One thing was certain: We have 10 seconds to convince people the world still needs our help, and we’re ready for the challenge.
One thing was certain: We have 10 seconds to convince people the world still needs our help, and we’re ready for the challenge.
Being a creative contributor to the groundbreaking work Zakat Foundation of America does is truly a blessing. I feel like the passion Zakat Foundation has for making the world a better place shows in every area of their work.
Since the pandemic started, several nonprofit/humanitarian organizations were forced to get creative. We all had to stay at home, but that didn’t mean we couldn’t still find creative ways to help the poor and needy.
I was first introduced to Zakat Foundation’s work by a friend who pitched me to direct and host their first-ever virtual Eid fundraiser Eid-In-Place, which featured some of the world’s top Muslim artists. I was immediately excited because this is the type of creative work I LOVE being involved with.
Since then, Zakat Foundation and I (in collaboration with my business partner Sasha Shermani, founder of HDK Media) partnered up again to create more digital content in the hopes of raising money for Zakat Foundation’s top outreach programs. When asked what kind of project this will be, I was told they would like to create short vignettes to help build awareness about key relief funds.
I spoke with Amna Mirza and Amal Ali (Zakat Foundation’s head of marketing and communications, and the director of brand communications, respectively), to understand the feel and style they’re going for, and I knew these ads had to grab people’s attention and “pop.”
One of the most difficult things to navigate when it comes to creating a digital call to action: How do you make something powerful, yet short enough to move people and accommodate their limited attention span? The answer is complicated; we’re all still trying to figure that out. But one thing was certain: We have 10 seconds to convince people the world still needs our help, and we’re ready for the challenge.
HDK media, Zakat Foundation and I had several zoom calls, carefully going over every detail in these videos. Everything from actors, wardrobe, to the illustration of background rubble — everything was carefully crafted and refined. After a few weeks of notes, we created what I believe is exactly what we intended: Videos that highlight Zakat Foundation’s mission (to make the world a better place) in less than 10 seconds!
We are all learning and adjusting to the “new normal,” especially when it comes to marketing and campaigns. I believe Zakat Foundation of America is ahead of the curve, and I look forward to continued collaborations.
To learn more about the Zakat Foundation of America and the work they do, click here!
