Controversy Over Eurostar’s Shock Advert
An advert depicting a tattooed skinhead urinating into a china teacup is being used to promote tourism to London. he image is part of a new Eurostar campaign aimed solely at the Belgian market. Posters have gone up on billboards in Antwerp, Brussels, Liege and Ghent to promote the new high-speed train connection to the English capital. The company says the advert is great for British tourism…. “It’s fun, it’s supposed to show how cosmopolitan London is. Yes, I really think it says London is cosmopolitan,” insisted a spokeswoman for Eurostar. Lesley Retallack added: “You could walk down Camden market and you can see someone like that…. “It just captures your imagination, stops you, makes you think. People get it.”
So who knew that the British have a sense of humor? You may not like the ad. You make think it childish, immature, or inappropriate (What’s next…fart jokes??). But you do have to admit that this ad is attracting attention. No, you’re not going to see this sort of thing in Trafalgar Square, but if the folks putting this together can make you think you will…well, who knows what kind of weirdos will trek to the UK? Of course, that doesn’t matter, because as long as you bring your money with you, it’s all good.
In this day and age of any attention is good attention, because it will bring money either way, this advertisement is really rather creative- if of somewhat dubious taste. ‘Course, shock value can hardly be discounted when it comes to gaining attention- after all, if I write about it and tell two friends, and they write about it and tell two friends, etc., eventually at least a few of those people are going to end up in Jolly Old England, no?
Hmm…apparently this sort of thing works. Who knew??
