A recent video ad featuring Norway’s capital by VisitOSLO, the official marketing organisation for Oslo and the surrounding regions, has been attracting considerable attention on social media.
READ MORE: One day in Oslo: How to spend 24 hours in the Norwegian capital
Featuring the dry, understated humour typical of Norway, the ad stands out by not trying too hard to sell the city’s charms but instead offering an ironically halfhearted endorsement from a local.
A unique tour of Oslo
The ad’s protagonist, 31-year-old Oslo resident Halfdan, gives viewers a tour of his city through a lens of gentle mockery.
“I wouldn’t come here, to be honest,” he begins with a deadpan expression, setting the tone for the entire ad, before adding ‘I temporarily live here… unfortunately’.
As he wanders through the streets, he continues, “Oslo is just not… I mean, is it even a city, you know what I mean? Everything is just so… Available, you know? There’s no exclusiveness.”
His commentary highlights Oslo’s accessibility and small-town vibe, a contrast to the exclusivity often boasted by larger international capitals.
Halfdan also playfully jabs at the city’s cultural scene: “Culture? I don’t know. If you don’t have to stand in line for a couple of hours, is it even worth seeing?”
Standing in front of Edvard Munch’s famous painting The Scream, he quips, “It’s not exactly the Mona Lisa.”
And he also takes a dig at the locals who swim in Oslo’s fairly pristine waters. “It’s disgusting,” he says.
Reactions on Twitter
The ad has sparked a flurry of reactions on Twitter, showcasing that it resonated with audiences.
One user praised the ad’s cleverness: “This is pretty great. If people don’t ‘get it,’ they don’t deserve to go.”
Others echoed this sentiment with comments like “A city is also its attitude. And the choice of narrative in this ad says it so well” and “I want to visit Oslo now, haha.”
However, amidst the praises, some users pointed to Oslo’s high prices as an obstacle, with one noting, “Good ad. Except. It’s just LUDICROUSLY expensive. Like, laughably, impossibly so.”
Another added, “He got his table at that restaurant so easily because those three pieces of asparagus will cost him 50 US dollars.”
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Well, Norway is not as expensive as it used to be for Americans, with the outrageously strong US Dollar and weak Norwegian Krone. I’ll bet most things are on par with or cheaper than in NYC.
Hello,
Even living here I have noticed the gap close between Oslo and other cities close as the krone has weakened. Eating out is still pricier, but the gulf between Norway and London doesn’t feel as outrageously huge as five years ago. Best, Frazer – The Local Norway