Financial Tribune- In an Instagram post on Sunday, Iranian footballing legend Ali Karimi urged people not to buy gold coins, automobiles or any other commodities, the prices of which have gone up over the past few weeks.

Many athletes and celebrities have also joined his movement, re-posting his message and hashtagging “I don’t buy”.

Karimi’s campaign reminds us of similar initiatives launched over the years. The most significant and almost successful of all these campaigns was the one billed “No to buying new cars” in the fiscal 2015-16. However, the campaign collapsed when the government offered cheap car financing loans.

Campaigns focused on political or social issues have all but achieved their objectives in Iran. For example, Iranians used social media to send mocking messages to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in 2013, after he falsely claimed they were banned from wearing jeans.

A campaign by environmentalists to protect Asiatic cheetahs (the Iranian cheetah), which are on the verge of extinction, also proved to be successful at least in raising people’s awareness. Economic-themed campaigns, however, are mostly doomed.