By Michael Karam
This article represent the opinion of the author
I presume the Lebanese company Demco Properties meant well
when it decided to make “Lebanon is calling”, a 40-second ad apparently
aimed at wooing back expatriate talent. I guess it’s just unfortunate
that it came across as a bit weird and somewhat insulting.
For
those who haven’t seen it – I caught it on CNN twice in one hour last
week during the coverage of the US presidential elections – the ad is
set in a swish office, towering over what looks like New York. A
well-groomed but thoroughly bored Arab businessman stares out across the
city. The phone rings. “Lebanon” is on the other end.
Our man is surprised. He asks “Lebanon” where “he” – Lebanon is a man
and sounds, as one friend pointed out, like the murderer from Scream –
has been “all this time”. With unfaultable logic, the scary voice
replies: “I’m here, I never moved. It’s you who left”.
Stung by
the reproach, our hero argues that he had no choice, that “things
haven’t been easy”. But Lebanon counters: “It’s even harder for me”. Our
man is on the back foot.
“I’ve always wanted to come back,” he adds, as the camera pans to a
selection of framed family photos behind his desk. Lebanon plays his
ace. “Well, I’ve been working hard day and night and now things have
changed. I’m back on my feet again.”
“So why do you need me?” the
businessman asks in desperation (it is at this point that I couldn’t
help thinking the poor chap didn’t really want to go back.) “I want you
to walk with me,” Lebanon replies. “Home is waiting.”







