Not only 8 of March

The advertising campaign we developed for the regional retail chain Ishonch, “Not Only 8 of March”, successfully integrated into the socio-cultural context of Uzbekistan, where inequality in the distribution of household responsibilities between men and women remains deeply rooted. Addressing this sensitive and relevant issue attracted strong attention and triggered an emotional response from the audience.

Market Competition

The household appliance market in Uzbekistan is highly competitive, with numerous brands and suppliers fighting for consumer attention. Holiday periods and seasonal sales significantly boost demand, prompting companies to double their marketing efforts. As a result, competition turns into information noise, where every brand tries to offer the biggest discounts and promotions.

We предложили Ishonch to take a different approach: instead of focusing on discounts, the brand chose to address an important social issue.

Social Context

In Uzbekistan, inequality in household labor distribution remains a long-standing tradition. From an early age, women are taught to take care of the household, while men’s involvement in domestic work is often perceived as shameful — “uyat”. Many women are unable to continue their education or build careers due to a lack of time. According to statistics, 74% of women do not pursue education after school, 38% of husbands forbid their wives from working, and 80% of the population believes that a woman should fully dedicate herself to the home.

However, on March 8 — International Women’s Day — this rule temporarily changes. Men give women gifts, often household appliances, and sometimes help with chores. The “Not Only 8 of March” campaign invited people to reflect on why this care should be shown every day, not just once a year.

Idea and Execution

The core idea of the campaign was to draw attention to inequality in household responsibilities. To make the message powerful and memorable, we chose an unconventional TV media strategy: new video spots were aired daily within advertising blocks. Each video highlighted a different aspect of domestic equality, reinforcing the idea that helping with household chores should be a daily norm.

Every storyline depicted everyday situations in which men could take on part of the household work, breaking stereotypes that domestic labor is exclusively “women’s work.”

Results

The campaign reached more than half of Uzbekistan’s population — 23.4 million people. It became not only an effective marketing tool but also a catalyst for public discussion around an important social issue, allowing the brand to stand out among competitors.

Audience Reaction

The campaign sparked widespread public debate. Men actively commented, shared their thoughts on social media, and posted videos of themselves doing household chores. Even the chief spiritual leader of Tashkent supported the campaign in a public sermon, emphasizing that helping at home should be done every day — not just once a year.

Awards:

Ad Black Sea (Georgia)

SILVER
Media: Use of TV & Other screens, radio & audio platforms

White Square (Belarus)

GOLD
CREATIVE STRATEGY
SILVER
GENDER EQUALITY
BRONZE
CREATIVE USE OF MEDIA
BRONZE
CREATIVE STRATEGY

Ukrainian Creative stories (Ukraine)

BRONZE
Film

BRONZE
Integrated Campaign

Red Jolbors (Central Asia)

BRONZE
Excellence in Media Strategy

E+ Award (Central Asia)

BRONZE
Seasonal marketing, reaction to an event or a news hook.

TAF! (Uzbekistan)

SILVER
SOCIAL ESG

Agency:

Synthesis

Creative Director – Farrukh Sharipov
Client service director (CSD) – Alina Mirzaeva
Creative copywriter – Sergey Gorobtsov
Copywriter – Shirin Yusopova
Art-director – Tamila Mirzaeva / Timur Aitov
Designer – Artur Salamov
Account Manager – Yulia Gerasimova / Darya Gerasimova

Independent Strategist:
Denis Eliseev

Client:

Ishonch

Creative Director – Zamira Rakhmanova
Creative Manager – Selivanna Sin
Marketing Director – Urmatbek Beishenaliev
Brand Manager – Nurbek Abyldaev
Trade Manager – Sardor Kuchkarov
Head of marketing communications – Alisher Boykuziev
Art-Director – Doniyor Soliev
PR-manager – Dilafruz Yusupova
Innovation Manager – Madina Nigmatova
Media Manager – Otabek Kholmurodov

Production:

SHOOM

Producer – Alexandra Demchenko
Director – Ivan Proskuryakov
DOP – Boris Litovchenko
1AD – Boris Dementyev
1AD – Abdulaziz Mavlyanov
Creative Producer – Ilkham Kerimov
Executive producer – Nigina Mamatkulova
Cameraman – Ilya Vdovenko
Production designer – Mia Mubinova
Production designer – Helga Geller
Props Master – Temur Hasanhodjaev
Sound Design – Akbar Yusupov