Lithuania is looking to break free from common Eastern European stereotypes in its new tourism advertising campaign contrasting the expectations vs reality of the capital, Vilnius.
Poking fun at stereotypes overseas residents frequently have, the city has created a commercial that shows the outdated stereotypes about Eastern Europe and the reality of Vilnius.
Eastern European stereotypes reign strong
A recent survey has shown that Britons and Germans are just getting familiarised with Vilnius. 43 per cent of UK and 62 per cent of German residents are aware of the city and know more than its name.
However, only 9 per cent of Britons and 8 per cent of Germans have a deeper understanding of the Lithuanian capital. Both the capital and the country suffer from stereotypes that stem from the Cold War era and affect the Central and Eastern Europe region which broke free from the Soviet Union — “Russian backwater,” Eastern Europe, “a poor country,”
New campaign to change preconceptions
The new tourism campaign strives to change travellers’ minds about Vilnius.
At first, the commercial depicts the cliche stereotypes of Eastern Europe which still prevail in social and traditional media, as well as communities living outside the region — Soviet-era buildings, drunks defacing the streets, thieves, and shady market sellers — while the narrator, satirically, describes the city as an Eastern European pearl and a photographer’s paradise.
The second part of the commercial breaks these stereotypes — the architecture and streets are colourful rather than monochrome grey, the gastronomical delights rival Europe’s best cuisines, and numerous indoor and outdoor activities gather crowds of thousands.
Playful visuals are also used in outdoor advertising in target locations. The imagery in posters offers sharp contrasts between expectations and reality, and urges the passers-by to be open to changing their minds about Vilnius.
Dovilė Aleksandravičienė, CEO of Go Vilnius, said the commercial is atypical as no tourism agency would ever advertise a destination in a satire if it was close to the truth.
However, if the curiosity of potential visitors is piqued after watching the commercial and they search for Vilnius on the internet, the goal has been reached.
“When asked about Vilnius, many international residents either don’t know it or know very little about it,” he said.
“It’s normal that our perception of places might be affected by what is featured in media and pop culture. Let’s be fair, Eastern Europe has many stereotypes brought on by the difficulties of the 20th-century geopolitical events.
“What many don’t know is that in the last 30 years, many cities in Eastern Europe have become unrecognizable thanks to rapid changes.
We are not patronising or critiquing those who still base their knowledge of Vilnius and Lithuania on the prevailing stereotypes but rather, in a true ‘Unexpectedly Amazing’ Vilnius style, laugh at them together and ignite people’s desire to see what reality looks like over here.”
Featured Image: Youtube -‘Vilnius: Expectations vs. Reality’
