Slog
News & ArtsThursday, February 25, 2010
??!! Worst Tourism Ad Ever
Posted by Dan Savage on Thu, Feb 25, 2010 at 2:26 PM
Via MediaBistro. (Thanks to Slog tipper M.C.)
2
that was really bad. the language was suuuuper contrived. i thought it was going to be about the vatican, though, but then i remembered they're so sex repressed that they would never make a commercial like this. let alone with an interracial couple.
6
They should try something more true. Isreal; a worthless piece of shit on the map that American's are dying for.
7
WOW! That ad will actually do the reverse of what they want it to do... People will stay away because the ad is offensive and in bad taste...
8
Personally, I just couldn't get past the fact that the guy there is just flaming. Making him look terrified of "going down South" really doesn't help matters.
10
Actually not that weird for Israel. Everything's kinda strange there in terms of culture. Ze yofi, kein?
@6: Don't bash it until you've been there. Or at least until you can spell it correctly.
@6: Don't bash it until you've been there. Or at least until you can spell it correctly.
12
I'm astonished that Israel has to advertise for tourists. Are they really in need of more tourists, or are they just tired of all the American Jews and evangilicals?
13
I can't agree MORE with Dom and Dan. Israel is not a tourist destination any more. Once it might have been, today nah. Of course if one wants to see an Apartheid/Occupation/Pseudo Concentration Camp Managing country, go by all means go.
14
Very few would not find it sensous, ti's most definetively targeted to honeymoners and I think that speaks highly of Israel. It had me intrigued all the way lol.
15
Sure, if I want a nice romantic sexy vacation, the first place that comes to mind is a country embroiled for the last half century in endless religious wars. Awesome!
17
It's marginally funny and it challenges the average perception of Israel (there's a reason none of us thought it would be from that country). A nationally known advice columnist just posted it on a blog, and I think others will too. So how is this the worst tourism ad? Ever heard of the term viral? I'd be interested to see whether it actually turns into tourism dollars but I'm willing to bet at least website traffic will increase.
18
That's too funny - I got free cake from some people doing the same advertising today at my University. Also a free bag, pen and pin that say "Size doesn't matter". Not sure any of those items make good gifts.
19
I wonder how many of the people here who are so sure that Israel is a shitty vacation destination, have ever been there? Or are they just basing their spouting off on what they think they know?
23
@22 - You took the words out of my mouth. Her biggest worry about going to Israel is that it's small?
26
@25 - I could see the script:
hot black guy like the one in the ad and his hot white/latino boyfriend. Black guy's on his stomach reading the guide. The boyfriend says "don't be mad. but it's a mess down there"
black guy: a mess??
bf: yes a mess.
black guy: but it's friendly, welcoming and accepting down there.
bf: I don't know if I can go down there..
black guy: i consider this a spot of fun and decadence. it might be a mess but it's tons of fun and memorable
then continuing off like the str8 commercial by showing the guy reading the pamphlet
hot black guy like the one in the ad and his hot white/latino boyfriend. Black guy's on his stomach reading the guide. The boyfriend says "don't be mad. but it's a mess down there"
black guy: a mess??
bf: yes a mess.
black guy: but it's friendly, welcoming and accepting down there.
bf: I don't know if I can go down there..
black guy: i consider this a spot of fun and decadence. it might be a mess but it's tons of fun and memorable
then continuing off like the str8 commercial by showing the guy reading the pamphlet
28
@8: He's scared of "going down South" next year because he's a black man and, well, Alabama's still Alabama.
29
@28: At least it's not Detroit.
Really odd commercial, though. I'd think the least of Israel's problems as far as attracting tourists is its size. In fact smallness is a very appealing thing. Someday I hope to visit both Australia and New Zealand, but NZ is slightly higher on my list just because it's smaller and I have this silly idea that it'd be easier to hit all the major points. Of course what looks small on my desk globe is still pretty dern big.
And one of the most fun towns I've ever been to is Lawrence, KS, which is relatively small. It was nice that most of the things I wanted to see or do there were within walking distance of each other.
Really odd commercial, though. I'd think the least of Israel's problems as far as attracting tourists is its size. In fact smallness is a very appealing thing. Someday I hope to visit both Australia and New Zealand, but NZ is slightly higher on my list just because it's smaller and I have this silly idea that it'd be easier to hit all the major points. Of course what looks small on my desk globe is still pretty dern big.
And one of the most fun towns I've ever been to is Lawrence, KS, which is relatively small. It was nice that most of the things I wanted to see or do there were within walking distance of each other.
30
Lichtenstein is fucking small. (Barely more than a European city-state) and I'd visit there in a hot second.
Size doesn't matter. Politics does. I'm still sore about their use of cluster bombs as improvised mine / booby-trap deployment devices during the 2006 conflict with Lebanon. Way to go after the kids, guys.
Size doesn't matter. Politics does. I'm still sore about their use of cluster bombs as improvised mine / booby-trap deployment devices during the 2006 conflict with Lebanon. Way to go after the kids, guys.
31
i think that most people here are hating this ad for the wrong reasons. For one, Israel is a great tourist destination, they have beautiful beaches, warm temperatures year round, and awesome sight seeing destinations. In addition, going to Israel isn't any more dangerous than walking around Miami at night. On the other hand, this ad is just dumb and with bad taste, plus I don't think anyone was worried about it being small.
32
Oh! oh! Israel looks like a vagina. I'll never be able to look at it without thinking that now. Thanks for all the sex references and pink outline, Israel. Thanks a lot.
33
My favorite Israeli ad campaign was for their 50th anniversary and featured the tagline: No one belongs here more than you.
I thought Jews INVENTED irony.
I thought Jews INVENTED irony.
35
@34:
I hate to throw a wrench into years of accepted leftist discourse on the subject, but by the standards of all historical precedent, Israel control Gaza/West Bank/Golan LEGITIMATELY.
The territories were previously controlled by the AGGRESSOR nations in the 1967 war. In the course of the six days of fighting, the defensive nation captured those territories.
Setting aside any realpolitik going forward (which OF COURSE points to the necessity of a Palestinian state), you simply cannot question the present legitimacy of Israel's so-called "occupation." Unless you want to start claiming that Poland is "illegally occupying" Gdańsk and France has no right to Strasbourg!
I hate to throw a wrench into years of accepted leftist discourse on the subject, but by the standards of all historical precedent, Israel control Gaza/West Bank/Golan LEGITIMATELY.
The territories were previously controlled by the AGGRESSOR nations in the 1967 war. In the course of the six days of fighting, the defensive nation captured those territories.
Setting aside any realpolitik going forward (which OF COURSE points to the necessity of a Palestinian state), you simply cannot question the present legitimacy of Israel's so-called "occupation." Unless you want to start claiming that Poland is "illegally occupying" Gdańsk and France has no right to Strasbourg!
36
@2 yeah, really bad ad. But "the Israeli people are so sex repressed"??? really???? How misinformed of you. Sweetheart, Israel is not a Muslim country. I'm pretty sure that this is the funniest comment I've heard about Israelis, by far.
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