Emirate of Dubai: Empty Plates by Publicis Groupe and Saatchi & Saatchi UAE

The Dubai government has chosen a guerrilla marketing strategy to communicate awareness around the threat posed by world hunger to domestic audiences.

The media and marketing arm of the Emirate of Dubai has teamed up with Publicis Groupe and Saatchi & Saatchi UAE to unleash a fleet of vehicles bearing empty license plates across the city to communicate the plight of an estimated 800 million people who suffer from hunger.

Coinciding with fasting during the month of Ramadan, the unheralded move provoked consternation among the public as they attempted to solve the mystery of whether they were seeing intelligence services at work or stolen vehicles.

The stunt was raising awareness of literal empty plates, which cause millions to go hungry – an issue that has sparked the 1bn meals initiative by Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to ensure no one in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia need go hungry.

To further this cause affluent Emiratis will be invited to bid for unique number plates, with the proceeds raised paying for meals to be given to the neediest including refugees, displaced people and anyone affected by a humanitarian or natural disaster.