The Italian tourism board's latest influencer campaign has sparked heated debates as it brings Botticelli's iconic masterpiece, Venus Anadyomene, to life as a 30-year-old virtual influencer on Instagram. The Ministry of Tourism's attempt to promote Italy's 'most fantastic places and venues' through the virtual character has faced criticism from art historians and social media users alike. Despite accumulating thousands of followers, the campaign faces backlash for perceived cheapening of Italy's artistic heritage, stilted copywriting, and questionable use of B-roll footage.
Italy's Ministry of Tourism took a bold step in modernizing art promotion by introducing Venus Anadyomene from Botticelli's Birth of Venus as a virtual influencer on Instagram. Described as a "worldwide Renaissance icon and Italy lover," the digital character tours the country's most captivating locations and shares travel tips, even hosting logo reveals. However, the campaign's attempt to blend art and modern media has not been without its detractors.
Art historian Livia Garomersini voices concerns about the campaign's impact on Italy's artistic heritage, seeing it as a potential cheapening of the nation's profound cultural legacy. Criticism extends to Venere's content quality, with social media users lambasting the stilted copywriting, even in the Italian translations. To further complicate matters, some users have called out the character for using B-roll footage of Slovenia, falsely presented as Italy.
While the virtual influencer has garnered over 187K followers, it hasn't shielded her from negative remarks. Many users express discomfort with the campaign, labeling it cringe-worthy and questioning the name choice, Venere23.
Some have even facetiously suggested that the campaign's slogan, declaring Italy 'open to meraviglia' (open to wonder), should be altered to 'open to cringe.'
With opinions divided, the Ministry of Tourism faces a challenging balancing act to promote Italy's art and culture in a digital age while respecting its rich heritage. As the controversy surrounding Venus Anadyomene's virtual persona continues, it serves as a poignant reminder of the complexities inherent in blending tradition with modernity in the world of influencer marketing.
