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.

Hamlet and Lili - Lebanese perfumes show their colors.

If you don't know Lili or Hamlet (well, the other Hamlet that is) then you'd be forgiven for not being in Lebanon in their heyday in the 80s. The two perfumes - which for a long time we were led to believe, like Garconne and Businessman - to be from Paris, are all local products.

And here they are again advertising themselves. Well, Hamlet had a go previously (see here), but now seems - like all perfumes to have calibrated its formula - with "Chromium" (all major houses do this - and I will never forgive Chanel for Egoiste Platinum when the original was this distinctive). Lili also a flagship perfume is now "Lili Aliena" - if this is a nod to Mugler's Alien perfume I know not, but the branding exercise is worthwhile.

Of course, as I said prior (here), the push towards "made in Lebanon" is becoming more palpable. And good for them, as it is - of course - better for the economy.

By the way, I mentionned above that the ads for the perfumes made us think they were made in France, but actually the original Lili ad had such a nugget inside its jingle that we completely missed. "On l'appelait Lili fatale, ses yeux d'opale nous fascinait, et sa fraicheur tres matinale, nous exaltait a l'air du bal".

Yes, I know it's difficult, but - Lili fatale? As in Lili Fattal, Fattal being the producing company and Lili being... And if you think I am imagining this, please check here.