So I found this animated flash banner somewhere on the web. As you can see, the “sections” get stacked on top of each other. The last one is either an adjective to whatever preceded it or just another section, depends on how you read it.
Never under-estimate the power of tashkeel, or a blogger with lots of time in hand.
After a relatively long-running teaser, I’m disappointed with the revealer; Burgan Bank’s new identity. I even thought it was a teaser for a new hospital in town (that picture of a pregnant woman was kind of misleading).
Burgan Bank’s logo has been pretty much the same since their establishment back in the seventies. With only little modernization retouches here and there every few years depending on the mood of the marketing team.
This is the most disgusting redesign I have seen in a while.
I can see the arabic “ba” letter (with the orange dot) but where is the “b”. I have a crazy theory, hear me out; I think there is a “b” but it’s kinda hidden.
The icon is a blue 3d ribbon spinning around and the continuation of it that makes the rest of the b is to be realized by the viewer. The only clue they have there is the sharp cut in the dark blue part. Also the gradual change in color is another clue; dark blue, light blue then white (which is stupid because the background color is white as well and not so stupid because, well, it isn’t really there).
Sometimes there’s a very thin line between stupid and genius. I’m not sure exactly what I think of the logo, I’m still somehow disappointed.
Wiki: Gestalt Theory
I was asked to speak at Art’s & Design Department at Kuwait University’s College For Women in Al- Adeleyia a while ago and I agreed to do so.
Today was the day, I kept procrastinating on what I should talk about that I only managed to write anything in the few hours before the lecture, hell, I even managed to do a quick slideshow.
I wasn’t satisfied with the quality of the material overall but I still think it will be useful to them. I even asked the girl who’s coordinating the whole thing about the worst case scenario and what could happen if I just couldn’t make it. She freaked out and she told me that it might affect their grade and they’re honor students.
It became a mission to me to do this presentation no matter what, I can’t hurt the girl’s grade … I really can’t live with that especially after I gave them my word.
So I step in the classroom say hi and start plugging my iPod to the main computer to get the presentation. I was quite nervous the first ten minutes but I snapped out of it and I managed to impress myself. I really felt I was in control and I was giving the girls something they can really use in their professional life.
I talked about the job market and their real-life options after they graduate. I offered tips on the process of job hunting and landing yourself a job in an advertising agency.
Funny thing is, Just minutes after I arrived at the office I found this comment on my blog. I just couldn’t help but read it out loud for my colleagues and crack out laughing. I wonder what the other girls thought of the lecture.
For a while I thought this logo was a sun going down and it’s reflected on the water surface of the sea or something with waves.
Bottom line, I think It’s a head with two friggin’ faces or something. How beautiful.
Who the fuck wrote that?!
No no no, who the fuck did approve it?
Update: Fixed the picture
Have you seen the Mupi Ad for one of the kid shows on MBC 4?
You absolutely need to.
OK, now let’s take a closer look, turn your dirty minds on please …
That’s right, the boy is taking an eyeful of those two big jugs.
If you love sushi, wouldn’t mind getting pictures taken of you (no close ups) while eating and socializing and love to have a good time then we want you.
Leave a comment if you want to be in this thing.
P.S: Keep in mind, it’s not really up to me who we’re gonna pick.
Best culture-jamming I have seen in kuwait so far.
Now it says something like “Raise your voice, be heard … but also keep your eyes open.”
Found somewhere on Gulf Road.
Rock the vote ladies.
Here we go again, It’s been a long long time since the last time I commented on any MTC Ads. I just have to do it to this one, I’m itching to do it. Let’s go …
First of all, The guy with the dictionary. Why in hell he has to be kuwaiti? What do you think you’re saying with such image? Kuwaitis are ignorant bastards who can’t speak a word of english?
Now I’m not saying each and every kuwaiti knows english better than Shakespeare himself but I know that kuwaitis in general are educated enough to be on a level where portraying them in an ad like this is a crime.
I wouldn’t mind seeing that person wearing a jeans and a t-shirt, that would make him more generic and you can’t really tell his nationality. MTC had done it before why not now?
Somebody might defend MTC and say “Well, he could be in a foreign country”. If so then that’s even worse, because I can’t see a single clue to tell me he’s in a foreign country. No architectural clues in the background, nothing significant on the table and if anybody say a thing about that lousy hat I’m gonna shove it up his ass. NOOOO? He’s wearing a fake-ass cowboy’s hat, Ooooooh HE’S AMERICAAAAAN. Yeah, not only that … but he’s texan. Plus, How many kuwaitis do you know who wear dishdasha when they’re traveling? Get real.
Not a single one of those three sitting on the table looks really “foreign”. As a matter of fact even the supposedly kuwaiti guy doesn’t look kuwaiti at all, even with the half-assed beard. AND PLEASE OH PLEASE, Look at the way he’s wearing his ghutra and more importantly his E’Gaal (the black round ring-like thing). Kuwaitis don’t shove it AROUND their head, unless they’re Abdulaziz Al-Musalam. However, I have to admit, that e’gal shoving thing really works if they want to make the guy look like a total ass. Which reminds me of my first point, Why he has to be kuwaiti?
On a final note, did you notice how I wrote this whole post without mentioning the “Leb…” word? Quite an achievement, huh? Well, fuck that … I have to get it out of my chest. All the of models are lebanese, The ad was shot in lebanon and was produced by a lebanese agency in a lebanised kuwait. Thank you very much and god bless.
Note to the Copy Writer of that Ad: Check your spelling Yo!
Bassinet is opening today in its new location in Salmyia , at Tala Complex. It should be really interesting. A lot of bloggers are going to be there, hell, the owner of the shop is a blogger herself. So I guess you can call this a blogger-stalkers dream event. :p
OK here’s the deal, I’m absolutely broke (no I got 450 fils, not even enough for Sargam. you got the picture) Buy some of my t-shirts there and support a starving fellow blogger (and you will go to heaven mos def.)
On a political note, I heard there will be a gathering in front the parliament tonight at 8 PM.
Now she wants to sell her car.
It’s a hatchback, 2003 Renault Clio with a sun roof. Full option, white color. Less than 3 years used. No Accidents ever. Woman Driver.
Price: Cash or installment KD 1600.
I used the car myself for a while and I absolutely loved it, very economical.
Bassinet, The coolest gifts shop in tow and a proud reseller of Tata Botata T-shirts is relocating to Salmiya. It will be located in Tala Complex (next to Laila Gallery).
Our Manager, who’s leaving us soon, is using his intercom to ‘broadcast’ some obscure bob dylan songs and a some blues music. I’m totally loving it.
feels like a scene from an independent film. I will miss him.
This gotta be the most hilarious rip-off I have seen in a long long while. So They took the colors, they made an extra effort to mimic the typeface. However, they replaced the iconic image of Col. Harland Sanders with a weird looking rooster.
What’s really funny is, although the rooster might be a masculine symbol, the restaurant’s name has ‘Kanneth’ in it.
Yesterday I finally managed to meet the beautiful people of mukan and I supplied them with the new t-shirts. So for those who are still looking for them, you can find them in mukan. BTW I had the best club sandwich ever in mukan yesterday, john makes it like no other.
wait for mukan’s map
On another happier note, I GOT MY CAAAAR. Too bad they say I have to drive it really slow (80 Km/H) for a week or so.
Check this ad out, the headline roughly translates for “Finish your work quickly and efficiently”. What’s funny is the facial expression of the guy, he seems surprised. I doubt it’s intentional. If that guy was saying something, It would be in a though bubles and it will be something like ‘Me? Finish work? Quickly? EFFICIENTLY? Bil mish mish’ … the result? a very successful ad that connects with the target audience (native kuwaiti dumbos) by casting one of them as the model.
They nailed it, they did.
P.S: I hope you can smell the sarcasm in there.
Today during my lunch break I went to sultan center to get that bottle of italian dressing I been craving for a while and guess what I found, a bottle of italian dressing of the ‘Danish Best’ brand (which is quite obviously is made in Denmark). Now I don’t want to discuss the whole danish cartoons thing in anyway. I just wonder why a company like Sultan Center would boycott all danish products only to bring them back after the whole country forgets about that incident.
Even though I don’t support what Sultan Center did few months ago, I would rather see a company that believes in a fixed set of values and stick to them. That’s just plain hypocrite.
Doesn’t she look like an alien or something?
Would any girl want to look like this? Really?
For more fashin victim please go to the nearest
My “Swedish Hospitality” post got linked on twp blogs so far, Adrants.com and Marketerblog It also got some interesting individuals to write to me. It’s stuff like that that makes me wanna continue blogging.
I like the last two lines of Marketerblog’s post …
Ikea would do well to harness some of these collective insights before they design their next ad campaign. Or maybe they can just hire Tata Botata.
I got shit load of stuff to post, but I have no time really … sorry guys for being quite lately.
First of all and just to make things clear, I’m not trying to make fun of any race of people here and I respect flipino people just as much as the next guy. I have flipino friends and I hope this won’t piss them off. It’s not about them, it’s about the ad.
On the back cover of the amazing bazaar dining guide (comes free with the free bazar magazine) you will find an ad for Ikea store restaurant. The ad is so blah you won’t even notice anything wrong about it if you were living in kuwait for some time.
We are so used to see flipino staff in most restaurants that it’s almost normal to ignore how hilarious this ad is. Here’s the ad …
Did you notice what I’m talking about?
Swedish hospitality? You portray that by showing your flipino staff dressed in cheap, silly swedish customes? I really feel bad for the staff who got dressed in these silly customes, I also feel sorry for the pathetic guys at the agency that made such ad. Maybe the client is stupid but it doesn’t mean you have to be as stupid as them. They’re paying you money so they can use your so called experience to do their ads professionally.
Shame on you Al-Homaizi, Shame on you Ikea and fucking shame on you Impact & Echo (If you still have that account) :p
Peace & Love to my flipinos and flipinas
… and sorry if I pissed any swedish people off in the process.
So which grocery store is designing Kuwait Airways Holidays division these days? and why oh why it has to be handled by another agency than the one that handles the main account.
Don’t call Abul Kalam to pick up your car when it’s fucked on the road, He will tell you ‘Dooon’t Wooorryyyee, Siiiir. I aaam coming’ and then he will leave you waiting under the sun and will never show up. Also, I’m not sure you want to call his business-card-mate either, Do you trust a man who has a different name in english?
Found on the wall of our local Irani bakery shop.
هالأعلان Ùيه وايد شغلات ناقصة
لازم بعد Ù†ØØ· صوره لما يكون الوالد معصب، بعدين Ù†ØØ· صورة وهوه قاعد يطق الولد. أيضاً لازم Ù†ØØ· صورة الولد لما صار مدمن مخدرات وشلون تاب وصار خوش ولد وربى Ù„Øية وصارت أخلاقه راقية. هم بعد عندي شوية ملاØظات Ùنيه، الوالد لازم يخلي اللØيه من غير مايØلقها لأسبوع أضاÙÙŠ ويرد يصور، الأم لازم تكون تبجي وشكلها مكÙوخة لما منلعن خيرها، علامة الليكسز لازم تكون أكبر بعد … لأنه صاØبنا بذيج الشركة زعلان يقول مو داÙعين بس هم العلامه زغيره Øيل كبرها لاكلم أبو Ùلان.
آنا أموت وأعر٠… تكÙون ياجماعة من المسئول عن مآسي مثل هذي … هالأعلانات منو اللي وراء الأÙكار المبدعة والعجيبة؟ آنا شاك بÙجر السعيد. ليش مسوين القطاع الخاص هالشغلة الخطيرة اللي Ùيها مخاو٠وتØدي ومخاطره Ùˆ واØد ÙŠØ·ÙŠØ Ø¨ØÙرة Ùˆ واØد ياكله أسد ومادري شنو. الأعلان هذا يخرع الناس من القطاع الخاص ما ÙŠØببهم Ùيه.
والله Ù†Ùشل
A local ad agency got recently nominated for some london based ad awards, The agency gave the festival the credits information. They basically, placed everybody’s name in there EXCEPT the person who ACTUALLY sat his/her ass down and finished the project ON THEIR OWN. They agency went as far as including the name of the associate creative director who wasn’t even in the country at the time of doing the nominated project.
Names are not mentioned to save the innocent
واللي على راسه بطØÙ‡ خل ÙŠØسس عليها هنيه
I realize there’s another version of this ad where the hands belong to men but I’m sure you noticed as much as I did how gulf bank been using this version more than the other. They realize they have a reputation of having the hottest chicks around and the want to emphasize on it? They apply segregation rules where males can’t touch the hands of females?
… and while we’re at it, Why I can’t see one hand of ‘those’ that says “KUWAITI” … I want to see a darker skin, I want to see the tip of an A’bayah … I don’t see “nationalization” in that ad … I see “Lebanization”
P.S: Fuck you gulf bank, your ads are so big they don’t fit in my scanner and, no, you’re not worth wasting my time scanning two parts and attaching them together in photoshop.
OK, Everyday when I go to the office I have to pass by this building (Rakaan Tower) that was built in front of Al Muthana Complex. Those guys who run the building never cease to put a smile on my face everyday.
You see how tall and huge this tower is, big no? I wonder how much money was spent to build such a thing. I also wonder how much they paid for this cloth banner to advertise their vacant spaces.
I didn’t fucking believe it when I saw that banner there. I mean oh my god, dude you paid all that money to build the tower then you got all stingy when it came to advertising the building?
OK, So they eventually removed it after, like, 5 days or so of putting it. Well, No advertising is better than bad advertising … I mean c’mon the tall ass building is there in all its glory and those who are looking will ask you eventually, it’s not like you won’t have any people renting the place.
After some time without proper advertising, some smart guy (I suppose he’s smart) decides to give the break to the baker and let the qualified people handle this. Comes this real estate management company with a nicely designed, nicely branded banner of their own. They placed in far end of the building, it was far, yes, but it was visible but mr.smart won’t let it go … so they change the position to … have a look
This is just plain stupid and THEY FUCKIN KNOW IT, I bet somebody high up there was like “Let’s put it there so it will be closer to the intersection and people can read it.” … nobody thought about the palm trees I guess, or they did but they don’t want to remove them because they paid money to the landscape designer and the architect who proposed placing the trees there and now they are stuck with them. I’m just assuming stuff really, but I’m quite sure it’s not very far from the truth of this situation. Isn’t this exactly what happenned with that huge ass screen of Kuwait Stock Market? There was a paml tree in front of it, they didn’t think much about it, they removed it. Simple, no?
The whole thing reminds me of this story my father used to tell me about those farmers who had a bull who stuck his head in this bucket to drink some water from it and they can’t get his head out of the bucket. They need both the bull and the bucket to be okay but after multiple desperate attempts they decided to behead the bull, so they did. They again to get the head out, it won’t come out so they break the bucket to get the head out. The moral of the story is, don’t leave bulls hanging around in Al Muthana Intersection, because that will cause some accidents and traffic jams.
