Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, has got down to break stereotypes with a humorous new promoting marketing campaign which pokes fun at widespread misconceptions of the town.
Expectations Vs Reality explores the destructive opinions individuals ceaselessly have in regards to the Capital, and Go Vilnius has created a satirical business video that exhibits the grim preconceived concepts versus the pleasant actuality of the town. The marketing campaign’s self-deprecating visuals will quickly be seen round London’s Tube stations too.
Expectation Vs Reality
Popular European cities draw hordes of vacationers all 12 months spherical and typically actuality is totally different from expectations. A current press article revealed that some change into overrated and disappointing. But what occurs when vacationer expectations are already low?
In actuality, Vilnius is a fashionable but charming metropolis that presents a shocking actuality with its vibrant cultural, gastronomical, and creative life. Visitors’ low expectations are swiftly shattered by seeing how a lot Vilnius and wider Lithuania differs from the destructive Eastern European label. The World Happiness Report has simply ranked Lithuania the world’s happiest nation for individuals below 30 so it will probably’t be that unhealthy, proper?
Busting the Eastern Europe stereotype
A survey has proven that Britons and Germans are simply turning into familiarised with Vilnius: 43% of UK and 62% of German residents are conscious of the town and know a little extra than simply its title. However, solely 9% of Britons and eight% of Germans have a deeper understanding of the Lithuanian capital.
Both the capital and the nation undergo from misconceptions that stem from the Cold War period and phrases resembling “Russian backwater,” or “a poor country,” are sometimes nonetheless utilized in reference to Lithuania. Opinions like these are typically fashioned by popular culture, movies, and social media is stuffed with photographs portraying what this a part of Europe supposedly appears to be like like – vodka, potatoes, gray skies, gray buildings, and fairly dreary all spherical. However, the preliminary low opinion of the town is often reversed after visiting Vilnius with 59% of British guests,who’ve already been, say they’d fortunately return.
Let us Change Your Mind
The new tourism marketing campaign strives to alter individuals’s minds about Vilnius. At first, the business depicts the commonest expectations of Vilnius — ugly buildings, drunks defacing the streets,
thieves, and shady market sellers — whereas the narrator, satirically, describes the town as an Eastern European pearl and a photographer’s paradise.
The second half breaks these stereotypes, exhibiting Vilnius in its true gentle – spectacular structure, vibrant streets, tempting gastronomy and thrilling vacationer points of interest and actions to rival many main European metropolis break locations.
Dovilė Aleksandravičienė, CEO of Go Vilnius, the official tourism and enterprise growth company of Vilnius which is behind the Expectations vs. Reality marketing campaign, says the business is atypical as no tourism company would ever promote a vacation spot in a satire if it was near the reality. However, if the curiosity of potential guests is piqued after watching the business they usually seek for Vilnius on the web, the aim has been reached.
“When asked about Vilnius, many international residents either don’t know it or know very little about it. 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,” Aleksandravičienė mentioned. “What many don’t know is that in the last 30 years, many cities in Eastern Europe have become unrecognisable 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.”
So what Can You Expect?
The UNESCO-listed Old Town is buzzing with pleasure from guests and residents alike with a full programme of occasions and festivals happening within the spring and summer time months resembling Street Music Day, Vilnius Pink Soup Fest, As Young as Vilnius Festival and Vilnius City Fiesta. Vilnius can also be a foodies paradise and among the metropolis’s eating places, resembling Džiaugsmas and Nineteen18, have made it on to the world’s greatest restaurant lists.
And, because the European Green Capital for 2025, the town lives as much as its title. Many eco-conscious initiatives like hydrogen-powered buses being launched into the streets by 2026 are constantly carried out, and luxurious greenery has been included into the town panorama.
The actuality of Vilnius just isn’t what individuals would possibly suppose. It’s a actually cool metropolis that you simply don’t suppose you’ll like however seems to be superb. Unexpectedly superb.
A bit like šaltibarščiai, that well-known pink soup – don’t knock it ‘til you’ve tried it!
