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Israel Government Advertising Agency

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This article is about the Israeli government agency. For the bacterial protein, see IgaA. For Other uses, see IGAA.
Israel Government Advertising Agency
(IGAA or Lapam)
לשכת הפרסום הממשלתית
Lishkat haPirsum haMemshaltit
Current logo of לפ״מ (Lapam), the Israel Government Advertising Agency[a]
Agency overview
JurisdictionGovernment of Israel
Headquarters5 Kiryat Mada Street
Jerusalem
(formerly Tel Aviv)
Employees~50
Parent departmentPrime Minister's Office
Websitewww.lapam.gov.il?lang=en

The Israel Government Advertising Agency (IGAA; Hebrew: לשכת הפרסום הממשלתית, romanized: Lishkat HaPirsum HaMemshaltit, lit. 'Government advertising bureau'), commonly abbreviated as Lapam (LPM; Hebrew: לפ״מ),[1] is the state-run bureau responsible for executing public communications and advertising on behalf of the Cabinet of Israel.

History

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The agency was originally part of the Ministry of Culture and Sport[2] and later operated under the Ministry of Communications before coming under the purview of the Prime Minister's Office.[3]

In July 2016, the government transferred oversight of the agency from the Prime Minister's Office to the Ministry of Culture and Sport, under Minister Miri Regev. The cabinet decision gave Regev the authority to appoint Lapam's director, marking a significant shift in political control over government advertising. At the time, Lapam managed an annual advertising budget of ₪133 million – approximately US$35,000,000 (equivalent to $45,856,212 in 2024) – a 13% increase from the previous year, placing it among the top ten advertisers in Israel.[4]

Mandates and structure

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This logo is a graphic depiction of the Hebrew letter פ (Pe), the first letter of the Hebrew word for "advertisement" – "פרסומת". Produced by the Israel Government Advertising Agency (Lapam) in 2002.[5] It was used as a visual cue to mark the beginning and end of commercial breaks on Israeli Channel 2. The logo remained in use through 2017 and appeared on channels regulated by the Second Authority for Television and Radio.

Lapam develops and manages advertising campaigns for government ministries, the military, law enforcement, public universities, state-owned corporations, museums, and other public sector entities. Its responsibilities span campaign strategy, market research, creative development, media planning, production, and ad placement—both in Israel and abroad, including campaigns for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration (see also Aliyah).[6]

Lapam is structured into multiple operational units, including research, creative, budgeting, film production, digital design, and ongoing campaign management. It is not funded through a central state budget, but rather operates on payments from the agencies it serves. Historically based in Tel Aviv's Shalom Tower, the agency moved to Jerusalem in 2023 — a relocation that prompted a wave of staff resignations.[7][8]

Between 2015 and 2021, Lapam shifted significantly from print to digital advertising: spending on internet platforms rose from 21% to 31% of the agency's media budget, while newspaper ad spending fell from 22% to 12%. Lapam also conducts mandatory government notices and public health campaigns, such as those during the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to a temporary increase in television ad expenditures.[6]

Although not named directly, the Government Advertising Bureau (Lapam) operates within the advertising ecosystem described in a 2024 report by the Knesset Research and Information Center [he], which analyzes advertising market trends and the role of government expenditures in the viability of media outlets in Israel.[9]

The shift in ministerial control in 2016 was significant given Lapam's function as one of Israel's top advertising spenders, often outpacing private-sector firms.

Leadership

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As of May 2025, Gadi Margalit (Hebrew: גדי מרגלית) serves as head of the agency, following his appointment after leading the Ministry of Public Diplomacy. He succeeded Gali Sembira, who was dismissed in August 2023 by Minister Galit Distel-Atbaryan after only four months in the role.[6] Hebrew media reported that Sembira's dismissal followed internal Likud criticism labeling her a "leftist" — in part for publicly defending the independence of the judiciary amidst protests against the 2023 Israeli judicial reform.[6] Her departure left only one woman heading any of Israel's 33 ministries — a fact that drew concern amid what commentators described as a broader rollback of female leadership. A 2023 Haaretz editorial framed the trend as part of a deliberate sidelining of women in government, invoking the phrase "בנות מלך החוצה" ("Daughters of the King, Out") — a reversal of the biblical ideal of modest seclusion used satirically to critique the exclusion of women from power.[10]

Margalit had previously served as Lapam's director until 2016, when he stepped down and was later appointed municipal CEO of Haifa. During his tenure, he was praised for creative reforms but also faced criticism over alleged lack of competitive bidding in agency procurement.[11][4]

Partnerships and campaigns

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In 2018, Lapam awarded a digital advertising contract to Adcore Inc. – a publicly listed Israeli marketing technology company, traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) – to support a government program aimed at increasing inbound tourism to Israel. The contract was extended in August 2023 for an additional ten months, with an estimated value of up to CAD $20 million (approximately USD $14.8 million as of August 2023)[12] in advertising spending. According to Adcore's public announcement, the campaign contributed to a 25% increase in tourist arrivals prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and continued to target global audiences as borders reopened in 2023.[13]

Lapam has also used digital advertising platforms to disseminate public messaging, including paid content and native advertising formats that appear alongside editorial content on major news websites. These types of campaigns are designed to blend marketing with informational outreach and are commonly used in public diplomacy and tourism promotion strategies.

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Amid growing use of state-sponsored media campaigns to frame immigration as a national threat — seen in countries such as the United States during the Trump administration (see Executive Order 13769, Immigrant invasion, Immigration detention in the United States, Immigration policy of the second Donald Trump administration, and Immigration reduction in the United States) and in parts of Europe — Israel's Government Advertising Agency (Lapam) has also engaged in politically charged messaging. In 2010, Lapam conducted a campaign on behalf of the Ministry of the Interior warning that the employment of undocumented foreign workers harmed the Israeli economy and constituted a criminal offense. According to political scientist Ami Pedahzur (Hebrew: עמי פדהצור), the campaign's economic rationale masked deeper demographic concerns, particularly fears that African asylum seekers would undermine the Jewish character of the state [b][c][14]

Israel's approach to immigration is largely defined by the Law of Return, which privileges Jewish immigrants. Non-Jewish immigration (see Category:Immigration to Israel) — particularly from African or Middle Eastern countries — has often been treated as a demographic challenge, influencing public messaging and media campaigns.

Media and scholarly coverage

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  • Yaron, Lee [in Hebrew] (September 14, 2017). "Israel Government Advertising Agency Against Sign Language Accessibility: 'Hearing Public Will Be Harmed; Visual Overload Will Result'" [לשכת הפרסום הממשלתית נגד הנגשה לשפת הסימנים: ציבור השומעים ייפגע, ייווצר עומס ויזואלי]. Haaretz (weekly) (in Hebrew). Tel Aviv. Archived from the original on May 27, 2025. Retrieved May 26, 2025. OCLC 434344719, 51249826, 1241106546.
In recordings obtained by Haaretz, the legal advisor of the agency explained his opposition to a proposed law that would require accessibility of television broadcasts, stating that the translation would harm the effectiveness of the advertisement and delay its airing.
    1. Blog ed.: "Israel Secretly Targets U.S. Lawmakers With Influence Campaign on Gaza War". Archived from the original on April 4, 2025. Retrieved May 24, 2025. ProQuest 3064471189 (U.S. Newsstream database).
    2. Print ed.: "Israel Secretly Targets U.S. Lawmakers With Influence Campaign on Gaza War" (Late ed.). p. 1 (section A). ProQuest 3065014907 (U.S. Newsstream database).
The Israeli government has spent an estimated $7.1 million on digital ad campaigns to shape Western public opinion amid the Gaza conflict, according to journalist Sophia Smith Galer. Using data from Semrush, she found that YouTube, X (formerly Twitter), and platforms like Facebook, and Duolingo were targeted, with most ads aimed at France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Many were graphic, emotional, and allegedly violated ad guidelines; some were later removed by Google. The effort reflects a coordinated attempt by Israel's Foreign Ministry to influence discourse through paid media across Europe and the U.S.
    See:
    1. Eurovision Song Contest 2025 § Controversies on Israeli participation
    2. Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025.
    3. Controversies of the Eurovision Song Contest § Israeli participation.

Use of native advertising

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Screenshot of HuffPost homepage showing IGAA-sponsored native advertising content, taken May 31, 2025 (accessed from an IP address in the Northeastern U.S.). See Native advertising and Information laundering.

On and prior to May 2025, the HuffPost (viewed from an IP address in the Northeastern U.S.) featured multiple sponsored placements attributed to the IGAA, under the heading "From Our Partner." These included preview panels leading to articles hosted on external news sites, notably The Jerusalem Post. The visual presentation blended IGAA-sponsored content with HuffPost editorial content, a form of native advertising often used to elevate political messaging in mainstream outlets.

One sponsored link led to a Jerusalem Post article reporting that ICC Prosecutor Karim Ahmad Khan had issued warrants against Israeli officials with the intent to provoke Western governments to "turn against Israel."[15] Another promoted piece featured allegations that the ICC used war crimes charges against Israeli leaders to "silence assault victims," also appearing under an "IGAA | Paid" label.[16]

See:

These placements were noted for their blending of paid government messaging with editorial-like presentation. Critics have raised concerns that such campaigns can blur the line between journalism and propaganda, a tactic referred to by some scholars as "information laundering".[d]

See also

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Bibliography

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Annotations

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  1. ^ In 2022, a new logo featuring the Hebrew acronym לפ״מ was adopted, stylizing the letters ל־פ־מ in a modern, sans-serif design.
  2. ^ There is no direct article link for the phrase, "Jewish character of the state," but see: Haifa Declaration, Zionism, Basic Laws of Israel, and especially the 2018 Basic Law: Israel as the Nation-State of the Jewish People.
  3. ^ Eli Yishai (אלי ישי), leader of the Shas party, was Israel's Minister of the Interior from March 2009 to March 2013, during Benjamin Netanyahu's Second Government.
  4. ^ While IGAA's paid placements are openly labeled, they highlight tensions between strategic messaging and journalistic presentation. For context on undisclosed advocacy and editorial influence, see Ideological bias on Wikipedia § Hebrew Wikipedia and Ideological bias on Wikipedia § CAMERA campaign.

Notes

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  1. ^ Gorus, 2021, p. 107.
  2. ^ Marker, Jul. 31, 2016.
  3. ^ Steinberg, Mar. 4, 2018.
  4. ^ a b Binyamin, July 31, 2016.
  5. ^ Marker, Jan. 27, 2002.
  6. ^ a b c d Keller-Lynn, August 29, 2023.
  7. ^ Marker, Oct. 1, 2023.
  8. ^ Marker, Jun. 3, 2024.
  9. ^ Rotenberg, July 14, 2024.
  10. ^ Editorial, Haaretz, May 1, 2023.
  11. ^ Marker, Apr. 12, 2016.
  12. ^ Exchange Rate, August 2023.
  13. ^ Adcore Announcements, August 8, 2023.
  14. ^ Pedahzur, 2012, p. 207.
  15. ^ Confino, May 13, 2025.
  16. ^ NDTV News Desk, May 15, 2025.

References

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Primary

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Secondary

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The headline "בנות מלך החוצה" ("Daughters of the King, Out") is a reductio ad absurdum inversion of the biblical phrase “כל כבודה בת מלך פנימה” ("All the glory of a king's daughter is within," Psalm 45:13), a verse traditionally cited in ultra-Orthodox Jewish contexts to justify modesty and seclusion of women. The editorial uses this phrase satirically to criticize the exclusion of women from public leadership roles in the current Israeli government.
    1. Koren-Diner, Roni (January 27, 2002). "New Commercial Break Logo to Replace the Longtime [Hebrew] 'פ' Used on Both Commercial Channels" [לוגו חדש לזמן הפרסומות יחליף את ה"פ" הוותיק בשני הערוצים המסחריים] (in Hebrew). Archived from the original on May 27, 2025. Retrieved May 26, 2025.
      The new advertising logo was produced by the Government Advertising Bureau for the Second Authority for Television and Radio. The logo will appear for now only on the new channel; on Channel 2, the old logo will be replaced only in about two months, with the launch of the channel's branding campaign.
    2. Tucker, Nati [in Hebrew] (April 12, 2016). "The CEO of the Government Advertising Bureau Is Retiring – And Marking the Next Job." "Margalit Has Held the Position Since November 2011, and Is Now Expected To Be Appointed CEO of the Haifa Municipality" [מנכ"ל לשכת הפרסום הממשלתית פורש - ומסמן את הג'וב הבא]. Archived from the original on August 11, 2024. Retrieved May 29, 2025.
    3. Tucker, Nati [in Hebrew]; Zrahia, Zvi (July 31, 2016). "No Debate? Without Prior Discussion: Miri Regev Took Control of All Government Advertising Worth 300 Million Shekels" [לא לדאוגוסט? ללא דיון מוקדם: מירי רגב קיבלה שליטה על כל הפרסום הממשלתי ב-300 מיליון שקל] (in Hebrew). Archived from the original on May 27, 2025. Retrieved May 26, 2025.
      The government decided to transfer the operations of the Israel Government Advertising Agency (Lapam) to the authority of the Ministry of Culture and Sports, even though there is no clear connection between the ministry’s activities and those of the agency.
    4. Goichman, Rafaela (February 9, 2022). "Moriah Shalom, CEO of Makor Rishon, Appointed Head of the Israel Government Advertising Agency" [מנכ"לית "מקור ראשון" מוריה שלום נבחרה לנהל את לשכת הפרסום הממשלתית] (in Hebrew). Archived from the original on May 27, 2025. Retrieved May 26, 2025.
      The search committee of the Prime Minister's Office recommended Shalom (of Makor Rishon) for the position, and the appointment will now go to a government vote. The committee's selection process, which included a brief round of Zoom interviews, faced criticism.
    5. Tucker, Nati [in Hebrew] (October 1, 2023). "Prime Minister's Office Blocks Hiring at Lapam. What Are They Planning?" [במשרד ראש הממשלה חוסמים גיוס עובדים בלשכת הפרסום הממשלתית. מה הם מתכננים?] (in Hebrew). Archived from the original on May 27, 2025. Retrieved May 26, 2025.
      More than 45 out of 60 employees at the Government Advertising Agency (LAPAM) announced their resignation last week due to the agency’s relocation to Jerusalem. Per the directive of the Prime Minister's Office, no tenders were issued for the positions, even though the resignations were anticipated. Control over LAPAM could grant the government access to one of the key revenue streams of media organizations.
    6. Gueta, Yasmin; Tucker, Nati [in Hebrew] (June 3, 2024). "80% of Lapam Employees Have Resigned — No One Left to Run Public Information in Emergencies" [80% מעובדי לפ"מ פרשו — ואין מי שמבצע הסברה בשעת חירום] (in Hebrew). Archived from the original on May 27, 2025. Retrieved May 26, 2025.
      The Government Advertising Agency has been depleted of staff in recent weeks following the implementation of a voluntary retirement plan. The Prime Minister's Office has made no effort to find replacements — leaving government ministries without access to routine advertising services. The remaining employees fear this may be part of a political takeover attempt.

Tertiary

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