In the streets of Beirut, small flyers are often found hanging on building stairs and street poles carrying phone numbers and services offered, yet they remain invisible. Since 2019, Lebanon has faced one of the fastest and most severe economic collapses worldwide, with poverty nearing 44%, unemployment close to 45%, and the Lebanese pound losing over 98% of its value. Many freelancers resorted to these flyers as a lifeline to reach new customers, but unfortunately, these flyers are often neglected or forgotten.

This inspired the “The Unseen Ads” initiative by AGA and Pikasso to breathe new life into these ads. The problem was not the message but the medium; small flyers on damp walls or street poles do not withstand rain or wind and get lost in the city’s visual noise.

On August 6, 2025, the “Unseen Ads” campaign was launched: real flyers collected from Beirut’s streets were preserved in their original texts, redesigned to be clearer and more visible, and placed on billboards in the same neighborhoods to directly reach the intended audience.

The ads were designed to catch attention even at fast speeds, with a media strategy focused on maintaining local relevance.

The result was immediate; phone numbers that were once hidden on faded paper became eye-level at intersections.

As Danny Qazzi, Executive Creative Director at AGA, states: “Our goal with ‘The Unseen Ads’ campaign is to make these ads visible by highlighting them. When design grants dignity and the medium gives voice, daily work takes the platform it deserves.”

This is only the pilot phase in Greater Beirut, with plans to expand gradually. The message is simple: enhancing freelancers’ opportunities to access more prospects.