As early as 2002, the Ministry of Economy and Trade in Lebanon recognized the potential of e-commerce as a tool to propel Lebanese firms into the global market. Acknowledging the impressive growth of the e-business sector worldwide, the ministry initiated the EcomLeb project, funded by the EU, to address the barriers to e-commerce in Lebanon. This project aimed to develop a comprehensive legal framework for e-commerce and implement business development and awareness campaigns.
Design Services and Impact:
Mary Abi Nader was selected as the design expert to visualize and promote the EcomLeb project. Recognizing the lack of general information about the Internet and information technologies among the Lebanese public, Mary spearheaded the design of the ECOM Lab Internet and IT Journal. Distributed for free and reaching 25,000 copies for certain issues, the journal received overwhelmingly positive feedback. Readers praised its valuable information on IT and e-commerce in Lebanon and around the world, as well as technical tips. Additionally, Mary played a key role in developing an informational portal, www.ecomlab.org, and a series of CDs containing useful information and videos showcasing real Lebanese e-commerce. Her designs for the CDs, website, journals, and video packaging were highly successful, facilitating the dissemination of knowledge and promoting e-commerce adoption both nationally and internationally.