Pepsi pulls all the stops, still attracts controversy

Pepsi just went mega (here). Using Amro Diab, Mohamad Salah, Ahmad Saka, Karim Mahmoud Abdel Aziz, Nawal Zoghbi, Kosai Khodr, Roberto Carlos and Sami Jaber. Interestingly, the stars in questions hail from different sectors - actors (Saka, Abdel Aziz), footballers (Salah, Carlos, Jaber), and singers (Diab, Zoghbi, Khodr - who is a rapper). By the way, AI was used to digitally de-age the stars in question depending on the era they were supposed to be representing in the evolution of Pepsi identity (which is the ad is about).

Heavy guns all the way. Interestingly, this did not stop the stars in question from ending up in a controversy considering Pepsi is one of the brands being boycotted for supporting Israel in the current war going on in Palestine. Apparently the ad was shot prior to the beginning of the war (meaning before October 2023) but still some fans are up in arms against the stars in question for their "collaboration" (with the brand in question). 

This could explain why Pepsi closed the comments on the ad and none of the stars reshared it on their own channels or social media accounts. 

Bayti Store goes for the biggest political dig of them all

Now that came out of left field! Bayti Store goes for a major political dig... Their prices? "Cheaper than all Arab leaders"... Now only that but they say their products are useful - a dig to some leaders or many who are not. It is interesting that in a world where boycott seems to rule (and from what I heard the boycott is functioning) for a company to go all out and just blow the roof - also note the Kaffiyeh background in the ad and the flag this must be a fresh breath of air to many people. OK, side note: You can use their products to store clothes, shoes, winter foods and goods etc...  Check the lovely ad here.

McDonald's Lebanon and 25 years come in a checkered festivity

So lately McDonald's Lebanon is celebrating 25 years in the land, but it has also been embroiled in what is happening in Israel-Palestine (here). So not sure about the timing but these are festivities dipped in controversy what's with brands being boycotted left and right due to the support of the Israeli side of the issues. Whereas 25 years calls for celebrations and if instagram is any indication, the ad dates back to October 11 (here) - which is after October 7 when all hell broke lose - and already the comments beneath it are very telling. Well, McDonald's Lebanon has been dragged into this big time, whether they wanted it or not.