In a historic moment, Wunderman Thompson Saudi Arabia’s ‘Subconscious Order’ campaign for HungerStation has emerged victorious, winning the esteemed Grand Prix in Creative Commerce at the highly acclaimed Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity 2023. This triumph not only signifies a momentous achievement for Wunderman Thompson but also marks the first time the global network has secured two Grand Prix awards in a single year, as it also clinched the Grand Prix in Innovation.
The ‘Subconscious Order’ campaign embodies a fusion of inventive thinking and cutting-edge technology, presenting an app that taps into the subconscious mind to help users determine their desired cuisine—a remarkable solution to alleviate the common frustration of decision fatigue encountered during the process of selecting food.
According to a study by Seated, as reported by the New York Post, the average adult spends approximately 132 hours each year browsing online menus—an astonishing amount of time dedicated to making food choices.
Designed specifically for HungerStation customers, the ‘Subconscious Order’ app utilizes mobile or desktop cameras, in-app eye calibration, and vision AI to track the user’s eye movements. Leveraging topic modeling AI, the app organizes available food options and generates an instant report based on the user’s longest eye linger, thereby revealing their subconscious craving. Subsequently, HungerStation customers receive a curated list of local restaurants where they can order their desired cuisine.
Rayyan Aoun, Executive Creative Director for Wunderman Thompson KSA, expressed immense pride in this groundbreaking win, stating, “This is a truly historic achievement for Cannes Lions and Saudi Arabia, as it represents the first time a campaign from the Kingdom has been honored with a Grand Prix—an award recognized globally for its excellence in creativity. HungerStation, as the pioneering food delivery app in the Kingdom, is a fitting partner for our innovative campaign. It is a remarkable feat for Saudi Arabia to secure a Cannes Lions Grand Prix alongside Wunderman Thompson.”
The campaign drew inspiration from Dr. Bruce Lipton’s study, ‘The Biology of Belief,’ which revealed that the conscious mind can process only 40 bits of information per second, while the subconscious mind can process information up to 500,000 times faster. This finding prompted the team to pose a crucial question: “What if we could help people better connect with their subconscious mind and allow it to find the answers they seek?”
Jason Carmel, Global Lead of Creative Data at Wunderman Thompson, expressed his pride in being part of this momentous occasion and working alongside HungerStation to develop a powerful tool. He emphasized that the campaign not only showcases forward-thinking and intelligent technology but also caters to the genuine desire for simplifying the decision-making process. Carmel noted that this technology represents a significant step toward the future of ‘Zero UI’ interfaces, where users can control devices through their voice, movements, glances, or even thoughts. Additionally, he emphasized that the campaign’s focus extends beyond mere technological innovation—it cleverly addresses decision fatigue and assists individuals in making an important choice: their dinner selection.
Nancy Crimi-Lamanna, Jury President of the Creative Commerce Lions, lauded the campaign for transforming a transactional experience into an emotional one. She highlighted how the ‘Subconscious Order’ campaign tackles the issue of choice overload, driving the discoverability of new foods and places to order. Crimi-Lamanna emphasized that in today’s world, brands must provide meaningful value to encourage people to share their facial data, and ‘Subconscious Order’ successfully achieves this objective with its beautiful execution. The campaign serves as a remarkable example of AI applied to commerce and boldly transforms the user experience—a feat worthy of recognition.
With these Grand Prix wins at the Cannes Lion 2023, Wunderman Thompson continues its streak of successful achievements. The agency previously received the inaugural Creative B2B Grand Prix for its ‘Speaking in Color’ campaign for Sherwin-Williams Coil Coatings in 2022 and secured the Innovation Grand Prix for Degree Inclusive, the world’s first inclusive deodorant designed for individuals with visual impairment and upper extremity impairment in 2021. Notably, Wunderman Thompson was named the Cannes Lions Most Innovative Network in 2020/2021, further solidifying its reputation as a leader in delivering groundbreaking creativity and innovation.
A region on the rise. Entrants from Saudi Arabia made history by being the first to take home a Grand Prix for their country — winning Creative Commerce Grand Prix.
Explore The Work here: https://t.co/9VR3DPlENO #CannesLions70 | #CannesLions2023 pic.twitter.com/9mxeRHBWlD— LIONS | The Home of Creativity (@Cannes_Lions) June 23, 2023
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