Thursday, March 30, 2023

Rawi tea goes back in songs to a specific audience

So what do Habibi Ya 3eyni by Maya Yazbek, Chik Chak Chok by Hassan Abou El Seoud, and Ya Wad Ya T2il by Souad Housni have in common? They are mega mega hits in their respective times and long time afterwards (Yazbek in 1984, Abou El Seoud released his album in 1982 and Housni in the film Khalli Balak Min Zouzou in 1972). Apparently, Rawi tea seems to think that the success of these songs still goes on till today - well, for many generations it does, for others they would have no clue what they are talking about.

Proof? Here, here, and here.

Look the ads feature no tea, and so from that perspective they are gutsy. Are they cute? In many ways yes, they are, and the cast in very believable. Now, try as they might to hype the "it's a big thing" (ossa kbire) which is the selling line of the ads - I am afraid that no matter how you look, there is no invite for a tea anywhere. The mood is cute and jovial for sure, the hits - at least for a certain fragment of the population - would be a throwback to a different era (and nostalgia always works). But as I said, these hits are only known to a specific audience (people, someone asked me why I am mentioning Sherihan in correlation to Ramadan a few days ago!), which makes the jury out on the efficiency of the ads.

I do give bonus points through for not making the househelp in one of the ads dark skinned.