Pacific Magazine > Daily News
Fiji Tourism Ad Creates Controversy
Tuesday: March 04, 2008
(Radio Australia)
The use of an image of the British prime minister, Gordon Brown, with a flower tucked behind his ear, used to promote holidays in Fiji, is being met with international criticism.
But the Fiji Visitors Bureau says the response has been fantastic and holiday bookings are up.
The advertisement has outraged politicians in Australia and New Zealand who say rather than promoting beach holidays, the British PM should be demanding a return to democracy in Fiji.
A small London advertising firm who designed the ad says Downing Street gave the okay for an image of Gordon Brown with a hibiscus behind his ear to be used.
The British government says it's all a misunderstanding and the artwork wasn't cleared at the correct level.
