IN MEMORIAM: WORLD TRADE CENTER

Awarded the Poster Graphis Platinum Award

Ziad Alkadri, a Lebanese national based in Canada, was commissioned by the New Talent Conservatory committee to design a poster to launch the Rachmaninov Piano Concert 2007, in commemoration of the September 11 World Trade Centre tragedy. The mandate of the New Talent Conservatory is to promote talented and young musicians. The winner of the New Talent Conservatory 2007 Piano Competition was invited to play Rachmaninov for their piano concert in commemoration of the September 11 events. The poster won the Graphis Platinum Award.

Ya3ish Lobnan w Alwano

“Reviving the colours of the nation” is a campaign for Persil Color that DDB Beirut conceptualised, as Lebanon was witnessing a fresh breath on the political arena that was felt like a new beginning, specially following the reconciliation chapter of Doha and the election of a new president for Lebanon, which ended a political deadlock that lasted nearly two years. Persil campaign reflected the nation’s strong comeback with its vibrant colours and the Lebanese flag portrayed in a linen closet. Built upon Persil Colour’s unique selling proposition, “Give life to your colours,” DDB went on with that concept, which mirrors an emotional patriotic message, while it highlights the functional benefit of the brand --of newness & cleaness.

Credits Advertising Agency: DDB - Beirut Creative Director: Claude Hatem Account Manager: Nathalie Khoury Art Director: Diana Soussa Photographer: Astrid Challita

Dress Up

“Take a flower, a white flower, from Exotica. Turn it upside down, add a spoonful of glamour, a few acres of well trimmed grass, a hint of blue sky, the more fantasies you can get, the promise of a new beginning... and you’ll get the perfect flavour for your wedding....”

explained Omar Boustany to ArabAd magazine when asked to elaborate about the latest Exotica ads created this summer and seen on various media outlets across Lebaon.

Credits

Associate Creative Director: Omar Boustany Senior Art Director: Manal Naji Junior Art Directors: Layla Naamani, Joumana Ibrahim Copywriters: Amin Kurani, Joyce Zavzavadjian

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“Do you remember when Blue was the colour of the sky and Orange the colour of a tasty fruit? Unfortunately, colours have become highly explosive in Lebanon and each is a code for a political party, a flag for potential troubles. "

After the terrible events that happened in Beirut in May of this year, adds Boustany "we were deeply depressed...Then came the Doha agreement and the end of the sit-in in Beirut’s Downtown; we all hoped for a new beginning... At the agency, we all felt that we shouldn’t lose the momentum and do something immediately to trigger a positive atmosphere in our country. We thought, maybe if we marry them all, through their colours, then maybe, it will help. So, we married them according to tradition. After that, it’s very difficult to divorce!” - Omar Boustany Credits Associate Creative Director: Omar Boustany Senior Art Director: Manal Naji Copywriter: Rana Najjar Junior Art Director: Joumana Ibrahim

Flowers for your balcony

Exotica by Leo Burnett Beirut

Get your brand back

Corporate campaign by Chief Creative Officer Ramzi Barakat, for Drive Communication agency designed at the occasion of the re-branding of the agency, which went from blue to red... Here is a teaser & a reveal. This ad rolled out across print & outdoor media, as well as a TVC & specially, a blog got dedicated for Drive tactical re-branding strategy.

Creativity, Imagination & Inspiration

When boundaries boost Creativity, Imagination & Inspiration For Oman Economic Review, a campaign that speaks for itself and echoes greatly and perfectly the kind of challenges that creative minds have often to overcome, when unleashing their juices while working in countries that have set their own boundaries. Fortune Promoseven, Oman is the agency behind this campaign initiated by the nation economic publication; it aims at generating awareness vis-`à-vis drinking and driving.

Press freedom above all

Bronze Lynx Award in Print /Public Health & Safety, Public Awareness, Fundraising & Appeals category

Title: Censor for the World Freedom of the Press

Client: Khaleej Times

Agency: Republic, Dubai UAE

Click for a larger view

Play IT Safe

Joy Pad for the Lebanese Red Cross A bronze Lynx Award in Public Health / Print category By Leo Burnett, Beirut

Dog's playground

A Silver Lynx Award for this outdoor ad for Nestlé Purina Puppy Chow; Domino Purina Dog Chow By FP7 Doha Qatar

New York film school comes to a theatre near you

The New York Film Academy (NYFA), established a new branch campus, March 1st, in the UAE capital. Joining forces with the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture & Heritage (ADACH), the Academy, which already opened its doors, aims at establishing a world-class film school, while becoming an educational center for the nascent film industry in Abu Dhabi and the region. The FRAME & CLOSE-UP hand-shaped visuals, focusing on the nascent NYFA of Abu Dhabi, are designed by TBWA\RAAD ME & UAE. The campaign managed to snatch a Silver Lynx in the Commercial Public Services Print category.

Second Hand Smoking

Silver Lynx in Public Health & Safety, Public Awareness, Fundraising & Appeals sub-category in the Print segment, for GULF PROMOACTION DDB, Dubai For more on Dubai Lynx 2008 Awards, check out ArabAd magazine April issue or log on to ArabAd Archive blog

Leave your footprints

"Leave only your footprints in the sands" By Intermarkets for National Bank of Abu Dhabi

B Kind & Rewind

A campaign from The Martin Agency, USA that tackles racism & religious discrimination, for A More Perfect Union (the AMPU) CD:Joe Alexander; AD: Mark Brye; Copywriter: Cedric Giese

IS IT?

By CD Sami Saab of Publicis Graphics Beirut, for Aoun's party, the Free Patriotic Movement.

For non Arabic readers, here is a translation: The scribbled message is a play on words, as an A (the Arabic 'A' letter as 'aleph' - in orange) was added to the second word (read from right), to remind people that a nation is a 'Union' not a 'Company' (as the word originally meant if the letter wasn't added).

What's better than two falafels?

Ad promoting authentic Middle Eastern food for Ghazale Middle Eastern Restaurant in Canada, by Cossette Communication, Toronto. CDs: Dan Vendramin & Darren Clarke AD: Ed Lea Copywriter: Mark Lewis

Keep Tryin'...

Actually, whether it is outside, or inside that box, thinking is one difficult mental activity for many....--- However, to 'keep trying' is a good advise, since -hék hék--- they have nothing to lose..

Fall of Love

Memac Ogilvy, Dubai for MBC 4 & MBC Action Copywriter: Charlie Harris Art Director: Ramzi Moutran Designer: Leonardo Borges Executive Creative Director: Till Hohmann Account director: Nabil Moutran: Account manager: Firat Atkas Client: Andrew Maskall, (Marketing Manager MBC)

EXOTI--CON

Russian Dolls for Exotica outdoor ad by Leo Burnett, Lebanon; It's the earliest reminder in Lebanon of Mother's day (March 21st). Thanks Exotica!! Could have forgotten!! But will this ad make us buy mommy's flowers from your place? I guess, it's more corporate!! as in EXOTICA too doesn't forget moms'... Russian dolls are maybe overused items in visual communication, however the treatment, concept, approach, execution, you name it, is different than all the déja-vu poupées russes... (N'est-ce pas Asfahani???--guess ur d expert & now more than ever!!! Since ur dream finally came true--OOOF, at last---& now a round of applause to AS-- ur finally part of the Idiotic Alienated Association- Q8 Chapter 0).

A BIG PLUS

By Saatchi & Saatchi Beirut for MTC touch (thanking the red cross for all its humanely possible doings).

Connected by definition

"Wireless by definition. Connected by patriotism" reads the headline of mtc touch ad by Saatchi & Saatchi Beirut. The bodycopy is as perfect. "Everyone has something to say" is the telecom's slogan adopted in Lebanon and made up by Saatchi. It's a punchline that conveys a bloody load of meaning, so appropriate to Lebanon's socio-politico climate that it manages to make mtc totally rooted in the country's culture; whereas, we all know that it's a Kuwaiti-based provider that went global Big time. In Kuwait, its slogan used to be "WE HEAR YOU"; a bit cliché to say the least... Present in 22 countries, Zain (formerly mtc) is bidding today to try to gain the acquisition of the Lebanese cellular provider. If it wins, [even if doesn't] mtc will disappear soon; nonetheless, everyone will always have something to say; and hopefully Zain will prevail and confirm that indeed, there is no "Wonderful World" without our freedom of speech. You can view more of mtc ads--soon to become vintage-- by clicking on mtc tag or visiting ArabAd archive blog- You can also check the wonderful possibilities a flag can do when graphic designers toy with it....

Ring Blink Guarenteed

Advize/Grey Jordan has just been awarded the Pikasso Silver Award for Ring Jordan ad, which was posted on Pikasso Billboards in Amman.

Khaleek 7eloo

'Khaleek Heloo' & Rewind

For A More Perfect Union [AMPU], a campaign that tackles racism & religious discrimination; Indeed, "we fear what we don't understand. Rethink bias." By The Martin Agency, Richmond USA CD: Joe Alexander AD: Mark Brye Copywriter: Cedric Giese

Burned-out

By Grey Worldwide Beirut for the Association of Forests Development and Conversation CD & Copywriter: : Ghassan Khairallah AD: Nadine Farah Photographer: Rabih Mwanes Illustrator: Richie Veneracion

Iraqna welcomes the future

Rooftop Pikasso D'or Award for Iraqna by Wunderman CD: Ramzi Haddad AD: Louis Moghabghab Copywriter: Peter Kattan

Forgot Valentine

Press cut from a Lebanese daily

Happy Valentine to all even though the time has passed; but it's never late to express love and peace to all of you out there... And hey, take it easy, there is not much worth animosity & war... Life's too short so go, get one!!

MONEY & LOVE

Western Union by Team Y&R Beirut - Winner of the campaign category [Prix Multivisuel] Pikasso D'or 2007 CD: Samir Tamari AD:Wadih Elias Copywriter: Samir Tamari / Carine Choueiry Photography/Illustration: Fares Jammal For more...Visit ArabAd Archive

Love Yourself

Impact BBDO Beirut recently snatched the Pikasso D'or 2007 for C&F campaign.

Go to ArabAd Archive if you wish to view the full campaign & more winners from The Pikasso Award organised this month in Beirut.

I LUV LIFE

By Saatchi & Saatchi Beirut part of The infamous 'I LOVE LIFE' campaign during Independence O5

CREATIVITY ON SALE

By Team Y&R, Kuwait. Click on cliché for a better view

Creativity in the Air

Delsey ad for Jashnmal by CD Elie Bou Chaaya at Team Y&R Kuwait times. Click Clichés to take the whole trip

Al Waleed Foundation

in-house ad by Al Waleed Ben Talal Humanitarian Foundation

Click on flags & check the limitless possibilities of flag morphing

Just Try... U may slip

A bronze awarded ad at the KAAA in 2004 for Paragon fully integrated advertising communication total marketing solutions local Kuwaiti based agency...

And if by any chance, you slip on a banana and bump into one of Chiquita banana campaigns, you can't fail but noticing that the copy cop has designed a copyperfectcrap himself too... Call now and get your free consultation.... 911

@ the Summit

Bronze award for Paragon Agency Kuwait in 2004 at the first KAAA [Kuwait Advertising Arabic Award] in media category---- Even Pride gets its share, why not after all... Isn't this business all about ego and showoff, medals and trophies, crap & bullshit...???

Fat free

Canderel ad by Impact BBDO Beirut

Well, at least one thing is certain....

Whether Nivea or Audi Bank communicates their faith for a bright future, One thing is certain: Copycat or No Copycat!! The Sun will Always Shine on Lebanon...

SALE OR NOT SALE, STOP IT!!

IKEA ad by Horizon FCB Kuwait CD: Joe Ghazal The funny thing here is that the load of ads where an object is used to replace a letter has been endless. And honestly, we are fed up of such execution... We are gathering a bunch of such to just try to say it out LOUD, STOP THAT CLICHES!! Talking about Clichés, the best is on the way.. Louai SALAM!!;) 'FESHELLAK KHELA'AK' somehow... As for copycat ads, won't be too long, before many of you out there are going to start digging down the hole to hide themselves of shame and big tim eembarassement... Just a little patience...