:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/dlnews/5CTNUPRXDRE6NG2YVU7MDQJSHI.jpg)
It seems that some people cannot distinguish between the two European countries. On the one hand, this may be because of their minimally similar names, and on the other hand, because the flags of both countries contain a cross.
Therefore, the video published by the Swedish Tourism Agency wants to sort things out once and for all. For example, VisitSweden recommends to its Swiss colleagues that both countries stick to clearly recognizable themes during marketing, in order to avoid future mistakes. According to the Swedes, only Switzerland should be talking about banks, clocks and LSD (created by a Swiss chemist), but only Sweden should be advertising to potential tourists about moose, ice baths and traditional meatballs.
It is time that our nations can be separated more clearly than the sun
The video says.
A long comparative article was also prepared for the visual material, which aims to promote the two countries to travelers. Marketing literature contains phrases such as: While in Switzerland, curious eyes can see amazing LED light displays, in Sweden nature itself provides a play of lights, in the form of the northern lights.
But there is no mention of the famous “Swiss” furniture store brand “IKEA”, or “Swiss” Milka chocolate.
According to VisitSweden, Switzerland should also emphasize these differences on its websites.
All mistakes can be avoided if tourism agencies in both countries adhere to the proposed demarcation and only communicate with the outside world based on it.
– says the ad in a humorous tone.
If we think that it is not easy to confuse the two countries even on the basis of their English names (Sweden and Switzerland), it is useful to recall some cases to refute this.
The names of Scandinavia and the Alps are not only regularly mixed in the minds of tourists. Nearly half a decade ago, for example, the New York Stock Exchange welcomed Spotify’s surprise initial public offering by displaying a Swiss flag on the building at 11 Wall Street.
The only downside to this kind gesture was that the music streaming service was run by a Swedish company.
In addition to business life, sometimes world leaders make this mistake. At the NATO summit last year, US President Joe Biden caused confusion between the two countries when he answered journalists’ questions about Sweden joining the military alliance. By the way, VisitSweden also mentions this event It can be viewed here in the video.
