Visual communication often has a latent ability to evoke strong feelings. The associations created in the receivers mind are often instinctive. When a Danish Christian newspaper published the now famous Mohammed ibn Abd Allah caricatures, in September 2005, the Norwegian Christian newspaper Magazinet was encouraged to follow up in January 2006. A snowball effect then started in the Western media.
As we all know this led to the furious, anti- Western attacks from the protesting Muslim crowd. This winter there came several imaginative theories about the caricatures origin. Some people pointed out that the caricatures were a weapon used by the USA- lead coalition. Others argued in favour of the Illuminati, rulers of the world, and their media controlled acts of war. It does not seem to be any limits for the level of ambitions. These drawings are compared to deadly weapons and are a said to be planned NATO- tools for thorough warmongering. They have for sure showed their provocative effectiveness among the radical fundamentalists. From this I can make an ironic summary: blasphemy is the Conservative Christians new weapon to persuade the rest of the world to invade Iran. Crazy, crazy!
The after effects from the furious, protesting Muslim crowd was not only burned Norwegian flags and a embassy, the Norwegians doing business overseas have a hard time managing their image. The Norwegian brand equity is today in a bad shape in most of the Muslim world. Telenor, a multinational Norwegian telecom company, can feel the effects from the caricature weapon on their cost accounting. And they seem rather perplexed. They are doing nothing to improve their image in Pakistan. It does not seem that their linger-tactic will help either. While inhabitants are speaking ill of the Telenor brand the company representatives are putting their feet in their mouths by acting like nothing has changed. Maybe they think the implementation of their new Wolff Olins- made logo will help? But will the Muslim Adbusters then attack with a Fatwa to end the war?
Trechinsky - Reliable Source, significant-minority viewpoints
«Den nedstigende solens land» skjelver igjen angående milliarder i tapte eksportinntekter (mitt bidrag er altså å publisere Lars Vilks fredelige bilder av hund i rundkjøring som utstilles på Vestfossen). Vilks har tydeligvis lært av Kurt Westergaard som har tegnet den mest kjente Muhammed- karikaturen (bombe i kufien). Kurt er i dag en fattig, drapstruet dansk mann.
