.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
You might say I am overreacting. However, the reason I am, is because I believe huge billboards have great influence on the large amount of people who cross them daily. Big corporations should thus think twice before shouting such messages at us. And I do know that “it got people talking about it”, but wouldn’t it be better if it also, on the way, got through a more responsible message?
Anyway, I just had to say what I think about this campaign, it’s been bothering me everyday when I pass by it. Now, back to music, here’s Sarah Vaughn’s Broken Hearted Melody. Have a wonderful day 
Haytham Khouja
shoot the moms!
Elie
I never liked Exotica’s ads! especially this last one…
btw HIV+ hahahah! You made my day with this one
nightS
When I first saw the ad I though “HEEEY!! That’s MY nose!!!”
(I’m only 23).. j/k
But I got it from my father..Mother gave me the white gray hair I found couple of months ago and I blamed her for it
Anyways, I don’t know where the Lebanese advertisement people are going!! They think it’s creativity??
Nathalie K
what made u think of the nose as bad when u saw the ad, are they the superficial ones or are we??? i thought it was very touching to thank our moms for the whole package….
nightS
~sorry~ I meant “I thought* “
Bethany (Dirty Kitchen Secrets)
Makes me irate!!! Yup leb is so look obsessed it’s bordering on insanity! wait it is insanity! Exotica marketing department should be ashamed of themselves…goes to show you where everyone’s priorities are in good ol’ leb land!
Bethany (Dirty Kitchen Secrets)
well not “everyone” clearly there’s you…but most everyone!
iman
I disagree with you Elie, Exotica’s ads are really nice and creative!!
But this one ( mother’s day) is not..
I dont think having a big ear or nose is BAD… but after all, We are living in lebanon and lebanese people do look after “mazahir”….
darine
Maya, thank you for two wonderful posts rather than one today.
I think the idea behind the campaign was generating sentiment and showing that all that we are are thanks to our parents. Had they omitted the word “bad” while keeping teh same visuals the idea would have been embraced and the negative connotation we all felt would have not been there to start with. This goes to show that the copy is just as important as the visuals.
So what are the pans for the blogiversary?
Talar
i agree w/ u Maya it sux big time though they are creative in so many other campaigns but this one is really meaningless in ma point of view
Firas
Exotica should ask for commission from the plastic surgeons
Maya
tas trop raison!!! surtout que pkoi le “thx” chou bi 2ida aslan??… d’habitude exotica faisait bcp mieux:/
w hek hek j’ecris un comment je profite pr dire que en plus de ton super travail j’ai adore l’idee de mettre des chansons apres chaque post:D
Riham
It’s such a shame though, Exotica ads are usually so nice..
LOL at the HIV+ one.. You made me laugh hard.
bernadette salame
Would like to send you a bouquet for this blog – but not from Exotica …
Elie
lool . . . it is true, i didn’t like the ad at all
i’ve always loved their campaigns up till lately starting Christmas time …
u sure know how to put a smile of my face
darinerachkidy
i like exotica ads …!
i must agree with you about huge billboards’ influence…my son is only 2 years old.. when we were driving on the highway he immediately noticed the exotica billboard.. and told me mom “regarde les oreilles”….
maya, u represent 0.000000001% of the people who things that appearances do not matter, some consider the silliest and the most banal features (hair, nails, hips…) inherited from parents are a curse not only a BAD thing…so exotica did a very good job appealing to the 99.999999% of the lebanese community…
“Plastik” clients are very pleased with the Ad.. they feel totally related..!!!
Sharm
Waw that’s so true!
I really hated the billboards it’s a really silly campaign!
It’s like we should forgive our mom because she helplessly gave us a physical feature and then buy her flowers from exotica as a sign of forgiveness for something she didn’t even intentionally do! :S
hah what a joke!
stupid
i like the campaign, its catchy and makes you think.
a lot of people’s related to it
the girl in the outdoor didn’t do a plastic surgery, on the contrary she is so fine with it to the extent she is thanking her mom for it (publicly) . But please don’t tell me its not a BAD nose. it’s bad and so what.
Many people finds they have weird physical traits (but you maya & the dalai lama)
its not only physical, it might be a character trait that you inherited from one of your parents. its LIFE.
“smart critiques stupid creates”
by the way i love your blog and i think you are very creative
Fadi
Quite true. I love the analysis. People have to stop being obsessed by their looks! Well, maybe I’m just saying that coz I’m hot
mc
Je n’avais pas compris ces pubs en fait
it's mE!! ooOOH!!
Well ya i guess exotica’s adds ARE creative which was the one reason that i headed towards the folks at exotica’s at every occasion. Lebanese people are SO materialistic, and we DO NOT need another thing to stimulate or unleash their so-called “philosophy”.
After this i guess i’ll be having second thoughts on where to get my bouquet…
Kareen
If you don’t understand the campaign this doesn’t make it any bad, if you r too shallow to understand the idea behind it ( they’re not blaming the parent nor they’re encouraging plastic surgery, rather they are “celebrating” the certain features that have been inherited) don’t condemn it. You have the right to have your own opinion and share it on your blog but you don’t have the right to describe it as a “bad” ad.
As for you commenter just so you know, Exotica has some of the best ads that depends only on wit.
[ j i m m y ]
Kareen:
read your message again:
“…you have the right to have your own opinion and share it on your blog but you don’t have the right to describe it as a “bad” ad”.
translation: she has the right to think that the ad is bad but she can’t say that it’s bad. what a load of bulls**t. it’s freedom of speech baby, deal with it. the blog’s writer has the right to call whatever she likes, anything she bloody likes (as long as it’s not defamatory, ie as long as she is not making a claim expressly stated or implied to be factual). it’s her opinion.
with regards to your argument about the ad, here’s what it think: if everyone (other than the lousy creators of an ad) think that the ad is bad, then chances are it is as bad as a lump of cheese gone rotten. marketing is not science.
i know there is no such thing as bad press but you can bet there is no chance in hell i’m ordering a bunch of flowers from a bad-ass company that cannot even put a tasteful advertising campaign together.
TK
Why is having a big nose bad? Why isn’t having a small nose bad?
Why is having big ears bad? Why isn’t having small ears bad?
It’s all relative!!
I think the main problem with this ad is the word “bad”. If they had taken it out and just said “Thank you, Mom” the campaign would have still gotten the message across without adding any negativity.
It reminds me a bit of Dove commercials and how they use regular women for them. Which made me question why they felt the need to exaggerate the features so much on the photoshopped visuals. Maybe they should have cast regular moms and daughters with unique features and made the campaign more positive.
Which brings me to my next question: don’t sons celebrate their mothers too?? Maybe they’re saving those visuals for Father’s Day (!!)
Anyway, although Exotica’s ads have somewhat seen a downfall since the upside down Christmas tree, they do stand out, and for that I give them credit.
But it still doesn’t make me want to buy Exotica flowers.
sous_lb
Loved your criticism, I am living away from Lebanon but you let me feel like I am still home
I hope you will be commenting on the Moukarzel ad! is it just me or hasn’t anyone noticed how shallow THAT one is!!
rain
i can’t agree more with you XD thank you for talking about it
cna training
Keep posting stuff like this i really like it
darinerachkidy
now i read sous-lb comments, ur so right, pls. tell moukarzel enough!!! those ads are horrible….!
TK
They changed the ad!!
I guess they received many complaints or they regularly check Maya’s blog
I’m happy they changed the first visual to a little boy and his mom, both wearing proud freckles on their faces. The other side is now a mom/daughter team with big curly hair. Beautiful!
The slogan changed too: ” For the unique and the common, thank you mom”
Chapeau bas, Exotica.
Nathalie K
loved the blog Maya. Thank u for giving us the chance to communicate. Have a good day.
Marjan
haha so truee!
Nour Mcdad
Loved your way in expressing our thought..keep up the good job
Shaïsta
Good one! I agree with you!
judy halaby hallab
nice work u r really brilliant
u r so right
keep it up!!