Sande - the teaser/revealer we did not need.

Image credit Reva Berbari

Some say it was a stroke of genius. Others - OK fine, just me - are tired of corny teaser/revealer ads. People we are no longer in the 80s for heaven's sake. But hey, it seems brands love it (for a mysterious reason!). So here we are: Sande. The name is beautiful to be clear, the packaging much less so. Sande means some sort of a back up, or someone to have your back. And it is a very fitting name for croissant, chocolate cream pie, cheese sandwich or anything else you have as a filler (the name of the brand is byte apparently and they have been in the market for more than a year but sales were very sluggish). Now, here's the question: if they did a regular ad without teaser/revealer would they have had the same impact? I personally think they would have, the line is strong enough to have carried the ad without paying for 2 ads at once.

Samsung - summer is here with Galaxy A57/ A37 5G

OK, so that's a lot of things at the same time, first Samsung wishes you an awesome summer, in the meantime there's also the Galaxy A57/ A 37 5G, with a lot of visuals in tow, so basically I am not sure if this is an ad for their new generation of smartphones, or for the brand at large, or for just enticing people to enjoy summer, or any combination thereof. Well, the ad repeats itself on many digital screens which is interesting - but no sign of it on any printed billboards. So I guess it is a mix of all the above. And as I said previously with everyone still saying how chilly the weather is, not sure summer is already on the menu.

Vaseline: Winter glow? For spring? Groundbreaking!

So who knew the wrong timing would be right bang on time? Vaseline - with its "own your winter glow" in May could have been a misfire. But considering the freezing weather we had in Lebanon, including 8 meters of condensed snow in Ainata-El Arz where snow ploughs could barely open a pedestrian road, and rain galore and people regretting taking out their carpets already, suddenly "own your winter glow" (here) from Pimo does not seem too farfetched! And so voila, you could still apres-ski at this time of year I suppose, just put on some Vaseline with it.

Toters adds three more cars for the win!

Remember Toters Fresh and their promise to win one car? (here). Well scratch that because now they are back with a vengeance, or rather a promise to win three cars not just one (apparently, 3 cars over and above the original one) and the ad goes "there is a traffic jam of winning, because we have added three cars!" - well the play on words works actually - you know traffic jam in its clin d'oeuil to too many cars awaiting. Now obviously, Toters - according to statistics controls 71% of the delivery market so they are making heaps of money to afford to offer 4 cars. Interestingly, the brands of the cars are not relevant meaning that the lottery in question is not done in conjunction with any brand wishing to advertise itself.

Beirut Beer delivers summer after/despite diluvian rains

Photo credit Mohamad Haidar

Beirut Beer - and how many times did I say it prior that it is a good thing it is stepping out of the shadow of Almaza and branching out on its own (from here to here and finally here passing through many steps and missteps). Now Beirut Beer has a limited edition summer bottles. The problem is that no one could have anticipated the diluvian rains which struck Lebanon for two days and the very cold weather still blanketing anywhere outside Beirut (where I am - people are still in heavy jackets).

But summer will come, want it or not. So Beirut Beer is anticipating that (again, the incredibly bad weather is still here even despite the sun). But hey, cheers!

So all of us together for unity.

Not sure what to make of this to be honest. The typography is horrible and the layout (what layout?) is inexistent. And the slogan repeats the same word twice. Basically, a very strange head-scratcher. Now I think, though not sure, this is about the refugees. The headline goes "severity does not serve - our unity... serves". Is this directed to people being civilized and emphatic towards those who have sought refuge from the south or the southern suburb of Beirut? Perhaps so. Mind you all this is sponsored by the UNDP, the Ministry of Communication, and Dawaer (Dawaer Foundation is a nongovernmental, nonprofit and nonpartisan organization established in 2015 by a team of dedicated activists who build on their extensive and diverse experience to achieve a democratic peaceful society, respectful of human rights.)

Well, with such sponsors, it is interesting they could not find a decent designer, and a respected copywriter to actually portray their idea in a more flattering manner and for them to actually reach people in a more interesting way.

The AloeLab - summer is here (if only)

Let us be honest, every other person I speak to these days says how cold the weather still is - the Diluvian rains in May are just a proof. So I am not sure about the summer and the sunscreen thingy considering that every evening the fog is so thick one can cut it. Still, it's the time I guess. So here we are, the AloeLab is advertising for a "sun ready skin, oil free, fluid sunscreen" - which honestly is a lot of messages to go into one ad. Normally you get SPF 15 and that is it. Interestingly it is a Lebanese company apparently (here) and from one of their posts is seems you can apply the sunscreen under your make up (I am assuming that this has nothing to do with swimming later).

Children's Cancer Center - because cancer does not wait.

Is the country really engulfed in a million issue? Do we have problem on top of a problem? Are we dealing with literally, an existential crisis? Yes, and yes and yes. But this does not negate that cancer does not give a hoot about any of this. It does not care, it does not wait, it does not take a break. It is here. It is relentless. And the children fighting it also neither can afford to delay or adjourn their chemo sessions, radiation and medicine. The Children's Cancer Center Lebanon (CCCL) has a timely ad. One that is dignified all while conducting the final message without being petty. A very delicate rope to walk, but one they managed to do.

Master kettle cooked crunches differently and goes upscale.

The new Master kettle cooked potato chips went high end, as is very high end. A hidden villa? Check. A model in fancy clothing? Check. A very embellished copy in English? Check. Truly, one could mistake it for a perfume ad (if one adds an opera soundtrack), or a very chic clothing store (if there's a man somewhere in the shadows). 

Now, with the Master kettle cooked chips being really good - on par with their international counterparts - it seems the stress was to point people that they could still enjoy such high quality, yet at affordable prices. Which is sort of worrying because when the ad is so upscale, people might be afraid of the price and hence consumers might feel this might be too expensive for them to try and enjoy. But still, the ad is well done, the velvety ambiance very palpable, and the suggested quality does portray itself in the film setting the product in a different standard that any other local competitor. Then again, considering this is the Daher Food top selling product, the consumer already knows the price, so perhaps it was good to stroke their ego implying they belong to some exclusive club. See the ad here.

Can anyone make Alfa stop, please?

Alfa has a new ad (here). And it's not even independence day. The sob, the drama, the - heaven help us that word again - resilience. I mean they got the mandolins to the power n, and the pinch-me-till-I-cry drama cranked to the level 11. Oh and as a close friend said, "now is not the time to dig a tunnel under the cedar" which, along with all other pseudo-creative ideas the ad is brimming with, it is indeed not. 

Does the ad solve anything? As usual not. And no, tilling the soil and dancing dabke while waving the flag as children are on the swing will certainly not fix the country. But then leave it to Alfa to have a much ado about nothing.

Solet Tapis, buy your artificial grass already

Solet Tapis has a very good one. "Chreyto w la terbeyto" - buy it rather than raise it. Meaning get the end result without going through the hassle of the process. And what are they talking about? Well, artificial grass rather than natural one. In the photos one can see the difference - either a woman tanning on a chaise longue with a lovely assortment of potted plants next to her or a man mowing the lawn with uneven results. Which brings us back to the beginning - buy it rather than do it by hand endlessly.

Perwoll goes high on a promise

Well, not sure how this works, but apparently Perwoll - a detergent brand which up to my knowledge is new to the market - promises to "clean and renew colors with every wash". Interesting, with other brands issuing forumlas for black fabrics (especially for women's black abayas implicitly) - Perwoll seems to target all colors apparently. Interestingly, Perwoll is a brand owned by Henkel - yes, the same Henkel that also owns Persil. So perhaps Perwoll is a fighter brand launched to take market share from competitors, or perhaps it is the answer to other competitor companies who have specialized formulas to clean colored fabrics.

Presidential ad - reaffirming positions

There are several ads in town featuring our president. For anyone a bit lost here's the gist of it: Lebanon is having direct negotiations with Israel. Hizbollah does not concede to the existence of such a nation. So the country is torn in between those saying that the negotiations are asymmetrical and irrelevant and obviously an act of treason, and those saying that the country needs to get down from its high horse and face the music as is and try to limit damages as much as possible.

The president and the head of the cabinet (respectively Joseph Aoun and Nawwaf Salam) are of the latter's opinion. Hence the ad in question all over town. "Joseph Aoun... The decision is Lebanon's" - to begin with the ad is not signed (neither by the presidency nor any other official or unofficial body) and it says what it wants to say obliquely (and smartly one has to admit). Because what is left unsaid is "the decision is not for any non-governmental actor with arms but rather with the state itself". As I said, it leaves a lot suggested, but it implies all of it.

Of course, buying ads on networks costs money, so it would have been interesting to know who paid for it just as an act of transparency. 

Furn Obeid, Labor Day with a lovely jab!

What do Zaatar w Zeit, the Lebanese Bakery and Furn Beaino have in common? Well, they are all competitors to Furn Obeid. And since today is Labor Day, Furn Obeid decided "we want to rest today so order from...." - yes, the competitors. Because eventually, loyal clients always come back. Lovely, lovely jab! Not to be mean or steal their thunder but it does remind me of the 2014 Shawarmanji Halloween trick (which was done in reverse, i.e. dipping the Shwarmanji logo in that of the competitors) - see below.... To be clear, both are incredibly smart and well-done.

Vivad - Labor Day ahoy!

Ah that was an unexpected one. 1rst of May, Labor Day. Vivad went with a mix of professions (OK, fine no blue collar ones but one cannot demand too much I guess) only for this to culminated in a Labor Day ad. Which is actually a bit cute (Happy Filmmakers/ Developers/ Bankers/ Pilots/ Lawyers... Day, then Happy Labor Day). As I said, it does lack the - you know Happy Taxi Drivers/ Forklift Operators/ Builders/ Bakers/ Seamstresses Day. Still credit where credit is due, it does work for whatever its intended target audience.  

Roadster vs Bellvie #compareandcontrast

Shhhhh... No wait, I heard that sound before. Exhibit A: Roadster 2025 Exhibit B: Bellvie April 2026. Same sound, same distinctive hiss, but as always, I am not saying they did, I am not saying they didn't, but compare and contrast and you be the judge.

Promarché has landed in Adma, now... Is Adma ready?

Well, Promarché is widening its footfall. From a recent opening in Antelias, now comes Adma hot on its heels. Now, Adma is quite a well to do suburb that is for sure, but Promarché is not starting in some barren land. As a matter of fact there is a huge competition there - many supermarkets already entered the area and secured large chunks of clientele. So Promarché has some very tough terrain to climb. But who knows, with its fresh produce promises, its many a high end merchandises perhaps Promarché was the niche brand Adma did not know it needed. Still, the ads cannot be hidden from the "We're landed" to the inviting "Adma let's go"... A call to action without being too overt or too cheapo. Just what Adma might like.

Yes bleach, or perhaps it is a no.

Photo credit Mohamad Haidar

Remember that idiotic ad Yes launched? (here). You don't? Because it was forgettable. Pity the days of Abou Fouad (Robert Helou who was incomparable - here) and the iconic Cosette (here) are long gone with the legendary 3 bi 1 slogan (so legendary I titled one of my books after it - here). And so Yes is a new streak of bland ads. Sure it says what it does on the tin - single message, price and that's all. But would you go to a store and ask for it? I doubt. And if you end up chosing it that's because of the price (remember, brand loyalty is out the window for the Lebanese, we are all very budget sensitive these days).

The ad itself has been bleached to death. Incolore et inodore.

Fattal, 120 years and a new ownership

Fattal just issued its 120 year anniversary documentary. No surprises there, but then again the company is so large and established I guess there was too many layers of approval before this came about and eventually flattened it a bit creatively. But then again, no biggie, the company does manage to tell its story, via some archival images - the documentary does find its personal footing when real images from the past of the company are used. One connects with them especially if of a certain age when the war images - and yet the normalcy of the workers in the warehouse - both blend together.

It goes without saying Fattal is a huge group that represents too many brands - most exclusively - and good for them. Also their social arm is not some let's-greenwash-this but rather a very serious endeavor from their part (side note, through a friend we were approached long ago to do a documentary for them and for some odd reason, one of their employees thought that they can change the statistics offered without having to re-record everything a studio. Bit bizarre if you ask me!).

But now Fattal has been sold to CMA CGM, the shipping monster. A smart move? Yes if you ask me. Because there's so much a company can do, without emphasizing how compatible and logistically synergistic the whole thing is.

That CMA CGM has a CEO and Chairman in the person of Rodolphe Saadé means that the whole enterprise is still largely Lebanese in identity. So on to the next chapter. See the documentary here.

Digi bank and Lebanon's national sport

So let's admit it - banks are not exactly high when it comes to people's trust and respect after swindling their customers with a huge ponzi scheme which defrauded everyone and stripped them out of their cash. So most Alpha banks are pivoting to digital banks - so that at least the association to the original institutions is a little camouflaged. Digi joins the fray as the new arm of Bank of Beirut. The ad, courtesy of Mink, plays on the "national sport" that is waiting in line to have you bank matters attended to.

Well, the idea is simple, is to "finish, without taking part of the marathon". Because obviously no one wants to queue when they can handle that privately from their telephone app. And... it is "a bank without being a bank" - which it is, yet, no one said it this way prior. See the ad here.