By Nancy
Once upon a time, in a land of golden deserts and sparkling cities, Saudi Arabia dreamed of a greener future…
The Kingdom rulers wanted to make life better not just for their people but for everyone around the world. They knew that to protect their beautiful land and ensure a bright future for their children, they needed to take big steps toward sustainability.
Launched in 2021, Saudi Green Initiative brings together efforts in environmental protection, energy transition, and sustainability. Its main goals are to cut down on emissions, plant more trees, restore land, and protect Saudi Arabia’s land and sea.
Kids Hold the Key…
To truly make a difference, they needed to start with the heart of their nation: the Saudi Youth.
Here, came the bright idea of creating a special sub-brand dedicated to educating and inspiring the young people in the land.
This sub-brand was aimed to become a friendly guide, personifying the grand goals of the Saudi Green Initiative (SGI).
One of the most important goals was to bring the SGI closer to the hearts of young Saudis, who make up the largest part of the population. By engaging them in the mission to create a sustainable future, the Kingdom was aiming to inspire them to be the heroes of this green journey.
And this is where we jumped into the loop.
It’s More Fun Going Green with Friends!
We knew that to really connect with the younger generation, especially when it comes to important things like education and building good habits, we have to speak their language.
SGI, while super meaningful, felt a bit too heavy and serious. But Gen Alpha, our lively and curious youth, wants something more fun and engaging.
And who doesn’t love a new friend to have this fun with?
Well, we thought the same!
After months of hard work and countless brainstorming sessions, we came up with a friendly new companion; our unique character, Namour.
Namour, Not Just Any Character…
In the past, characters were often just cute visual faces next to logos or potential posters on the wall. But times have changed, and so has the role of a character in such initiatives.
With the goal of educating future generations on sustainable practices and the importance of taking care of the environment, this kind of character wouldn’t be a simple mascot.
Namour was going to be a brand ambassador.
Fully connected to the brand, Namour would act as an actual member of this system, forever part of the journey.
This was the initial target we needed to hit for the Saudi Green Initiative (SGI).
This sub-brand and our entire communication plan were based on Namour as the core of it.
We aimed to create an identity that could be directly associated with Saudi Arabia’s ecosystem and wildlife. With the desired ability to humanize the SGI goals, he needed to inspire a sense of pride in the beauty of Saudi’s natural wonders and an urge to protect them.
The Best Stories Start with a Rich Background
The first step in our journey was to really get to know our audience, our goals, and the best ways to reach everyone. Once we had a good understanding, it was time to create our special character.
We knew Namour couldn’t just appear out of nowhere—he needed a rich background, a history, and a story that everyone could connect with.
We filled Namour’s world with all the important details, shaping his profile and bringing him to life with proper design. We carefully crafted every part of Namour’s personality: his looks, traits, way of speaking, and so much more to make him feel real and relatable.
Then came the fun, yet challenging part—choosing what animal Namour should be!
We thought about different options like the sand cat, gazelle, fennec fox, and caracal. Each was considered after a deep study of Saudi wildlife. But in the end, nothing could better showcase the beauty of Saudi wildlife and connect with our audience like an Arabian Leopard.
The rest was a series of ongoing design rounds and feedback sessions. We were well familiar with the region’s special taste and culture, which is why we worked with various art directors and designers in parallel to ensure we met the decision-makers’ desires. And yes, we did it! That’s when Namour officially came to life—well, visually!
When a character like Namour is born, it feels like the hard part is over, but it’s really just the beginning. It’s like welcoming a new baby into the world—it needs lots of love, attention, and care!
When the final design is ready, then would be the time to introduce the character to the audience, and it’s super important to do it right.
First impressions matter, don’t they?
Yes. The better the introduction, the more we can ensure the character’s long-term success.
For the Saudi Green Initiative, we knew just how crucial this was. Namour might be the very first environmental educational mascot in Saudi Arabia, making it even more special and important. We made sure to inform the team about the importance of this stage and went the extra mile by proposing lots of exciting launch ideas and long-term strategies. Our mission was to make Namour the talk of the town, capturing hearts and minds and leading everyone towards a greener, brighter future.
SGI knew one thing for sure before starting the whole campaign:
They needed a teaser video!
Well why not?
Namour wanted to introduce himself to the audience in a fun and personal way, and what better way to do that than with a short, animated video?
This video would be his grand entrance, capturing hearts and sparking curiosity about our new friend. Through this animated video, Namour could share his story, his mission, and his excitement about the SGI journey. It was the perfect way to make a memorable first impression and get everyone excited about what was to come.
One Piece Alone? Not Enough! There’s Still More to Come…
But how much value does a solo video create in the sea of content we have these days?
There’s just so much out there, and the audience is constantly switching their attention, often only giving a few seconds to each video they watch. This is especially true for Gen Alpha, our target audience, and the generation raised within these new technologies and endless streams of content.
Namour said his very first “hi” to Saudi Arabia on June 5th, World Environment Day. It was the perfect day to introduce our new friend through an introductory teaser, and it marked the beginning of an exciting journey.
But this was just the start—there are so many more adventures to come with Namour, guiding us all towards a greener, brighter future!
We hope that one day, the whole world will know Namour as a very cute symbol of all the amazing things Saudi Arabia is doing on its way to becoming green.
Nancy
