Al-Futtaim Toyota and AKQA tap into Islamic art to turn every drive into a ‘Journey of Mindfulness’ for Ramadan

Road safety has always been a topic of concern during the Holy Month of Ramadan.

According to the Dubai Police, the first 10 days of Ramadan this year witnessed a 62% increase in traffic accidents, compared to 2021. This can be attributed to a loss of focus and presence of mind, especially as eager drivers make their way to Iftar as quickly as possible, hence are less alert and cautious behind the wheels.

Al-Futtaim Toyota wanted to draw attention to the problem of these increased traffic accidents. Their Ramadan digital activation and social experience campaign titled ’Journeys of Mindfulness’ encourage drivers to relax and focus before they begin driving.

To bring this to life, AKQA Dubai drew inspiration in the meditative nature of ancient Islamic art. For centuries, sacred Islamic geometry and its tessellating forms have been used as a tool for personal and spiritual growth. AKQA turned these patterns - traditionally drawn by hand - into infinitely repeating motion art and abstract demonstrations in mindful driving.

Four bespoke animations were created, one for each week of Ramadan. These animations were accompanied with editorial multimedia featuring reflective quotes, practical breathing exercises, contemplative ambient music, and self-care practices, coming together as a themed ‘Journey of Mindfulness’. Every Journey was released just before potential peak accident hours, to match the times people left their homes and offices for work, Iftar, and Suhoor.

Al-Futtaim Toyota is continuing to amplify this message further by collaborating with popular experts within UAE’s wellness community to create themed pre-driving playlists on Spotify.

Titled ‘Journeys of Mindfulness: Sonic Escapes’, each is purposefully curated for drivers to plug into their car’s audio system, listen and focus so that they may start driving in a calm mindset. Digital showroom screens on Sheikh Zayed Road - the busiest highway in the nation - were turned into thoughtful PSAs during peak rush hours, reminding drivers to be mindful on the road.

Spanning digital and on-ground experiences throughout Ramadan, ’Journeys of Mindfulness’ reminded over 400,000 drivers to move mindfully. So far, 7200 drivers have committed to making mindfulness part of their pre-drive ritual.

Saad Abdullah, General Manager of Al-Futtaim Toyota and Lexus said, “Al-Futtaim Toyota has always been an advocate for road safety, and this campaign takes our efforts further by pre-emptively helping drivers to be in the right mindset before they drive, instead of only addressing it when they are dealing with road rage. In a time where ‘mindfulness’ is seen as an imported concept from the West, our ‘Journeys of Mindfulness’ is a timely return to sources of calmness within our own heritage, through the power of Islamic art.”