DS / BRAND BRIEF

/ VISION

A world that is hate and discrimination free. A world that appreciates, not segregates, every culture for their differences & idiosyncracies: that learns from each-other, instead of exiles & outcasts.

/ MISSION

Marhaba’s mission is to create a voice for Arabs living in America, a voice to strive for equal rights, to end discrimination and vilification, and to educate to American public about the accomplishments and cultural worth of a race that has traditionally been wrongly criminalized.

/ ESSENCE

A sense of modernity, while reflecting on Arabic culture’s rich history of abstraction and geometry. Marhaba in Arabic means ‘Hello!’ The brand should say the same.

/ ATTRIBUTES

Modern, Clean, Traditional, Arabic, Colorful, Friendly, Welcoming, Cultural

/ VALUE PROPOSITION

Marhaba is a friendly reminder to respect your fellow Arab.

/ GUIDING PRINCIPLES

We believe that racism is learned and reversible. We believe that tolerance can be taught through education, and that correct information and smart ways of engaging with it has the capacity to create hope for a new generation, as well as others who may not have known otherwise. We believe in the cultural value and worth of an oppressed culture, and the importance of protecting it’s reputation.

/ AUDIENCE

Joel - 34, Catholic, married with 2 children, ages 4 and 9 (Dakota and Molly). Lives in Mobile, Alabama and served in the Iraq war. His only contact with Arabs has been in the line of battle, and because of the Bush administration’s misappropriation of information, believes that Arabs as a culture are responsible for the acts of 9/11, instead of a few extremists that happened to be Arabic. This, in fact, is the reason why he enlisted - to exact revenge. His uncle was killed in the south tower of the World Trade Center, and since that day, he’s had a brewing hatred for Arabs.

Maria - 23, Feminist, atheist, single. Lives in San Francisco, CA. Maria has a problem with Arabic culture because she is strongly against the hijab, because she believes it is a symbol of oppression, that women are forced into wearing it, and sees it is a way of men continuing to dominate and objectify women. Because of her understanding of the rules in Islamic households, she believes many Muslim women are held against their will at home, not able to leave without the approval of their husbands. She thinks muslims are barbaric in the way they treat women, and hates them for it.

Tabatha - 10, Jewish, 4th grader, lives in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Tabby has grown up in very traditionally Jewish family with parents who are unfortunately hate Arabs and Muslims, because of the conflict in the Middle East. They moved to America when they were 18, and eloped in order to escape suicide bombings and danger for their children. Because of this intolerance, Tabby has been imbued with her parents intolerant dogma, and constantly picks on Ahmad, another student in her 4th grade class. Ahmad is from Aaman, Jordan and his family has just moved to the United States. Tabby calls him racial names, bullies him, and blames him for the death of her people.

/ KEY MARKETS

The South, New York City, -- anywhere.