Helsinki has turned a throwaway line in a celebrity interview into a clever piece of city branding.
After Pamela Anderson told Vogue Scandinavia that she wanted to reconnect with her Finnish roots and even reclaim the surname Hyytiäinen, the city responded with a short film inviting her to do exactly that.
Fronted by Finnish actor Janne Hyytiäinen, the film addresses Anderson directly, with the campaign extending to Vancouver Island, where billboard ads were placed along roads in and out of her home city.
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Titled ‘Operation: Make Pamela a Hyytiäinen,’ the film sees Janne Hyytiäinen explain how the surname could be formally adopted under Finnish law, outlining routes including marriage, adoption or citizenship. Adding another layer of intrigue, Anderson and Hyytiäinen may even be distant relatives. Fewer than 1,800 people in Finland share the Hyytiäinen surname, according to Finnish population data.
“After reading Anderson’s interview in Vogue Scandinavia, we wanted to respond with a warm welcome to Helsinki. Many of the interests she has spoken about publicly, from nature and wellbeing to a simpler everyday rhythm, are also things Helsinki has a great deal to offer,” said Soila Lehkonen, head of brand and PR at Helsinki Partners.
“Anderson’s public comments regarding her Finnish heritage sparked a simple question on our end: if someone publicly expresses a wish to reconnect with their Finnish roots, what would a welcoming, functional city do? For Helsinki, the answer was to send an invitation.”