Launching Al-Mujadilah Center and Mosque for Women

Memac Ogilvy and Qatar Foundation

Al-Mujadilah is an Arabic word that means one who disputes. The word was chosen as the name of a center and mosque for women that launched in 2024.<br /><br />The launch and potential for controversy created a core challenge for Memac Ogilvy’s client, Qatar Foundation (QF): to transcend controversy and keep audiences focused on how an organization is meeting Muslim women’s spiritual, intellectual, and social needs. <br /><br />Extensive research was conducted, from reading entire essays on the history of women’s places of worship, to conducting focus groups with women in Qatar to identify their core needs. <br /><br />Messaging was then fine-tuned and refined over a two-year process, factoring in findings and the results of messaging testing. <br /><br />A tight-knit strategy was developed that relied on confidentiality and informing all critical audiences in a short time frame. The result: a clear impact leaving no room for rumours, with packed classrooms and prayer hall.