Sukleen Crisis: Solution

As the waste is piling up on our streets, here's a little inspiration, in the hopes that someone incorporates this in his CSR initiative, making the trash look a little bit more acceptable.

Check out the "Beautify Your City" campaign; doesn't Lebanon provide the perfect setting for such an initiative?

Given the amount of trash on our streets, it is time for someone to step up and clean it all up; or maybe it is simply time for some companies to get creative.

You can find more details on this campaign here:

• Ads of the World
• Creative Criminals

List of Online Shops in Lebanon

Here is a list of online shops in Lebanon. I look forward to do all my shopping from the comfort of my home. Until that day comes, here is a set of available online stores where hopefully you will find what you have been looking to buy.

http://www.wildwillytoys.com/ (toys)

http://www.stock-furniture.com/ (furniture)

http://beautylebanon.com/ (cosmetics)

https://www.hm.com/lb/ (clothes)

http://www.ekt2.com/ (electronics)

https://namshi.com/ (clothes)

http://www.zara.com/lb/ (clothes)

http://www.zarahome.com/ (home decoration)

http://www.tezkarshop.com/ (gadgets and accessories)

http://prettylittlebox.net/ (subscription monthly beauty box)

http://safawitoys.com/  (toys)

http://www.electroniyet.com/ (electronics)

http://www.gosawa.com/ (deals)

http://www.hobbymaxlb.com/ (remote controlled toys)

http://www.lebanonfinearts.com/ (gifts, accessories, etc)

http://www.kiwihomeco.com/ (home decoration)

http://katemart.com/ (clothes)

http://alandalous.com/ (roasteries)

http://shop.sarahsbag.com/ (bags)

http://healthylifestyle.cc/ (supplements)

http://www.albaba-sweets.com/e-store (sweets)

http://optionsmegastore.com/ (electronics)

http://pczonelb.com/ (electronics)

http://www.numed.me/ (nutri/medical equipment)

http://wurth.com.lb/ (electronics)

http://www.quantum-stores.com/ (electronics)

http://www.azzisport.com/ (sports accessories)

http://store.alrifai.com/ (roasteries)

https://www.ayatonline.com (religious)

http://shop.biblesociety.org.lb/ (religious)

http://www.heskat.com/ (electronics)

https://dealofthetown.com (deals)

http://www.geekexpress.com/ (DC comics, Marvel, etc)

https://exotica.com/lebanon/ (flowers)

http://www.buylebanese.com/ (Lebanese food, etc)

http://www.lebanonrides.com/ (cars)

http://lebanon.hatla2ee.com/en/car (cars)

http://www.jackgifts.com.lb/ (gifts)

http://yallacondoms.com/ (condoms)

http://vantostyle.com/ (gadgets and accessories) 

http://www.senteursdorient.com/ (soaps etc.)

http://www.laredouteliban.com/ (clothes) 

http://www.ashekman.com/ (Tshirts)

http://www.compulife-lb.com/ (electronics)

https://scoopcity.com/ (deals)

http://istikbalfurniture.com/ (furniture)

http://kinggeorges.com/ (accessories)
http://www.homecentrestores.com/ (home decoration)
http://www.gebrangeahchan.com/ (toys)
http://shapeupstore.net/ (supplements)
https://www.lushlebanon.com/ (soaps etc.)
http://www.deal.com.lb/ (deals)
http://www.getforless.com/ (electronics)
http://www.shoppinginleb.com/ (clothes)
http://bazarkan.com/ (clothes and accessories)
http://www.macdesign.com.lb/ (jewelry)
https://www.patioucha.com/ (clothes and accessories)
https://www.pellini-collection.com/ (men's clothes)
http://www.lelilasflowerlounge.com/ (flowers)
http://gadgitechstore.com/ (electronics)
http://www.soukorjuwan.com/ (crafts and souvenirs)
http://www.myeasyprints.com/ (photo books, calendars, etc)

Please note that while I am familiar with some of the stores, I do not endorse, support, or guarantee any of them.  

If you would like to add more online shops to the list, please leave a comment below.

The remarkable blogger Rita Kamel has done an excellent job compiling more at ritakml.info.

Branding a Human Being

How would you go about naming your baby? 

There is no right or wrong answer. Yet, this decision will influence your baby for the rest of his life. 

From bullying at school, to an unfortunate name match with an assassin or terrorist, to a stereotypical image that could lead a potential employer to scrap your grown baby's curriculum vitae in the future (blame Freakonomics for pinning this idea into my head)... The consequences are endless.

We tried it all... but

• Media - After online searches, surfing numerous naming websites, personality name analysis and statistics, we resorted to mobile applications, and eventually reached out to the more traditional medium: books. Three books down, a highlighter in hand, our list was just getting bigger and bigger. 

Our Baby

• Classification - 'Gender would eliminate half of our options', we rationalized, so we waited, until... 'It's a girl!' the doctor confirmed. 

• Numbers - I created an excel sheet on Google Drive where we both listed our favourite names and each graded them all, and then our grades would add up to a total. I thought I had it figured out. I thought I could make this decision a pragmatic one, with numbers.

& ended-up with...

A while later, I had found it, the perfect name. I knew it in my heart and I couldn't wait for my husband's feedback. As I was getting ready to announce it, he proposed a name himself... Now, you tell me, what are the odds that we come up with the same name at once? 

It was the same name.

We ditched the excel sheet. our name was 'most likely' to be it. 

My Pregnant Belly

Later, I received a text from a close friend: 'Gia' it read. 'it means God is Gracious.' she continued. 'I am looking up baby names for you'. She explained. 

I called her in awe. 'How did you know?'  - 'Know what?' she muttered. She had no clue it was the name we had chosen. 

Why am I bringing this up now?

I recently saw the actor James Van Der Beek announce, on television, how he and his wife named their newborn: He said that he asked his wife if she had a name, and she said 'only one name came to me', and only one name had come to him too. 

It was one and the same. 

Moral of the story...

While I cannot assume that everyone goes through the same experience, I would like to believe that there is some kind of divine intervention, as some choices are just bigger than just you and me and require a bigger understanding of things to come. 

If this is the case for naming a human, what about naming a product or an organization?

Spotted: A Missing Marketing Medium in Lebanon

We have had our ears pierced by radio ads, our eyes filled with tv ads;  we have endured polluted streets with outdoor ads, have suffered from junk emails and SMS (yes, it is a marketeer talking here). 

...But believe it or not, there's actually a marketing medium that has not been milked in Lebanon.

I have looked everywhere, asked everyone and even contacted some companies that use the medium themselves, but to no avail. Can you guess what it is?

Consider a business to business firm with a data wealth like no other. Each customer data file contains... let's see... a phone (telemarketing), an email (mass emailing), a mobile phone (SMS marketing), a fax number (JACKPOT!). 

There it was, the one single unexploited medium.. and for a good reason. There's absolutely no such service as fax marketing in Lebanon! It obviously exists elsewhere. It exists in Canada, in the US, in Europe... Hell, they even had to use legislation to regulate it! 

Yet, not only was I unable to find a single service provider in Lebanon, none of the online ones abroad were ready to service Lebanon. 

Now, there are other ways to do fax marketing (like fax softwares and fax machines' broadcasting feature), yet you'd have to kill your fax line with overload if you go anywhere over 100 faxes (trust me, I tried.)  Otherwise, there will always be the good old fashioned way... the manual one.

In-App Advertising | A Striking Ad

Far from being an expert in the in-app advertising field, I am writing to share one striking in-app ad occurrence. 

Do I believe that in-app advertising is effective? 

The same applies to any advertising medium, it is impossible to make a general statement. 
The variables that come into play as to the success of in-app advertising are endless. 

Yet... They Made Me Click!

 I rarely ever notice in-app ads. They're usually in a covert 'discarded' part of the screen; at least that's what my brain is trained to think. 

Those ads were different. 

Somehow, they mimicked familiar images, brands and colors (copyrighting, anyone?). 

As a new user of this application, I did not know what was part of the design... and so I clicked. 

When it comes to in-app ads, you know you have clicked the wrong button, as soon as you get redirected!

...and so I clicked, and did not wait to see the brand behind the ad.  

To date, I am not quite sure whether the advertiser was genius for making me click or foolish for not benefiting from any exposure.
...and I cannot help but wonder if other people act differently in similar situations.