Beirut/NTSC (Never Twice Same City)

Wikileaks: The Playboy Joumblatt invterview (July 1984)

2012-01-26T06:26:00.000-08:00

It seems someone beat me to publishing this interview a long time a go, still no matter, here are some of its highlights below:

Sometimes you have to fool your people. You cannot always tell your people the whole truth, they won’t be able to understand it.

Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

I think it would be better for him (Amin Gemayel) to commit suicide, but he won’t do it.

We are just surrogates to somebody, puppets for somebody. We are all puppets.

The Israeli druse, in fact, were very quite active during Israel’s invasion of Lebanon.

I am not a Saudi sheikh, fortunately, or I would be spoiled.

I am nobody’s puppet! Syria has its agenda, I have my agenda! I am allied to Syria. Canada is allied with the United States. Is Canada’s prime minister an American puppet?

I have to believe it is possible (for me to become the president of Lebnon) but I don’t know if it is realizable. After all, Lebanon is much too complex to be ruled.

If we achieve a deal to separate religion and state, I could be the next president.

Why should the presidency only be allowed to the Maronites?

Maybe the Syrian regime is not very democratic, but it is going through a process of socialism.

Fatalism will give you freedom. If you resign yourself to destiny you will free yourself to live better.

I think it’s time for the world to come to an end, because the world has no sense of existence these days.

This so-called civilization is without any human purpose, I think it would be better for everyone to end it. Maybe the next one will be better.

The Ten Commandments were too brief and restricted to one people.

Either you get your rights by begging, or you assert yourself. Syria has asserted itself, which is good.

If we as Lebanese are unable to settle our internal problems peacefully, Lebanon will just disappear.

What will happen will just be, but let’s have dinner first.

The two Beiruts - a conspiracy theory

2012-01-26T06:18:00.000-08:00

The two Beiruts ended up meeting - that's Beirut Drive By shooting and Beirut/NTSC... The meeting happened in an undisclosed location over coffee (OK, a cafe latte and a cappucino if you want details) and basically we reviewed the good, the bad and the ugly in the industry and had basically a blast doing it... As my grandmother used to say "if you don't have anything good to say about someone, let's hear it!"... But seriously, it was really nice to eventually connect. Oh, and none of us had internet on our mobiles, which means we actually got to talk rather than sit at the same table and ignore each other!

The new crop....

2012-01-26T06:13:00.000-08:00

The season for seeing dead people is back in style, the commemoration of Elie Houbeika's death is the beginning of it.... "We want the Christians to be heroes of unity not martyrs for plans of isolationism". Any arguments?
The Zinger KFC ad could have got unnoticed had it not been for the tagline "express yourself hotly" (or something close to it with "hot" doubling as intense emotions and spiciness).
Klim (that's the reverse of MILK!) is back to town claiming to have 50% more Calcium than.... Than what? It is written in small typo at the bottom of the ad but I doubt anyone stopped to read it (making such claims is perfectly legal under the current advertising law where you can use "generalities" to prove your point without naming your competitors).
Kurban tours are promising "all you need is love" - apparently the ride is by a yellow submarine.... Question: What position is that when your feet are like this? Kamasutra specialists please enlighten me!
Congratulations for MTV for having ranked number one in the census of "Zahrat al khalij" as the "comprehense Arab station" (whatever that means, and however credible Zahrat al khalij is!)...
Nissan Sunny are ditching the sex factor from the window - they are targeting consumers on reliability, trust and heritage (as opposed to what Toyota did to its camry moving from sense to sensibility)... You are owning "45 years of trust" but thankfully, it is this year's model!

The new Beirut/NTSC banners - made in Egyptian nostalgia

2012-01-23T07:00:00.000-08:00

Beirut/NTSC is releasing a new set of banners, they focus on vintage Egyptian movies such as "my father above a tree", "stronger than life", "the life of a prostitute", "a woman on the road", "keep an eye on Zouzou" and "my big country" starring various Egyptian movie gods and goddesses.... One of these will be my new banner, any suggestions?

And now for the alcoholic murals!

2012-01-23T06:49:00.000-08:00

This is a wall on the inner souk of Jounieh, I am surprised no one thought of painting over these (they have been featured in the first acheWALLogy book).... I hope this is not a bad omen I am throwing, but it always moves to see this wall and the beauties on it....

The non-alcoholic series....

2012-01-23T06:34:00.000-08:00

Crush, Jalloul and an old Mirinda banner that survived the war and then was destroyed by peace.... As least you can look at the old logos and appreciate....

Odds and ends

2012-01-23T06:21:00.000-08:00

So if you want to know what happened to the peace doves, the answer is above :) and what about that ghost singer in Jar el Kamar restaurant? Well, he's the original Phantom of the Opera if you must know!

A case of mistaken identities (7)

2012-01-17T23:36:00.000-08:00

So what is the Commodore Hotel selling exactly?... Enjoy this flashback down memory lane.

Baleha - The Lebanese Adbusters are on!

2012-01-17T23:27:00.000-08:00

So Baleha exists! Finally someone thought about creating a local "Adbusters/Casseurs de pub" in Lebanon. Beirut/NTSC managed to meet with the creators of the movement – and boy do they have things in store for you! Everything from a "no TV day" to "no cellphone day" to "no car day" or "no spending day" – and the big novelty (which even the people from "Casseurs de pub" France envied them for) "no gossiping day" – since envy and gossip are at the root of every evil in the materialistic world. Their selling line is "wa2fe dod el e3len" (which is a twist on "time for a commercial
break" to become "time for a break of the commercial"). I must however stress that Baleha (even the name means "without it" but also "stupidity") is not about copycat ads but about someone trying to ring the bell on over-consumption and manipulation from the ad world. As a small scoop for my readers, there's also the full list of the spoofed logos of brands they intend to tackle! Between Beirut Drive By Shooting, Beirut/NTSC and now Baleha, the world of advertising is suddenly under a lot of strain!

USEK graduate - Antoinette Maghames

2012-01-17T23:13:00.000-08:00

Antoinette Maghames created a new TV channel called “La2ale2” (which means pearls but also insinuates the word “la2la2a” or gossip in Arabic) which covers the news of the stars but like TMZ it does so from their closest and most trustable sources – her selling line is “Dourar al akhbar” (the jewels of the news). Antoinette goes on to create a full campaign based on the idea that nurses, waiters, lifeguards, housemaids, and even bodyguards are informants for La2le2 and even creates a full day of events headlined “not only walls have ears” which warns stars that their movements are tracked from the unlikeliest of sources. One of the programs she prosposes is "Zabet el mish zabet" (the officer in charge of what doesn't fit - or "Fashion Police")... Trust me, many stars were arrested!

USEK graduate Ghinwa Achkar

2012-01-17T23:07:00.000-08:00

Ghinwa Aschkar has created a foundation for late Palestinian caricaturist Naji Al Ali, the main mission of the foundation is to spread the news about the worthiness and the legitimacy of the Palestinian cause – specifically the existence of a Palestinian state – to the Western audience at large. The selling line of the foundation is “Palestine, one nation before God” which is a twist of the American pledge of Allegiance but also an assurance of the cohesiveness of the internal Palestinian front. The creative executions center around how ri/gh/ts and ter/rit/ory for example are indivisible and since UNESCO has offered Palestine a full membership a full cultural week was organized.

Kodak: Take pictures. Further. No more.

2012-01-10T08:43:00.000-08:00

The first photo was taken by Steve McCurry as the last photo of the last roll ever produced by Kodak (as Kodakchrome) and the second was our own camera as found on Flickr - now that Kodak is preparing for Chapter 11 (i.e. Bankruptcy) it is only revelatory that the last photo ever to be taken by one of its rolls is in a cemetry. As their slogan once said "Take pictures. Further"... No more!

Home city stikes a wrong note with Boumali

2012-01-10T08:31:00.000-08:00

So in this episode of Star Wars, it is the return of the Jedi indeed - Boumali are back on track assaulting Clementine (go here for previous installments). This time it is the "Do re me fa soldes" line for Home City which is under attack (it is in "deep space nine" or something :) )... So Boumali suggests "do re mi fa shol zari3" (or do re mi fa so bad)... Ah, what's an ad scene without some spicing up!

"arkewallojistanbul" now out on 7UPstairs publishing.

2012-01-10T01:43:00.000-08:00

Open publication - Free publishing - More anthropology

Welcome to “arkewallojistanbul” (ArcheWALLogy Istanbul), to the study of a graphic city, a city that begs to redefine what “wall” means, from the huge and thick stones that make up the mosques to the makeshift structures that eventually become boutiques, all of these offer alternatives to the brick and mortar official appellation of a wall. Welcome to a city so enamored with itself it keeps referring to itself in the third person, where – despite the metro, bus, and tram stations – it still begs you to lose yourself in order to find it (hence the lack of page numbering). Latent beneath the tourist trap folklore, it also offers a vibrant alternative scene waiting to be discovered. Strata beneath strata – horizontally rather than vertically – it offers a trip to a distant and not so distant past. So, to misquote the merchants always preying for yet another victim: “Hello my friend, which country you come from? Come into my book, best prices!” Enjoy the trip!

Tarek Chemaly

Jean Dib and the DUI spellcheck

2012-01-09T23:18:00.000-08:00

Can he walk a straight line and put his finger on the top of his nose and survive and alcootest? I am not sure, but Jean Dib can spell his name with alcohool! Wonderful photo.... Of course, t-a-r-e-k is way more difficult to create in bottle-spellcheck I guess.

... I said go to your rooom, I mean cubicle!

2012-01-09T23:06:00.000-08:00

I love this one! Simply because I always keep in mind that not all ads are supposed to target all people, and within its taget audience (senior managers and IT specialists about to renew their yearly maintenance and IT handling) it works pitch-perfect.... Also it reminds me of myself, whenever I would phone our IT manager she would always ask "what now? The internet is acting up again?" (insert annoyed tone and nail-filing sounds in the background) to which the answer would be "no, it is not acting up, it is acting down and now it is not acting at all" (insert whining sounds minus the tie and jacket of ad above)... Those people at nineteen84 are mind readers! Perhpas their big brother is watching after all!

A case of mistaken identities (6)

2012-01-07T08:31:00.000-08:00

So if you remember this, you remember the Lebanese war, and if you remember the war you... Well, you ended up having a blog called Beirut/NTSC or something like that!

Welcome to Eastham pool...

2012-01-05T00:12:00.000-08:00

You are either too young, or too old, to remember the Benny Hill Show episode where he plays a detective whose boss tells him to go catch a thief in "Eastham pool" - mishearing his superior he goes to Istanbul instead. Well, this was sort of my feeling when I started seeing "Istanblue" (a gift shop right by the blue mosque), or saw the t-shirts of "Instanfull", tried to bargain for a leather jacket at "Ist&bul" and eventually took the tram all the way to Baghchilar to find a "Fistanbul" shop there... Honorary mentions go to "Stonebul" jewellry shop and "Husseynstabul" kilim store. So, where was I again? Oh... Eastham pool!

7UP(stairs).... Alternative Istanbul

2012-01-05T00:06:00.000-08:00

It stopped me dead in my tracks! A wonderful interpretation of Olive Oil (Popeye's girlfriend) as a Geisha... Istanbul, once you uncover those blue and white tiles, has so much more to offer in terms of an alternative scene. In other words be on the lookout for an ArcheWALLogy book! :)

And by the way 7UP is one of the most prolific and talented graffiti artists in Istanbul. His work, once you are off the tourist tracks is simply mesmerising. And above are photos of yours truly next to two 7UP(stairs) graffiti works - once in Amsterdam and one in Istanbul.
PS: The Olive oil photo is super high resolution, feel free to download it to your collection if you are a graffiti hunter.

Out and about in Istanbul

2012-01-04T23:44:00.000-08:00

Here are a couple of honorary mentions. First MADO - the city's hippest outlet for ice cream called in Turkish "dondurma" - so some talented copywriter came up for them with DOndurMADOndurMA... etc... which adorns their cups and plates!
The second is an invitation card to a circumcision party which boys undergo in their childhood - the thing is a social event and also a way to showcase your social status... Aptly the boy is running from the circumciser (but only to post the invite before the deed is done)... And by the way, you need a minimum order of 50 of these cards to be able to get one.

Turkey... The logos!

2012-01-04T23:36:00.000-08:00

I thought this tourist agency in Istanbul worth mentionning! Simply because it typifies the state of the land. First, I sincerely congratulate them for detouring the country's official logo and making it their own, but also, it reminds me that everything in Turkey is a "rip off"... Clothes, brands, logos, you name it! And take it from me, everything there is about haggling and compromising and a population still learning what to do with this tourist thingy that has been blasted upon them!

Turkish copycats!

2012-01-04T23:26:00.000-08:00

It is indeed a bad season for crocodiles! I saw this ad for saws in Turkey and immediately thought back of the Nacet blades....

It even gets better with the Zeki logo found there!... Now who is copying who? In an earlier post I have accused Lebanese Zeki of stealing Intel - now I think it is Lebanese Zeki stealing from Turkish Zeki who never heard of Intel, or Turkish Zeki on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Lebanon who stole the Lebanese Zeki who... OK, whatever, the possibilites are limitless!

Come to where the flavour is.... come to (insert name of) country!

2012-01-04T23:19:00.000-08:00

So now we know! Amsterdam tastes alcoholic, is fruity flavored and can get you a DUI arrest. Lebanon tastes sweet, syrupy and may get you diabetes (among other diseases). Take your pick! Have a great 2012.

Wrapping up for this year...

2011-12-22T04:02:00.000-08:00

So this brings a very eventful and very polarized year (where the highs were mighty high, and the lows very deep) to an end. So to all the readers, a very merry Christmas and a hope that 2012 will be better than this one, and that it will bring you health, wealth, and fulfillment. In the words of Maha Salma, or rather the end song of her famous "3alam al sighar"... "Bye Bye ya helwin!"... Till next year.

When you're only (randomly) number 1, you try harder!

2011-12-21T22:34:00.000-08:00

You are not going to believe this... I barely did myself. Yesterday I was offline for the day and when I came back I discovered that the blogosphere cannot be left alone for a single day without causing a major upheaval. What happened? Apparently, I am the last to know that Beirut/NTSC has been elected as number 1 in Communicate magazine's list of top 10 blogs of the year.
And how did I know it? Because while checking my stats on the dashboard of blogger I saw many entries from Blog Baladi who posted the full list. As Kevin in the Wonder Years once said "some people have glory thrown on them while they're in the bathroom" (sadly, I do not have the exact quote but it is in season 2, episode 10). Or as Ines de la Ferssange once said when she was elected best dressed woman in Paris "si j'avais su, j'aurai fait un peu plus d'effort" (if I had known it, I'd have done a bit more effort!)... Seriously, I blush!
So, to misquote Avis and its very famous slogan "when you're only number 1, you try harder!"

PS: There seems to be a confusion here, it appears that the list in "random" according to a tweet by Liliane (which explains Gino's 10th position) - however if you look closely at the list it is neither alphabetical, nor according to number of readers, or fans on facebook (where I would rank zero), so I still chose to believe that it is "random with a bias of preference"....

A case of mistaken identities (5)

2011-12-20T04:35:00.000-08:00

"C'est le temps que tu as perdu pour ta rose qui fait ta rose si importante" (it is the time you have wasted on your rose that makes your rose so important) Antoine de St Exupery.

A case of mistaken identities (4)

2011-12-20T04:29:00.000-08:00

I've got balls to do this... Taking on one of the most known franchises in sports... And yet, when Tarek goes NTSC, there's no stopping it!

A case of mistaken identities (3)

2011-12-20T04:26:00.000-08:00

And keep this in mind: Grendizer will always be stronger than Jonger! Always!.... And NTSC will be stronger than both!

A case of mistaken identities (2)

2011-12-20T04:23:00.001-08:00

More pop culture from way back yonder, most of you were not even born yet when this magazine used to be published!

A case of mistaken identities (1)

2011-12-20T04:21:00.000-08:00

After the "Dabke-Tarek" debacle, now comes this.... Is there no end to your suffering? :)

PS: If I am old enough to remember the "3imlak" magazine, then I am a grandaddy by facebook years!

Ashekman hoodies now available in town!

2011-12-15T23:22:00.000-08:00

I used to think that Ashekman were 1 in a million, it seems I had my figures wrong as now you can get those 1/100 limited edition hoodies from the Ashekman store (right behind Napoletana in Hamra in Strand Center)... Get a piece of the action for yourself and earn your bragging rights!

UNHATE - Benetton goes local!

2011-12-15T00:00:00.000-08:00

Someone, and I wish I could know who that someone is, spoofed the Benetton UNHATE campaign with a local flavor, making Saad Hariri (head of the Future Movement, ex PM) and arch-rival Hassan Nasrallah (at the helm of the Hizbullah) and (in the second adaptation) Samir Geagea (head of the executive committee of the Lebanese Forces) and General Michel Aoun (competing Christain Maronite leader and head of the Free Patriotic Movement) doing the "unhate" posture.
The person who did these spoofs commends my highest esteem. And if anyone knows who that person is, please let me know!

The yearly Archewallogy greeting card

2011-12-14T23:29:00.001-08:00

So, what do you think of this industrial sculpture? Or is it a deconstructivist post-industrial work? Whichever, it remains one of my favorite pieces of "public" art which is actually hidden from view as sadly few people are aware of its existence. I know it is still too early for the greeting card, but keep it up your sleeve and check it when you want to arrange your virtual ecards underneath your lightupyoureletronicchristmastree.com page....

Furn el chebeck - Jounieh in ZERO minutes

2011-12-14T23:28:00.000-08:00

Google maps, please adjust. Welcome to Furn el Chebeck, right above the Jounieh Bridge. Need I say more? (I love these finds which fill Lebanon - it's like opening a deli in LA and calling it NY) To be on the safe side, I have not tried the manoushe of "furn el chebek" yet (the oven of the window, but also the name of another region in Beirut), will be back when I do.

Wooden Backery: A Sinatra moment

2011-12-14T23:23:00.000-08:00

Well, to quote the rest of the song "mistakes, I've made a few"... Insert crooner somewhere in the background. Or a wedding singer...

The best Christmas ad this season....

2011-12-14T23:20:00.000-08:00

I know I shall live to regret those words, but there you have it: The best Christmas ad this season comes from Daniela Tobler. It is posted only once (above Golden Beach) and it is simple and clear and direct. A zipper opens up on a denim background (which may I remind you, is the core product of Daniela Tobler) revealing and world of magic inside and is topped by the zipper's handle in the form of a star. Why can't they always come up with something so great?

Santa Claus is not coming to town!

2011-12-14T23:13:00.000-08:00

This is the rest of the Christmas panorama in town... Again, very little to comment on. Even the Heineken gimmit barely works it for me, as I am really sick of ads trying to "engage the audience online"!... Anyhow, the other nagative review goes for Castania, with the twist of their brilliant line "t3ish w ma tekol ghayra" (which means "may you live and not eat anything else" but in Arabic it is a take on another proverb which goes "may you live and have another disappointment" - because living rates higher than disappointments). My problem is - after the 2008 election of General Michel Suleiman - they came up with a great ad "n3ish w ma nekol ghayra" but when they promise you "el kell ra7 yekelah" for Christmas which originally means "everyone will eat it on Christmas" but also doubles as "everyone will get disappointment" I really beg to differ on this one!...
Oh, and the Samsung ad "ma t7ek" (which means "do not stratch your head") has been done in 2003 for "Malak el Falak" with EXACTLY the same line!.... At the time it was done by Impact BBDO, so I am not sure who did this one!

Ma tel7a2ne makhtoube.... la MEEN!

2011-12-14T00:16:00.000-08:00

Well, I am not sure about the music as I have not heard much from it - but I am posting this on the force of the poster!....

Bob Bacha, official representative for Showoffus libanicus

2011-12-13T02:11:00.000-08:00

So there, the Showoffus libanicus species has a representative, his name is Bob Bacha. It could have been anyone else mind you, but the criteria for (unnatural) selection were very stringent, they included:
Number of ex-girlfriends held cuncurently,
Number of flashy hot rods parked in his grarage,
Number of champagne bottles opened at the trendiest nightclubs,
Number of allowance still given by his father,
Number of trips undertaken yearly to glitzy destinations,
Number of diminishing brain cells he boasts annually.
Mind you, the competition was fierce as the town is gruelling with such individuals but finally, Bob used the highest "wasta" imaginable and possible and was so happy about his selection he actually went out to celebrate with his crew and they opened several bottles of champagne, he saw his name flash on the scroller of the hippest club, cruised around town in his newly acquired sports car, got a "raise" from his father along with an open ticket to the destination of his choice and consequently lost even more brain cells.
Please calle him on 76 66 66 66 to congratulate!

SMALL TALK at AUB featuring Beirut/NTSC

2011-12-12T23:38:00.000-08:00

The Department of Architecture and Design

American University of Beirut

Cordially invites you to the first edition of:

SMALL TALK (a TALK20 event)
Beyond The Image An open design discussion highlighting the relationship between the creative work process and the target audience. The power, the spread, and the universality of the image all contribute to its important influence on our work today. By tracing the steps of the design process, this talk will attempt to reveal the layers that construct the final image.
PAUL KALOUSTIAN / Architect
YARA KHOURY NAMMOUR / Design Director / Al Mohtaraf Design House
NUNO PEREIRA / Design Director / Brandcentral . M&C Saatchi MENA
TAREK CHEMALY / Communication Consultant / Beirut . NTSC
Monday December 19th, 2011 at 6.30 pmDar Al-Handassah Architecture Building
ALH (Architecture Lecture Hall)
After the success of our five TALK20 events so far, we have decided to launch in parallel a second variant of this event, which differs by having a smaller speaker group and a more focused theme based dicussion.This year, small TALK, is bringing together four speakers from different design fields in Lebanon under one specified theme, chosen by the students. Each speaker will have 15 minutes of presentation time to speak about his or her work, reflect on the subject, and show how he or she deals with it in his or her own practice. The four presentations thus present four different facets of one theme in design. They will be followed by an informal discussion that would hopefully be enriching to the students, the professionals, and the local creative design scene.

Marianne Schoucair among the 10 best posters in "Right to education"

2011-12-09T01:29:00.000-08:00

Lebanese Marianne Schoucair is among the 10 best posters in the "Right to education" - pity the official entry labels her as "United States" (she lives there, but look at her resume to see she is an AUB alumni). Her website is http://www.marianneschoucair.com/ - if I were you, I'd go there and congratulate her!

Samsung and the fanfare for the common man

2011-12-09T00:34:00.000-08:00

Samasung has found an interesting gimmick "tanni w ranni" which replaces "tanni w ranni"... What? Yes, there are two sounds in arabic one is the "te" and the other "tah" - which for certain Achrafiieh-residing frenchy cookoos is the same when actually it isn't. So "Tanni w ranni" (with a tah) means "fanfare" or "bringing out the street band" and "tanni" means "having a second portion of something" or simply "doubling" something... So there, you win twice with Samsung - first in quality and price (I assume!) and the other with instant gifts.

"Ensa Clopedia Libanica" by Fady Chahine and Tarek Chemaly on 7UPstairs Publishing

2011-12-07T03:48:00.000-08:00

Open publication - Free publishing - More anthropology

And here it ladies and gentlemen (and all the crooks who steal!)... Fady Chahine and myself are further exploring the Lebanese languages and since the Lebanese have invented the alphabet due to their (alleged) ancestors the Phoenicians, they are entitled to redefine every word that exists on earth since all of them "mouta7adiroun min asl loubnani" (they come from a Lebanese ancestor, just like Chakira and Paul Anka :) )... Enjoy, and spread all over the place!

"Ensa Clopedia Libanica" - Pre-launch teaser!

2011-12-06T22:45:00.000-08:00

So there's another book that's going out - soon! Maybe even today. Enjoy the cover and back cover, or even better - don't enjoy them.... Well, at least there has been no use of Gandour or any of its products, so there may still be hope for me after all!

Byblos municipality as the grinch who stole (the) Christmas (greetings)!

2011-12-06T22:22:00.001-08:00

Thank you Hala!
It's official! Another copycat! Here it is, Byblos municpality steals the greetings from the Roger Oddone design studio. How corny indeed... But wait, apparently it is said so in the youtube description of the ad (well, at least that's the pretext BBDO used).... Good luck justifying this one.

Dabke dabke ya chabab :)

2011-12-05T06:20:00.000-08:00

I know that I am doing nothing but giving even more ammunition to those who hate my graphics, my guts and my bad taste.. But "bicharafkon" with dAbKE containing three letters of my name (tArEK) how difficult was it for me to spoof the logo? And get this - I didn't even pay for the packet, I had it for free at the Toom Extra launch! So I am stingy AND have a bad taste.

Toom Extra book launch (or the perils of having three bloggers)

2011-12-01T23:09:00.000-08:00

It seems so peaceful and lovely... Three bloggers on one site - the photo was taken yesterday during the Toom Extra book launch.

But soon, Rana was disposed on with the use of a poisoned "taboush" (just look at the offerings at the table). To celebrate, Tony and Samah went smooching but then, "he cheated with me then he will cheat on me" so goes the expression.... So the kiss was nothing but a Judas kiss and Tony got a stab in the back which only left....

... Samah to enjoy the garlic all to himself. Thinking some girl is going to kiss him after the overdose of garlic. Good luck to him!
And guys, Mabrouk for the book!

Beirut pays tribute to two genuises

2011-12-01T22:38:00.000-08:00

One is Andy Warhol and the other is Steve Jobs!... Well, we're not ungrateful it seems.

Kaak kaak, taza ya kaak

2011-12-01T22:36:00.000-08:00

This handbag (yes, it is a handbag) was found in Waw design on Clemenceau Street (or a little bit down AUB's medical gate)... The use of the pop cultural Lebanese references is simply bewildering!... Nice work!

Beirut in a capsule

2011-12-01T22:34:00.000-08:00

I think these two photos encapsulate Beirut (or more precisely the Hamra street) of today. A graffiti colored wall and an ambulant Lemon stall....

Plantu in Lebanon

2011-12-01T22:33:00.000-08:00

French caricaturist Plantu was in Beirut to give a conference at l'Ecole Superieure des Affaires (ESA) out of a BADER initiative, the theme was "cartooning for peace". It was quite sad to see that most of the audience had left after ex-foreign affairs french minister Hubert Verdine finished his presentation... I think one of the hightlights of the super presentation was the woman sitting on a stoold wearing a string popping out of her pants being transformed into the eyes of a veiled woman. All of the presentation was truly impressive, and he had as eating out of his hand!

More out of duty than enthusiasm

2011-12-01T22:27:00.000-08:00

If am commenting on most of these ads it is out of a sense of duty rather than enthusiasm. This is what remains from the pre-Christmas lot (which is already sweeping town bit by bit). Let's see: I could not, for the life of me, understand who was behind the "What's in your head?" campaign. Unless I am dreadfully mistaken then is no brand there. Is this a thesis? And which is one of the bottle wearing a mexican hat. Again, I could be awfully wrong but... What's in your (he)ad? is more appropriate as a question.
The Warde wallpaper has been there for a while, but I still haven't commented on it - I think what they did for their fabrics was more "alive" than this one. But at least it's blue, it's fresh, and it could have been much worse.
Oh, finally a bit of a fresh air. An association called "Abaad" is warning against family violence towards women (why isn't it Kafa? Or it is once more the Lebanese syndrome of each one working for himself better than collaborating with whatever is already on the market?). Anyhow, a local proverb goes "Darb el habib zbib" - the hitting of a loved one is as sweet as dried raisins - so this campaing replaced "zbib" with "mou3ib" which means "scandalous" or "shameful". A nice attempt if you ask me.
Bosch is hitting on the eternal question every used car owner asks him/herself in the morning... "Will it start or will it stall?"... Well, at least it is an informative message which does not sacrifice the creativity for the real info and ends up not being a hard-sell ad. In other words - a fine balance between letting you know what they want and delivering it with minimum harm to the eyes.
With a full moon ecplise coming over this December 10th, Debbas is joining the melee by eclipsing its own prices. You might not believe it but back in the 80s Debbas had some of the best ads in town. The 80s might have been back in terms of fashion and pop culture, but not for Debbas it seems.
Another civic message in the lot after "Abaad". Himaya - litteraly "protection" - tackles child abuse and molestation (again, it has been done before with the character of "Salwa" - so why couldn't these two associations work together and save money is beyond me). So the man hiding in the tree is the tree itself.... When it comes to art direction this is second to none, so I guess I should be impressed (oddly, I did not touch me neither emotionally nor on the cerebral level).
So there's a new wine in town? Or it is new? I have no clue!... The message is simple, this is the wine2.0 or the 3G of the wines, so "upgrade".
And isn't it cute for all these corporations to play the nostalgia card? Very recently we had ABC flipping their album, now it is HSBC - although with a name like "The British Bank of the Middle East - Sub Branch" one can hardly relate it to the HSBC initials. But if it makes sense of them, then good luck!
The Sleep Comfort card of saying in an advertisement that they do not need advertisement for their matress has been done before (most recently by "Cafe super Brasil" saying that the customer has always been their ad). But I still found it cute to see.

Santa Claus is coming to town....

2011-12-01T22:06:00.000-08:00

There are so many reasons to celebrate Christmas joy. So far, apart from the Lindt ad, advertising is not one of them. I am at a loss of comment at all these.but if they help spread holiday cheer (of which I am in doubt), then so much the better!

Conserves Chtoura: RABB el banadoura!

2011-11-30T01:58:00.000-08:00

Straight from the hot oven comes this gem from Allied Advertising!.... Copy/Paste!... Oh my God, indeed, Rabb el banadoura (rather than rebb!!!). I might be bad at doing banner, be the worst copywriter in town (according to Yves Farhat), but damn me for falling in love with this one!

The Matchbox banner

2011-11-28T22:31:00.000-08:00

Lately, a reader complained about the "Gandour Lucky Biscuit" banner on top of the blog calling it "ugly". So I decided to replace it by another (even uglier one) just to prove that I take my critics seriously. That person did post "anonymously" but frankly how many people can couple this much arrogance with this much ignorance and use a** as every third word in their speech? Only one that I know of....

Myriam Achkar: The unofficial account of the Marwan Charbel words

2011-11-25T02:15:00.000-08:00

If I am blogging on Myriam Achkar's more than tragic death it is because it has been reported to me that the original - uncut - words of of our Minister of Interior Marwan Charbel were not "this crime should be swiftly punished so as for people not to perpetrate it again" but also "the people (of Sahel Alma) should punish him themselves" (apparently this was mentionned in night and then morning editions of radio news and then disappeared off the airwaves). This brings back to mind the murder which occured in Ketermeya where a murder has brought about the lynching and brutal killing of the supposed perpetrator.
If our Minister of the Interior is telling us to take the law into our own hand, then we seem to have a major problem - either with the law, or with the minister's conception of the said law.

Toom Extra launching: Dare you kiss me after this?

2011-11-25T01:39:00.000-08:00

Toom Extra will be signing their book live in the flesh (it is reported Rana will be wearing the Versace for H&M dress she got off the mannequin from the ABC flagship store) - as for Tony and Samah they are so busy giving "missed calls" in coded signals I am not sure if they will make it on time.... The buffet to be offered includes Taouk sandwiches with - you guessed it - toom extra and also "fake" tarboush cookies straight from Switzerland....
The event will take place on the 1st of December at the Metro Medina at 7:30 (right next to Masrah al Madina in Hamra - two flights down).

Dutch shorts and animations screening at Saifi Urban Gardens

2011-11-24T22:27:00.000-08:00

You still have the chance to attend tonight!!!.... The Dutch screening of shorts and animations is taking place at Saifi Urban Gardens behind the Coral Station and the Lounge restaurant right at the beginning of the road leading you to Gemmayze (i.e. one street below it). The guys as the (soon to be established) Dutch Institute in Beirut (hello Taco and Michael) did a fantastic job selecting shorts and animations that do not need any dubbing or translation (all of them were based on music).
The total effect is charming, witty, eccentric - and frankly reminds me of Dutch people as all these qualities actually apply to them! - and some pieces still linger in the memory way after leaving the projection (I am thinking specifically of the touching existential "Dilemma" by Boris Paval Conen and Børge Ring's majestic "Anna & Bella" which won the academy award of 1985 for Best Short Animated Film).
So hurry up to get your piece of the action. Admission is free!

It's a good one - I swear it!

2011-11-23T23:38:00.000-08:00

I was enamoured by this ad. And for those of you who always accuse me of personal vandettas, I say it is done by Clementine, which means that I am not ashamed of saying a good ad is one when I see it. And this one is damn good! Actually, it is simply the first words of the military oath "I swear by the all-mighty God (to achieve my fullest performance to saveguard the flag of my country and in defence of my nation - Lebanon)." It is unsigned but it doesn't take a genius to figure out it is the army because of the backdrop cloth, and it is so eye-catchy due to the displaced typo which seems to invade the next panel giving it an air of mobility and suggesting there is a continuation for the words... Well done - now if only our independance was just as good!

C('est) F(ou)!

2011-11-23T23:24:00.000-08:00

Photo credit: Abir Ghattas
I may be a little early for my taste to already hit the Christmas market, but what the heck, brands are brands and soon the Easter bunny will be popping right after Santa Claus, which brings us to this early revelation by C&F and there very cute "Jingle Belle" (It sure beats the stolen "love yourself" ad or the confusing "little girl" foray)...

Abdécation, of journeys not taken.

2011-11-23T03:50:00.000-08:00

“But the love will have been enough; all those impulses of love will return to the love that made them. Even memory is not necessary for love. There is a land of the living and a land of the dead, and the bridge is love, the only survival, the only meaning.” The Bridge of San Luis Rey – Thornton Wilder

Archewallogy from New York - guest post from Diane Chehab.

2011-11-22T22:37:00.000-08:00

From "Our (wo)man in New York" - Diane Chehab:
Recently I was visiting PS 1, an offshoot of MoMA in Long Island City, with a Japanese friend to see Bibi Seck’s furniture in the cafeteria.

On our way out, I realized that we were close to a building I always notice from the No. 7 train, on my way to Flushing Meadows Park in Queens. I had never seen it up close; it was no disappointment. I immediately thought of the “Lord of Graffiti”—Tarek Chemaly, of Beirut NTSC. He kindly offered that I post some photos on his blog, as a guest blogger.
A recent article in the NY Times stated that the building, named 5Pointz Art Center, may be demolished in the near future to make way for a new building; in this case, it will be the end of the revolving graffiti art exhibit. Especially in New York City, nothing lasts forever; it is an ever-evolving city, and these past years, ever more empty or derelict areas are being filled with new apartment buildings.
In the meantime, however, the building is still one giant exterior two-dimensional art space, where you can watch the artists either modify their work, or create a new “masterpiece.”

Benetton goes back to Oliviero Toscani legacy

2011-11-17T07:14:00.000-08:00

The latest campaign from Benetton after many lackluster years following the tumultuous departure of creative maverick Oliviero Toscani sees them going back to his legacy of provocation in visuals depicting world leaders kissing each other on the mouth. Everyone who is anyone in the global political scene is there. After many years of uncreative ads it was about time they went back to their pot-stirring sauce, already they had the biggest stamd of (dis)approval ever: The Vatican judged the campaign "unacceptable" - which should make more palatable to many people!

USEK students shine in celebrating Football win!

2011-11-17T00:16:00.000-08:00

After the disappointment of the Almaza ad, I gave my students in Esquisse II the challenge - to pick a brand that might be compatible with football (either in terms of eating it during the match, or related to sports at large)... And by God they shone!... From top we have Elyse Tabet who picked Middle East Airlines "bidding farewell to the Koerans", then Jessica Yaghi goes to Gilette with "we gave them a close shave", only to be followed by Yara Boulos claiming "2 are better than 1, we've got balls". Nathalie Alam chose Kleenex, "for tears of joy and sadness" (thankfully, the sadness was the Koreans). Rachelle Awad delivers a major punch, she tackles Nescafe with "the sweetest 2 in 1 ever"!!!....
So tell me guys, with such ads from people still not professionals, don't you think ad agencies ought to be ashamed for the rubbish they are launching in the market?

Reporting live from the Versace x H&M war zone!

2011-11-16T23:42:00.000-08:00

" Looks like Beirut!" (sorry Jad - I did this on purpose). So today, like any respectable reporter, I was where the action is - the real place where a war was raged, victims were being walked over in neglect, where tears where being shed... In short, I was at the Versace x H&M collection opening in their Kaslik store. And it was a riot in Kaslik, I can only imagine what it was like in the downtown and ABC mall flagships stores.
Whereas scheduled to open at 8, the opening was delayed till 9 a.m. by then I was worth it to see the Lebanese fashionistas barely awake, not having time for a full-make up (even if some of them were dressed to the ninth whereas others were in tracksuits).
As the clock approached the H-hour the tension was so palapable you could have cut it with a ribbon. Now, whereas Versace does rhyme with trash, I am not sure a "zalghouta" was in the order of the day as the staff counted down till the doors opened. It was really misplaced and the audience outside, gloomy and worried about being able to grab what they came for decidedly did not join the fray.
Mind you the H&M people even had a carpet with velvet ropes and all the she bang. The shop assistants were dressed in specially-made t-shirts for the events which I am sure will pop up on ebay even as I write this. Seeing the merchandise up close and personal though left me ambivalent, the shirts' tailoring (even for my untrained eye) seemed awkward but seeing the shop manager dressed in that killer tuxedo jacket made me drool (pity I did not need one because the cut and the finishing were practically impeccable!).
Yes, and luckily I was a man... The competition in the women's department - or rather the women's section was unbearable. It was a frenzy! Before going in a woman next to me had a shopping list of no less than 30 items with a different woman's name next to each one and a different size - she was basically shopping for a whole social club. But good luck to her! Because women were simply clutching at everything they can get their hands on, including men's clothing - because it also seemed they were shopping for their husbands (I do doubt though that I am going to be seeing anyone wearing the full cerise suit or the op-art influenced ensemble).
Some women seemed to be carrying tonnes and tonnes of material, with no drivers parked outside it was a mystery for me how the loot was going to be carried back home - or to work even as it was pre-office opening hours. At 9:15 there was virtually nothing left on the racks. As a matter of fact, oddly, some women were even already looking at the H&M classic collection mistaking it for a Versace product (how the mistake happened is beyond me though as the collaboration designs are too flashy to be mistaken for anything else!).
And so there.. Now, in case you are wondering what I bought myself, all I can answer is what women tell me on dates when I speculate about being intimate "that's for me to know and for you to find out"... (Oh, and I was the first person to go to the cashier, because it helps to know what you wanted in advance from the collection!)

Almaza - sorry, I spoke too fast.

2011-11-15T23:00:00.000-08:00

Research credit: Miled Issa
Ah! Sorry, I spoke too fast yesterday about the potential return to form of Almaza... So Lebanon won over South Korea 2-1 yesterday (sorry, I was about to do the same blunder as Sarah Palin quoting the North Korean allies), whereas the reply of Almaza was swift over facebook, it had an uncanny air of resemblance to the original world cup ad they launched. So, if you get "inspired" by your own archives (to quote Impact BBDO) - is this theft? And well, honestly now, why bother do a new ad when an old one would do!

Dar Onboz and Farida at Tawlet restaurant.

2011-11-15T02:39:00.000-08:00

For me it is simple, if Dan Onboz and Michele Standjofski are in it, then it is worth attending. Mark your calenders for that Dar Onboz day at Tawlet in Mar Mikhael.

The 3(stoo)G(es)

2011-11-14T22:46:00.000-08:00

So we are in the my-speed-is-bigger-than-yours territory... MTC is saying that 3G is "so last week" (if this is the case, I completely missed it!) and that "one speed differs from another", Alfa speak of nothing slowing you down (this indeed, remains to be seen), and Sodetel? Well, I am not sure what they are advertising to be honest. The fastest internet? That's for dial phone I presume (2MB for 29.95 a month). Besides, how can the claim "those days are over" (the days of slow loading of the net) be over when - officially - they never existed? You see, even if the darkest days of the slow internet, all companies kept insisting on speed, customer satisfaction, and what-not in their ads. Suddenly, they admit that they were getting it wrong?

Versace x H&M

2011-11-14T22:41:00.000-08:00

Whereas Beirut/NTSC rarely speaks of fashion, as of late it became unescapable not to feel the buzz of the Versace x H&M collaboration which will be released on November 17th in 300 stores worldwide, three of which are in Lebanon (which should tell you how much fashion-conscious we are). Naturally, the collection is not for everyone - since the collaboration revisists some of the bold prints from the Gianni Versace era of the house. These days only lady Gaga can sport a vintage Versace ensemble without causing eyebrows to lift... And yet, to think that this was the standard back in the late 80s and early 90s!... So on your marks, get set.. Go hysteric!

Exotica gets strange indeed.

2011-11-14T22:36:00.000-08:00

I know we are already past Halloween and we still have "St. Barbara" to come (even if I have previously indicated that the two get confused in Lebanon) so I am reviewing these Exotica ads belatedly. The idea could be nice, to offer someone you love a "dead moss" bouquet... Or maybe to offer it to someone you do NOT love? If this is stunt that originated from the client's marketing department or from Leo Burnett I am unsure, but it does see Exotica delving into uncharted territory.
And this is a freebie for the people who like this blog, this operation reminds me of the "mother in law" Swatch which was released in tandem with the Mothers' day special in 1998 (called the rose). Picture below:

The melting pot this week

2011-11-14T22:27:00.000-08:00

photo credit for Kafa: Beirut Drive by Shooting

The Achrafieh 442 ad was placed in the garage of ABC Sassine... "why drive to ABC when you can walk?" at first I thought it was a campaign to decrease traffic. But well, if the purpose of advertising is "to make you look" then it did! And the place where the ad was put was perfect I admit.
Beirut/NTSC pronounced a moratorium on Almaza ads long ago, but either this a return to form or a stray bullet - the tipped Almaza bottles are in the shape of the Jeita grotto stalactites. The grotto did lose in the scam competition. And hey, it beats being "inspired" by other people to do your ads!
Kafa NGO are back in the game deploring that rape is a crime no matter who the perpetrator is (i.e. even if a member of the family). In a country where we still have honor crimes, I doubt anyone will take seriously the notion of a husband forcing himself upon his wife.
City furniture commit the blunder of the season. How come this supposedly warm-colored ad does not inspire the conviviality it ought to exude? Simple - it's plain silly (and that nonesense copy of falling into her arms because it's the "fall season!).
I admit, I am a pervert and have a one-tracked mind but everytime I saw the Oreo ad I thought of sex. I think the combination of the words twist-lick-dunk in that succession just made it unescapable for me. I might be wrong, but then I shall tell you after my meeting with Dr. Freud what it all means.
And last but not least, an honest, legally bullet-proof ad from Niquitin. What I like about this is that there is no lying. There is the "results may vary" disclaimer in small print at the bottom, it offers hope but also "use as directed" notice, and frankly tries to balance between promising and keeping its feet to the ground.

Laziz gets the Rana Salam touch

2011-11-11T03:35:00.000-08:00

Photo credit: Rana Salam
So it was bound to happen! Laziz in Hamra gets rebranded with the use of the Rana Salam touch. Sadly have not seen the revamped version yet, but if Rana's earlier works are anything to go by (and the above photo is any indication) the result is a pure stunner! Well done.

The twittereddine el Qassam brigades - a 140 characters or less attack.

2011-11-10T22:28:00.000-08:00

Original artwork by Tarek Chemaly

Frankly, if it wasn't for Maya pushing me to write something I wouldn't have - so without any political puns - la3younik!.... For a complete list of the politicians using twitter (or having twitter used on their behalf by tech-savvy consultants/assistants) please refer to the complete list on Mustafa's Beirut Spring.
It seems - up until recently - twitter was a person's safe haven from political bombardment, according to Mustafa only very few of those actually engage in dialogues while others still resort to the usual top-down communication mechanism. Whereas this seems as an oddity in an age where everyone is challenging the authority of traditional media and one-way-street communication, looking a bit down leads us to conclude that whereas the means of communication has changed - the technique from both emitter and receiver is still the same.
It might seem shocking for you to learn that people still like to be told what to do - without much argument or fuss. Still like to be in the "entourage" - virtual or real - of politicians and in case you think I am exaggerating think of the famous kiss Ammar el Houri planted on Saad Hariri's hand after his speech in Martyrs' square!
Naturally, how much the Amchit residents are influenced by president Suleiman's tweets, or if the hardcore Future movement members in Akkar and the deep Bequa'a give a toss is Ayman Hariri got himself a T90 (a tweet straight from Saad) remains to be seen.
So now social media, in all its forms, has been highjacked by politicians who most likely do not know how to operate a computer. Or if they do like Mohammad Rahal only use it to play minesweeper during boring cabinet sessions.

Photo credit Al Balad newspaper

Great, now you have been warned. The next twittereddine el Qassam attack will happen in 140 characters or less in an account near you!

Beirut/NTSC is the invitee blog of Agenda Culturel for the week

2011-11-10T22:00:00.000-08:00

The original article can be read here.... Nice to know that some people seem to appreciate!... Thank you Raghida for your kind efforts!

Thank you Mr. BBDO

2011-11-08T22:49:00.000-08:00

A Tarek Chemaly original painting "inspired" by Pablo Picasso

For the last week or so I have been offline for personal reasons, and I come back to find that I have opened a can of worms regarding the Geita grotto ad. They say "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery" which means that somewhere, an aging director called Steven Spilberg, is smiling appreciatively, and is being comforted from the mediocre reviews his Tintin movie just generated. In addition, a French saying goes "une faute avouee est a demi parodnnee" (an admitted mistake is half forgiven) and it seems in the lexicon of ImpactBBDO (or is it Impact BBDO?) it is full - not just half - forgiven: In order not to appear as a thief, all you have to do is admit the theft and call it inspiration.

This post is being written several days after I received a call from BBDO regarding the post, so it is neither impulsive, nor hormonal. I have had time to mull things over in my head, and I am sticking to my guns and remain unappologetic.

One last reference comes to mind, it is that of actress Candice Bergen who portrayed journalist Murphy Brown in the famous television series, when she became a single-mother in the show, American Vice President Dan Quayle openly criticized her for this in 1992, so when in August that same year she got an Emmy award for her role, she said "thank you Mr. Vice President."
For stirring the controversy, for driving the readership of my blog sky high, and for opening the debate about theft/inspiration, I say: "Thank you Mr. BBDO."

PS: MORRON is actually spelled MORON with one R (this is a reference to one of the comments posted "anonymously" on the previous post.)

ImpactDDBO steals Geita ad

2011-11-02T07:02:00.000-07:00

Compare and contrast the above. Now contrast and compare. Now comp.... I give up! I give up!
Must we ALWAYS steal? Is this the answer to everything? ImpactBBDO has been caught red-handed just like many, many of our supposedly top agencies... Under the idea that "everyone else is doing it so can't we?" we are further dumbing down the standard of our morals, ethics (look up those words in case you don't know what they mean), and dignity (again, google it for definition).... So once more, a thief has been caught, no wonder ImpactBBDO is sponsoring "La nuit des Publivores" can you imagine how many of those 500 new ads they can steal? It would last them a full year of pseudo-creativity!

A case of mistaken identity

2011-11-01T03:37:00.000-07:00

I was devastated when I saw this Kool cigarettes ad.... As if someone was robbing me of my memories. My landmarks. My references. Like every other Lebanese person of my generation I grew up to the "Lucky Strike man" with that unforgattable copywriting in the ad "mountalek, moudrikoun darikahou, wathinkon min mafsih" (a go-getter, self-assured, confident of his path) only to discover that it was not the Lucky Strike man at all, he was just an imposter... He was the Kool man. And so there, nothing is for real!

Steven Meisel + W magazine = Something doesn't "ad" up!

2011-10-27T22:28:00.000-07:00

This is a series of ads by Steven Meisel... Yes, the great man himself. They have appeared in W magazine's October issue... Their common factor? All of them are fake ads for imaginary products using celebrities to promote them!.... Please make sure to read the full article here and a pity I had to cut off two osé ads because this is child-safe website.

The Geita grotto idiosyncrasy

2011-10-27T00:48:00.000-07:00

Why are we voting for the Geita grotto in the new 7 wonders of the world? To improve the image of the country, to make it sleek and very hip. How are we doing that? By promoting very badly designed t-shirts which says our country has a bad image, bad designers, and is old-fashioned. Makes sense?

10 stills from "The hole truth/Kherre2a lal 2ad7 wil zam"

2011-10-27T00:13:00.000-07:00

... And just in case you are wondering, Shazam is Fady and Superman is me! :) (thank you Patrick for the correct, I had pointed out that Fady is the Flash which shows how little I know my comics and my colleagues!).... Otherwise, these are just random images, the full book is even more mouth-watering.

"Kherre2a lal 2ad7 wel zam/The hole truth" by Fady Chahine and Tarek Chemaly

2011-10-25T22:57:00.000-07:00

Fresh from the success of "Badna n2awim el me2teye/Never Tires Squaring Circles" the Fady Chahine/Tarek Chemaly brings you a fresh outing "Kherre2a lal 2ad7 wel zam/The hole truth", the first from the psychedelibnéné series. A visual dictionary for Arabic idioms and phrases in a color-it-yourself format for you to navigate better the Lebanese language and therefore the society at large. Don't be left out in the cold, join the wave and learn how to speak like a proper Lebanese!

Son of Prominent Southern Lebanese politician denied Schengen visa!

2011-10-25T05:44:00.000-07:00

A Beirut/NTSC exclusive.
Those of you struggling for your Schengen visa, have hope! In an unprecedented event where nepotism and corruption did not matter, the son of a prominent Southern Lebanese politician was denied a Shengen visa. Beirut/NTSC has learned from confidential sources from a European embassy that Cadmos son Agenor (king of Tyre) - photo enclosed on his Shengen application (and incompatible with embassy requirements) - was refused his visa because apparently his purpose to visit the continent was "to bring his sister back" something the embassy clerk found as unreasonable ground to give him an entry.
While Catherine Ashton remains silent about the topic, the Lebanese Ministry of foreign affairs is too busy getting Imam Musa Al-Sadr back from Lybia to make any comments for the moment.

Nineteen84 - A rooster's egg no more

2011-10-21T03:19:00.001-07:00

When nineteen84 scored a hit with the Zaatar W Zeit "missing" campaign (and let the nay sayers hold their tongue, they DID score a hit because they managed to do a campaign online with zero budget just by the adrenaline of people from the online community) some people suggested it was a "one off" from some obscure agency - or as we say in Arabic "baydet deek" (a rooster's egg)... Then, if anyone is still in doubt, please check these visuals (in the hope-Obama style) hitting Beirut at full gear and making a full blast impression.
My vote is with the Shawarma republic!... All the way!

psychedelibnéné - the new movement!

2011-10-20T01:04:00.000-07:00

Soon, a new movement will be launched to understand the species Homo libanicus, that strange phenomenon that we are. Intoruducing: Psychedelibnéné - from "psychedelic" and "libnéné" which means Lebanese in Arabic, also deconstructed phonetically it says "pyche de libnéné". As for the logo? What else but our pride and joy the BMW 2002 with its famous front grille and should you look closely you will discover it is actually our flag!... Enjoy this movement which hopefully shall be spread soon.

I am "total"ly hooked!

2011-10-17T23:08:00.000-07:00

Whomever did this ad has my fullest regards. A boring brief - a petrol station celebrates 60 years of presence in a secondary market (Lebanon)... How dull can it be? Well, not even close! God, the ad is fresh, has a bit of nostalgia but not too much so! The 60 years logo is a masterpiece as it is drawn from the colors and shapes and the Total logo... And the line, of my God, the Arabic copy left me fuming from jealousy (why didn't I come up with it?) "Mahata fi tarikh Loubnan" the word mahata means "station" but also means "historical landmark" so it actually reads metaphorically "a landmark in Lebanon's history". Look, if you are the person I think you are please let me know, you deserve your name in bold letters here!

Crepaway ABC - Go as you are (safe landing to Roadster)

2011-10-17T23:02:00.000-07:00

Crepaway is always promising "Come as you are" (famously, the claim was challenged by ALBA students who came their in their pyjamas and dared the staff to take them "as they are" - after much haggling they proved their point!)... But seriously, Crepaway in ABC Achrafieh is now "go as you are" to make way to cut-throat competing diner chain Roadster... Which begs the question: What is Roadster doing so right that Crepaway is not getting?... Let me simply quote the poet: "let me count the ways!"...

A couple of things..... (off the walls!)

2011-10-17T22:56:00.000-07:00

First, let's agree on one thing whereas "design might save the world" it seems "desing" (read the t-shirt properly) is not!... Understood?
And, since the whole can of worms was opened by my "meet Lebanon" ad in Playboy please look at this incredible stencil - the official logo of Lebanon surrounded by two open legs!.... No explanations necessary! But I love the guts of the person who did this (I think her name is Alia if I read the tagging correctly).

Four bucks is dumb...

2011-10-17T22:53:00.000-07:00

When McDonald's started selling coffee they came up with the bullboard "four bucks is dumb"... A direct shot on Starbucks (even if ouf course they denied it)... So if you think that it's "starsucks" instead of starbucks why not support your local "Express Ahwe" (find underneath any respectable bridge or in places where traffic clogs)?

Ads are a dime a dozen!

2011-10-17T22:46:00.000-07:00

So here we are reviewing 12 ads at a time, a full mixed bag:
First, there's that Al Joumhouriyya ad claiming it is the "best selling newspaper" - I'd really love to see the circulation figures... Apparently they got it "figured" out - I am not too convinced... I really want to see the comparative sales charts and all that.
Then comes this incredible gem from El Marada!!! Based on Suleiman Frangieh's (the grandfather, not the one we know now) statement "my country is always right" (which is the local translation of "my country, right or wrong" attributed to American Senator Charles Schurz - notice in the Lebanese version there is no "wrong" bit). So when El Marada wished to do an ad for their website (with the word in Arabic doubling as "position") it actually reads "my website/position is always right." Really, this IS spectacular.
Medco is offering some sort of a fidelity card, the ad itself is barely comprehensible and luckily it is only put in the stations itself because it needs all the time in the world to be read (compounded with that horrible "ma3ak" written in barely decipherable Arabic). Thumbs down all the way.
Meanwhile in preparation for independence day the army is showing a new ad which either a) hints to an old advertising by the Lebanese Forces or b) to a television talk show by Malek Mabtabi aired on LBC (and called "Red in bold lining"... Whereas the army ad says "Red Line in bold". For an insitution that inspires so much dignity, this is baffling to say the least.
Exotica, now that we have established that its new ad needs a manual of instructions to be understood, is clutching to its last straw to prove that it is a standalone and that it could be viable on its own. We still disagree.
Hey, now that is a new one!... Usually all Lebanese ask "where is the state?" (Wayn el dawle?) the answer in this new campaign by the council of ministers and the Ministry of Social Affairs in a program called "7alla" (which means "it's about time"!) with the heading: The state is near you, where are YOU?.... It targets people under poverty level and invites them to "register" (that's the big line you see in the ad) in the program.
Jammal Trust Bank, whi had everyone online drooling over their corporate campaign, now comes with its tactical executions (here is the home loan) which leaves much to be desired. I guess they simply could not replicate the success of the initial burst.... The proverb used here is "make your door larger, your friends will grow in number."
Josons (and therefore Clementine) have come up with a very decent one - it's the "shotgun that counts" - the double entendre of course is that it counts the bullets you shot and that it is "the only one worth having" - what I like about this ad is that it is a classic example of transofrming a boring brief into an interesting ad... Well done.
Oh!!! We missed you!!! Yes, in case you missed the Atat family being plastered all over town (their photos, not them - as plastered also means drunk!) here they are again... So OK, it is not Zein Al Atat but his brother Nader (who it transpires, is a singer)... Welcome back, really, it's been a while! :)
BLF goes on with a twisted logic "if you buy environmentally unfriendly goods, which are not made of recycled material, and who are a monument to over-consumption and a glorification of a lifestyle which harms the planet, we shall give part of the procedings of the card you used to the United Nations Development Program." Get it? I don't....
Another inconsistency: Masculin is positioning itself as the only recreational magazine in French for men... "AND WOMEN" (please read last line)... So "Masculin" is destined to women? How? The same way Elle is destined to men who want to peek at actesses parading in mini-dresses on red carpets?... Once more, please explain as I did not get it.
And last but not least - the LG maintenance service "that goes the extra mile" (note the international travelling labels stuck on the toolbox) - a very far cry from "loneliest guy in town!" by Maytag....
And so that was the mixed dozen!

And damn those park meters!

2011-10-17T22:00:00.000-07:00

So space is rare, parking space even rarer - insert illuminated lighbulb for supposedly genius idea - and there you have it the "double parking" as it is advertised. I think what drew me to this ad is the display model - how on earth do you put a car above without having it smashed against the concrete of the first floor?

Blom shabeb - round 2

2011-10-17T21:57:00.000-07:00

The bank is still unhip, uncool, unfriendly, and still out there trying to catch new clients while they are penniless (with the expectation that they shall open an account as soon as they get a job). So helping them landing a job, or doing a CV the website "BLOM shabeb" - shabeb means youth. So that's the new campaign for a site which is supposed to expose the youth to job listings, handling CVs, professional orientation... The works. Well, I still think the major problem with this site is the client itself.... Boring as all hell!

ABC turning 75.

2011-10-17T21:52:00.000-07:00

The ABC mall is celebrating its diamond jubilee... 75 years and yes, still going strong. The campaign has been mostly internal so far, i.e. it did not hit the streets or anything. It's quite a sentimantal one, at times destined to the clients at large, at others to the company itself. It comes in two languages - and the Arabic is by far the strongest - as the English seems more of back-to-back translation and it stresses all the novelties that ABC has brought to Lebanon (the mini skirt, the toy train, the Dbayeh flagship store)... Of course it says nothing about the traffic jam it also introduced to the Lebanese (the famous "aj2et el ABC" which would clog whole lanes on the highway because people were all flocking to the ABC Dbayeh and had to turn at the same time to the right).... "3a2bel el miyye" and all that!

Uncar, Uncola? Is the new Smart campaign stolen?

2011-10-12T23:21:00.000-07:00

Well, I took this from here, but please read this marketing positioning:
"To conform with the non-conformists, in 1968 J. Walter Thompson positioned 7up as the "Uncola"--a product that was as different from colas as rebellious teenagers were from "the Establishment." In The Conquest of Cool: Business Culture, Counterculture and the Rise of Hip Consumerism, Thomas Frank points out that "[7up] managed to produce a fairly serious commercial critique, equating the tyanny of mass society with the cola monopoly." (Frank, 164) Whereas cola was dreary homogeneity, Frank argues, 7up was the beverage of difference, daring and rebellion."
Now replace everything above related to beverages by the word "automotive industry" and.. Voila!
Uncola becomes Uncar.
It might be the perfect positioning for the US market, but... Didn't anyone notice that it has been done before? Is this a tribute? Or a blatant theft?
Your two cents are appreciated (you may even give the money to me by hand if you wish! :) )...

Aie Dance by Deborah Phares - soon in a theater near you

2011-10-11T01:07:00.000-07:00

Deborah is a copywriter who graduated from Académie Libanaise des Beaux Arts (ALBA), where she has been teaching for the last 6 years in addition to lecturing at the Lebanese University.

She dabbles in illustration, interactive installation, photography, object design, as well as other disciplines. Her “Madmozél” character – now in its 3rd year of weekly running in l’Orient le Jour– has become a staple of social satire for a de...voted audience.
Never too far from the theatre and its ramifications, she played in almost a dozen plays (with Nadine Mokdessi, Vincent Colin…), attended several workshops, even facilitated other such workshops and directed several stage events with teenagers.
She has been fascinated with dance since childhood, but a series of complications have forced her to stop training and practicing for 13 years. Now she is back and invites you to explore – in her very personal universe – the theme of the invisible pain, which inhabits the body of the dancer.
"Aïe Dance" is a solo performance, which intermingles personal stories, classical ballet, contemporary dance, oriental dance and contortions.

Tramway Beirut - the end of the line

2011-10-10T22:19:00.000-07:00

Original photo copyright unknown

I often wondered what happened to the Beirut Tramway. There are some historical details on the net, but they vaguely amoung to it being taken off circulation sometime in the 50s. Of course, the name is classicaly linked to late comedian Ibrahim Merachli's song "Tramway Beyrouth" (sample line: "rizkallah 3a iyyamak ya tramway Beirut, chalouk li2annak deghri w btimchi 3ala sikki dighri" - "we long back to the times of tramway Beirut, they took you off because you are straight, and go along a straight path" ).
I rummaged the net and came up with these photos, what is interesting is that 4 old trams had been converted to a cafe which stood opposite the now defunkt Carlton Hotel. And even these were taken off in the early 80s (again, according to the net).

Meet Lebanon - Tcharrafna!

2011-10-10T22:13:00.000-07:00

I stumbled upon this on the net and was about to fall on the floor… First please read the text below:

“Meet Lebanon
Meet an Arabian Nights fantasy of unspoiled, unexpected ancient and modern delights. Meet a hundred-million years of civilization in the grottos of Jeita and a hundred-and-twenty super-swinging night clubs in Beirut.
Meet a peaceful sun on miles of untouched beaches and skiing among the Cedars of Lebanon. Meet superb food in great restaurants, and the world’s most fantastic bargains in the bazaars called “Souks”.
Meet your own Emeera… Like all the beautiful Lebanese you’ll find her warm, welcoming, worldly.”
I am still trying to recover my spirits from the “unspoiled”, and the “peaceful sun on miles of untouched beaches” without mentioning the “world’s most fantastic bargains in the bazaars”… Naturally, the ad is old (it is undated, but my assumption – from the style of the bikini – is that it must go back to the early 70s before the onset of the war). Maybe these superlatives and catchy words did apply back then…
But what is bewildering is that this is an official advertising for Lebanon endorsed by the ministry of Tourism with the official logo on it and it features a barely clad seductive woman who might have become someone’s “Emeera” (that means “princess”) or who – for all we know – has done it for love or for the love of money (we all know that the industry was quite as rampant back then as it is today).
But, and I think this is the most stunning point, just delve closely into the photo (NO, not to lower part of the bikini!) but rather to the right-side corner. At the end of the article is that small only-too-recognizable bunny. The advertising actually ran in… Playboy. Yes, our Ministry of Tourism has actually used public funds to promote the image of the Lebanon through the pages of the famous soft porn magazine….
Actually, I think this is an act of brilliance! This is exactly the kind of audience Lebanon needed – rich cosmopolitan single men with nothing but extra money to spend, or simply males between the ages of 25-45 outgoing, adventurous, looking for an exotic taste of the Orient and ready to backpack on a budget (mind you, at the time “Playboy” was also a magazine that published avant-garde literature, so its audience also comprised intellectuals and “indy” men).
Now, imagine this happening today… Do you think this advertising, and specifically this media buying in a magazine such as “Playboy” would have made it to the official policy of the ministry?

Stills from Flashman (1967) - shot in Lebanon

2011-10-10T22:00:00.000-07:00

Original photos posted by Khereddine on Skyscrapercity

So this is is how it was in 1967, the first one shot in Jounieh, the second in Maameltein back when the train ran through it, and the third one in Rawche next to the famous rocks. I am not getting nostalgic or anything, but - alongside that famous scene from James Bond (where he was having sex in Baalbeck!) - this is a throwback for a long-gone era (an era where things were brewing underneath the flashiness).

The 194th flag?

2011-10-07T00:44:00.000-07:00

... But where's the Palestinian flag in the new ad for Home City?!... Perhaps it is being used as a doormat to sweep feel upon while entering the United Nations.... Oh well, at least the ad is colourful.

"Badna N2awim El Me2teye" on 7UPstairs Publishing by Fady Chahine and Tarek Chemaly

2011-10-05T23:30:00.000-07:00

Open publication - Free publishing - More adbusters

What do we stand for?

Beirut/NTSC stands for Never Tires Squaring Circles. In Arabic, the expression is “badna n2awim el me2teye” or how someone goes on a quest to straighten the curve of wild cucumbers – which are always curvy. A daunting mission, but a person’s got to do what a person’s got to do – we’re equal opportunity employers between the genders in that perspective.
Beirut/NTSC stands for Never Trust Sneaky Corporations. We are not asking anyone to stop consuming, or to radically change their lifestyles, all we are saying is – think a little about what you buy and where you but it from and what is hidden cost imbedded in it.
Beirut/NTSC stands for Never Tolerate Supporting Charlatans. If you are convinced of your political views, we’re only too happy for you. But if you are just joining in the crowd just out of fear of being different or being labeled traitor, at least have the audacity to review your beliefs. If you change them - it will be out of conviction. If you go back to your original standpoint - at least you’d know you were always right.
Beirut/NTSC stands for POPaganda. A way of taking lightly – and orally – all the people who at one point were thought to be invincible have been transformed into drinkable alternatives. Much easier on the mouth, and other parts of the anatomy.
Beirut/NTSC stands for Never Try Suppressing Conscience. Especially in the Arab region where freedom of thought and expression is quasi limited, and where everyone is trying to hijack the “Arab spring” to turn it into another season, or another reason, or another treason.
Beirut/NTSC stands for Never Take Substandard Creativity. Don’t let advertising agencies and clients insult your intelligence as an audience and as consumers. Don’t let them sell you anything and be gullible. Don’t let them trick you into believing that whatever they propose is sacrosanct. React. Be a “consom’acteur” (a French word fusing “consommateur” (consumer) and “acteur” (actor)). If it sucks – without the fun ending – we will let you know.
Beirut/NTSC stands for Never Try Stealing Concepts. If an advertising agency is spotted “borrowing” from another previous campaign, if a concept is a copycat of another, if an idea is freely copied from an existing campaign, we’ll be the first ones to report it, to shame whatever “creative” (or rather “uncreative”) person and expose him/her as a thief.
Beirut/NTSC stands for Ne7na Tlo3na Stereotyped Characters. An amalgamation of Arabic and Latin to make “we’re nothing but a bunch of stereotyped characters” – politicians, candidates for elections, various positions in the advertising industry… It’s one and the same, everyone just wants to fit in a pigeon hole and stay there.
Beirut/NTSC stands for Never Tolerate Sacrificing Credibility. We report to you things exactly as they have happened. We even sacrifice speed for the interest of accuracy. We also never believe in the fallacy that someone can be objective – objectivity does not exist – but we try our might to be impartial.
Not only did we take a stand. We actually took the stand. We testified for our beliefs.

Badna N2awim El Me2teye sample pages

2011-10-05T23:17:00.000-07:00

These are sample pages from "Badna N2awim el Me2teye/Never Tires Squaring circles", the collaborative effort between Fady Chahine and myself. These are simply random samples and much more is found inside the book! Once more, this is a completely free of charge product from 7UPstairs publishing for you to enjoy. We are also grateful for Mrs. Reem Al Halabi for her kind permission to use parts of previous designs she has done (specifically for the "Never Tolerate Sacrificing Credibility" section). You can access the book fully here, but I shall imbed it in the blog for ease of access as well.