The ad for Exotica, Lebanon's leading chain of garden centres, was originally posted on YouTube, Facebook, MySpace and various blog sites. It was also sent to all networks on ASmallWorld, the 300,000 subscribers of Naharnet.com and all of the agency's friends and family across the world.
But reaction to the ad, which says the only greenery not for sale at Exotica is Lebanon's famous cedar tree, has been so positive that H&C Leo Burnett is looking at moving the ad from the underground to the mainstream.
Carol Hanna, group communication director at the Beirut-based ad agency, said: "The timing was perfect and at a time when most people are fed up with different parties taking stands without anyone really caring about the wellbeing of this country and the impact of the stalling crisis on its future.
"Exotica took a stand by claiming that the only green they're not selling is the symbol of our country. It's a symbolic analogy between their business and its impact on the symbol of our country. We are neither alienating parties nor addressing a particular political stand. The message is meant as a pure patriotic goodwill message that touches everyone, no matter what social/religious/political affiliation."
H&C Leo Burnett is well-known for producing patriotic advertising and earlier this week broke an emotional ad in support of the Lebanese army and its fight against Fatah al-Islam in the Nahr al-Bared refugee camp near Tripoli.
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