Guinness and the much awaited welcome back.

So "good things come to those who wait". And wait is what people did! And now (in the UK at least) restrictions are easing when it comes to the pandemic, and Guinness beer offers its "welcome back" using visual analogy - because, honestly, by now everything looks like a pint of Guinness. And off they go - chimneys, newspaper stacks, doors, graffiti-infused walls, garbage cans, socks, and the list continues. Anything black with something white on top qualifies. And, well, yes, they are all taken from the imagery landscape of the UK in general. Does it work? Well it works so much that someone who is lukewarm about beer like me would want a pint right now. My goodness, my Guinness - has never been more apt as a saying! See the full film here.

Fine - promises of lovely days!

Is it dangerous to promise people the unthinkable? Not according to fine. Whose ad rests upon "lovely days will be back again". And yes, people hug in the ad and that. Nothing about retrieving their stuck money in banks, and what not. But well, Fine does believe good things are to come. We are in lockdown in Lebanon - again - nothing seems to be working at this stage though (no government, devaluation still stands very high and I dare not go on). But Fine truly wanted to strike an upbeat tone in a glum environment. Some people choose the sunny side up, good for them. Meanwhile others stay grounded to be able to pay for medicines and the bills and what not (OK, no points for guessing which team I am on!). But well, if Fine believes it - and interestingly the ad is about their brand of incontinence briefs for adults. So voila! 

In Lebanon 2021 picks up exactly where 2020 left....

Artwork by Tarek Chemaly

Wherever we go (and we are not going anywhere), there we are...

In Lebanon, 2021 is starting exactly where 2020 left off. 

Saluting the medical staff which is fighting covid (wait, haven't we done that enough?).

Cases of covid surging to unprecedented heights (haven't we gone to such heights before? Actually, no, with people being reckless after an original super tight respect for the law - as I predicted here - the number of cases is spiraling out of control).

We are heading towards our umpteenth total (?) lockdown with our (incalculable?) exceptions (again, haven't we seen this enough in 2020 - the best part was the nightclubs open but without dancing).

Banks are still running totally crazy. To begin with there is zero coordination between them. No bank is acting the same, and when a new policy is enacted, clients (remember it's the clients' money in there) are told after the fact not before it. Mind you all banks are acting this way, meaning, a client comes trying to withdraw money only to be told that no, this month the amount changed (usually decreased!) or what not.

We still do not have a new government (what else is new?). The political discourse in Lebanon is still very stagnant at this stage. Interestingly, everyone is waiting for outside signals to come by (mainly the US transition of presidency, which astounds me, because - in case you have not heard - the new administration has bigger fish to fry!).

The advertising scene - the focus of this blog usually alongside with communication - is still in, literally, the death throes. I recognize there are some campaigns running on billboards but this is no indicator that things are picking up. 

Many agencies are either handling their MENA accounts from Beirut (if they have international affiliations), tried to establish satellite offices somewhere in the gulf, are creating systems to avoid having to deal with banks when it comes to payments, and are trying to pick up the debris (literally) of the August 4 Beirut explosion.

Freelancers are really being hit hard. To begin with, companies are recruiting them on the cheap (very very cheap) under the guise of "fresh Dollar" (which means they are paid in new Dollars as opposed to "Lollar" or Dollar already stuck in the banking system in Lebanon) and considering the difference of value between the two, companies in the gulf are recruiting them to do work from Lebanon while abusing their need to survive here. 

Also, banks are blocking all incoming money which these freelancers have gained - the excuse is usually "fear of money laundering", and this only leaves companies like Western Union as a way of payment (the payment is deducted by 2% upon arrival by the way, unless it comes from an American bank). Interestingly, companies cannot send by Western Union, it needs to be individuals - which added a further layer of trying to jump through hoops!

If so far you are not dispirited just by reading this, try living this on day to day basis. 

2020 Vision and the quarantine marvel

Long ago Ghida Younes asked me on her TV show how come we remember old ads when they were not the award-winning or super-produced or anything. The answer was simple, because you do not remember an ad, you remember what was happening when you saw the ad. Were you in the shelter? It maybe driving with the radio on to check the latest shelling? Were you with friends? And the list continues. The other element that was crucial, was repetition. The average broadcasting period of an ad, was literally, years. Which is why people who deal with old ads like me are at a loss to put dates on ads: Was that 1980 or 1983? Yes, three years was indeed not unheard of.

Which brings us to the 2020 Vision ad. They are delivering during the quarantine/lockdown. But the ad is timely, cute, and really inserts the brand's expertise (glasses!) in the context. Whereas lockdown was Oxford's word of the year, the probably of repeating the ad is nil. But it is a very good ad, I admit to it.

Skoda does lockdown films, via Halal Amsterdam.

Lockdown brings makeshift and homemade (literally) creativity. It does so for Skoda. Halal Amsterdam made sure it did (see here!) - to those born not long ago, prior to the million Dollar costing productions, these low key ingenious ads were the norm and not just in advertising but in cinema too (I am old enough to remember that but my ad experience borders on the last hurrah in terms of small scale production!). Still Halal proves, via Skoda that one can still make films with personal cachets with little or nothing at all...
Skoda, no really, Skoda.

Al Mosafer: stories of Mecca

Today, as we know marks the beginning of Eid; a celebration that’s observed by 1.8 billion Muslims around the world. And as we know, It’s tradition among Muslims to visit Mecca during Ramadan and Eid - for prayers to observe the two religious celebrations as well as for Umrah (the year-round pilgrimage).
But this year, due to the situation and the health crisis owing to COVID-19, Mecca is under absolute lockdown, even during Ramadan and Eid. Even people living in Saudi Arabia cannot travel to Mecca. This has never happened in our lifetime. With these lockdowns and travel restrictions prevalent in Saudi Arabia, Ramadan 2020 and Eid 2020 are uniquely challenging, on a spiritual and emotional level, for those who follow the faith.
So, on the occasion of Eid, Al Mosafer (yes, the same one that brought us the incredibly moving Ramadan ad last year), a travel platform from Saudi Arabia, decided that if people can't travel to Mecca, their stories of Mecca can. Memories of Mecca are brought to people, in a film made by people themselves, titled ‘Stories of Mecca’.
Given that the film couldn’t be shot due to lockdowns in Mecca, a campaign on social media launched during Ramadan invited people everywhere to share their memories of Mecca. People from 52 countries contributed. Over 10 hours of stories were sifted through and then, the selected shots were stitched together in a film that’s told through the format of social media stories about Mecca. Because even though Mecca may be locked down, its stories will go on.

What I truly love about the film is how genuinely moving it is. The images are not professionally shot but in the amateurism one can be truly awed by the experience. With this, best wishes for the Eid to anyone celebrating it, and I know the circumstances in Lebanon are not ideal but we forge through!

Let's get digital!

Artwork by Tarek Chemaly

So, to misquote Olivia Newton John - let's get digital. I keep reading antagonistic data - book reading is on the up, but Amazon teamed up with American Vogue to sell designer clothes because traditional stores that would carry these designers are now closed. Apparently, the way we shop will forever change, then on the first day of lockdown easing in Paris there was a long queue in front of Zara. And so on and so forth. But, to me, going digital is something engrained in me (even if I am a bit of a Luddite who does not shop online and has no credit card).
But let us go back to the beginning.
I recently joined the PHNX tribute festival as a juror. Actually, the whole festival is digital and entry is free to replace all the shows that got cancelled this year. I am also, a part of a major international collective which was supposed to do events spanning from Montreal to Vienna to Amsterdam and Beirut. Realizing opportunities for travel are now quasi-non-existent, we now switched to discussing how to transport all the events to a digital realm. And the list continues.
I am sure we are not alone in this. As people now stand apart and minimize interaction, working from home has become a viable option when previously it was not. My own lockdwon started way before anyone else's in a bid to save money, but I am still incredibly productive, and still reach out to my limited number of friends via digital tools (something other people are learning to do now!).
Do I miss people? Rarely to be honest. I am not by the way, trying to extrapolate my modus operandi and apply it to everyone: I am totally aware that what works for me (introverted, driven, with a touch of OCD) does not work for more extroverted individuals with a more leisurely pace of work.
Still - with schools, universities and companies closed - either because of the Coronavirus, or due to the dire economic situation in Lebanon (or worldwide for that matter), perhaps the time has come to redefine how we work and live and spend our time and connect to one another as individuals.
Want it or not, it seems the digital realm is going to grow. And even Luddite credit cardless people like me need to take note.

Babyshop - an advertising we deserve.

I am incredibly bored from those saccharine dipped ads I am bombared with daily that revolve around Coronavirus (all same, all boring, insert silly piano background). BUT...
Do you remember Babyshop? The brand that got you Umobuwah?
Yes, the multi-award sweeping Umobuwah.
Now they are back with a "world we deserve" and unsurprisingly, you will see that children are actually more aware, mature, and sensible than adults.
The genuine ad is here.
Zoom calls? Different countries? Honest opinions? Talk from the heart? Being sensitive to possibilities? Check, check, check! It is there, raw and promising and real.
In a world where parents are exhausted from homeschooling and from tripping over Lego parts and having to endure all such issues, Babyshop comes with a window of opportunity, a breath of fresh air.
Well, this is the kind of ad we deserve.
If not deserve, at least want.

Abaad sharing number against domestic violence #حجر_مش_حجز

So what happens when you are part of a couple where there is a case of domestic violence? When you had a respite where he was at work but are now on lockdown with him at all hours of the day? Where you have no more break and desperately need an emotional refuge. Abaad is launching an initiative where people are encouraged to share its hotline on April 16 at 6 PM (the line is 81788178). A lot of women do not know this number or are aware of its existence. Well, we certainly live in challenging times and any such initiative helps. The tag is #حجر_مش_حجز which roughly translates into "lockdown not lock up".

Sar Fina nodhar? (Can we break the quarantine?) - the site that gives you answers

Sar Fina nodhar?
Can we break the quarantine?
The site that gives you answers.
Please scroll though all the pages to get the possible yes/no answers to all situations. Thank you Patrick Chemali (no relation) for compiling all real-life answers and probabilities.

Hallab 1881 does Mother's Day or helps you to.

Brilliant idea! Hallab 1881 is putting a recipe for people to do their own mother's day cake since people are under lockdown. As someone replied on instagram "now I want someone to bring me the material". Well, at least Hallab tried this year, much kudos for that.
In case you are interested here it is:

مكونات الجاتو

- ٤ بيضات (الغير مبرّد)

- كوب زبدة (٢٢٥ غ غير مبرّد)

- ٣/٤ كوب لبن عيران - ١/٢ كوب زيت - كوب و نصف سكّر

- ملعقتين صغار خلاصة الڤانيلا

- كوبين ونصف طحين منخول - ملعقتين ونصف صغار baking powder - ١/٢ ملعقة صغيرة من الملح

حمّو الفرن على ١٨٠ درجة مئوية

ضيفو الزبدة والسكر بوعاء واخلطوهن على مهل لدقيقتين

ضيفو البيض على مراحل

من بعدها العيران والڤانيلا

اخلطو المزيج على سرعة عالية لدقيقة وضيفو بقية المكونات: الطحين، الملح وال baking powder

كملو الخلط لدقيقتين لحتى كل المكونات تمتزج على الاخير

ضعو المزيج في صواني الجاتو على ورق زبدة مدهونين زبدة

خبزو المكونات لمدة ٣٥ ل ٤٠ دقيقة

مكونات الكريما

- كوبين كريما - كوب ونصف سكر ناعم

ضيفو المكونات بوعاء واخلطوهن جيداً لحتى الكريما تشتد وممكن اذا حبيتو اضافة لون لتصير الكريما زهرية

للحشوة، استعملو الفراولة والتوت البري

B.Khabsa: Coronavirus and Mother's Day

How about this for an exceptional ad. B. Khabsa jewelry is telling you not to buy from them! Why? Because your health is most precious for your mother, so postpone her gift and ensure your safety and hers.... Seriously a stroke of genius that gets two birds in one stone! Excellent.

On prayer and Coronavirus (and owning cats)

Before I begin: There is nothing wrong with people praying for the Coronavirus to go away.
But here's a story I've been told:
In a small village parish in Mount Lebanon, a woman goes to the priest and asks for him to pray for her because she's got mice in her house. "Well, lady, I will pray for you, but there's nothing wrong with owning a cat!".
Which brings us to the many people imploring the Christian Maronite Saint Charbel, or the Shiite holy figure Imam Ali (I am not sure what other sects or denominations are imploring) to help them rid of the problem. Once more, I have no issue with that, but there's "nothing wrong with owning a cat" - meaning staying indoors amid the curfew to "flatten the curve" of the disease and stop it from spreading further etc... Naturally, it looks as if I am negating the power of prayer, to me "if it works for you, great, but please wash your hands and stay at a considerable distance from me". As someone who is diabetic, I don't need further complications, so prayer or no prayer, you can catch me at home. Better yet, don't catch me there, we will meet once all this is over or at least more calm.

Lebanon is under Coronavirus lockdown, mostly

Lebanon is under Coronavirus lockdown, if you take away the people who were strolling on the corniche yesterday, or those who have hopped off the AUB beach fence (which to be clear is closed), or those interviewed on television saying that "Corona did not reach us", or those that chimed "Lebanon has always lived with germs so what's new?", or the doctor I know who is saying that it is much ado about nothing, or the popular singer Ragheb Alamah who advocated home-staying one day only to do bicycle in the open air the next when he was supposed to be on the skyping with a journalist about the importance of staying home. So yeah, Lebanon is under Coronavirus lockdown basically. Between capital controls, an incredible storm, the Coronavirus, the political upheavals, 2020 has been such a challenging year! And we are still mid-March.

Areeba - Coronavirus edition

Areeba seems to be living in the Lalaland. It wants Lebanese to use contactless cards to avoid the Coronavirus. Ahem.... 1) the damn cards do not work in Lebanon 2) banks are allowing a maximum of 50 Dollars per card. Ergo, the ad is pointless, superfluous and idiotic.

Hallab - Coronavirus edition

And on it goes! Illustration galore to tell clients of all measures taken for their safety and Hallab goes the extra mile in theirs. Well, these are incredibly paranoid times and so it is understandable how much effort everyone is exerting to prove their worth!

Audi - Coronavirus edition

Well, it was just a matter of time! Audi is now offering to sanitize your car for a germ-free ride along with Boecker. I got no idea how much it costs especially with capital controls in full swing. But hey, what's more bragging if you are Lebanese!

Ksarak - The Coronavirus edition

Someone did their copywriting homework. #ksorel3ade -  "change the habit" and stay home in reference to the quarantine imposed on the Lebanese, but the ad goes further "ksor keis Arak" (break an Arak cup). The double use of the word ksor is very smart. Interesting fact: the word ksor is the basis of word elixir in English!

Malak al Tawouk - Coronavirus edition

Well, a Coronavirus frenzy is sweeping Lebanon, Malak al Tawouk is there on the wave with a deep, detailed and exhaustive explanation as to the measures it is taking to ensure the safety of its dine in and delivery. In these very confusing times, people really want to be morally reassured of what they ordering in or what they are consuming. As I said, there is a pseudo hysteria about the topic and rightfully so.

Pornhub has the funniest answer to the Coronavirus

Even the worst situations need lightening up. Here is the case of Pornhub and the Coronavirus. Yes, you can touch yourself. In these bleak times, a little cheering up goes a long way. Yes, I know, the atmosphere is suffocating - Lebanon is in the middle of a financial default, a capital controls situation, a storm and Coronavirus on top.