Arak Brun's 'Lebnen Ello Ta3mé' Campaign Revives Lebanon's Good Old Days

Delivering a message and sending an invitation for the frustrated Lebanese to rediscover their unique traditions and family memories as well as the faith in themselves, Arak Brun, one of the most established arak producers in Lebanon, has launched the "Lebnen Ello Ta3mé/Lebanon has Taste!” campaign.

“Despite the garbage crisis, the political crisis, the absence of a President, the wars and terrorism around us, the economical gloominess, and the electricity and water cuts… we, Lebanese, managed to keep intact our spirit, our lifestyle and joy to be together,” says Omar Boustany, the creative director behind the campaign.

“This quality of life and the pleasure of the 'jam3a' being togetherness is the essence of the Lebanese way of being and is missed when traveling abroad for better tomorrows. As a Lebanese creative director working lately in Dubai, I felt also the same -- missing friends and family and the authentic 'jam3a' that only Lebanon can offer,” Boustany adds.

The Lebanese term “jam3a” stands for the traditional gathering of a Lebanese family, typically over a lunch or dinner banquet involving alcoholic beverages – mainly arak.

“That's why, against all odds, and like a one of us coming back from Boston or London for the summer would say, Arak Brun campaign is claiming that, despite everything: 'Lebnen Ello Ta3mé'. Lebanon has a unique taste and quality of life that we can find only at home when we’re able to finally find ourselves all-together, surrounded by our friends and relatives,” Boustany says.

With a massive outdoor campaign, launched beginning of July on Pikasso Network, Arak Brun has now hundreds of billboards all over Lebanon.

The campaign promotes Lebanon and the Lebanese art de vivre/joie de vivre/jam3a and happiness to be together, typical of the Lebanese DNA.

“Since Arak Brun is one of the oldest quality traditional Lebanese arak, as everyone agrees, we decided to have a leader positioning and not to talk only about arak as a product but to talk about Lebanon and to say 'Lebnen Ello Ta3mé', celebrating the Lebanese art de vivre, the arak art de vivre and the good taste of Arak Brun and of Arak -- the Lebanese national alcohol like the Greeks have the Ouzo and the Turkish have the Rakki,” Boustany explains.

“Arak Brun will be from now on some kind of Ambassador of Lebanese Art de Vivre,” he declares.

The innovative aesthetic style of the campaign is based on vintage family pictures.

“Since we are talking about a real feeling that many of us can feel when gathering with their loved ones or friends around a mezzo or an Arak we decided to produce real documents, not artificial staged advertising moments. Real photos, as the proof that these traditions have existed and still exist... We're just not seeing them anymore because of the routine effect,” says Boustany.

“The decisive choice of using black and white and vintage pictures proves also that Arak Brun was the perfect companion for the Lebanese since decades and the privileged witness of their moments of joy through the ages,” he clarifies.

“At the same time, Arak Brun, made by several generations in the Bekaa Valley, is a family business and reflects this journey through time, this love of the family memories and traditions. With very interesting old pictures, archives and traditions if you do some research, the brand Arak Brun has the spirit of the campaign and merges perfectly with the visual and intellectual message,” Boustany points out.

“The tradition of the Lebanese Sunday family lunch is here to prove it and to offer us lot of proofs/testimonials of that through the ages,” he adds.