IsRealli - the State of Israel official blog

Israel’s Newest Hit Export

May 16, 2008 at 11:50 am | In Advertising & Media | Send to a friend | No comments yet

OK, even we’ll admit that the NY Post may be exaggerating a bit with this headline. But not by much.
Remember the great reception that greeted In Treatment? CBS’s new show “The Ex List” has a tough act to follow, but we’re sure it’s up to the task. And there are plenty of other great ideas on Israeli TV just waiting for their turn on the American small screen.

Celebrity Salute to Israel in Times Square

May 13, 2008 at 2:44 pm | In Face to Face, Advertising & Media, Celebrities | Send to a friend | No comments yet

This month, Hollywood’s best and brightest will be saluting Israel in celebration of its 60th Anniversary, in a project initiated by the Consulate General of Israel in New York and Nancy Spielberg (sister of famous director, Steven). Their personalized video greetings, wishing Israel a “Happy Birthday!” are being broadcast on both the Nasdaq and Reuters electronic billboards in Times Square (43rd St. and Broadway).

The A-list celebrities include: Tom Cruise, Ben Stiller, Robin Williams, Billy Crystal, Brooke Shields, Harrison Ford, Alec Baldwin, Ashton Kutcher, Michael Douglas, Dakota Fanning, and many more. Not to mention, New York’s very own Donald Trump, who also joined the lineup.

The celebrity greetings will air throughout May, every hour at approximately 15 minutes and 45 minutes after the hour. Next time you’re in Times Square, look up!

You can read more about the videos on JPost. To see the visuals, watch this CBS-TV report.

CBS TV’s Eye on Israel

May 12, 2008 at 1:07 pm | In Advertising & Media | Send to a friend | 1 Comment

Courtesy: Israel Ministry of Tourism

In honor of Israel’s 60th birthday, CBS-TV in New York ran a special edition of its Eye on New York program focusing on Israel’s achievements. You can watch the full video–with appearances from Consul General Asaf Shariv and Ambassador Dan Gillerman on the CBS site.

Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2008: Bar Refaeli

April 29, 2008 at 5:03 pm | In Face to Face, Advertising & Media | Send to a friend | No comments yet

Israeli model Bar Rafaeli (often spotted around the world with her on-and-off-again boyfriend Leonardo DiCaprio) strikes a pose for this year’s Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue. Check out her video and hear what she has to say about her native Israel!

Time Out New York features Etgar Keret

April 24, 2008 at 10:41 am | In Advertising & Media, Art & Cinema | Send to a friend | No comments yet

Pick up this week’s issue of Time Out New York magazine, featuring a huge photo on page 2 of Israeli “literary scribe” Etgar Keret. Keret, who co-directed the film Jellyfish with his wife, Shira Geffen, has already received rave reviews and film fest awards around the world.

The “Faces of Israel” Project

April 18, 2008 at 11:09 am | In Advertising & Media | Send to a friend | No comments yet

The Consulate General of Israel in New York, in cooperation with the Salute to Israel Parade, has initiated a banner campaign entitled, “Faces of Israel.” Beginning May 4th, in honor of Israel’s 60th birthday, banners will line New York’s Fifth Avenue from 46th to 97th Streets. Each banner will feature the face of an Israeli citizen and be topped with a display of Israeli and American flags.

To view the current Faces of Israel, visit www.60israelis.com.

Want to be one of the 60 Faces of Israel?

Send us a brief biography of yourself, telling us where you were born, what makes you Israeli, and why you should be part of the 60 Faces of Israel.

Please include a photo or a short video of yourself. If you are selected, your bio and photo/video will be featured on our website.

Our special “60 Faces of Israel” committee will choose from the best applicants based on creativity and representation of Israel.

Click here to get started!

Israel’s Best Face Forward

April 4, 2008 at 8:21 am | In Advertising & Media | Send to a friend | No comments yet

As the world gears up to celebrate Israel’s 60th Anniversary, writer David Kaufman takes a closer look at Israel’s re-branding campaign across North America, including mention of some of our own efforts to help shape Israel’s image. From bikini-clad babes in Maxim magazine to fashion spreads in French Vogue, Israel is becoming a hot cultural destination. But is it all good news?

Read the full story in Adweek.

Yael Naim Gets Some Good Ink

March 11, 2008 at 11:22 am | In Music, Pop Culture, Advertising & Media | Send to a friend | No comments yet

We’ve been on a little Yael Naim kick lately, but we’re cool with that.

From the Daily News:

Apple ad creates recognition for Yael Naim

Yael Naim hopes her Hebrew lyrics will cross musical borders.

Score another sonic bull’s-eye for Apple.

First, the company shot the career of the singer Feist into the stratosphere by featuring her song “1 2 3 4″ in an ad campaign.

Now another artist has found an instant audience by getting a smidgen of her music into a Mac spot.

“New Soul,” the debut single from Yael Naim, has shot to the top of the download charts and sold hundreds of thousands of copies in the last few weeks, all based on a 30-second snippet of her song in the Apple campaign for its groovy new superthin notebook.

Admittedly, it’s an arresting snippet.

“New Soul” sounds very much like its title: something freshly born. Given Naim’s sprightly voice, and the airy instrumentation around it, the recording sounds carbonated. It’s a fizzy splash of a thing.

Continue reading Yael Naim Gets Some Good Ink…

Israel on the World Monopoly Map

February 14, 2008 at 10:12 am | In Pop Culture, Advertising & Media | Send to a friend | 1 Comment

Hasbro, the toy company, is currently developing World Monopoly. To select which cities will on the game board, the company has asked the public to vote on its website from a list of 68 cities. The top 20 cities will appear in the game, with the decision to be made at the end of February—in another 16 days!

Presently, “Jerusalem, Israel” is in seventh place (!). The Israeli Consulate in New York and the Foreign Ministry are promoting a campaign among supporters of Israel in the United States and around the world to visit Hasbro’s website, register, and vote every day. As more people vote for Jerusalem, Israel’s place on the World Monopoly will be ensured.

After the current contest ends, a second contest will begin on March 1 to select two cities to appear as “Wild Cards” in the game. The Consulate hopes to add Tel Aviv to this list and promote her selection as well.

Continue reading Israel on the World Monopoly Map…