Iceland’s cheeky tourism ad spoofs Metaverse; Zuckerberg finds it 'amazing'

Iceland’s tourism department has released a satirical ad mocking Facebook Founder Mark Zuckerberg and Meta.

In a video released recently, Iceland’s tourism authorities introduced Zuckerberg’s Icelandic alter-ego, Zack Mossbergsson, played by Icelandic actor and writer Jorundur Ragnarsson. Ragnarsson dons a long sleeve black T-shirt similar to the one Zuckerberg wore while rebranding his flagship Facebook last month and also imitates the chief executive’s speaking style.

The video by business board, called ‘Inspired by Iceland,’ invites people to be part of the “Icelandverse,” a new initiative with “enhanced actual reality, without silly-looking headsets.”

“Today I want to talk about a revolutionary approach to connect our world without being super weird,” Ragnarsson said in the video.

Highlighting the scenic beauty of Iceland, Ragnarsson says: “Some said it’s not possible. Some said it’s out of reach. To them, we say it’s already here.”

Apart from firing potshots at Metaverse, the parody spoofed Zuckerberg for his excessive use of sunscreen. Ragnarsson is shown smearing blue mud on his face in the video in the country’s natural thermal pool.

The video was an instant hit on social media platforms, with netizens lauding the creators for the ad. Ironically, it received 9.12 lakh views and more than 800 comments on Facebook.

“The hand movements had me crying,” historian Mar Hicks tweeted.

Another Twitter user said: “This is the stuff of genius.”

On Facebook, one user wrote: “Marketing done right. Meta should hire them.”

Acknowledging the parody, Zuckerberg wrote on Inspired by Iceland’s Facebook page: “Amazing. I need to make a trip to the Icelandverse soon. Glad you’re wearing sunscreen too.”

Iceland’s tourism authorities replied to the post, saying, “Oh, hi Mark! You're always welcome. Icelandverse is open 24/7!”

The new marketing campaign by Iceland seeks to encourage tourists to visit the once popular destination. According to a Sky News report, Iceland was visited by two million people in 2019. The numbers have dwindled since the pandemic, but are likely to be on track this year.