The launch by The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) of "The Journey of Hope," a new campaign conceptualized by Impact BBDO, is part of a bigger celebration of this year’s Arabian Leopard Week, an initiative by Saudi Arabia that aims to raise awareness and inspire support for the critically endangered species; it is estimated that there are fewer than 200 in the wild. The Kingdom has designated February 10 as Arabian Leopard Day.

RCU has undertaken a comprehensive conservation plan to save this species, and a breeding center has been updated as part of the rehabilitation program, where four healthy Arabian Leopards have been born since 2021. In 2022, a cub was born and named Amal, which translates to 'hope' in English, to bring a new light of hope for this species. "The Journey of Hope" campaign is named after Amal.

Impact BBDO was tasked with creating a campaign celebrating the 2023 Arabian Leopard Day. To mark the occasion, the agency designed a new emblem that celebrates this heritage animal and shares the story of the Arabian Leopard with the rest of the world. The bilingual emblem was designed to be universally understood both in English and Arabic. The emblem is part of a film that is displayed in significant outdoor locations including Piccadilly in London and NASDAQ in New York City, spreading international awareness.

As a part of the celebrations, an augmented reality (AR) Snapchat lens was also released, showing a simulated Arabian Leopard roaming the spectacular Hegra landmark Tomb of Lihyan Son of Kuza (also known as Qasr Al Farid).

Dr. Stephen Browne, Wildlife & Natural Heritage Executive Director at RCU, said in a statement, “There are fewer Arabian Leopards left in the wild (about 200) than there are spots on one leopard's coat (about 800). Regional and even international cooperation is essential as we restore habitat, return native species to the wild, and operate conservation-breeding programs. This campaign for the second annual Arabian Leopard Day builds awareness today to influence actions tomorrow."

“We found our inspiration in Amal, a cub born at the Royal Commission of AlUla’s breeding centers, who continues a journey of hope for the species. We created an emblem for this campaign. To make both languages visible at the same time, we designed an emblem that blends the two words together in Arabic and English to create a beacon of hope, bridging the language gap, so that the message of hope for Arabian leopards could journey across the world,” said Rana Sadek, Creative Director at Impact BBDO.

Find more info on Arabian Leopard Week, February 10-13 2023 here.