Karen and her baby: A very Grey area
Destinations across the globe continue to grab attention through social media in a bid to emulate Tourism Queensland’s Best Job in the World campaign.
There have been a few Best Job copycat attempts, but none has gathered as much free publicity as the choice of Ben Southall as Island Caretaker on the Great Barrier Reef.
Langham Hotels misfired with its online video promotion when it depicted a tourist leaving the Langham Hotel in Hong Kong and roaming Kowloon in search of a meal, struggling to order at a local street food stall, being served rice porridge with a large chicken foot, and finally retreating to the hotel to order spring rolls in the comfort of the hotel’s restaurant.
Seems the locals weren’t happy at been portrayed as buffoons with strange eating habits.
Now comes the YouTube video of a 27-year-old Danish woman claiming to be looking for the father of her child, August, who was conceived after a night of casual sex.
The story goes: the pair met one balmy Danish evening in a bar in Copenhagen, went back to her house, had sex, and when Karen woke up in the morning her lover had fled.
Now Karen – “I’m no bimbo” – wants to let the father know about the baby.
It was, apparently, a fake video produced for VisitDenmark by advertising company Grey Group, whose spokesman is reported to have said, that it was “the most successful viral advertising ever. We have cut through the media clutter. It has cost us the same as a 30 second commercial, aired a few times on TV”.
The video was pulled from YouTube but only after an estimated 750, 000 had watched it over three days.
One theory for it being taken off YouTube is that VisitDenmark didn’t believe the hoax would be uncovered so quickly, and thus had no contingency plan in place.
Allegations that the video was in poor taste persuaded the Danish Tourist Board into an apology as well as a defence of its intentions.
VisitDenmark CEO Dorte Kiilerich said, “We tell a good and sweet story about a mature, responsible woman who lives in a free society and shoulders the responsibility of her actions. And she uses a modern social medium.”
It was in Shakespeare’s Hamlet that we heard that “Something is rotten in the state of Denmark”.
But I’m not convinced this video is it…
-by Ian Jarrett
Watch the video here
www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-SSHxGGpjM
Ian Jarrett
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Airbnb eyes a loyalty program but details remain under wraps
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season
Major rail disruptions around and in Berlin until early 2026