forget cola wars. this is a cola jihad.

December 31, 2002 8:15 AM

`Papa, I agree not to drink Coke, but you have to give me something.'
so what do you do when the populace calls for a tall glass of fizzy sugar water, but the primary suppliers are bonified infidels? you make your own...

and you call it Mecca-Cola.
posted by grabbingsand (29 comments total)

"Ne buvez plus idiot, buvez engage"
can anyone translate that slogan? it's GOT to be good!

related link (images may be disturbing) don't drink coke and pepsi!

oh, and heh. he said "bonified". heh.
posted by quonsar at 8:25 AM on December 31, 2002

Uh, oh, looks like Pepsi is going to have to spend more money advertising on Hezbollah TV . A nice little business story, until you get to the part about the company's distaste for Israel and the "zionist entity."
posted by herc at 8:29 AM on December 31, 2002

the slogan translates to:
"don't drink stupidly... drink committedly."
posted by grabbingsand at 8:29 AM on December 31, 2002

It is amusing that while these people are boycotting American brands (and for what specific reason and expected outcome this article leaves for us to guess), it hasn't occurred to them that Mathlouthi has taken the name of the spiritual center of Islam and used it to make money. Next: Mecca-Donald's!
posted by ringmaster at 8:37 AM on December 31, 2002

One of the panels on the right looks like a caricature of a Jew carting off the holy land in a sack on his back.

"Mecca-Donalds". Heh heh.
posted by coelecanth at 8:40 AM on December 31, 2002

it seems like this is a business venture more than an attack on coke. its the main point of new businesses to find an untaped market and grab it. im surprised than noone has taken advantage of arabs dissatisfaction of corporate america.
whoever started this must have lots of money, arab or not, so it's not like they're supporting anything new. they're just supporting freedom of choice - ie you get to chose which rich company you give money to.

mmm makes me want to have a gardenburger, they care about the enviroment you know.
posted by klik99 at 8:42 AM on December 31, 2002

or in other words, yeah spinmaster
"Mr. Mathlouthi and friendly investors plan a chain of fried chicken restaurants called Hallal Fried Chicken, or HFC."
close enough though
Hallal is a type of hymn, i suppose.
posted by klik99 at 8:46 AM on December 31, 2002

"I am influenced by the United States and its dynamism," he said. "But I have the right to refuse the dictates of American policy, like any American who opposes the administration's policies."

This is bizarre - how is refusing to drink American pop and the creation of an alternative beverage a refusal of American dictates and policy? Coca-cola is a product of capitalism, plain and simple, and the man certainly doesn't seem to be against that. Refusing to drink Coke and Pepsi is an empty gesture poltically - tapping into a boycott market is smart business.

Makes me wonder what good things we North Americans do within what mental framework of socialized fuckedupness without ever realizing it...
posted by orange swan at 8:51 AM on December 31, 2002

Hallal is a type of hymn, i suppose.
No, hallal are the muslim dietary laws, not unlike 'kosher'
posted by golo at 8:53 AM on December 31, 2002

If I drank alcohol "Ne buvez plus idiot, buvez engage" would be my slogan tonight.
posted by riffola at 9:35 AM on December 31, 2002

If Mecca-Donalds ever becomes reality and they use twin golden domes of the rock as a logo I say we sue and raise money for Metafilter.
posted by vbfg at 9:54 AM on December 31, 2002

How long 'til this falls into the "supporting terrorist" category and the U.S. slaps economic sanctions on it? After all, this guy IS a Muslim!
posted by zekinskia at 9:58 AM on December 31, 2002

Before you know it - they'll have Meccafilter, too.
posted by ao4047 at 10:14 AM on December 31, 2002

ah, la leche negra del imperialismo...

apologies for any spelling mistakes. and yes, i really heard that once. brilliant!
posted by andrew cooke at 10:33 AM on December 31, 2002

"... bonified infidels..."

Hrm.

Bona fide, perhaps?

quonsar, quit sniggering or you'll be staying after and clapping erasers.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 10:40 AM on December 31, 2002

Before you know it - they'll have Meccafilter, too.

talibanrulezzz: You're an infidel!
osama's evil twin: No, you're an infidel!
talibanrulezzz: I will flame you!
osama's evil twin: I will make a metamartyr out of myself by flaming myself in order to flame everyone!
posted by orange swan at 10:40 AM on December 31, 2002

MeccaFilter: You're an Infidel; No You're an Infidel!

Upon preview, orange swan beat me to it.
posted by Dick Paris at 10:43 AM on December 31, 2002

"... bonified infidels..."

"Would you like 'boni-fried infidels' with that Big Mecca?"

(Boni-fried infidels: Juliennes potato strips each imprinted with the image of George Bush, and fried to a crisp golden brown in crude oil.)

Isn't Mecca Cola simply a shining example of the purest form of capitalism?

Perhaps capitalism is the fast (food) track to democracy?

But should it be?
posted by Dunvegan at 11:05 AM on December 31, 2002

how is refusing to drink American pop and the creation of an alternative beverage a refusal of American dictates and policy?

Don't ask!!! Reject the Soft Drink Industrial Complex NOW before it's too late!!!
posted by ZenMasterThis at 11:07 AM on December 31, 2002

Mohammed was a capitalist, and the golden age of Islam had more to do with free trade, science, and commerce than with fatwas and martyrs.
posted by cell divide at 11:09 AM on December 31, 2002

"But you ain't bona fide!"
damn. three hours later and i just realized my spelling gaff....
posted by grabbingsand at 11:11 AM on December 31, 2002

If anything this could be a marketing coup for the original:

Coca-Cola: The Best God-Damned Drink on the Planet.

On preview, I can't resist: grabbingsand, it's "gaffe".
posted by George_Spiggott at 11:13 AM on December 31, 2002

Oh, and (couldn't resist) would the Mecca-Donalds shakes be made with "Mecca Lecca"...leading those who overindulged in the sugary concoctions to suffer horrible sugar-highs and horrific hangovers from whence they crash and then fall on their butts, only to be scandalously discovered in a erotic video store?

In other words, A "Mecca Lecca Hi, Mecca Hiney Ho?"
posted by Dunvegan at 11:15 AM on December 31, 2002

no, no, no.... not again, george....

i checked, and one can go gaffing with the e or without the e.
posted by grabbingsand at 11:38 AM on December 31, 2002

i love the way this thread went off the rails on a crazy train.
[bites head off bonified peewee]
posted by quonsar at 11:38 AM on December 31, 2002

i love the way this thread went off the rails on a crazy train.


Uh oh. Here it comes. Thanks a lot for putting that song in my head.


Duh Nuh Nuh..... Duh Na Naaaa, Duh Na Nuh, Nu-Nuh
Duh Nuh Nuh....Duh Na NaaaaaNNNNNAAAAA
posted by bradth27 at 12:22 PM on December 31, 2002

This is like the Crafted with Pride in the USA slogan invented by South Carolinian Roger Milliken to sell towels and bath robes.
posted by metaforth at 4:43 PM on December 31, 2002

Hallal is the manner in which slaughter of animals is allowed in Islam. Same as Kosher in Judism.
posted by adnanbwp at 7:11 PM on January 1, 2003

quonsar: related link (images may be disturbing) don't drink coke and pepsi!

The first ad is actually a picture of Tuvia Grossman, a Jewish student visiting from Chicago who, with two friends, was pulled out of his taxi by a mob Palestinians and almost beaten to death. The man behind him is a police officer who was protecting him from his attackers.

Check out The Photo That Started It All and Victim of the Media War for more details.
posted by wrffr at 10:51 AM on January 2, 2003