The evil eye charm that protects Lebanon

The evil eye belief, which has maintained its existence from past to present, has now entered the Lebanese marketing world thanks to Impact BBDO, the agency that introduced the concept and applied it to the Future Movement’s marketing and branding campaign strategy that was developed and launched for the parliamentary elections.

Such a mystical metaphor, which revolves around the evil eye bead, is sure to generate a strong effect in remembrance, recognition of the campaign, creating a powerful impact in an emotional sense by bearing the traces of the culture wherein the consumer is mingled. This choice is thought to positively affect the preferability of the campaign compared to competitive ones and enhance the awareness level. Because the evil eye bead represents the same thing for the people in all groups irrespective of class difference and meets the same expectation for everybody who has a faith. This expectation is to be protected against malicious glances. In this way, feelings such as responsibility, duty, belonging, fear towards Lebanon would also be created in consumers’ mind.

The use of evil eye bead as a mystical metaphor in the Future Movement’s branding and advertising campaign appears to be a marketing strategy designed to raise the brand value, causing an emotional connotation, as the country we value must be protected from bad luck and all kind of evil. Therefore, every slogan and message bears the evil eye, which is now used as a trademark or ornament in all the party’s advertising communications, as a brand identity element. However, to position the evil eye bead in the center of the advertising campaign is one bold move that doesn’t come without peril and it is inevitable to see it spark a wave of criticism.

Many questioned the use of such a mystical metaphor in political branding and advertising and wondered if this was a good idea? At the end of the day, the party is hijacking a global symbol, part of the popular culture and making it his. That’s at least some of the criticism that flooded social media platforms upon the announcement and the launch of the Future’s campaign. Do we really want the power of the evil eye to protect Lebanon? Many said not wanting methods that protect us from the evil eye, as we have to rescue this country through our efforts etc.