Denmark's tourism agency has removed an advertisement from
YouTube after complaints that it promoted promiscuity in the
liberal Scandinavian country.
The video clip, nearly 3 minutes long, shows a young, blond
woman cradling a dark-skinned infant called "August" and
saying he is the result of a brief fling with a foreign
tourist.
Speaking English in the video, she says she is "trying to
find August's father" through YouTube. Danish TV2 has
clarified that the scene was staged and the woman is an
actress.
Since being posted on Thursday by VisitDenmark, the ad
received more than 800,000 hits on YouTube. VisitDenmark
removed the clip on Monday, but it can be still viewed as it
has been copied and posted elsewhere on the Internet.
Sociologist Karen Sjoerup said the ad suggested "you can lure
fast, blonde Danish women home without a condom."
Economy Minister Lene Espersen said the video presented "a
not very well-thought-out picture of the country."
Espersen also holds the government's tourism portfolio.
"I regret that the film has offended so many people,"
VisitDenmark manager Dorte Kiilerich said, explaining that
intent had been to tell "a nice and sweet story about a
grown-up woman who lives in a free society and accepts the
consequences of her actions."
Bookmark/Search this post with:
A name, residential address, and (preferably residential) telephone number is required from readers who comment on ODT Online. These details will not be visible to site visitors.