The witty video, which includes phrases like “You wouldn’t come here” and “Is this a city?”, has been shared thousands of times on X (formerly Twitter) and has been viewed more than six million times.
The video shows a Norwegian man named Halfdan telling the camera all the things he dislikes about the city where he was born and raised.
But listening to Halfdan’s emotionless way of speaking makes it clear that Oslo is an ideal place to visit.
One thing it doesn’t have is the ease of getting around the city, which isn’t a bad thing if you don’t want to cram into public transport or don’t have a lot of time to sightsee.
Another reason is that there are no queues at museums, as there are in Paris or Rome, which may be a good thing for those who have better things to do than wait in line: the city may not have the Mona Lisa, but it does have Edvard Munch’s “The Scream.”
Getting a seat at a Michelin-starred restaurant isn’t difficult either, with the voiceover suggesting it’s possible to get a seat without a reservation.
You might bump into royalty or prime ministers walking down the street – Halfdan complains that there’s “too much access” to it all – a refreshing change from a city where celebrities congregate only in upmarket locations.
With a tongue-in-cheek narration that cleverly showcases Oslo’s architecture, swimming pools, art and culture, the humorous video has been a big hit with viewers.
“I think this is the best tourism commercial I’ve ever seen and it makes me want to go to Oslo,” one YouTube user wrote in the video, which has been viewed more than 250,000 times.
“Probably one of the best tourism adverts I’ve ever seen,” wrote one viewer watching X. Another added: “I absolutely loved this, kudos to the marketer who first suggested this.”
Anne-Signe Fageleng, marketing director at Oslo Tourist Board, said: “We released it with butterflies because it showcases a fairly dry Nordic sense of humour, but we weren’t sure if people would get it, and certainly didn’t expect it to go viral.”
“This approach is not without risks, but fortunately we have seen a tremendous amount of positive interest so far,” she added.
However, this is not the first time an ad has incorporated the dry humour that Nordic countries are known for.
Last year, the Swedish Tourist Board launched an advertising campaign urging viewers not to confuse it with Switzerland, and in 2021 the Icelandic Tourist Board ran an ad parodying the metaverse.
