AN online commercial released by Nike this week that showed Arab women fencing, boxing and spinning on ice-skates has stirred controversy over its attempt to smash stereotypes about women leading home-bound lives in the conservative region.
It begins with a woman nervously peering out of her doorway and adjusting her veil before going for a run in the street, while a female voice narrates in a Saudi dialect: "What will they say about you? Maybe they'll say you exceeded all expectations."
Within 48 hours the video was shared 75,000 times on Twitter and viewed almost 400,000 times on YouTube.
"An ad (which) touches on the insecurities of women in a society digs deeper and becomes an empowerment tool rather than just a product," Sara al-Zawqari, a spokeswoman for the International Red Cross in Iraq, wrote on her Twitter page.
But not all the reviews were positive.
"I think this ad was an utter fail," said Nada Sahimi on the company's Instagram page.
"This is not the true representation of Arab, Muslim women. We do not wear a hijab and go running in the streets, shame on Nike," she said.
Filmed in the older, rundown suburbs of the glitzy Gulf Arab emirate of Dubai, the ad reflects the struggles faced not only by women across the region but also by some of its own stars.
Amal Mourad, a 24-year old Emirati parkour athlete shown leaping across rooftops, told Reuters her father was reluctant at first to let her train in a gym where men were present.
"Convincing my father was the toughest part ... if you want something bad enough you stick to it, and you can get it done," said Mourad, who now teaches classes in a mixed gender gym.
Women exercising in public is a rare sight in much of the region and women-only gyms are few, are not fully equipped for different sports and are often more expensive than gyms for men.
In Saudi Arabia, physical education is prohibited in all-girls public schools and women's gyms remain illegal in the kingdom because female athleticism is deemed un-Islamic.
Speaking to the Okaz newspaper this month, Saudi Princess Reema bint Bandar said the government would soon provide female gyms with licenses, citing public health reasons and not women's empowerment.
"It is not my role to convince the society, but my role is limited to opening the doors for our girls to live a healthy lifestyle," said bint Bandar, who is a senior official at the General Authority of Sports.
The ad's message may also tap into an emerging new market for Arab women chafing at hidebound social norms and an entertainment industry that often relegates them to docile roles.
"We need to start driving the conversation away from Arab women being subjects of segregation, or oppression ... and more towards them being enablers, achievers and go-getters," said Dubai advertising executive Nadim Ghassan.
Reuters
Thu Feb 23 2017
Zahra Lari runs in a scene shot for the Nike Middle East ad campaign filmed in Dubai, UAE, February 10, 2017. - Nike/Handout via REUTERS
Niaga AWANI: Jepun penyumbang utama eksport kayu sarawak dengan nilai RM1.67 bilion pada 2023
Jepun kekal jadi penyumbang utama hasil industri perkayuan Sarawak dengan RM1.67 bilion pada tahun 2024 dan RM387 juta setakat sduku pertama 2024.
#NiagaAWANI
#NiagaAWANI
Niaga AWANI: Jumlah jawatan suku pertama meningkat 1.5 peratus - DOSM
Jumlah jawatan pada suku tahun pertama 2024 (ST1 2024) meningkat sebanyak 1.5 peratus dari tahun ke tahun kepada 8.94 juta jawatan, iaitu rekod tertinggi sejak 2018.
#NiagaAWANI
#NiagaAWANI
Niaga AWANI: India import 285,829 tan minyak sawit Malaysia pada April
India mengimport 285,829 tan minyak sawit dari Malaysia pada April seterusnya menyumbang 21.6 peratus daripada jumlah import minyak sayuran negara pada bulan terbabit.
#NiagaAWANI
#NiagaAWANI
Niaga AWANI: AS umum kenaikan tarif import China
Amerika Syarikat menaikkan tarif ke atas kenderaan elektrik (EV) dari China daripada 25 peratus kepada 100 peratus. Menurut White House, ia sebagai sebahagian daripada tindakan keras terhadap import China.
#NiagaAWANI
#NiagaAWANI
Jepun: 17,000 warga emas tinggal bersendirian meninggal dunia di rumah dari Jan-Mac
Kira-kira 17,034 warga emas yang tinggal bersendirian di Jepun meninggal dunia di rumah antara Januari dan Mac.
Hari Keluarga Antarabangsa: PBB iktiraf amalan baik Malaysia
LPPKN diberi pengiktirafan oleh PBB untuk berkongsi amalan terbaik dalam satu forum yang diadakan di New York, Amerika Syarikat.
Pantau Agenda Reformasi: Hari Belia Negara 2024
Ikuti kupasan Setiausaha Agung Majlis Belia Malaysia, Hasnul Haniff Harun, sempena Hari Belia Negara 2024.
Trend permintaan lada dunia dijangka terus meningkat pada tahun ini dan tahun depan - Johari
Trend permintaan lada dunia dijangka terus meningkat pada tahun ini dan berterusan sehingga ke tahun depan.
Tahanan rumah Najib mungkin bincang minggu depan - Fahmi
Fahmi berkata, Anwar dijangka pulang daripada lawatan rasmi di luar negara pada minggu depan.
Kulit paha Faisal mungkin diguna untuk tampal luka lecuran
Pemain Selangor FC, Faisal Halim akan menjalani pembedahan 'split skin graft' (SSG) yang dijadualkan pada minggu depan.