To feel a little freaked out at Saudi propaganda advert

[AnathemaPulsifer]

In the ads on Greys Anatomy. Travelogue-style montage with voiceover: "Saudi women have been allowed to drive and cinemas are to reopen this year after a 35 year ban. [...] The Kingdom is reducing its reliance on oil by investing in various projects to achieve the 2030 vision of turning Saudi Arabia into a hub connecting three continents [...] Key world partnerships are at the heart of this shift, mainly with the United Kingdom. Our longstanding relationship brings increased prosperity and security for both countries"

Felt a little threatening somehow, as in 'play nice or you'll regret it', especially in the light of: www.amnesty.org/en/countries/middle-east-and-north-africa/saudi-arabia/report-saudi-arabia/

Very worrying how close our government is to this backward country. But oil rules and we make money on selling weapons to get, and keep, this stuff.

I saw this too and didn’t like it. The Saudi regime are not our friends and I dislike seeing propaganda like that, we commented afterwards it should have some tag line along the lines of the “this is a party political broadcast by the X party”. The case of Raif Badawi is still ongoing which is in total contrast to the propaganda they are peddling about being forward thinking.

The times online is full of Saudi propaganda adverts at the moment. God knows how much money the Saudi government/royal rulers must have spunked on plastering themselves all over the British media in the run up to this visit.

I guess it's designed to lessen any impact of potential protests, in particular at the moment, Yemen.

Not like any amount of adverts selling him as Mister Nice Guy will make any difference to anyone in a mind to protest anyway.

I don't feel comfortable with this new guy at all. I think he's changing some relatively small things like women driving and being allowed into football matches to make us all think he's a forward thinking, fair, cuddly New Man but I think it's all a cynical act and the world should be very, very wary indeed.

I think he's changing some relatively small things like women driving and being allowed into football matches to make us all think he's a forward thinking, fair, cuddly New Man but I think it's all a cynical act and the world should be very, very wary indeed.

The women driving and the football matches are a bit of a red herring, at least that's the general feeling in the ME. He's using it to hide the fact that he's arresting and ousting a lot of the "old guard" families who have held too much political sway for too long. There have been a lot of midnight raids and house arrests over the last few months, and I suspect that will continue. I think he honestly does want to push the country forward, but that's not going to come without blood.

Ask the Yemeni's how much change this terrorist Saudi "royal" is making for them. All of it unwanted....

There is so much more change happening here (I'm writing from Saudi) than cinemas and ladies driving licences. But it's not the stuff the West plasters on news headlines. The rate of change is massive - jobs for locals, especially ladies. Reduction in migrant/expat workers. Stamp down on corruption. Subsidies for locals, not expats. Yes, bits are a long way from perfect, but change is coming. I'm guessing the ride isn't going to be smooth. But if international relationships drive the need for change, surely cutting off that relationship will stagnate the changes?

sandland I felt slightly heartened to read the aim to get 30 per cent of women into the workforce

That’s huge, isn’t it together with its implications for the economy, childcare and society?

But if international relationships drive the need for change, surely cutting off that relationship will stagnate the changes?

Exactly. He's taken on quite a task, and I think international support will be key to dragging Saudi into the 19th century.

Yes, its massive, and will have almighty consequences, as you say for the economy, childcare and society. And it's happening. Jobs that previously would have been carried out by migrants are going to locals. I see it in terms of receptionists and shop workers, but it's happening everywhere. I'm not sure how the childcare angle works - typically rich families have a nanny, often from the Philipines, Indonesia and parts of Africa. I suspect that will lesson, and local run creches and nursery will become more commonplace.
There are now jobs where you actually can't get a visa to bring someone into the country to do a job.
Yes, there are still families where guardianship rules, and ladies will be prevented from taking up these opportunities. But I suspect they way subsidies on water, petrol, electricity are being removed, and with the implementation of 5% VAT many families will be feeling the pinch, and will need an economically active wife/daughter to maintain the standard of living they have become accustomed to. Note : payments (benefit payment?) are being made to the lowest income families for the first-time ever to counteract the doubling of electricity prices etc.

Hulk considering the year is currently 1439, half a millennium of progress would be phenomenal!

LOL Sandland yes it really would. I suspect there will be a lot of backlash though.

In London we have billboard adds everywhere with the crown prince on and saying United Kingdom's! It's even on buses and taxis. A large amount of money has been spent on this!

A large amount of money has been spent on this!

He can't afford to lose international support at this stage, if he does it will be seen as an opportunity for the old guard to take control back.

There's an ad on MN that I think might be this? I haven't clicked on it, it freaked me out but then I thought it must be a spoof of something.

On my way to the station!

The ads are all over my Facebook

It's a bit chilling, isn't it. I noticed the billboards over the weekend and all over the Guardian online yesterday.

To those who are describing Saudi as being "backwards" have you ever actually been to the country? Particularly recently since all the changes have been made?

so the ad that crops up on MN that says "welcome crown prince" or something, is that part of the same campaign? The banner ad I see doesn't say anything about women.

anyway, even if it did, too little, too late and don't get me started on property investment in London - I feel the same way about Cadogan Estates and I sure wouldn't want to see an ad for them anywhere!

I was driving in London yesterday and there were loads of digital propaganda ads on the backs of vans being driven down the A4, it was totally bizarre. Plus the digital ads either side of the M4 too.

The amount of money spent is insane, but you have to question who the ads are actually for?!

it's on the Guardian website now

presumably just PR and tourism etc.

SandLand, you're the expert here! You seem to have lived there for quite some time now; whereabout?

We live in Bahrain, which is just next door from Saudi Arabia's East Coast, but a lot more "modern" and open to the world as a country. DH works in Saudi Arabia; it is commutable and is done by a lot of men whose family aren't keen on living in Saudi Arabia (pretty much all of them tbh).

DD and I have been to Saudi Arabia for few days when our family moved to the Gulf last Fall. Despite reading about it extensively, I was rather surprised by the experience tbh. People are lovely. I am not so sure why I unconsciously expected them to be otherwise, but they were particularly friendly and helpful when they could. Yes, this includes the men. Yes, including when we committed some "faux pas" (nothing major, mind you). It wasn't scary or anything like that. It was mostly... boring!

It is however a very conservative, backward and patriarchal society. It is changing, but this sort of change is bound to happen slowly. As much as I believe in the equality between men and women, I also believe your aspirations are shaped by what you witness growing up. It may be difficult to believe for some, but a good number of women are generally happy over there.

I believe the adverts are pretty much for PR only tbh. Tourism in Saudi Arabia is rather limited. Foreign muslims go there for pilgrimage but I think they do not see much else when they do (I am not muslim so I do not know for sure). Other than that you go to Saudi Arabia for work-related purpose only.

I'd say give them a chance. They are changing and we should acknowledge and encourage them to continue that way. However, maybe they should hire better PR people!

It's a start at least, and I think Saudi should be helped to change. If the Crown Prince tackles Wahhabisim, or at least cuts off the funding it has to build mosques elsewhere in the world, I'll be happier.

Mummy just the other side of the causeway to you! Not sure about an expert! There is loads about life here I don't see - and realistically, the people I come across are those who are open to change, and looking to integrate rather than those who want to keep the status quo and move in different circles.

They are talking about tourist visas. But at the moment, it is business, pilgrimage, or visiting family as the only way to get into the country. It would only be a small number of people who would want to come on holiday here, I think. There is masses of cultural and geographical stuff to see, but no relaxing round the pool with a beer at the end of the day!

Well, after Brexit Britain needs any friends they can get.