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(CNN) - “The G-spot of Europe”, reads in the publicity that invites tourists to visit Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. "Nobody knows where it is, but when you find it, it's amazing," he adds.
This marketing campaign unleashed a whole controversy when it was launched last year. To begin with, the provocative announcements came out just a few weeks before Pope Francis' visit to the country in August 2018.
On the other hand, Vilnius usually appears on the European lists of the best undervalued or cheaper destinations, including those ideal for bachelor parties. In 2016, the FairFX currency website rated it as the third cheapest destination to perform, barely, stag parties in Europe.
But, returning to the campaign, the words were accompanied by the image of a woman lying down, with her eyes closed, in an apparent ecstasy, clutching the sheet under her, which had a map of Europe painted. The woman, of course, was squeezing the place where Vilna is located.
And the website created especially for the campaign - which is still strong - asks visitors to “get down to work” and “build their own personal map of pleasure”.
A goal that can be achieved by taking a kind of test, in which they respond how they agree with phrases such as "there is no such thing as excessive tongue" or "true pleasure does not come without sweating" and "the right accessories can improve any experience".
Then they are presented with a series of 48 activities in the style of the Tinder dating application, which they can accept or reject. In the end, you find the "person pleasure map" that invites you to "be brave to experience" (ghost tours or escape rooms), "do it in the dark" (that is, nightlife) and "use your tongue " (eat).
Alternatively, visitors can "skip the preliminaries" and "navigate through the pleasures of Vilnius."
The controversial campaign was news worldwide. The advertising students, who came up with the idea, were delighted, while the priests in the mostly Catholic country were reportedly offended. The Bishop of Vilnius warned that the capital was presented as a “city of sex tourism,” while the Lithuanian government requested that Go Vilnius postpone the launch of advertising pieces until after the Pope's visit, a request that the city ignored.
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A former mayor who disapproved of the project said that "nobody in the West already uses sexist references in marketing, especially when we talk about public authorities."
But the Advertising Standards Authority of Great Britain (ASA) rejected the only complaint it received about the campaign, noting that while "some might find the ad unpleasant ... [no] objectified the female character." The entity concluded that it was not "exploitative or degrading" and was "unlikely to cause a serious or widespread crime."
Now the project has been named the best destination campaign for a city in the International Travel and Tourism Awards.
He was awarded this Tuesday during the World Travel Market event in London.
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But more importantly, the campaign also paid off and the number of tourists increased, according to CNN Inga Romanovskienè, director of Go Vilnuis, the tourism council.
The total number of visitors in Vilnius grew by 12.5% last year, but visitors from Germany and the United Kingdom, the two main markets of the campaign, increased 37.8% and 20.5% respectively.
"Our goal is to attract more young and curious travelers interested in discovering new exciting destinations," Romanovskienè said.
He added that his organization wanted to highlight that "although Vilnius is not a known city, once visitors discover it, they enjoy their experience." He also said that Go Vilnius was "sensitive to the different ways in which the campaign could be perceived" and "in no way intended to offend."
"It was aimed specifically at a millennial audience and although the language is suggestive, it was very important for us to ensure that the images used were not explicit," he added.
Although the reception of the campaign was seen as mixed, Romanovskienè stressed that Go Vilnius was never worried that others, perhaps older travelers, could be demotivated.
“It was particularly popular among the millennial audience from 18 to 35 years old, [but] the campaign was about humor and the ability not to take oneself too seriously, and I think these characteristics are especially appreciated by older people. and educated, ”he said.
"I think the attractive message helped to capture the attention of consumers, and then led them to discover more about what the capital has to offer of its cultural heritage, festivals and events, and beautiful natural spaces in the city center" he added.
However, he acknowledges that a daring campaign like this has an additional benefit because of the news he caused around the world. "Sometimes bold ideas attract more attention," he explained. "We are open to bold and creative ideas, and we also know what it takes to defend a daring idea or a non-traditional way of marketing the destination."
While nearby capitals, including Riga and Tallinn, are the main destinations for bachelor parties, and destinations in Prague and Budapest have seen problems for visitors who have become less tolerable for their behavior, Romanovskienè said he is not worried that The campaign attracts the wrong kind of tourist.
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"We are very careful to develop tourism in a sustainable way that is beneficial not only for the tourism industry but also for the local population," he told CNN. “I'm glad to say that I don't remember any serious incident related to tourists in Vilnius. We are grateful for the curious, open and respectful visitors the city receives. ”
Matt Mavir, founder of Last Night of Freedom, a tour operator for bachelor parties, told CNN that Vilna "used to be our number one destination abroad", but that the lack of low-cost air routes to the city " it's over ”your business
"I think it has had a poor performance as a destination and this campaign could bring some back," he said. But he had some concerns about the decline in visitor quality, and said that "in the spectrum of bachelor party groups, I would be surprised if they attract anything less than good culturally conscious groups."
And with the increase in visitors by almost 40%, you can expect other destinations to start testing similar campaigns.
LithuaniaPolémic Campaign
