There is a new anti-terrorism campaign running on TV networks across the Middle East. I have no idea if its reach is worthwhile but it is encouraging so, assuming that most of you don’t get all the newsletters and links that I receive, I’m telling you about it here. The first ad seems remarkably understated and the second quite melodramatic but it’s interesting that they exist. I do tend to be a bit of a Pollyanna about such things so include here some of what AP has said about the campaign – but watch a sample on the link below before you read on.
[Click here to view]
According to AP: “The U.S. government refuses to say clearly whether it’s involved in the commercial, which began airing this summer on Al-Arabiya, Lebanese Broadcasting Corp. and several Iraqi channels at a time when violence was raging in Baghdad and between Hezbollah and Israel. . . .A Los Angeles warehouse district filled with 200 cast members stood in for the market during the ad’s filming earlier this year, according to a statement by California-based 900 Frames, which helped produce the commercial. During the filming, 900 Frames said that the group behind it, the Future Iraq Assembly, wanted to remain anonymous. The group, which also is behind a series other of Iraq-specific ads, describes itself as an independent, non-governmental organization, comprised of a number of scholars, businesspersons, and activists. The Assembly’s site gave an e-mail address but did not respond.
If anyone is in a position to know more about this or to live in that part of the world and have perspective to offer, I hope you will do so. The news has been so terrible and the prospects of our position in that part of the world so dreadful that it is encouraging to see people stepping up to take responsibility for trying to put the fire out -at least for those in Iraq. What do you think? I’m especially interested in what my friend Lori at Sand Gets in My Eyes, living in Saudi Arabia, thinks and what ad maven Liz at Mom-101 has to say — and in YOUR ideas.
These ads first started appearing here in Saudi Arabia about a month ago. At the time I posted about it – and also sent an email to the website referenced in the ad. I got an autoresponder back with no indication as to who is behind the ads. I’d be interested in what others can find out about the origins of them.
Here’s the original post as well as update on it.
Thanks, CIndy, for the heads up!