Promarché - home is where you feel at home

Ah! Joefish helps Promarché pull a good one. Well, sorry if the image above spoils the fun, but the original idea does the supermarket a good service. Actually it starts off... at dinner. A family gathers over dinner, with the usual family banter - a full table, convivial hosts, the patriarch and matriarch of the family, the embarrassed son and his wife, the stereotypes... and the missing daughter... Who shows up with a dessert. Only to find that all the double-entendre was actually because they felt so much at home, at Promarché... Because "home is where you feel at home". The cast is very fitting, everyone is natural, the setting works until the ultimate reveal, and yes, it does work within its context. At the end of the day, Promarché is a supermarket... which goes back to one of the characters saying "what? you think am a supermarket?". See the ad here.

Digi Bank - when life hands you lemons, you do a bank ad.

OK let's admit it. In Lebanon, hating banks is par for the course. Everyone does it. To be clear, I only have one bank account having closed all other accounts (within the same bank so now I am just withdrawing my money and salvaging what is salvageable). Every bank is issuing its own digital wallet - because you can't get rid of them easily (well, am trying to but that's another story). So Bank of Beirut has Digi its own digital wallet. And it fell on Mink to make it more palatable. So they went to - well - the real situation and basically promised "a bank without a bank" - because if Digi can give you anything it is the ability to escape long tines, or what the ad referred to as a "national sport" (which in many ways it is!). Watch the cute short ad here - so despite the controversial topic one has to admit it was a fun way to portray it.

Master, rejuvenates its nuts packaging

So a new packaging and a line that fits. Here's the issue, the original Master packaging was so over the top, anything new would seem kind of more grounded. Though I have to admit this new packaging (sorry 2 packs did not make the cut in the photo!) is certainly not just "more" minimal, but truly minimal - apparently from the creative minds of Mink agency. Which is all for the better as it creates less clutter visually, and on the shelves. Also note that Master (usually known for its potato chips line) is going full-speed ahead in the nuts department, right bang before the holidays where people do end up stocking on nuts and kernels for their festive meetings among families and friends. What remains to be seen is the pricing, because the Lebanese have thrown brand loyalty out the window and are not are for the most very price-sensitive.

Alfa goes religious for Pope Leo XIV visit, by can it compete with John Paul II?

So the pope is coming to Lebanon and it is strange that one of Lebanon's cell phone operators wants to express itself so closely, but here we are. In Arabic and Latin "Lebanon loves you". I am not sure how this fits with its positioning but well, I am hoping they know how it does. Oddly, few can compete with the 1997 slogan of the John Paul II visit to Lebanon "John Paul II, we love you!" - which was chanted in unison by the millions (literally) who greeted him in frenzy when he came. Naji Boulos (IAA president Lebanon chapter nowadays) did not like the English bit and was happy when - at night - the crowd discovered (apparently following a request from the pope himself to say it in Arabic!) "بوحنا بولس التاني حبيب الشعب اللبناني" (which is the same, but in Arabic, and it rhymes!).

To go back to the ad above it is indeed quite dignified, and thankfully they did not reach to kitsch to please the lowest common denominator and kept it a cut above.
 

Biscotto - goodness all over.

Biscotto, which looks like a redux of another famous cookie (which shall remain unnamed!), is all over town. The ad, especially for a diabetic like me, is very enticing. Especially when it is on every second billboard in town. The line is indeed catchy and goes - once translated - "goodness is from it and in us". Which is interesting as it implicates the audience in the line as well... Small hint if the line was "al tibe menna w fiya" as opposed to "el tibe menna w fina" - which translates into "goodness is from it and within it" I think it would have been an even better line. 

The Epica Awards shortlist is out

The Epica Awards are delighted to announce the shortlisted entries for 2025. In recent days, a unique jury of editors and journalists from around the world has reviewed and evaluated the submissions, offering valuable PR exposure to all the entrants.With agencies submitting their finest work, making it onto the shortlist is a major achievement. Congratulations to everyone featured. We also extend our gratitude to all the agencies, production companies, studios and clients who participated.

This year there are 458 shortlisted entries. The leading country is Canada followed by France.

See the full shortlist attached. These finalists go through to the next round of the jury, which takes place online from November 25 to December 1. An in-person Grand Prix jury session will take place in Paris.

Gold and Grand Prix winners will be screened during a special online ceremony on December 16.

Silver and Bronze winners will be published on the Epica Awards website the next day, December 17.

The highest number of entries overall this year came from Canada (138), followed by Germany (120) and France (101). In terms of networks, Publicis was particularly well represented this year.

Did Doritos just slay a competitor? It did, it did.

Heaven help us... Doritos is coming out for the competition. And not just "any" competition. Read between the lines and the target is pseudo-defined. Sure this is a work for the KSA - and perhaps the region too I believe, so not Lebanese or anything. But I love how they did it. Subtly, but not too subtly. Anyone would immediately understand "forget the circles and choose the triangles". People, it is there, out for anyone to see. Although they did not name them - any potato chips with round shapes (hear that Pringle?) is included in the comparison. Sure, being "anti" anything is not a sustainable position but I still love what they did. Appropriating the space and pushing their very distinctive shape. I hope this will not end up in all out war though, because one move is one thing, infinite retaliation is another.

Elf Town, as if more proof is needed Christmas is approaching.

As if more proof that Christmas is approaching, please welcome Elf Town with its - billion sponsors. Well, the event must be humongous as there are too many companies involved there. But hey, with Lebanon going from trauma to trauma anything that alleviates the chagrin of these kids is worth embarking in. Which brings us back to Elf Town, and Christmas, and the whole charade. With so many production companies, and sponsors galore, one should wonder how hug is this event. Already it seems to be taking over the Hall 1 of the Seaside Arena at the Beirut Waterfront. Just make no mistake, sponsors or no sponsors the event requires tickets for anyone to attend. Meaning it might not be within reach of low(er) income families - actually according to their site tickets range between 20 and 100 USD. As I said, this is not something everyone can afford.

Ksara - Independence Day

Yes, yes, it fell through the cracks yesterday but this is an Independence Day worth mentioning for the concept above all else (execution is minimal which I do not mind). So here we are: "It it very possible that, in 1945, independence was toasted with a glass of Chateau Ksara" - include a fez in the photo and you're home safe. Interestingly, this reminded me of a (very very) old Benetton ad "si en l'an 1 Benetton existait, les rois mages n'auraient pas hesite" (if in year 1, Benetton existed, the three wise kings would not have hesitated). But as I always say, this is a different story for a different day. Ksara almost never disappoints!

Chateau Musar - corkscrew for Independence Day

Chateau Musar has a new one for Independence Day (sadly it gives me an impression of deja vu - here). Still, on its own merit the ad is very good - it includes the product in the advertising. Still, a good one is a good one. Chateau Musar apparently wishes to greet every Lebanese (not just those in the army or anything).

Hallab 1881, or how to sink even lower.

Hallab 1881 just did "something" for Independence Day (here). I was hesitating to post the link because it must come with a warning "I saw this on behalf of humanity so you don't have to". The ad, is even an insult to cliche! It is this bad. A hodge-podge of imagery over an insufferable copy which ends with one of the worst lines I have come across. I have no idea if this was done in-house or by an agency, but approving such atrocity is simply beyond the level of logic and good taste. Hallab has had a string of flops as of late (here and here as examples) and with every new outing they sink lower.

Parazar, a neat ad for Independence Day

Parazar just did Independence day (here). A proof if any is needed that one can do a lovely, strong, and well-meaning ad with a creative backbone without going totally overboard. Parazar specializes in shooting events - marriages mostly. So the images are from the in-house archive. Not bad considering they are pros at what they do. The copy is a bit soppy but nothing to complain about (it is independence day!) and - interestingly, the copy drives its way forward to the ending line "may every Independence Day finds us really well". 

So let's recap, clean imagery, a copy that knows where it is heading, no over-doing patriotism and what not, but rather a way to integrate their product within the event. So honestly, there's nothing to complain about.

Evo and touch link up together

Evo e-wallet (apparently with a Central Bank permit!) has joined hands with Touch, the phone company, in order to give you 10 USD (for free apparently) once you recharge your line. Do note, most Lebanese have temporary lines which we recharge monthly with throwaway tickets. So much that these lines are not temporary any longer, I have mine since 2003 - same number sine then though technically it is supposed to be temporary. On all accounts QR on a billboard? Really? Who comes up with these ideas?

Tchibo, Gold for the converts.

It is nice when your favorite coffee brand is out there strutting their stuff. No I am not a "the other brand" (which shall remain unnamed) person. So seeing an for Tchibo Gold is kind of refreshing. "Every day needs a bit of Gold"... Now how much is a "bit" remains a little mystery. OK, so the positioning is not exactly tops, but who cares, considering the unipole is actually well-placed on a strategic place. Not sure if this is enough to convert people, but in my case it is preaching to the converts as the saying goes. I am #teamTchibo just for to know there might be other people with the same (good) taste out there. 

The pope is coming (act busy or "a la prochaine!")

The Pope is coming to Lebanon (again, I mean different pope but same visit!). So naturally, there is a tone of ads on the streets to welcome him. A certain campaign however has taken as many OOH as allowable (and then some!). "Blessed are the peacemakers" (for those who do not know it continues "for they are the sons of God"). Same in Arabic. Well, as I said this is not the first visit by a Pope to Lebanon. Paul VI in 1964, John Paul II in 1997, and Benedict XVI in 2012. The first visit, Paul VI was a stopover at the airport which generated enormous buzz for small school children to go and see him at the airport. My late mother, who at the time was a teacher at Sagesse school got a notifier for her students and herself to undergo the airport trip. Mother, who just wanted an afternoon off, went to the head of the school arguing it was exhausting over and above all else, and then ended her plea with "a la prochaine!" ("we'll see him next time". As luck would have it, she did see the John Paul II 1997 mass - but hey, a promise is a promise).

Abaad - still believes in teaser/revealer...

Wow, the 80s called and they want their teaser/revealer back. But here we are, another November/December and Abaad (as well as Kafa!) are both on unipoles and billboards and digital OOH. Well, a friend and myself have a theory how come they choose these times specifically when other billboards are a bit more Christmassy... We think it has to do, not with visibility or awareness, but rather with spending donor budget before the end of the year. I went back to my archive, and it is amazing that both Abaad and Kafa both show up in force in November and/or December - no matter the year. Still - the other issue with this ad? A teaser/revealer. Seriously? And the issue is that the revealer was poster while the teaser was on so many other billboards. Yes, as if confusion is not enough. So - to recap: The teaser goes #name_it_right (in triplicate in the same space!) and the revealer goes "no concealing, this is not an assault on dignity, it is a sexual assault, #name_it_right to judge it correctly" and in smaller character "change the sexual assault law". 

Well, yes, the ad does try to say a lot - if we add to it the picture of the scotch-taped woman (which could have come from the Paris Fashion Week but am digressing), with a lot of words attached, but also - as mentioned - a teaser/revealer as well.

Halim goes smart with the National Anthem for Independence Day!

Take Maliks and his silly riddles (here), then take Halim (first here) now the above. Halim, truth be told is on fire. Now that Independence Day is approaching, Halim went with - the gratuitous but very smart hint - of the Lebanese National Anthem. The quizz is simple - or rather deceptively simple - what comes after the two words in the Halim ad which are taken from the anthem? Truth be told, our national anthem's lyrics (courtesy of Rashid Nakhle) are nothing but very - as in very - convoluted. So guessing the next two words is, a bit memory searching, a bit ChatGPT searching, a bit Google search as well. But still - the ad (which has a third installment I did not picture) is in White/Red/Green - the colours of the national flag (a nice gimmick!). Apparently you win something if you answer correctly. But beyond the gifts, Halim is on to something - without silly riddles.

Solet tapis, let's decorate

Solet Tapis... "carpets are the decoration of the house" with a visual of a house made of carpets. Sorry for the image does not show exactly all the ad but that's after three trials, or mostly errors to be honest. But I did think the ad was worth it to talk about. I mean Solet Tapis as customers from all walks of live, even if I presume mainly from the middle class or what is left of it in Lebanon. So the ad needed to be straightforward, and needed to hit, and needed to be placed at a time when people actually put their carpets. As the saying goes "the carpets are from independence to Martyr's day". Independence Day is just around the corner.

Elmir, and for those who don't know?

All right, all right I am the ignorant one. "For those who know" - well, I don't know. There I said it, sue me. Apparently it is a craft beer. To be fair though the ad is well done. I love the typography, as far as I know this is only placed in one place only. I love their logo as well... But I am very ambivalent about their line - I mean it puts everyone on the backpedal... What if we don't know? What if we don't care? (yes, that is worse that knowing). Maybe "for those who have standards" would have fit better as it elevates the brand as this line does without alienating the (existing or potential) audiences. 

Concord - just focus on the local

Concord, I am not even sure if this is a campaign though it is periodically present on the highway. The idea is simple - Concord is a Lebanese brand, so this is exactly what they aim for in the ad. "The pride of the Lebanese manufacturing". To be clear Concord is into white goods productions (you know stoves, washing machines, refrigerators). These are not items one replaces or buys every day. The layout is simple, the background is red (though used to be blue in previous iterations) and the product is shown. Nothing fancy, but if you want such a good, you know where to go.