Bist Du Deutschland?

I hope you’re not missing the flap in the blogosphere over the “Du Bist Deutschland” (You Are Germany) campaign. It’s well described in this article in Der Spiegel’s English edition here. (This story was Technorati’s top search last week.)

Let’s see if I can paraphrase. Very briefly:

  1. Ad agency launches “Du Bist Deutschland” campaign designed to cheer up gloomy Germans.
  2. Photo discovered  and published. Oops. “Denn Du Bist Deutchland” was a National Socialist campaign.
  3. Story gets blogged like crazy. Parodies erupt everywhere.
  4. Ad agency guy blasts bloggers, saying, “They’re the toilet walls of the internet.” Oops.
  5. Story gets blogged like crazy, Parodies erupt everywhere. You can now add a little “Ich bin Klowand” (I’m a toilet wall) chiclet to your site.
  6. Lather, rinse, repeat.

There’s a huge Flickr set of “Du Bist Deutschland” paraodies. I was suprised to find that hidden amongst them are Sabrinak‘s stunning photos of the Jewish Museum in Berlin and the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. Not your typical response – and worth a look.

3 thoughts on “Bist Du Deutschland?”

  1. What kind of ad agency puts forth a campaign without thoroughly researching it? Worse, what kind of campaign manager insults one of the most powerfully viral media audiences. What a total CF! But funny as hell – and I don’t even read German!

  2. You said it. What a total FU. Viral marketing, Mr. von Matt. No doubt you’ve heard of it? It’s an “internet” thing…

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