As a general rule, it’s difficult to trust someone that you don’t know. Extending this rule to the commercial level, how can consumers be expected to choose Lebanese brands when so little is known about them? A recent advertising campaign asked consumers to do just that. “You love your country, love its products”, read the campaign slogan — a suggestion that attempts to inspire consumers to purchase something based on its manufacturing origin alone. Certainly consumers would have had every right to respond to the recent campaign by providing a challenge of their own: “You want me to buy Lebanese brands? Then tell me more about them.” In truth, we would be hard pressed to know much about any of our local manufacturers. What is lacking is public knowledge of financial indicators (which can provide telling signals for consumer confidence), the people behind the brand, how the products are manufactured,
