Activists urge people to use the web to lobby against vulgar ads by threatening to boycott products

By Mohammad Gamal Arafa, IOL Staff

CAIRO, November 20 (IslamOnline) – A group of internet activists were able to convince an Egyptian businessman to stop a television ad promoting one of his company's products because of its vulgar sexual insinuations, inappropriate especially during the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan.

The group called "Arabian 2000", who organized a web campaign via email, mailed officials at the company and threatened to boycott its products if the vulgar ads did not stop immediately.

In the notorious "Easy Moozo" ad, which promotes a fruit juice, a group of girls dressed in extremely revealing outfits make sexual insinuations with their body movements in a way many viewers considered vulgar and inappropriate during the holy month of Ramadan.

Fourteen days after broadcasting, the campaign managed to block the offensive ad. The owner of Faragalla company which manufactures the juice decided to stop the ad and apologized to the activists who contacted him through emails or phone calls.

"Respecting Egyptian viewers’ feelings and principles is a top priority in our company's policies," said Mohamed Farag Amer, the head of Faragalla company.

The campaign started when a female activist, Iman Badawi, sent a message distributed by Arabian 2000, to Amer telling him that the Easy Moozo ad could very well be about a porn movie, not a drink, and that she and her family stopped buying his company's products.

"Is it appropriate that an Egyptian product be added to the boycott list of American and Israeli products," she said in her message.

She added that emails concerning boycotting Faragallah products are circulating on the internet among Egyptians in all areas and more people will join the boycott campaign if this kind of ads continue.

Since the broadcasting of the ad, the company has been receiving letters and phone calls of objection, including from merchants who threatened to stop buying the company's products.

"Respecting Egyptian viewers’ feelings and principles is a top priority in our company's policies," said Amer who blocked the ad

Amer wrote back to Badawi expressing his regrets, explaining that he hadn’t seen the ad before its broadcasting and confirming that the necessary measures had been taken to block it.

Following the public relations victory, Badawi called on people to use the power of the internet to lobby against vulgar and depraved ads and video clips, and urged them to send messages to those in charge warning them that their products will be boycotted.

Another group of internet activists have also started a campaign against immoral video clips that threaten the values of the Egyptian society because of the amount of sexual connotations they present.

"Let's speak loudly, let's object bravely and never stop; if you are against this type of productions, contact those in charge and tell them your opinion," said the message circulating on the internet.

Hassan Hamed, the head of the Egyptian TV, has given orders that video clips containing inappropriate sexual insinuations shall not be broadcast during Ramadan as a sign of respect to the sanctity of the holy month.

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