Israeli “Made in Israel” Ad Sparks War Economy Debate

A new “Totzeret Ha’aretz” (Made in Israel) advertising campaign aired on Israeli television is drawing intense scrutiny for the way it visually transforms everyday consumer goods into military hardware—orange juice into a missile, cheese into a Merkava tank, shampoo into a drone. Released amid the ongoing Gaza war and wider regional military operations, the spot has ignited a national conversation about the militarization of Israeli identity, industry, and consumer culture.

Produced for the Manufacturers Association of Israel and created by the GreyContent agency, the campaign aims to stoke “national pride” in domestic production. Yet critics say it unintentionally reveals something deeper: that Israel’s self-image is increasingly intertwined with perpetual conflict and a powerful defense sector, even as discussions of the war’s civilian toll continue worldwide.

What the Ad Shows: From Grocery Aisle to Battlefield

The film opens quietly: a woman drinks orange juice. The scene snaps to a supermarket shelf stocked with Israeli-made consumer products, which then morph—one by one—into advanced weapons platforms. The branded label shifts to military-grade imagery stamped with “Made in Israel.” A bright, declarative slogan fills the screen:

“Local production is security, freedom, and hope.”

By collapsing the distance between household goods and battlefield technology, the ad suggests that supporting domestic brands equals supporting national defense—a powerful emotional link in a country shaped by long-term security threats.

War Economy or National Unity? The Larger Context

The spot lands in a fraught moment: Israeli operations have spanned Gaza, southern Lebanon, Yemen-linked threats, and strikes tied to Iran and southern Syria, depending on evolving security dynamics. Commentators arguing from a human-rights perspective note that the ad appears while commentary in Turkish media describes “on binlerce sivilin öldürüldüğü” (tens of thousands of civilians killed) in Gaza, intensifying moral debate over war, industry, and accountability.

Critics Warn of “Romanticizing” the Defense Industry

Human rights groups and several Israeli academics have condemned the campaign as “romanticizing a war economy” and normalizing permanent militarization in civilian life. They argue that pairing food staples with missiles and tanks risks desensitizing the public to ongoing military campaigns and the civilian suffering that accompanies them.

Some analysts go further, saying the ad functions as soft-power propaganda, blending consumer loyalty, patriotic branding, and defense production into a single emotional narrative that leaves little room for dissent.

“Strong Production, Strong Israel” — At What Cost?

The closing voiceover delivers the campaign’s triumphant message:

“Our hearts are filled with pride, because domestic goods are security, freedom and hope. Strong production, strong Israel.”

Critics counter that any image of a “strong Israel” must be weighed against images from Gaza—damaged hospitals, collapsed homes, displaced families, and food insecurity reported across the enclave. They argue that the ad risks reframing wartime dependency on the defense sector as a unifying consumer choice, rather than a policy question open to democratic debate.

A Mirror of Militarized Everyday Life

Advertising rarely captures the collective psychology of a nation at war as starkly as this campaign. Observers say “Totzeret Ha’aretz” acts as a cultural mirror, reflecting how industry, television, branding, and daily consumption can fuse with national security narratives. Whether embraced as patriotic or criticized as troubling militarism, the ad ensures that Israel’s war-linked industrial identity is now firmly part of the public conversation.

Growing Backlash

Reactions continue to build across civil society networks, human-rights advocates, and academic circles. Detractors warn that campaigns equating groceries with weaponry may make future escalations easier to justify—not just on the battlefield, but in the public imagination. Supporters of the ad, meanwhile, frame it as a rallying cry for resilience, self-reliance, and technological strength in a dangerous region.