The copy translates:

”
You can’t stop them.
But you can protect yourself.
Your creator has your best interest at heart.
“

I’m not sure what to think of this ad. Ethically speaking, I don’t agree with its premise. As is typical in the Middle East, the male view in actions and thought is predominant. The issue of harassment and ‘unwanted attention’ is always presented as a function of what women are or aren’t doing, and therefore it some how excuses from responsibility the fly-brained slobbering men depicted in the ad.

Instead of covering the ‘lollipop’ (yet another sexist depiction of women as no more than an object of pleasure) and allowing the flies to roam, how about dealing with the fly issue for a change? Stop punishing the victim and deal with the assailants. Here is one quick solution:

According to the waste management expert, at least 50 new recycling plants are needed to deal with construction waste in Dubai. This corresponds to opportunity number four in my Middle East business trends post.

Are there any Canadian waste management companies out there who wish to pursue this opportunity?

Online marketers should pay special attention to what sites are on this black list if they plan on reaching consumers in the MENA (Middle East & North Africa) market through viral or non-viral online marketing initiatives.

The folks at code.ae are having fun with the impact of internet censorship in the United Arab Emirates.

Despite the inconvenience of censorship, an OpenInitiative study cites an interesting statistic from a 2002 UAE government survey of subscribers to the government-controlled internet service provider ‘Etisalat‘. Etisalat (Arabic for ‘communications’) blocks anything “inconsistent with the political, moral, and religious value of the United Arab Emirates.”

60% of survey participants indicated that “its (Etisalat) role in protecting users from offensive material is considered to be an acceptable form of censorship.” Government intervention is seen much like Parental Control options offered by Canadian ISPs.

Many North American ISPs have fallen into controversy when providing services in countries with ‘unique’ cultural requirements. Anyone remember last year’s controversy over Microsoft deleting all the intellectual content of the Chinese blogger Zhao Jing? Or in 2005 when Yahoo! released personal email information to the Chinese government of Chinese journalist Shi Tao, who was then charged with “leaking secret government information” and sentenced to 10 years in jail?

Are you or someone you know affected by internet censorship? Do you have a story to share?

In a 2006 ad campaign, a Dubai-based creative firm came up with this ad. The ad simultaneously takes a jab at censorship policies, and emphasizes the Wonderbra “advantage” (in case you didn’t notice, the black marks are ridiculously extended).

You can click on the picture for the full view. What do you think of this strategy?

Agency: Tonic Communications, Dubai
Creative Director: Vincent Raffray
Art Director: Peter Walker
Copywriter: Vincent Raffray