Valentine's Day in Lebanon - party like 2019

So Valentine's Day comping up and the best clubs and venues are competing at attracting the hottest and brightest stars to celebrate - on the one hand this is great news, people spending money and injecting a bit of energy in the economy considering the caliber of the stars in question. On the other hand, and I don't care what you see on social media, the economy is still in doldrums, people are still trying to find jobs, and no we have not had our money back from the banks and - yes, people are still rummaging in trash cans in broad daylight. 

Do note, this is not a judgement on people trying to live and attend concerts of their favorite stars, this is simply telling it as it is. A country still not just as the French say "a deux vitesses" (on two speeds) but rather on 100 speeds at the same time. 

Sleep Comfort, Chery, a morphed logo and... A wedding list?

In my daily AMA (Ask Me Anything), the above ad came en masse. "Why the rings?" "What does the car have to do with anything?" "How much do I have to buy?" "That's not the original logo, is it?". Well, fear not kids.

All right I shall attempt to answer as best as I can. The rings, may or may not indicate a wedding list at Sleep Comfort. Or it may indicate the marriage of the two bands (Sleep Comfort and Chery) who are on the roaster of the same agency mind you (which, may or may not have been the origin of this cross-over ad). This might, or might not, explain why the car has to do with anything - clients of the same agency. Now, the ad, I think, leaves it a little fog as to how much to buy to - what might, or might not - be a draw on the car. Now as you can see the above photo, yes, the Sleep Comfort logo was morphed for the purposes of the ad, which brings us back to the rings.

Naturally, this would not be the first time an agency combined clients. Look at this Cyberia and Warde combo from 2007:

Chateau Musar makes me want to be single this year

Just to be clear from the get-go. I am single. But that Chateau Musar atrocity for Valentine's was really a further proof I should be. I tried to look at it several times just to give it the benefit of a doubt, and every time I would, my dislike for it grew further. Everything from the horrible design, to the corny concept, to the overall feel, and no 100% pure love with the bottle included does not make me want to drop everything and buy that wine. Honestly, they are doing a disservice to the brand at large.

Roadster goes for more protein (or perhaps less)

Roadster, the brand that reinvented itself and its branches to be less Americana and more mature, is now back with an add that screams "same burger more protein" which is good to know and not very interesting to see. The ad is bland leaves you wanting. I mean if I said it was without taste, you'd think I was talking about some moral issue not a culinary one. Do note, the ad is practically everywhere, which means at least Roadster did the effort to spread the idea (or lack of it) everywhere. Unfortunately, I don't see the tone of voice anywhere in the ad.

Pepsi vs Coca-Cola for the Super Bowl. Yes, really, again.

Pepsi is launching a new ad to compare itself, once more, to Coca-Cola while using the Coca-Cola white bear. No, really. Apparently, it is a blind taste. And Pepsi is trying to say "the proof is in the pudding" and therefore once and for all (until the next Cola war is ignited) that taste is on their side aside from marketing and branding gimmicks. Maybe the best way to sum up the situation is to go The Onion brilliant "Ad industry veterans honored with Cola wars memorial". It was fun while it lasted the first time around. But honestly, I am so over it.

Ras Al Houssan - Ramadan time

Well, the 90s called and they want their ad back. Ras al Houssan is back into the saddle (no pun) to offer us a pre-Ramadan ad (notice the lantern and the hanged moon etc). "from one generation to another, the taste does not differ" (yes, it is shorter and also rhymes in Arabic). After a fiasco (here), one which is better (here), Ras al Houssan is continuing its blitz of ads. To be honest, considering its end target audience the ads is not bad. Old man drinking tea after the iftar etc. And even the line is also appropriate even if honestly this style of "rhyming" dates back to the 90s. At the end of the day, and this is something Mohamad Haidar spoke about, the digital part is so totally misaligned with the OOH, which makes this a bit confusing.

Budweiser, the Super Bowl, and Pegasus

Budweiser, which tanked in sales to the tune of 9.2% (well considering its sister brand Bud Light went down 24.6% that's no biggie after it displayed an ad for trans model Dylan Mulvaney in 2023), is now back to its American roots. Featuring nothing but American "icons" in their ads. A horse, an eagle, famers in caps and obviously Pegasus. Pegasus who? Well never mind, there is just this horse with an eagle on top of it jumping over a log - wait, the best part? The "I'm not crying, you're crying" comes when the farmers go "“You crying?” one asks. “The sun’s in my eyes,” says the other.

I am sure Kid Rock is not shooting any more Budweiser cans like he did in 2023 after this the Mulvaney ad. And so here we are. I need however, to give credit where credit is due with the brilliant "made of America" final line. Not made in America, made of America. That's one brilliant move here.

Now ask any average American about the name of the winged horse and then come back to me without having "the sun in your eyes" from laughter.

See the video here.

Waba, Arabic elements to the power n.

I admit I was not even aware the brand existed. Waba - a high end plates and cups - think Villeroy et Boch but make it Arabic designed and styled. When it comes to Arabic culture, they have it locked down for sure. Not just the dishes, or the sahara, or the camels - interestingly they went for a Chevy Caprice rather than a Toyota Hilux but I digress. The abayas, nikab, deshdasha, cultural items to the power n. But what separates the ad from the lot is the way it was done - everything static, but not so, everything moving to the music, but again - not so. Very precise gestures, a suave moving between frames. Blink and you'll miss it (a round object is followed by a round object in the consecutive frames, the back of a man becomes that of a woman, the 4 pieces of cutlery seen from above morph into 4 tables etc...).

The ad takes some time to get accustomed to, but seriously, the pace is impeccable.

See the ad here.

Zod Security vs Maybelline (compare and contrast)

Let me be clear the "prisoner trick" in advertising is nothing new. And giants like Maybelline take months to do their ads and adapt them to different markets and all. Which is cool and dandy considering the big ad space they took over. The problem is that the Zod Security campaign is still on their Dbayeh Branch as we speak. And yes at one point the campaign was prominent in the market. So doing the ad back to back while the Zod is still in town is a little confusing. Still, maybe they did maybe they didn't, you be the judge.

IPT diesel does a Fairouz trick

Well, IPT diesel does its own Fairouz. The lyrics, "in days of cold, in days of rain" taken from Fairouz's "habyatak bil sayf" (I loved you in the summer) were used by IPT to talk about their own diesel availability and delivery. Do note, a lot of Lebanese homes have diesel heaters (mine included) and yes, delivery of large quantities - depending on the severity of winter - is not unheard of (average twice a year). Apologies for the bad image quality but honestly, the ad is positioned above their Dora petrol station, you can't get a good shot while walking and you can't get a good shot from the moving bus on top of the bridge. So you'll have to trust me on this one.

Rodsons: Clear, simple and single-minded

"Rightly-done work needs the right tools".

There, Rodsons went back to the least common denominator and won accordingly. No fuss, no pretenses, no gimmicks, just simple and plain advertising. Basically they went back to single-minded - something a lot of advertisers forgot as of late. Because when you deliver a unique message rather than a plethora of jumbled-talk, you end up delivering an ad that basically sells what you are offering.

Now, I am not a handyman (though I did fix the shower  - thank you!) so I might not be the audience Rodsons is speaking to, but to all professionals and Do-It-Yourself enthusiasts, Rodsons might have a point.

Saudia - milk with dates

So apparently there is a new product in town. OK, here I am admitting to my ignorance - I had no idea Saudia milk was available in Lebanon (apparently, it is and their oldest post on their instagram page dates back to July 3rd 2025 - the link to the page is here). On August 6th 2025 was the first reference to the milk with dates advertised above (here). Which obviously brings us to the ad itself which is displayed all over. 

Well, no idea who the target audience is. Yes, I am aware people eat dates before breaking their fast during Ramadan. But does this go as far as wanting milk with dates? Maybe because I am not the one they are speaking to, I am not so sure. But honestly, this does leave me quite puzzled. 

Hajj Nasr, the kafta, and Sandwich w Noss

Remember the Sandwich w Noss campaign? (here) The campaign went on to compare itself (mostly in a funny derogatory way to other places) and it was, indeed, well-done. Now it seems someone mentioned in one of the ads is giving thanks. Hajj Nasr who was tagged in one of the original ads as "the best kafta after Hajj" (Nasr, implicitly) is actually issuing an ad that goes "you are full of taste/manners people!" and on facebook the following sentence "he who sees us with one eye, we see him with two, you engulfed us in your honesty".

Now, the Sandwich w Noss campaign has been gone for a while, so I am not sure where they found the original ad, and better,  where they found one underneath it to buy - as I am assuming this is a one-off thing (you did not hear it from me but this could either be AI or edited). Still, better late than never, especially with a good one.

Tele Liban has ads on the streets (please read this without fainting)

Tele Liban has ads on the streets.

Tele Liban has ads on the streets (repeating for emphasis). Honestly I am so pleasantly surprised - before you draw any conclusions - I have stopped watching television since 2013 when I got diagnosed with diabetes and high blood pressure was not recommended. But the news in itself is thrilling. After years, make that decades, of neglect, Tele Liban is advertising its new political program "The dialogues of the serail" with Nada Saliba. It is on Tuesday at 8:30 PM.

I read elsewhere that Tele Liban was also going to produce, again, a new scripted program - those same programs that made its glory for decades upon decades when until LBC showed up (August 23, 1985) it was the two channels of Tele Liban had the hegemony of the airwaves (or what was known as "Tallet el Khayyat" and "Hazmieh"). 

In retrospect some of the programmes with incredible pop culture cachet don't hold water by today's standards, but some others do survive intact. But all of this is a little like putting the cart before the horse - on the upside? This time around there seems to be a cart for the horse to push.

Omo is faster than... Take your pick

Well, take your pick people. Omo is faster than your coffee break/power nap/morning scroll/gossip session... Because it offers 15 minutes wash. There! Well, honestly, they do make sense, I mean even on a slow news day gossip sessions stretch more than a quarter of an hour. And if you are to take a coffee break, would you want to make it so fast? Speaking of power naps, in 15 minutes likelihood you might not be asleep yet, not because you are scrolling on your phone (although truth be told this might be!) but we are keeping that for the morning as per Omo. 

Well, their timing is correct indeed. #fastjustgotbetter says the tag, they might be on to something (intimate activities excluded).

Coffee means Nescafe - the cat is out of the bag

Najjar tried, really tied - among others here. But let us face it, coffee means Nescafe. Well, it's not like they are inventing it, but for a whole generation, the two words a synonymous. Nescafe simply said it out loud and shouted it out in the open. Sure sure, they promoting their own 3 in 1 (coffee, cream, sugar) which comes in sachets as far as I know. But that is beside the point, saying it as it is, basically, cuts all corners on the competition because well, it's not like they are lying or anything. Interestingly coming from a behemoth like Nescafe, the campaign was a little "shy" in terms of exposure. I did see it on several billboards but not exactly like if it was a blitz or anything. Still, now it has been said.

Ras Al Houssan - rectifies its aim

Source

Remember Ras al Houssan's earlier campaign (here)? The one where nothing worked? Thankfully they woke up and smelled the coffee, or smelled the tea, or whatever else their product range consists of. Well, also they smelled the "instant warmth, honey" (a wink to their Honey Ginger offering) and to the cold which is currently sweeping Lebanon all over. 

The previous campaign had nothing going for it. This one is focused, single-minded, with a clear, identifiable and quite and targeted message. What's not to like?

It's Her Way has a new horrific ad.

Here's a typical example of me supporting a cause but hating the ad. The latest It's Her Way ad - a movement about reintegrating mothers into the workforce - and one I support wholeheartedly, is actually somewhere between silly and horrific. In Arabic the proverb goes "the mistake of the good one is equal a thousand" - thousand is a bit low when compared to this "offending" (a word coined by a working mother who saw the ad) end product.

So the message is "let's lift the weight" and - yeah very creative - a weight has to be lifted. Honestly? I thought this was a redux of the Polo "small but tough" Terrorist ad (here). I thought she detonated the car herself or what not. But no, the "creative" is that we need to alleviate the weight thrown on her and basically stop her from losing 130,000 USD because she dared to become a mother.

See the ad here (if you really want to be offended).

Nepo babies unite: Use your parents as a springboard

Artwork by Tarek Chemaly

Brooklyn Bckham? Yes the guy who drives McLaren P1 (of which 375 were produced - here) which I believe he paid from his "photographer" (here) job and his "modelling career" (here) and his "hot sauce" business (here). Kind note: Imagine your father is not David Beckham and your mother is not Victoria-posh-spice. Imagine not being born into wealth. Now imagine wanting to "divorce your parents" because you "do not want to reconcile with" them,  while assuring everyone that "(you are) not being controlled, (you are) standing up for (yourself) for the first time in (your) life." Actually Beckham-Peltz as he is now known continues his tirade and spills a lot of tea. The Peltz if you do not know comes from this wife Nicola - actor and director no less. 

Now, not to underestimate his financial wits, if you are going to divorce wealthy parents (as of today the Beckham parents are estimated to be worth 475 Million Dollars), might as well get adopted by even wealthier ones (Nikola's father is estimated to be worth 1.7 Billion Dollars). It seems that the new love nest Nicola and Brooklyn bought - estimated at a cool 16 Million Dollars - came directly from a trust registered under Nicola's name. That's one way to "blend" into another family "like Beckham".

Now of course, when your pictures are this "controversial" in quality and you still found someone to publish your book, when you make spaghetti in seawater (when abroad a yacht!) and still get youtube views, when you drive such a very rare car, and have a "hot sauce" under your name distributed on as many high end grocery outlets as possible. Maybe, just maybe, like when Princess Kate who happens to be an amateur photographer and who - in 2017 - was awarded an honorary lifetime membership and Patronage of the Royal Photographic Society (RPS) a member of the public quipped "perhaps she knows someone".

Which brings us to her own brother in law - yes, Prince Harry himself (here). Funny, reports emerged that Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz hired Jenny Afia, a prominent British lawyer at the Schillings law firm who previously represented Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. But again, it is so easy to speak from a place of privilege. But seriously? Apparently even to "blend it like Beckham" might  not mean much as well, there is full disintegration there. I am still not in favor or hanging your full dirty laundry in front of anyone. 

Still, when you have over 70 tattoos on your body dedicated to your wife as Brooklyn Beckham-Peltz has (with her eyes tattooed on your neck), well, suddenly a 16 million Dollar house seems a small price to receive in return.

Can we stop about this 2016 thingy? #2016trend

Artwork by Tarek Chemaly based on "Riwayat Abir" (2016)

Unless you are Marcel Proust (or Karl Ove Knausgard whose novels I still have not read) then please, chill. One of the most reassuring elements of the past? Is that it happened. Sure, we can always reinvent it, reinterpret it, rearrange it, dramatize it, beautify it, and eventually twist it so that it won't be what it actually was, but one cannot do that with the future. Which is why the past has this snuggly feel to it - like a labubu? Is that even a thing in 2026? But I digress.

Sometime in 2022 I was talking to a fellow teacher who for some odd reason was showing me photos from his past in a European country. "1981 was an excellent year, on all fronts, career-wise and this is Heleine she came from Corsica" he pointed to a woman he was obviously in a relation with. Not to be mean, but I pitied him. I was thinking, this was a man with a family, earning a very good salary comparatively in Lebanon, his son about to get married, and he still speaks of 1981.

As Lebanese, we have the experience of how unkind life can be. Every day is an adventure, and I still hear people say "rizkallah 3ala eyem el 7arb" (my God bring back the war years - speaking about the 1975-1990 one). Well, I am not sure if this is delusion or what, but I do remember the "eyem el 7arb" and I honestly do not want them back - perhaps as the people who survived the said war, we can have the "privilege" or looking back, but those who died are not that fortunate for wanting the said days back.

Which brings us back to the current trend of 2016. No, 2016 was no special year in any way, shape or form. It was just a year, nothing exceptional happened in it - I kept on publishing books, I went to Amsterdam, I blogged, had clients, this, that. Would I want to have 2016 back? Honestly, no.

I have had my fair share of immense struggles since, but this does not want me want to live in the past. Or to be clear, a reconstructed past which never was.