So apparently I am the only one who thinks the L(IKEA) campaign is corny

I read much praise about it when posted. I still think the L(IKEA) campaign for - you guessed it - IKEA is corny. Do I like the sophomoric word-play? No. If a student came up with this would I encourage them to continue the thought? (Insert much shouting from my part after a 10 second calm before the storm). Long story short? Why did this campaign ever happen?

Worse? Who in their right mind shifted from the brilliant "where life happens" or the quirky "life is not an IKEA catalogue" to "between you and a better everyday" which is the downgrade of all downgrades. People, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. When you come up with great positioning and a way to sway customers don't get corny - which sadly this is.

And I am still trying to wrap my head around that non-effective L(IKEA) thingy.

Taj goes on the triple kitchen offensive

Taj is establishing itself as the kitchen brand if you are to believe their triple onslaught of outdoor blitz. OK, first the soup which is supposed to be be "atyab soup bi souk" (soup and souk are supposed to sort of rhyme - that was lame though truth be told), then you have the basmati rice and eventually the cream (or ashta) in Arabic.

The ads are not exactly super creative, but what is interesting is that the campaign is so ginormous it appears on every other billboard in town. Considering it is three different products, one sees the logo everywhere. Interestingly there's nothing "campaignish" about the visuals - they do not resemble each other or follow any kind of pattern visually or conceptually, but being concurrent in the market gives them an air of "unification". 

Ahla bhal talleh - gets a remix for 2023

Remember when Donald Trump revealed that the slogan for his (current) campaign would be "make American great again, again" and got lambasted over the internet (here). Well, do you also remember the Alha Bhal Talleh campaign by the Ministry of Tourism (here). Well apparently this year, the campaign is going to become "Ahla Bhal Talleh... Ahla" (yes, "again, again" I know). Also as a side joke, "Ahla bhal talleh ahla" makes it become like a song by our late diva Sabah so someone has  been riffing on the lyrics and making a joke out of it (here).

Now why change the campaign (of which I was not a fan)? Why remix the slogan? Would that make it more potent or seductive or welcoming? Who knows, maybe the double clocks we had make everyone see double (and write double) lately. 

Whatever it is, just add it to the illogical things happening around us. All I can say is now I feel like some KFC (here).