Politicians use back door (hippies too)

Communication consultants involved with political parties all seem to be using the same strategy: Use the back door. The idea is simple, before mentioning that this year is a year of elections, try to enter the advertising scene by tiptoeing around your image.

Exhibit A your honor: Future Movement. They have the perfect opportunity - the commemoration of Rafik Hariri's death. "The truth was a dream. We will make the dream come true." It's rather corny but then again the occasion was supposed to dwarf the lameness of the ad. It didn't. 

The National Dialogue Party: Who? Yes, it's that thing cut to the height of businessman-cum-politician Fouad Makhzoumi. What does it say? "In Lebanon we are staying. Enough is enough." Their selling line? "Change" (presumably from other parties or candidates). I thought "change" was trademarked by the Free Patriotic Movement.

Free Patriotic Movement: Again, no mention of elections but there is this small thing relating to revealing figures of the amount of theft and corruption related to the current and previous people in power. Current people? As in people currently in the ministries? Doesn't this include the FPM itself? And when one speaks of current (or lack of it) one thinks of Electricity. The son in law of the FPM's boss happens to be in charge of that specific ministry. It doesn't ad up - does it? It is so sensational that the FPM decided to release a full book entitled "The impossible absolution".

The Lebanese Forces: Can you say FPM and not mention Lebanese Forces - their nemesis - within the same break? I didn't so! So here we go. "Generations giving way to generations" - not at the top commandment of course (there the same people have been there for... generations?). So once more - elections? No! It is just a celebration to announce new people entering the party. Presumably people who are young, ultra-right wing and whose Facebook pages are filled with St. Charbel's photos (a popular Maronite saint hailing from Lebanon if you must know).

Nawfal Daou: He's not a political party but hey - the interesting bit about his ad is that he literally asks "Why did you announce your running so early? Because the free man does not wait for a password." A password in political lingo is when some nation in charge of the tutelage of your political career allows you to do something. What's MORE interesting is that the Arabic he picked for "why" is very accent-laden "leich" which is very rooted in Kesserwan (where he is running).

Grand Cinemas: Wait, this is not a political movement, party of person you never heard of. But it is a classic example of how brands in Lebanon associate themselves with political events. "The only seat all Lebanese agree on". No elections there needed it seems - just a good old-fashioned referendum.

The season has been officially opened... From here on expect a lot of politics on a billboard near you. First a drip, then a flood!