Lebanon Outdoor Wedding Advertising

In a country like Lebanon, with a struggling economy, my answer to a question like: " where can I make money?" is practically ridiculous... But I will say it, nonetheless: "the wedding industry".

A simple look at the Lebanese highway from Dora to Dbayeh will make you understand:
The purchasing power in the hands of the ladies

The importance of the wedding fiasco in Lebanon

The money spent in the Lebanese wedding industry

Here's a sample selection of outdoor advertisements in this limited area, all pictures were taken on June 28th, 2011;

  >>> A link to a similar post Advertising Trends in Lebanon: Spring 2010
As you may have already guessed, not much has changed since.

Lebanon still thrives on a booming wedding industry.

Lebanon's Outdoor Electronic Advertising

Why not to adopt electronic outdoor led advertising in Lebanon?
(and if I may say this is quite a convincing reason)
How would you like an error message to show up instead of your paid outdoor advertisement? 
This picture was taken on the Jal el Dib highway, Lebanon.

Limited Marketing Budget ROI

Ever wondered why old fashioned businesses dread to invest in advertising?

Firms are scared to invest in the unknown, and as we all know, marketing isn't exactly the most predictable science.  Due to prior misplaced ads, companies become reluctant to put a real investment. 

Here's a tip to better invest your marketing dollars:

Make sure that a fair amount of your reach get enough frequency to get converted into a potential lead.              

 Think of it this way, if you aim for a return on your limited marketing investment, you will have to translate your advertising into sales. >>>>To be able to gain sales, you need to really impact your target audience. >>>>If your advertising dollars are spread out too thin over a large period of time or over a large audience, they are likely to go to waste.

To say it clearly, if you are on a limited budget, try to limit your target audience and increase frequency over a short period of time, for better marketing ROI.

Facebook's Hidden Potential

Until this day, Facebook's main source of income is Facebook advertising. Of course, Facebook is not using mere banners, it has taken it to the next level.  

• From a client's perspective, Facebook has made advertising social. You get to see who in your network likes the ad. 
• From an advertiser's perspective, Facebook ads allow you to target your market really accurately; thus spend your Facebook ad budget more wisely. 

All in all, impressive isn't it?

So why am I driven to think that Facebook is still thinking inside the box?

Simple. Any website, no matter how ingeniously developed it is, would normally raise money, from advertising or some sort of e-commerce. Facebook is no ordinary website; and while creating its business model, they are mistaken to treat it as one. 

The wealth of Facebook is not the amount of users it has, or the number of visitors, time spent on the site, number of applications, user interactions... They all, sure, are worthy. Yet, they are not Facebook's most unique feature.

Facebook's real wealth is in the data it can provide. But you already knew that, right?

How could Facebook leverage on that? 

1. Facebook Insights - Facebook insights has the potential to grow bigger than any other web analytics tool. Let's face it, no other tool will be able to deliver as accurate visitor profiling as Facebook. What if they analyzed more than the Facebook likes and shares? Potential clients: any website owner. 
2. Marketing research - what wouldn't you give to know more about your customers? Potential clients: marketing research firms and individual companies. Population statistics- might be very useful for countries like Lebanon, with no recent or trustworthy official dats. Potential clients: governments, marketing research firms, or companies in a specific market
3. Other Types of Research - Doctoral programs- I am sure almost any research paper can benefit from data on Facebook Potential clients: universities and schools Correlations- Who knows, maybe at some point the data can be used to track down epidemics and discover the real causes behind cancer, by correlating cases, with Facebook user profiles. OK, so maybe I got a little bit carried away here... Potential clients: researchers, doctors

 How many more unexploited Facebook opportunities can you think of?

What a Woman is Worth

No the way you are raising your kids is not ok. 

Women are not obliged to dress to kill every day, they should not have to abide by social standards our superficial society sets. What do you get from being pretty? From all those beauty surgeries you've undergone? From that Facebook profile with tones of likes and comments. What do you really get? You've changed your face so many times, you don't even recognize your own reflection, and for who? For what?

When the highest and most appraised status a girl can get is a title of a beauty queen in a beauty pageant; that's when you need to reconsider the whole community.

Miss Lebanon 2008-2009 from fanoos.com

What are you doing telling your boys it is ok to go with a prostitute? Or that love is not a prerequisite for sex? Yes it is your fault, dear parents. Your fault, that none of those men abroad stayed faithful to their partner. It is your fault, that your married son, with a 1-year old kid, is hitting on that young girl he just met. It is your fault, that like you, your sons have learned to be violent to their wives.

Outdoor Ad on Highway - from Beirutdriveby.com

It is your fault that 11 year old got raped by the neighbor, yes that guy you know and trusted so well. It is your fault your driver dared to touch that 14 year old. It is your fault your second husband is harrassing your baby girl. It is your fault your son raped his 17 year old girlfriend. It is your fault. You, parents of this community, you failed to raise your kids with ethics, with morals. 

You failed. 

Haifa Wehbe, Lebanese singer -  from Bloggingbeirut.com

You failed at teaching them a woman's worth.

And why? Is it our stupid television stations? That set the standards for looks and beauty... instead of brains and content? Is it our advertising agencies that are so convinced that sex sells that they have plastered the roads with naked women, with no character nor personality? In either case, you failed. You still judged that girl your son brought home by her external beauty.

...And even had you raised your sons and daughters right;

You failed to say no.

Outdoor Ad on Highway - from Beirutdriveby.com

No to the degrading image of a woman hanged on our walls, our magazines, they've even managed to get on the radio... and you still failed to say no. No, to our singers, to our tourists, to the bosses, to your friend, to the gossip... 

But most importantly, no, to the social taboo, that keeps all those ladies quiet and those men free. 

...And you may think it's just an advertisement, or just a picture, but you are contributing without knowing it. Our marketing teams should be more aware of the brainwashing our kids are being raised in.