Could billboards serve a bigger purpose than advertising? A recent campaign launched by ride-hailing app inDrive and creative agency Havas Middle East turns billboards into light sources on some of the dimly lit streets of Cairo. 

Wary of the road safety problem in the Egyptian city, inDrive and Havas Middle East ideated a proactive campaign.

Since April 13, 28 carefully selected locations around the city have been illuminated, including the darkest streets. Positioned closer to the road, each minimalist-designed billboard is a white canvas with a reassuring text in Arabic: “We’re lighting up the streets for you.” 

The billboards also feature a URL directing people to night light locations and a glow-in-the-dark map of the city as its base, ensuring residents easily find these well-lit spots. 

“Working closely with our colleagues in Cairo, we noticed a lack of illumination in the city streets. The end goal was for people out and about at night to feel as safe on the streets as inDrive cars,” says Joao Medeiros, Executive Creative Director at Havas Middle East. 

The creative idea informed the design treatment of the billboards. “As we pushed for the billboards to act as an effective light source, our design system became very clean and minimalistic, which not only stood out in a cluttered out-of-home market but was also refreshing and welcomed across the city,” adds Medeiros. 

Lighting was maximized using LED tubes emitting 50% more light than regular billboards.

The campaign exemplifies how advertising can be used for the greater good, enabling enterprises to create a lasting impact and brand legacy.