Thursday, November 1, 2012

Copycats: Yasa(lem) elak yawm :) (UPDATED)


Research credit: Elsy N.

Bah! I am trying to give everyone a benefit of a doubt lately, but frankly I am getting to that phase where you know that a theft is a theft. And this time it's an ad for Yasa which has been nicked from a Wataniya campaign in Kuwait (done by BBDO who for once are not the instigators but rather the victims of the theft - hey, it happens!). Both show a mobile being crushed instead of a car for the don't text and drive campaign.
Now here'another Yasa theft below:
This one was stolen by Clementine from the portfolio of Tracy Yaghi - an ex-USEK student - who used this exact same ad for her awareness campaign in one of her projects and I remember very clearly her line "Lamia bit7eb el sir3a, bitmout fiha" (Lamia loves speed, she'd die for it). Thing is, they took Lamia off (she's dead, remember?) and kept the rest of the ad. Tracy did an internship in Clementine based on her portfolio, she let more than an a lasting impression apparently!
I stand corrected on both counts, but on a personal level, I still feel both are thefts!
UPDATE:
I have received this email from Sami Saab from Clementine agency and I am publishing it in order to be fair and even-handed (this does not affect my own judgement on the matter, it simply indicates that I am willing to publish the opinion of the concerned parties):
"The last time I saw Tracy Yaghi was on January 2010 and unfortunately I never had the chance to see what she did at her university. I'm not responsible about any simple idea that could pass in anyone's mind. As you know the big idea = I could do that + yeah, but you didn't. 
I can accept anything but lies.
Why this negativeness towards such a big and simple idea for such a humanitarian cause? Is it because of its success? Is it hate or jealousy? 
If I were you guys, I would spend my time trying to create, but it seems creativity is really rare and too hard while hatred and criticism are much more simpler."

7 comments:

Sami Saab said...

Dear Tarek,

I really appreciate your comments and critisism regarding any of Clementine's concepts because you have the right to give your personal opinion at any time. But I can't be indifferent when you publish unethical and misleading information about me or my agency.
بحبّ الحقّ...بموت في

Sami Saab

Anonymous said...

this message is a general thought(nothing personal) but i just want to say that advertising companies in the region are ruled by monkey brain stupid autistic persons...creativity theft and inspiration are all fused together..a pure and unique Lebanese concept, to copy steel and overdo what was already done...we may be bad consumers but we are not that stupid(sry for the bad english)

Tarek Chemaly said...

I agree with anonymous, apart from the "autistic" part. Autism is a serious condition where the patient has nothing to do with causing it and is only the victim of it, theft on the other hand is something willfully done and the perpetrator is aware what he/she is doing.

Anonymous said...

i apologize,, the term autistic was inappropriate...

Anonymous said...

Such a cheesy reply from the company that outdone a 4-cheese pizza in cheesiness.

Anonymous said...

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=418822411517898&set=a.165792830154192.41851.142388045828004&type=1&relevant_count=1

Tarek Chemaly said...

If nothing else, I got you talking about theft and other issues which are important to our profession... So perhaps there is hope after all.