Firms seek share of Lebanon rebuilding

[Scurrilous]

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"A giant billboard east of Beirut shows a dapper figure with a top hat and cane, striding across a broken bridge with the slogan: "Keep Walking."

The advertisement is for Johnnie Walker scotch whiskey, and the bridge is a reference to the more than 90 bridges destroyed by Israeli airstrikes last summer. The billboard is just one of dozens of biting or witty ads providing commentary on the Israel-Hezbollah war by companies clamoring for a share in Lebanon's reconstruction."

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"Bridges feature prominently in the new war-inspired billboards.

A popular yellow Hezbollah banner in south Lebanon reads: "You destroyed the bridges, so we crossed through people's hearts." And a local bank promises: "Together we will rebuild the bridges between today and tomorrow."

An account executive with Pikasso, Lebanon's leading outdoor advertising company, said it was normal for ads to reflect the mood of the nation. The latest ads aim to raise morale, she said anonymously, in keeping with company rules.

"It's very clever — it creates a bond between the client and customer. I like it," said Mona Hosri, 32, a graphic designer who has worked on some of the ad campaigns."

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