Advertising 101: the importance of repetition

Yesterday was Labor Day here in Lebanon, as well as in many other countries around the world. The US is a bit singular in celebrating on a day-of-the-week basis, although our tradition of marking the first Monday in September does result in a guaranteed three-day weekend, rather than the stop-and-go Monday off, Tuesday & Wednesday on, Thursday off and Friday on that we’ve had here.

H and I spent the day at his parents’ house, where – as in most homes here – maids are considered outside the labor force. For the maids of Lebanon, Labor Day probably merely means more family members around to cook for and clean up after.

Anyway. Our contribution to lunch was picking up bread, which we did at one of greater Beirut’s many Wooden Bakeries. The one we found has branched out beyond breads and pastries, though – as evidenced by its sign:

As the Advertising 101 saying goes:

Repetition is an important part of advertising. Repetition is an important part of advertising.

Update:

You make my parents sound like slave drivers, H said last night after reading my blog.

Oops. This wasn’t my intent. I do think it ironic in general that maids, construction workers and other unskilled laborers work on Labor Day, while white collar professionals take the day off. But H’s parents are indeed among the most generous employers I have met. Their maids have a separate living suite, with individual bedrooms, a kitchen, a full bath, and television and other entertainment options. They receive extra spending money every week for their day off, paid one-month vacations home, holiday bonuses, full health care coverage/insurance, and their choice of food from the grocery store.

I wouldn’t want to be a maid – I hate housework, and I hate uniforms – but if I were, H’s parents would be dream employers.