To me, Egyptian advertising is like Marmite. I either love it or hate it. For most of us raised in the region who used to watch lots of Arabic TV, we’ll often know where a commercial is conceptualized and produced. The accents obviously play a part, but it’s more about the humor being used and how the actors communicate with each other.
Recently, I came across one ad that had me in stitches. For anyone who has ever lived in Cairo and who has experienced the trials and tribulations of getting anything done in the city that is nicknamed the mother of the world will understand the point behind these adverts. Mind you, I doubt that they got licensing from Marvel to use the Hulk character in the ads.
There’s not just one advert by this company (what they do and the implied benefits are obvious at the end of the ads), but a series of different copies all on the same theme which were developed for last Ramadan. They’ve recently been airing on MBC. Watch, enjoy and let me know if it passes your Marmite test.
Enjoy our twice-a-month installment from Alex of Arabia, a blog featuring commentary on the media and marketing industry in the Middle East.