Unbelievably, this ad — showing an elderly woman flipping the bird to people who refuse to wear a mask during the pandemic — was sanctioned by Berlin’s tourism board.
“A finger-wag for all those without a mask,” read the poster by the capital city’s tourism authority.
Titled the “We obey the corona rules” ad — which ‘Visit Berlin’ and the city senate launched Tuesday — was obviously aimed at preventing the further spread of the deadly COVID but some people found it offensive and it was quickly pulled the next day.
A spokesperson for the tourism board explained:
“Berliners are very well known for their direct communication,” he said, adding that he thought many Britons would appreciate the levity.
As it turned out, it was a little too direct for most people.