For better & for worse

Written by

Maya Zankoul

in

Last week on my way to work, I bumped into the latest exotica campaign for mother's day. It showed a mother and daughter with huge ear, and the slogan was "For the good and the bar, thank you Mom". Oh my! Where have their chic visuals gone?

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Then few meters later, another, except this time mother and daughter have oversized noses. "Hmm.. Are they seriously profiling certain physical traits as BAD?"

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Class Setting. Lebanese Society 101. "In the look-obsessed country we live in, we often see scenarios as follows".

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This campaign reinforces the complexes a lot of young girls have about how they look. Now, they might start blaming their mothers for genetic inheritance, instead of them understanding that a big nose -ear is actually, NOT, bad.

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.If I want to associate their slogan with a visual, it would not be as funny. Billboard showing mother beating child.

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Or... HIV positive mother and daughter

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As you can see, there are far worse things a mother could give to her children than a big nose - ear. Things they, in fact, could never possibly thank her for. In all cases, I have one thing to say: Thank you Exotica for the good and the bad! ;) In the hope the next campaign will catch up!

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 🙂

Comments

39 responses to “For better & for worse”

  1. Haytham Khouja Avatar
    Haytham Khouja

    shoot the moms!

    Reply
  2. uberVU – social comments

    Social comments and analytics for this post…

    This post was mentioned on Twitter by mayazankoul: Here’s why I’m not crazy about the latest @exoticalb campaign: http://bit.ly/boMpL0…

    Reply
  3. Elie Avatar
    Elie

    I never liked Exotica’s ads! especially this last one…

    btw HIV+ hahahah! You made my day with this one 😀

    Reply
  4. nightS Avatar
    nightS

    When I first saw the ad I though “HEEEY!! That’s MY nose!!!” 😀
    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 😛 (I’m only 23).. j/k
    Anyways, I don’t know where the Lebanese advertisement people are going!! They think it’s creativity??

    Reply
    1. Nathalie K Avatar
      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….

      Reply
  5. nightS Avatar
    nightS

    ~sorry~ I meant “I thought* “

    Reply
  6. Bethany (Dirty Kitchen Secrets) Avatar
    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!

    Reply
  7. Bethany (Dirty Kitchen Secrets) Avatar
    Bethany (Dirty Kitchen Secrets)

    well not “everyone” clearly there’s you…but most everyone!

    Reply
  8. iman Avatar
    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”….

    Reply
  9. darine Avatar
    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?

    Reply
  10. Talar Avatar
    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

    Reply
  11. Firas Avatar
    Firas

    Exotica should ask for commission from the plastic surgeons

    Reply
  12. Maya Avatar
    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

    Reply
  13. Riham Avatar
    Riham

    It’s such a shame though, Exotica ads are usually so nice..

    LOL at the HIV+ one.. You made me laugh hard.

    Reply
  14. bernadette salame Avatar
    bernadette salame

    Would like to send you a bouquet for this blog – but not from Exotica …

    Reply
  15. Elie Avatar
    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 🙂

    Reply
  16. darinerachkidy Avatar
    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..!!!

    Reply
  17. Sharm Avatar
    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!

    Reply
  18. stupid Avatar
    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 😉

    Reply
  19. Fadi Avatar
    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 😉

    Reply
  20. mc Avatar
    mc

    Je n’avais pas compris ces pubs en fait 🙂

    Reply
  21. it's mE!! ooOOH!! Avatar
    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…

    Reply
  22. Kareen Avatar
    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.

    Reply
  23. [ j i m m y ] Avatar
    [ 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.

    Reply
  24. TK Avatar
    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.

    Reply
  25. sous_lb Avatar
    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!!

    Reply
  26. rain Avatar
    rain

    i can’t agree more with you XD thank you for talking about it

    Reply
  27. cna training Avatar
    cna training

    Keep posting stuff like this i really like it

    Reply
  28. darinerachkidy Avatar
    darinerachkidy

    now i read sous-lb comments, ur so right, pls. tell moukarzel enough!!! those ads are horrible….!

    Reply
  29. TK Avatar
    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.

    Reply
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  31. Nathalie K Avatar
    Nathalie K

    loved the blog Maya. Thank u for giving us the chance to communicate. Have a good day.

    Reply
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  34. Marjan Avatar
    Marjan

    haha so truee!

    Reply
  35. Nour Mcdad Avatar
    Nour Mcdad

    Loved your way in expressing our thought..keep up the good job

    Reply
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  37. Shaïsta Avatar
    Shaïsta

    Good one! I agree with you!

    Reply
  38. judy halaby hallab Avatar
    judy halaby hallab

    nice work u r really brilliant
    u r so right
    keep it up!!

    Reply

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