January 23, 2012

Metel Ma Shelta | متل ما شلتا

flyer (back)
flyer (front)

















NB: the above work is copy right of Mohammad Olaymi, Nadine Razzouk, and Lama Shehadeh.


Moe, the great, appears again on Khartoosh, this time with the super sweet Nadine Razzouk (known as Nado) and Lama Shehadeh whose recent anti-littering awareness campaign/ intervention is spreading like wild-fire in the media!

All knowing that anyone is likely to pick money off the floor, Nado, Moe, and Lama came up with a deceptively simple idea. They scanned in the ten thousand Lebanese Liras money paper, and altered its colors slightly (for forgery and copyright matters). On its back, a simple straightforward message says it all: Just as you picked it up, you can pick up your litter from the streets.

This campaign has so far proved to be very successful, catching the attention of hundreds of people: https://www.facebook.com/metelmashelta , media including TV channels: LBCI: http://lbcgroup.tv/news/17771/lucky-lebanese-get-a-lesson-in-littering, France TV  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iR5WWxsSNvw ،New TV, etc. Not to mention that a few politicians have responded to the campaign such as MP Sami Gemayel http://stateofmind13.wordpress.com/2012/01/23/mp-samy-gemayel-supports-the-metel-ma-shelta-campaign/


Perhaps, other campaigns have previously tackled the same issue... But this time, the three AUB graphic design students present us with a very eye catchy campaign, an intervention in the city streets, drawing people's attention on the issue of littering that is considered as a crime, except in Lebanon (of course!!) where the Lebanese Law majorly fails at issuing a law against it.

Very few commentators believe that this campaign undoes it self, as money is being thrown in city streets, and not all of them are going to be picked up... which means more litter in streets... Well, if this is what it takes to draw people's attention to take action, then let it be! Personally, I'd rather see money paper in the streets instead of food leftovers...

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/metelmashelta

This work remains an example of the important role that graphic designers can play in their society. I often say this, and will repeat my self once again: of course, graphic designers CAN NOT change the world. any claim otherwise is totally erroneous. After all, this world is soooo huge, and graphic design alone can not fulfill the world's complexities. Graphic designers however can definitely make a difference... A significant one, indeed!!



2 comments:

  1. What an awesome post. I am so proud to be Lebanese at the moment.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Glad to hear this Pekin :).
    This campaign is very interesting. still, a lot of effort has to be done from our side, not only as citizens, but also as nationals of Lebanon.

    ReplyDelete