KFC Arabia and TBWA\RAAD bring Baloot culture to the table with new brand experience

In Saudi Arabia, Baloot isn’t just a card game. It’s a cultural institution, with its own language, rituals, rivalries and cast of unforgettable characters at every majlis.

KFC Arabia, operated by Americana Restaurants in Saudi Arabia, and TBWA\RAAD saw an opportunity to bring a new player to the table. In partnership with ZAT Baloot, the leading platform for Baloot players in the Kingdom, they turned that beloved national pastime into a full brand experience. One built on food, play, music and entertainment.

At the center of the campaign is a dedicated KFC Baloot box, designed specifically for game night, paired with a set of collectible cards celebrating the personalities every player knows. Those characters were brought to life in a social film capturing the humor, energy and dynamics of a real Baloot gathering, scored by an original Saudi track created for the campaign.

“Baloot is part of the way people connect, compete and spend time together in Saudi Arabia”, said Ahmed Arafa, CMO, KFC Arabia. “We wanted to create something that felt true to that occasion, bringing food, play and entertainment together in a way that adds something new to game night.”

For TBWA\RAAD, the goal wasn’t to advertise around the game, but to become part of it.

“We wanted to pull up a chair at the Baloot table and play by its rules”, said Derek Green, Chief Creative Officer at TBWA\RAAD. “The game already has its own world. Instead of interrupting it, we looked at everything that makes it distinctive and asked how KFC could add to it. Something fans could play with, collect and enjoy, not just watch.”

“The opportunity was to take a culturally relevant idea and turn it into an experience that works across every consumer touchpoint,” said Bassem Abdul Ghani, Marketing Senior Director, Americana Restaurants. “By extending the physical game-night experience into digital and social, we were able to create a connected brand experience that gives consumers more ways to engage with KFC.”

The campaign is rolling out across social and digital platforms across Saudi Arabia.

Credits
Creative Agency: TBWA\RAAD
Rama Zarafili, Account Director, TBWA\RAAD
Yara Omar, Senior Account Manager, TBWA\RAAD
Derek Green, Chief Creative Officer, TBWA\RAAD
Rita Nasr, Group Creative Director, TBWA\RAAD
Jad Ibry, Senior Art Director, TBWA\RAAD
Ghina Merhi, Senior Art Director, TBWA\RAAD
Jennifer Berrou, Senior English Copywriter, TBWA\RAAD
Mohammed Hazaea, Senior Arabic Copywriter, TBWA\RAAD
Tatiana Mourad, Senior Designer, TBWA\RAAD
Nisrine Najem, Designer, TBWA\RAAD
Tony Kayouka, Head of Social and Content, TBWA\RAAD
Hamza Khan, Social Media Director, TBWA\RAAD
Rand Hilal, Senior Social Media Manager, TBWA\RAAD
Jana Jamaleddine, Content Manager, TBWA\RAAD
Grace Bou Nehme, Social Media Manager, TBWA\RAAD
Loulwa El Zein, Social Media Executive, TBWA\RAAD
Nathalie Fakher Al Dine, Social Media Executive, TBWA\RAAD
Catherine Bannister, Chief Strategy Officer, TBWA\RAAD
Ramez Rahal, Senior Strategic Planner, TBWA\RAAD
Najla Abdullatif Ali, Senior Strategist, TBWA\RAAD
Tejas Kulkarni, Lead Video Editing, TBWA\RAAD
Micheal Johnson, Motion Designer, TBWA\RAAD
Roshan Jameer, Motion Designer, TBWA\RAAD
Rony Skaf, Head of Digital and Innovation, TBWA\RAAD
Rabih Chehayeb, Senior Digital Account Manager, TBWA\RAAD
Karim El Khoury, Senior Digital Account Executive, TBWA\RAAD
Diala Toska, Digital Account Executive, TBWA\RAAD
Kalai Selvan, Senior Designer, TBWA\RAAD
Sugan Jeevarathinam, Senior Designer, TBWA\RAAD
Pritam Kumar, Finalizer, TBWA\RAAD
Girish Sapalya, Retoucher, TBWA\RAAD
Romy Abdelnour, Head of Communications, TBWA\RAAD
Lea Moufarej, Senior Corporate Communications Executive, TBWA\RAAD
Ezzat Habra, Creative Services Director, TBWA\RAAD
Production: Rush Films
Photography Production: BKP Group