A poster campaign in Berlin and London is causing teeth grinding in Lithuania.
The tourism campaign launched by Vilnius (Lithuania) on 7 August 2018.
That’s a bit of bold advertising. The capital of Lithuania presents the city as the « G-spot of Europe ».
Posters, which are to appear in the streets of Berlin and London, show a young woman who, visibly shivering, convulsively holds the map of Europe in her hand where Lithuania is.
« Europe’s G-spot. »
The English text assures it: « Nobody knows where it is, but when you find it, it’s amazing ». And adds, in large print: Vilnius, Europe’s G-spot’. The city’s tourism department, Go Vilnius, explains that the campaign is aimed at people aged 18 to 35. The poster should also appear on major social networks.
The President of the Lithuanian Episcopal Conference, Archbishop Gintaras Grusas of Vilnius, criticised the initiative. He believes that it « potentially strengthens Vilnius’ image as a sex tourism city and exploits female sexuality ». And the Lithuanian government, a predominantly Catholic country, has asked the mayor’s office to postpone the campaign until after the Pope’s visit, scheduled for the end of September.
But the organizers refused. « Those who are irritated only show that the campaign works, because it makes people talk about it and provokes a debate, » one of its creators, Jurgis Ramanauskas, told AFP. The internet campaign is scheduled to last one month. The posters in the German and British streets will stay there for a week.