Take hold of a hot topic with a hint of provocation: it’s the miracle recipe to make people talk. A communication agency in Beirut, Med K & K, has applied this good old method to make a global (bad) buzz. November 29, on his page Facebook, she published the message “We are all Carlos Ghosn”, with a photo of the French-Lebanese businessman born in Brazil, kaleidoscope of Lebanese faces of all ages.
One way to denounce “the injustice” that would be victim of the boss of the Renault-Nissan alliance, in detention since 19 November at Japan, explain the leaders of the agency. The visual and the slogan also appeared on billboards in the Lebanese capital. But difficult to know if it is a massive campaign, or a visual appeared furtively on some panels to orchestrate the buzz.
An online petition
This slogan “We are all Carlos Ghosn” is in any case echoing a real feeling in part of the Lebanese population, according to the country’s press and social networks. Photos of Carlos Ghosn with the mention “Innocent” swarmed on Facebook soon after his arrest. Leaders of the country have taken up the cause of the boss of Nissan, true national icon who had been entitled to a stamp with his effigy, published by the Lebanese Post, in August 2017.
The Lebanese foreign minister had summoned the Japanese ambassador to ask for explanations on 27 November. Three days earlier, the incumbent Minister of the Interior, Nohad Machnouk, declared that “the sun of Japan will not burn the Lebanese phoenix”. An online petition calling for the release of the boss of the Renault-Nissan Alliance was launched by a Lebanese leader. More than 21,500 signatures have been registered. A support group on Facebook has also been launched, with just over 3,000 members.