Colombia: Truth in advertising

Kudos to the beautiful and intriguing nation of Colombia for cutting through the PC sugarcoating with its new tourism slogan:*

The Only Risk is Wanting to Stay

It's true: Unfortunately, the first reaction people generally have when you say you're thinking of booking a ticket to Bogota is either a guarded look or a reference to a.) FARC** b.) the Medellin cartel, or c.) the movie, Maria Full of Grace.

(If you're talking to a warm-blooded human with XY chromosomes, they might mention Shakira as well. But only after mentioning Pablo Escobar.)

So this ad campaign takes the bull by the horns and tackles the preconceptions early on.

- As the commercial states, the word for "foreigner" is the same as the word for "friend" (not "ransom")

With lovely images and music, it reinforces the point that:

- No, you won't need to take an armed posse of guards with you to the club. (ED NOTE: That's Johannesburg.)

- Yes, you will be storing your souvenirs in the normal way during the return flight, in the overhead compartment, not your anal cavity.

Imagine if other destinations around the world adopted similar no-bull taglines.

- Yes, we have hookers!

- Not the shithole you previously imagined.

- You'll come for the cheap trinkets. You'll stay for the cute street dogs.

- Where five-mile taxi rides from the airport only cost $50.



* This slogan replaces the previous one: "It's spelled with an 'O', jackass."

** Not to be confused with Fark