of depending on traditional TV placements, we built a digital distribution plan that delivered regional viewership at scale while keeping costs under control.
04 The results
Millions of views, measurable efficiency.
4,128,415
Video views
More than 4.1 million reported video views across the September 2023 campaign.
5,280,295
Advertising impressions
Over 5.28 million impressions from the campaign’s digital media placements.
2M+
Unique viewers in week one
A substantial audience reached within the first seven days, according to the original campaign report.
Up to 70%
Reported media-cost savings
Compared with traditional television advertising cost benchmarks.
58%
Watched beyond 30 seconds
A significant share of viewers kept watching past the 30-second mark.
95%
Average YouTube view duration
The original reporting cited an average view duration equal to 95% of the commercial’s length.
Saudi Arabia contributed 46% of recorded views, followed by Kuwait with 21%, showing strong viewership in two key GCC markets.
05 The impact
The power of an integrated creative network.
Ahmad Tea showed what Essence Network can do when specialist disciplines work inside one connected organisation.
Essence Adverts created the idea, wrote the commercial, selected and hired the cast and built the media strategy. Starcut Films produced the film. Essence Adverts then ran the digital distribution and media buying that brought it to millions of viewers across the Gulf.
The achievement was not only the campaign’s scale. It was connecting strategy, creativity, production and media without losing ownership of the original vision.
✦ One integrated network
We didn’t just make the commercial. We created it, cast it, produced it and brought it to millions.
06 The work
Watch the commercial and the reels.
Let's Create Something That Matters.
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