Only Lebanon: suffering from SLS syndrome?

The Suffocating Lack-of State (SLS) syndrome is not yet at its most acute stages. Only Lebanon, or the illusion of democracy? Surrounded by devastating totalitarianism, stifling dictatorships, debilitating monarchies, consuming extremism, enlightened fundamentalism, and what have you. Only Lebanon, a true democracy by regional standards, with incapacitating SLS syndrome: a de-facto dictatorship, where ciTyzens are incapable of influencing the decisions - or lack of, for that matter - affecting the quality of their lives. State builders for social foundations and economic reform - where are you? I ask.

Are we stuck in 1984?

With the promise that technology would set us free?

In a recent AdAgeDigital article, 3D Modeling, Wifi Sensors, and Augmented Reality, are three new technologies with the potential to ‘change the way we shop (full article). Guest blogger Jad Sarout shares his POV (Point Of View) of on the matter - no pun intended, just a free standing opinion under the new-tech sun of our strange and terrible ciTy.

Jad says: “Interesting, but in my opinion these ‘new technologies’ are not capable of changing how we behave towards shopping unless they play the game by the new rules: free access and free sharing of information without control or censorship. For example, 3D modeling will remain, at best, able to attract attention as a novelty, unless it gears towards social sharing. I was once commissioned for a 3D clothes modeling project. This was the single selling point. A mentality where you build and sell your own investment story to your consumers. But in increasing numbers, they don't care where you put your money. Build a genuine story with your consumers, and let them do the work. Just look at Google. They don't need to market. They just release great products, users  do the rest. Google, of their own confession, spend a huge sums for a faster Internet, because the easier it is for users to interact, the better Google's sales. So instead of spending on marketing, they invest in their users. Everyone wins. CDs didn't change the way users behaved towards music; Myspace did. Better ads didn't change the way consumers reacted to online product shopping; customer reviews on ebay did. What will mutate the way we shop is users generated content, sharing, and free access to information. I might be wrong. Future will tell.”

And the Macintosh ad is still vivid in my mind, when Apple came with the promise that “1984 won’t be like 1984”. As marketers go back to the drawing board trying to understand how new technologies will shape the way consumers shop – are we still stuck in 1984? I ask.

11 Reasons why Santa quit his Job

My wish list to Santa this year:
1- less nepotism (aka wasta)
2- less bribe and forgery
3- more Foreign Direct Investment
4- less sectarian mind sets
5- less political tribalism
6- more citizenship
7- less drugs for the youth
8- less attacks on girls on our ciTy streets
9- less littering and polluting
10- less delinquent driving habits
11- and no tearing down of the Theatre de Beirut...
And that's when it occurred to me that Santa might quit his job. Since many young at heart still believe in the magic of this season, let me not rain on their parade.
Season's Greetings and best of health to you and yours!

My country is not ambitious

A boy soldier billboard campaign on our ciTy streets in anticipation of our nation's Independence Day. The big message that came across from my point of view: my country is not ambitious. Anything can be branded. If we agree on that premise, and on the basic definition of branding being the process of creating a defined image at mind level, then our national Independence Day campaign is the illustration of a country running out of intangible attributes. Try giving into the exercise of making the sum of the parts that define what my country stands for and you will face the question: is it about time our institutions started hiring brand managers. I ask.

Who's the King?

As we become digital citizen, the King has been dethroned. Content is the new King. A breeze of content will blow on our ciTy streets next week, carrying us from Social Media Week to TEDxBeirut. Six days of pure brain candy. Our ciTy awaits in anticipation, and so do I. The power of knowledge sharing and ideas that stretch the mind: I believe both to be change drivers that can start a movement. Thumbs up to the people behind those events. Hopes up for our ciTy.

To Brand or Not to Brand?

That is the question.  W.Drentell rightly states "the symbol for a country should not be created by branding experts" (full article 'My country is not a brand': http://tinyurl.com/3dctvp2); but a nation needs a perceived image if it is to rise to the global radar. Some countries in the region have started getting in the game by investing behind acquiring foreign brands, or simply by initiating the brand building process in-house. Top of mind: Qatar Fifa 2022 World Cup is a giant leap forward on the national image brand building front. At the other end of the scale is the prevailing short sighted quick-buck mentality on our ciTy streets. We are simply at odds with the long term process of building intangible assets - let alone their potential economic contribution. Some brave companies have understood the positive ripple effect that strong brands can have on a nation’s wealth creation, but common practice in our strange and terrible ciTy remains at that other end of the scale: short sighted quick-buck mentality. Out of habit? Out of practice? Out of the game, is where we stand, and highly unlikely of becoming a hub of anything in the foreseeable future. What is our nation's perceived image? And is that how we want to be perceived? I ask.

Gregarious Gluttony

Some kind of never ending gregarious gluttony. All that which makes Beirut ciTy so vibrant and kicking can also render it very imposing, it's people very invasive, judgmental, and always in your face. And our ciTy is alive by the spirit of a people whose ultimate liberation is Carpe Diem, seizing the day and plucking off the eyes of tomorrow. Is there absolutely nothing wrong with that? When I come to think of the potential beneath all that raw energy, I am bewildered. One look at the outdoor media scene and you realize the kind of chaotic state of life we are living in and buying into. Is there absolutely nothing wrong with that mayhem? A perfect case study of branding anarchy. I need some headspace.