UAE goes propaganda on turbo mode

That didn't take long.

The UAE is on the propaganda offensive with a film which features all cliches imaginable and possible, all stereotypes ever used in the communication industry, and the most blatant, flat and Passepartout copy ever written for an advertising. Anything from happy families, to "no favoritism" among expats (yeah right), to - no seriously - all the people doing the military salute, to - am telling you just recounting that makes me stomach churn. Because they had to - as in had to - demonstrate that 10 million people "trust a nation".

Now, to go back to the words of Morrissey about Live Aid and Bob Geldof - "One can have great concern for the people of Ethiopia, but it's another thing to inflict daily torture on the people of England." To create a parallel one can have great pride in the UAE, but it's another thing to inflict visual torture on the people of the earth. This ad exactly does that so much it is irritating.

Oh and pay attention, apparently all the people who flooded Linkedin about "Dubai is safe" and the whole chorus "no one asked people to speak" - yes it is direct quote and no I am trying to avoid what British influencers said about their situation there (here) as I shall classify this under "unconfirmed reports". Well, to repeat the expression "they know who is buttering their bread" or at least who is holding the butter knife. See the film here.

Yes, Dubai is safe, no, Dubai is not the same.

Mid-80s travel poster for Dubai

All over Linkedin, and I mean all over Linkedin, the same chorus appears ad infinitum "Dubai is safe" some get more creative and go "I feel safe in Dubai". I am happy for them, because I am in Lebanon and no I do not feel safe. Also add to the cacophony sentences like "the state knows what it is doing" and "Reem Al Hashimy (UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation) has given a great interview to CNN" (the last one appears under different wording but the gist is the same). 

No one talks about the conversative estimate of the 45 Billion Dollars in expected loss of revenue to the UAE from the war, because let's face it, someone in their right mind is not going to go to Dubai for vacation at this point. No matter how "safe" it is - and everyone and their mother is reminding us that it is so (check Linkedin, again).

Once the aura is broken, it cannot be restored. Do note, when the financial crisis happened in 2008, Dubai got hit incredibly hard, at one point I had a meeting with the owner of a magazine and asked why no one was covering the disaster, and he said "Tarek, there is an embargo, no one is to publish any bad articles about what is happening there, I know who is buttering my bread" - a week later he was in Dubai, met by a limousine at the airport as part of a charm offensive to open the new studios of a major news channel.

But now it is different, and yes, I know - skyscraper this, and museum of the future that, and 200-300 Millions spent yearly for the Louvre name for Abu Dhabi - for heaven's sake even Margiela has a real estate project there. I know many proclaim "life is the same", and I read that missiles or no missiles everyone is "being back to their hookah and food". Good for them. 

In this case where are there so many repatriation flights and why are they over-booked and why is everyone clamoring to get their families out and every department of foreign affairs is advising its nationals not to travel to a lot of the countries in the region or to contact their embassies urgently to be able to arrange flights for them to go back home? Because perhaps "buttering one's bread" is no longer enough.

It is estimated that the region - which had a projected growth of 13% as of December 2025 - will lose an average of 30 million visitors, and the spend that comes with them. Saudi Arabia which was projected to be on a heavy growth path is slowing down beyond any logical estimations with flight cancellations happening acutely.

Will this have a halo effect for the future is still topic of debate. To misquote Shakespeare, "something is rotten in the state of" - no, not Denmark, but rather somewhere in the GCC. And no matter how many "Dubai is safe"s I see parroted on Linkedin, something does smell foul.

Of Beirut and Dubai: We're having a heat wave (yes, this is a song)

To those of you who have not melted, welcome. Supposedly the worst of the heatwave has passed. Well, between the temperatures soaring, the lack of any electricity from the government, and the diesel engines exploding left and right due to overcharging their capacity, welcome to the joys of living in Lebanon. And yes, we are supposed to compete with other such cities because, never mind the because, but seriously when my internet provider gave a free internet to the bazar organized for the feast of the Assumption, it sent all our accounts into a tailspin, and I had to work very very difficulty for two days when a client in Dubai was eagerly waiting for answers. Because, you know, Dubai has internet no matter the feast.

During the war, then drinkable water was too far and in between, an AUB professor suggested that people can fill glass galons and leave them in the sun for a day so that the sunlight would do the purification. Suspiciously, I saw our neighbour putting glass galons outside having told him the story now that drinkable water is even more spottier than my internet account.

But yeah, Dubai has to be shaking in its boots. Long long ago, Ruler of Dubai, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, said on Beirut: a dream that echoed in my mind that one day Dubai would be like Beirut.

But that was long ago.

Meanwhile my neighbour has put a new batch of glass galons.

Hubert Boulos speaks words of wisdom in ArabAd

Hubert Boulos - Artwork by Tarek Chemaly

If you have not read Hubert Boulos' interview in ArabAd you are missing out big time.

Rarely has anyone been so candid about the state of things. And he is saying while he is in Dubai. No mean feat to actually lay bare all the optic illusion of the market there where everyone else is trying to paint a glossy picture of what is happening. Boulos (CEO of DDB Middle East) butchers everyone from clients to award shows passing through lack of creativity and meager budgets. Seriously, to be able to be so lucid and outspoken is a rarity in today's world. 

As I said, the main idea for all companies is try to paint a rosy ambiance about what is happening. And here is Boulos, honest and telling it like it. It is a pity the interview is not even longer so that he'd say even more harsh realities about what is going on.

Please enjoy the ArabAd interview with Boulos here.

The Toyota Building in Dubai gets its namesake sign back

Image of the "Toyota building" dating back to 1981

The Toyota building in Dubai got its sign back.

Well, here's the story - the official name of the building is Nasser Rachid Lootah building, one of the first high rises to be built in 1974 (three years after the inception of the Emirates). On top of the 15 story building - which offers cheap rents to expats till this day - was a sign by Japanese carmaker Toyota. Of course, throughout, many incredibly tall buildings have mushroomed in Dubai.

But Toyota building remained there, both a landmark and a relic in the past. Cut to 2018 when the advertising contract for the sign expired and it was taken down. You can see a photo of the building without the Toyota sign here. But old habits are hard to change, the building was still called Toyota building (much like Lebanon's "Chevrolet" roundabout refers to a long defunct dealership, or Cola bridge in Beirut refers to a long shut-down Coca-Cola bottling company). 

Well, here's the good news - the building seems to have regained its Toyota ad. Alfuttaim which owns the Toyota dealership for the Emirates decided to Reinstate the landmark banner. 

So the Toyota building is the Toyota building again.

Adidas goes above and beyond with Asma Elbadawi

Well, Adidas does not do things on a small scale in Dubai, does it?

As as matter of fact, the higher the better. And how higher can it be that the top of a skyrise. 

With none other than Basketball player and poet Asma Elbadawi, I mean we had a stewardess on top of Burj Khalifa prior, but did the stewardess actually dunk a basketball? All this on a glow-in-the-dark basketball court on the rooftop of a 52-storey tower at the heart of a palm-shaped man-made island that can be seen from space. With Dubai in the background. 

The copy of the voice over is full of energy, determination and ambition and Elbadawi delivers it with strength and iron-will in her tone of voice. The message still celebrates the I'm possible (as opposed to impossible) and ends with the now classic "Impossible is nothing" that Adidas is known for.

Watch the beauty here.

Dubai: A romance to forget?

Dubai has a new touristic movie starring Jessica Alba and Zac Efron (directed by Craig Gillespie). The idea is about two people who have the same identical bags that get switched (a ploy worked and reworked previously, not the least of which in the ultra-popular Winston ad from the late 80s). Well, the film is really well produced, Gillespie works his best (though there are strong hints of Wes Ansderson) while the two actors go on their I-wish-I-wash-not-here-but-already-cashed-my-fee as they attempt to meet while following each other's itineraries (found in the respective bags). As I said, the film is lovely to look at - but honestly the scenario is too clownish, and everyone is trying their best to look jolly. But I think there is this element where (and this is something very present in the Lebanese promotional material from the 60s and - pre-war - 70s) the locals are just props within a frame, rather than proud inhabitants of their own country. See the full ad here.

Emirates Airlines - on "top of the world" (or on top of Burj Khalifa)

OK, so let us start in reverse, the woman you see in this ad is not part of the Emirates team - not for the lack of courageous contestants applying - but rather professional skydiver and stuntwoman Nicole Smith-Ludvik. Well, where is she? On top of freaking Burj Khalifa in Dubai. I mean - right on the top of the top! What is she doing? Advertising the Emirates Airlines. Seriously, when it comes to stretching it "over the top" this one blows all the cards. I mean, let us be honest, to dare do it - even with a professional stuntwoman is daring indeed. But hey, there you go - it got all the tongues wagging and all the inks spilled. Which is actually the point. See the full ad here.