Religious messages replaces models and consumer products ads

[Xestan]

Models and consumer products lose advertising space to religious messages

The Muslim Awareness Programme has put about ten billboards in some areas of the city, including DHA and Clifton. The main theme of the messages is women’s rights. PHOTO: COURTESY MUSLIM AWARENESS PROGRAMME

KARACHI: In Karachi, it is impossible to escape the presence of advertisements, which often times feature beautiful women trying to persuade people into buying a beauty product, ice-cream or even furniture. But lately, there is a new type of advertisement that has been cropping up across the city and the only product being promoted in them is Islamic knowledge.

The Muslim Awareness Programme has started putting up billboards with excerpts from the Holy Quran as well as Hadith in Defence Housing Authority, Clifton, Nursery and Shahra-e-Faisal. “A good man treats women with honour,” reads one of the signs while another says, “When immodesty prevails, another disease prevails.” Yet another states “the prophet (saw) never hit a woman.”
At the moment, there are about ten billboards around the city as well as pylons in Zamzama. The awareness group, which comes under the AlWasila Trust and is funded by donations, aims to spread the message all over the city.

“There is social illness in our community and immodesty on our billboards as well as our TV [screens]. I wanted to spread the message that this is wrong. The programme also aims to motivate people and give [them] authentic knowledge about Islam,” said the founding member of the trust, Asim Ismail.

Recently, another unknown group started putting up billboards that lambasted the fashion industry for its ‘vulgar’ advertisements. “We are not trying to point fingers at anyone or telling people to stop lawn exhibitions,” said the project manager of the programme, Humaira Iqbal. “There are many people who will be happy to see [our signs] but others might be offended because they disagree. We don’t want to insult people.”

The choice of excerpts is interesting because the average person will not be able to tell whether the awareness group falls into the liberal, moderate or conservative fold of Islam. The group itself doesn’t like to fit into any one of these categories.

“Labelling becomes risky and we basically just teach the Quran and Sunnah,” said Ismail. He feels that though there is a lot out there about Islam, he is trying to put forward a side of it that doesn’t get much promotion.

At the moment, the awareness group’s main theme is women’s rights and in Ramadan, it will focus on motivational quotes and information about the holy month. Iqbal and Ismail both say that they avoid picking sayings that are open to interpretation and select those which no one can deny are a part of the religion.

When questioned that the signs may come across as preachy, Iqbal said, “We aren’t trying to convince people and we’ll have a healthy approach to criticism.”

He added that they have been missing out on an important medium in using the media for spreading their message and this innovative campaign, though costly, can be effective in drawing awareness for their cause.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 26th, 2012.

I appreciate this type of religious campaign ET seems to be having a problem with this, like always.

 

[Uchiha]

It's only okay till some extent. I liked the ones in Saudi, that said tasbeehs

 

[explorer9]

Models and consumer products lose advertising space to religious messages

The Muslim Awareness Programme has put about ten billboards in some areas of the city, including DHA and Clifton. The main theme of the messages is women’s rights. PHOTO: COURTESY MUSLIM AWARENESS PROGRAMME

KARACHI: In Karachi, it is impossible to escape the presence of advertisements, which often times feature beautiful women trying to persuade people into buying a beauty product, ice-cream or even furniture. But lately, there is a new type of advertisement that has been cropping up across the city and the only product being promoted in them is Islamic knowledge.

The Muslim Awareness Programme has started putting up billboards with excerpts from the Holy Quran as well as Hadith in Defence Housing Authority, Clifton, Nursery and Shahra-e-Faisal. “A good man treats women with honour,” reads one of the signs while another says, “When immodesty prevails, another disease prevails.” Yet another states “the prophet (saw) never hit a woman.”
At the moment, there are about ten billboards around the city as well as pylons in Zamzama. The awareness group, which comes under the AlWasila Trust and is funded by donations, aims to spread the message all over the city.

“There is social illness in our community and immodesty on our billboards as well as our TV [screens]. I wanted to spread the message that this is wrong. The programme also aims to motivate people and give [them] authentic knowledge about Islam,” said the founding member of the trust, Asim Ismail.

Recently, another unknown group started putting up billboards that lambasted the fashion industry for its ‘vulgar’ advertisements. “We are not trying to point fingers at anyone or telling people to stop lawn exhibitions,” said the project manager of the programme, Humaira Iqbal. “There are many people who will be happy to see [our signs] but others might be offended because they disagree. We don’t want to insult people.”

The choice of excerpts is interesting because the average person will not be able to tell whether the awareness group falls into the liberal, moderate or conservative fold of Islam. The group itself doesn’t like to fit into any one of these categories.

“Labelling becomes risky and we basically just teach the Quran and Sunnah,” said Ismail. He feels that though there is a lot out there about Islam, he is trying to put forward a side of it that doesn’t get much promotion.

At the moment, the awareness group’s main theme is women’s rights and in Ramadan, it will focus on motivational quotes and information about the holy month. Iqbal and Ismail both say that they avoid picking sayings that are open to interpretation and select those which no one can deny are a part of the religion.

When questioned that the signs may come across as preachy, Iqbal said, “We aren’t trying to convince people and we’ll have a healthy approach to criticism.”

He added that they have been missing out on an important medium in using the media for spreading their message and this innovative campaign, though costly, can be effective in drawing awareness for their cause.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 26th, 2012.

I appreciate this type of religious campaign ET seems to be having a problem with this, like always.

If it is not forced and billboards possession is legal in that case people will like like it otherwise i cannot say much.

 

[Xestan]

If it is not forced and billboards possession is legal in that case people will like like it otherwise i cannot say much.

IMO the message should be looked upon.. The message is very positive and straightforward, and I'm sure 95% people here would have no problem with it. Those who have are the ones with mental disorders.

 

[Baby Leone]

didnt see any in Shara-e-Faisal....still 100s of models and products everywhere...

 

[KRAIT]

Such messages do have impact on people. Reading, hearing and watching such messages affect the sub-conscious mind of people as if their frequency is high.

Similar type of behaviour is seen in video game players who become or more prone to violence due to high exposure to violence while playing.

Another example is two child policy of India, we didn't force it like China but did indeed influenced millions of people.

This has been proved by many studies conducted world-wide.

 

[Uchiha]

Similar type of behaviour is seen in video game players who become or more prone to violence due to high exposure to violence while playing.

haha, no my boy, that's where you're wrong - I'd love to post a million articles as old as the internet itself disproving that, but alas the only videogames have actually done is made me lazy

 

[KRAIT]

haha, no my boy, that's where you're wrong - I'd love to post a million articles as old as the internet itself disproving that, but alas the only videogames have actually done is made me lazy

Here are few links for you:- I know what i am talking about because i have worked on these topics.

Violent video games linked to child aggression - CNN

VIDEO GAMES AND AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR: A GOOD CORRELATION, BUT IT PROBABLY WON’T CHANGE PUBLIC POLICY

I agree there has been conflicting results but it depends on how the study was conducted.

 

[Baby Leone]

haha, no my boy, that's where you're wrong - I'd love to post a million articles as old as the internet itself disproving that, but alas the only videogames have actually done is made me lazy

agreed....video games are good & dont harm.

Topic: I like the idea its really worth..

 

[Uchiha]

Here are few links for you:- I know what i am talking about because i have worked on these topics.

Violent video games linked to child aggression - CNN

VIDEO GAMES AND AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR: A GOOD CORRELATION, BUT IT PROBABLY WON’T CHANGE PUBLIC POLICY

I agree there has been conflicting results but it depends on how the study was conducted.

Fck the mainstream. I saw this great post once on the internet, maybe facebook or 9gag or somewhere, i can't find it

 

[KRAIT]

Fck the mainstream. I saw this great post once on the internet, maybe facebook or 9gag or somewhere, i can't find it

All upto you, hope you get to know about environmental factors on behaviour, auditory and visual effects on brain. I rest my case. Cheers

 

[livingdead]

haha, no my boy, that's where you're wrong - I'd love to post a million articles as old as the internet itself disproving that, but alas the only videogames have actually done is made me lazy

I used to feel hungry while playing pacman, now I know why.

 

[KRAIT]

I used to feel hungry while playing pacman, now I know why.

..............Post of the day.

 

[Fazlu]

Its a very good development. Especially the campaign promoting women rights.

Kudos.

 

[Uchiha]

I used to feel hungry while playing pacman, now I know why.

Did you also get the feeling you were being chased by ghosts?
It were these non-violent games like tetris and pacman etc. that made me most violent, they were really annoying and unfair at times, but games like Infinity Blade II and COD MW3 i was calm as a simile. And not to mention need for speed; no violence there but i felt like i was about to explode, i was at the second last stage, and there was this reeeeeeally loooong and TIRING race that you had to complete, and at this stage the bots were all 100% flawless and im a human, of course practise makes perfect, but i was pretty close, and it was the length of the track that made me mad. thus i personally conclude most 'violent' games actually improve many brain functions, and teach you to fight for justice