Shareet Studio’s humorous approach for Kuwaiti Ya Hala Festival garners 1 million views

Shareet Studio’s campaign video for Boutiqaat, created for Kuwait’s Ya Hala Festival, used unconventional Arabic humour to drive app purchases and achieved over 1 million organic views, making it Boutiqaat’s first commercial blockbuster without paid promotion.

The campaign aimed to engage audiences through a humorous and engaging narrative, emphasising the festival’s excitement and the opportunities available for shoppers.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Boutiqaat بوتيكات (@boutiqaat)

According to Mohammed AlNashmi, Founding Partner & Director of Shareet Studio’s, the campaign was not meant to sell a specific product, but instead was meant to increase the amount of purchases on the app itself. As a result, the decision for a humourus approach for the social video was an important choice, as data showed that comedy is the number one selling genre in commercials. The style chosen is what AlNashmi describes as unconventional, however credits it’s distinctiveness for its success. Unlike many regional campaigns that rely on cultural references, this commercial introduced a new comedic approach that supported its organic reach.

The campaign was designed to appeal to Kuwaiti viewers and the wider GCC region. The dialogue was crafted to be direct and engaging, targeting a broad demographic spanning ages 16 to 45. “We wanted to have a commercial that was comedic for all ages and was relatable to majority of people in this community,” says AlNashmi.

Is humour the best tool for organic reach?

The social video was released on TikTok and Instagram followed a humourus storyline in Arabic, with exaggerated slap sticks that including repeated visual gags, such as characters being thrown through a window – an element that resonated with the audience.

AlNashmi mentions that a significant milestone for the campaign was its organic reach. The video became the first Boutiqaat commercial to achieve one million views without paid promotion. Audience reactions highlighted appreciation for its originality, with many referring to it as a “commercial blockbuster,” and comments saying, “hilarious! need more people flying through windows.”

Overall, the main message behind the video was to encourage participation and direct purchases from Boutiqaat apps, and audiences were incentivised through a raffle in which they could win a car or cash prize. Additionally, the social video also aimed to highlight that Boutiqaat was the only way for any GCC country to enter the Ya Hala campaign if they were not located in Kuwait.

While the commercial was produced in Arabic, a subtitled version was made available for wider accessibility. The campaign was primarily distributed on social media platforms, including Instagram and TikTok, an intentional choice as this is where Shareet Studio’s believe comedic content often garners high engagement.

Credits: