Following the Pan Am Window Display experience, I found myself developing a reputation of being the Intermarkets expert on Cyprus.
Soon after this first business visit, our client Ceylon Tea decided to explore marketing opportunities in Cyprus. T.G. Peiris decision was inspired by the proximity of the island to Cealon Tea’s Middle East office in Lebanon. Also, because – at Ceylon Tea Bureau Head Office in Colombo – Cyprus was considered to be under British influence. This Mediterranean Island was known for its large RAF base and the Radar Mediterranean Observation Station on Mount Olympus. Many British families lived in the scattered military bases, while many others invaded its beautiful beaches during the summer holidays. Tea drinking was a popular British habit, so making sure Ceylon Tea was readily available seemed to be a worthy goal with promising potential.
In consultation with Gnomi, Intermarkets’ affiliate agency, we felt that participating in the Cyprus International Trade Fair would provide us with an opportunity to conduct a dipstick test on the tea market potential. Gnomi were extremely supportive in helping produce the standard introductory brochures, the tea sampling packs and all of Ceylon Tea’s display material in Greek. They also helped us hire Maria, a charming young Cypriot hostess to brighten up our stall in the Asian Zone of the fair.
T.G. Peiris flew in for the opening ceremony, while the Gnomi team, the hostess and me were entrusted with looking after the stall from project inception to construction, running it daily, and then arranging the dismantling, packing and trans-shipping of the remaining material back to Lebanon.
The fair authorities were well experienced in looking after overseas exhibitors and adequately briefed us we arrived. In the final pre-opening briefing, we were informed that Archbishop Makarios – the President of Cyprus – would be personally opening the fair and we were told all about his tour of the fairground, his planned visits to a select number of superpower pavilions, as well as the security measures that would be applied. Maria noticed the disappointment in the eyes of our client, when T.G. realized that his event report to Head Office, would not include a reference of a visit from the Cypriot President to the Ceylon Tea stall. She took me aside and asked if I would like her to try involving a certain relative of hers, to help add our stall to the presidential tour at the last minute. Without batting an eyelid, I instantly confirmed, and she dashed off on her seemingly impossible mission. After a long, tense hour, she called and asked me to meet her at Larnaca Port’s customs office. There she introduced me to her relative Andreas, who turned out to be the customs officer in charge of clearing the tea packs that we had shipped from Lebanon to distribute at the fair. Andreas smilingly told me that he was the closest friend of the Head of Presidential Protocol as they had fought side by side during the Turkish invasion. He called his friend on the spot and – after a loud and highly animated chat which was all Greek to me – Andreas turned to me with a smile on his face, gesturing that the visit has been arranged. Once he disconnected, his smile was quickly replaced by a bazaar merchant’s frown when he addressed me in his Greek-accented English, imposing on me the fact that such a challenging last-minute arrangement commanded a price. This rollercoaster of changing attitude was about to make me fall off my chair. However, Andreas continued his price pitch by offering to take the remaining tea sampling packs after the fair was over, to distribute them amongst the orphanages of the church where he was very active.
I did not share the news about this arrangement with T.G. Peiris, as I remained doubtful that the tour of the President could be changed with such ease. On the other hand, I was keen to surprise my client by demonstrating that his agency was capable of miracles even outside its home turf.
On the opening day, we made sure that our tea stall looked like a million dollars while we lined up at the entrance; following the tour of the President and his entourage from afar. T.G. Peiris was trying his best to take a closer look at what was going on, making sure not to stray away from his own den. Maria looked very attractive in a mini skirt with her fresh hairdo and bubbling personality. Suddenly she whispered in my ear that she wanted permission to use my room at the nearby Nicosia Hilton, as she wanted to refresh her make-up before the arrival of the President. I welcomed the opportunity that I read to be another flirting gesture from the young allumeuse. I handed her my room key and allowed a couple of minutes to pass before I went after her – under the pretext of rushing to buy bottled water for offering at the stall.
There was a military band accompanying President Makarios on his tour which was playing “To the Colors” every time he stepped into a new pavilion. I felt that this music was growing louder with every step I was taking – away from the stall – towards the fair gate that led to the Hilton. Suddenly I bumped into Andreas – dressed in what looked like his church outfit – walking with wide steps towards the Ceylon Tea stall. He stopped me to enquire – with surprise – why his niece and I, were running away at the time the President was about to visit our stall? I turned and walked back to his side explaining – while my heart was thumping – that I was rushing to call Maria back, a fact which up till the present day, I am not sure, if Andreas believed my story…
When we both returned to the stall, the client was hopping mad and frowning in frustration. His attitude drastically changed when he saw us dashing back at the same time as a Major General dressed in the colorful uniform of the Presidential Guard, stepped into the Ceylon Tea stall to announce the arrival of President Makarios. T.G. Peiris reacted like a young student caught with his pants down in the classroom, the moment the principal walks in. Obviously, the Cypriot President took him instantly under his spell with his surprise appearance; dressed in a Greek Orthodox Archbishop’s gown and carrying a robust silver cross that hanged from his chest. His thick black beard had tussles of white hair punctuating it. His eagle gaze, pontifical smile and commanding voice all added to the aura of T.G. Peiris’ surprise and his rarely seen smile. President Makarios complimented the tea that was served to him and listened with great interest to T.G.’s explanation of its origin, but the biggest shock of this entire visit was when the President turned around and thanked me – by name – for the generous gesture of offering all our remaining tea packs to St. Dimitri’s orphanage.
Maria came running into the stall just as the President – and his entourage – had left and at that moment T.G. turned to me to enquire about how this surprise visit came to be, and if I had arranged for photos to be taken while he was saluting such a VIP, concluding his barrage of questions with the one about the President’s strange reference to a tea gift to orphans.
Upon returning to Beirut, another feather was added to my cap for having succeeded in inviting the Cypriot President to the Ceylon Tea stall, which he visited with the same fanfare and ceremony, as the one that accompanied his visits to the US, British and Russian pavilions.
Many years after Ceylon Tea’s participation in the Cyprus International Trade Fair, Intermarkets started using the services of a Cyprus-based research company called the Middle East Market Research Bureau (MEMRB). This marketing and media research company was owned and managed by a charismatic Cypriot named George Vasiliou. When Intermarkets organised its Regional Management Meeting at the Amatheus Hotel in Limassol, it was obvious that George Vasiliou would be invited as one of the speakers, and to be the guest of honor at the gala dinner. Vasiliou’s presentation about the challenges of conducting research in the Arab World was fascinating and very informative. Although the regional meeting participants were mostly seasoned ad men and women, the insights collected by this Middle East research pioneer were of great value. This made the pre and post dinner chat with our guests such a memorable experience, and our opportunity to bond with Vasiliou, one of the candidates for the Presidency of the Republic of Cyprus.
Then in July of 1992, our Unilever client invited his Middle East Lux Dishwashing Liquid distributors for a meeting in Cyprus. Salim Sednaoui, Intermarkets’ account director on the brand, was away on annual leave in Switzerland, so I replaced him being the only other colleague who knew about this portfolio. The farewell night was a sensational one as we had drinks at the scenic terrace of the hotel. Then we moved into the grand ballroom for a sumptuous dinner and then I joined the young dealers on their tour amongst the well-known night clubs of Nicosia.
It was a late, late night and I did not respond to the wake-up call the next morning. Sensing something was amiss, the front desk clerk sent one of the hotel porters to bang on my room door. I jumped out of bed like a fireman, showered, dressed, and packed in record time. Then, as the bell captain was delayed in coming up for my luggage, I picked up my suitcase and dashed to the lift, only to be stopped curtly by a giant Cypriot who asked me to get back quickly to my room. I was desperate not to miss my 8:30 flight, so it was obvious to respond – with anger – pushing the man aside before even asking for his credentials and the reason he wanted me to go back to my room. Just then, we both heard a familiar voice say, “Let Mr. Raad join us”. I turned to see our old research company boss George Vasiliou – who had become President of the Cypriot Republic escorting his state guest, Lech Wałęsa, President of Poland as they were leaving the Presidential Suite – on the same floor-as mine-at the Cyprus Hilton – to accompany him to the airport. During the short lift ride, President Vasiliou introduced me to the Polish president and asked me to convey his regards to all my colleagues at Intermarkets. It never crossed my mind that I would meet not one, but two Cypriot Presidents in my lifetime.