A new ad on Noway Tourism featuring its capital Oslo is viral for using reverse psychology to send its message in a "brilliant" way. Social media users have also called the advertisement "rare" and one of the best of its kind.
The 1.46-minute video shows a 31-year-old local from Oslo, named Halfdan, list his complaints about the city. It's just that his complaints would make any other person, especially those living in crowded cities, want to be in Oslo.
He doesn't like how everything is just "available" and accessible in the Norwegian capital. For example, he doesn't have to wait in queue to visit the museum or even an upscale restaurant.
Halfdan also claims that Oslo does not measure up to other popular international cities because he can walk across the town in 30 minutes. "Try that in New York or Paris," he said.
In one of the scenes, Halfdan says, "Oslo feels more like a village, maybe? I mean you walk around a corner and it's like 'Oh! There's the prime minister.' Then you walk around the next corner and it's like 'Oh! There's the king'."
The ad's deadpan humour and use of reverse psychology have won several hearts and its impact in India has impressed the Norwegian ambassador to India May-Elin Stener.
"I am of course delighted to see how well the ad has been received in India. It’s incredible how the internet works and brings people closer. I hope this will also mean more Indians bringing Norway and Oslo on top of their bucket list," she told Moneycontrol.
Stener said Oslo is a modern, cosmopolitan city with a lot of tradition, culture, and history. "But now we also have several new and world-class museums, such as the new Munch Museum, new national museum, new national library and so on, that make the city even more interesting. Oslo also has a fast-growing number of Indian restaurants. The city never disappoints, so be most welcome!" she added.
Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri called it a "brilliant ad for Oslo tourism". "A refreshing sarcastic approach in a boring, predictable world of Tourism ads. Creative communication enthusiasts MUST WATCH," he said.
Communication strategy consultant Karthik (@beastoftraal) said the ad is "an absolute masterpiece". "When he says, 'I think a city should feel a little hard to get', I couldn't help but scream inside my head, 'Oh c'mon... I'd love to visit a city that is NOT hard to get'," he said.
"Telling the truth is disarming and persuasive (as long as it's communicated in a memorable way). This is a rare tourism ad that tells the truth in a very memorable way," commented copywriter Miguel Ferreira (@_miguelferreira). Founder-CEO Rafat Ali (@rafat) added, "This type of creativity is rare in tourism ads these days, most of which blend into each other. This is different, a typical understated Norse sense of dry humor... Well done, more needed in this series."
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