Commentary

Marketing Repeats Itself, First As History, Then As Farsi

News Item: Iranian hardliners, including the Tasnim News Agency, sponsor a contest to freshen and re-energize the “Death to America” slogan. Cash prizes will be awarded for the best song, poster, video, photo and caricature.

 

M  E  M  O  R  A  N  D  U  M

 

From: R. Harley Blasingame, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Diplomacy, Department of State

To:  Iran Working Group

CC:  Office of the Secretary

BCC: Zionist paymasters

Subject: Hearts and Minds

As hardline quasi-official elements within IRofI embrace crowdsourcing, once again, we're playing catch-up. Per SOS Kerry directive to hedge against “wolf in sheep's clothing” scenario vis a vis President Hassan Rouhani, December “Down With America Conference” raises big red flag. Highly public revival of revolutionary rhetoric suggests we are a) being good cop/bad copped and b) again at disadvantage in propaganda war.

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Note that Farsi slogan still translates to “Death to America.” As SOS observed in IWG briefing: “That would so suck.”

Pending CIA analysis, suggest co-option/pre-emption strategy: a conference sponsored by friendly think tank or 501c3 to apply PR pressure on IRofI. Blue-skying here, but “Persian Aversion Expo” is in the ballpark. 

IRofI unfortunately and 34-year branding head start, but recent muddying of their message (“death” to “down”) offers window of opportunity. We must pry the window open. To begin with, we should offer much better prizes.

“Down With America Conference” is putting up 100 million rial for first-place winners, which -- thanks to effect of sanctions regime -- now amounts to a piddling $4000. Seriously? To destabilize the USA? We can double that, or sex-centivize entrants with exciting adventure prizes such as Ski-doo Renegade Adrenaline snowmobile fully loaded with rMotion suspension and the REV-XR platform offering the rush of dissecting a twisty trail AND the freedom of twisting your way through the backcountry. A retail value of of $11,999. Topline goal: competitive slogan, e.g:

Down with the Islamic Republic of Iran!

Death by Slow Economic Strangulation and International Isolation to Iran! [note: wordy?]

Iran is a Terrorist Thing to Face

Dude, Where are my Centrifuges?

These are just conversation starters, of course. We expect Persian Aversion Expo to unlock the creativity of the American People and the coalition of the slogan-willing. Also, whereas IRofI has aforementioned head start, the Western world has one large strategic advantage: cable!

 

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