Creepy ‘Do It For Denmark’ Campaign Is A Weak Attempt At Raising The Nation’s Birthrate

Come on, Danes, get with it! Why are you so good at birth control? Statistics indicate that birth rates in Denmark have hit an alarming low: 10 babies per 1000 women in 2013. This is compared to a much more robust US birthrate at 63 babies per 1000 women.

This is precisely why this very strange ad campaign was created””to encourage Danes to get it on and have the babies. The ad was launched by a Danish travel company called Spies Travel. The “Do It for Denmark” ad is blatant in its message: Have more sex to increase the population and make sure that you are doing it on vacation WITH OUR COMPANY.

Hmm. I love vacation, but I don’t know how well I would respond to an ad telling me to have sex. The company’s motivation is related to the statistic that Danes are 46% more likely to have sex on holiday. It gets better. The vacation company is also offering a prize to couples who can confirm that they conceived on a Spies Travel vacation:

All you have to do is go to a romantic city (Spies suggests London, Paris, Barcelona), have unprotected sex and send in images of positive pregnancies tests along with medical records. Prizes include a three-year supply of diapers, a fancy baby buggy and a family-friendly resort vacation.

Oh, boy. I suppose if you’re going to get knocked up with encouragement from high-pressure sales tactics, a bonus prize of three years’ worth of diapers is pretty sweet. But the premise of this ad campaign still doesn’t sit well with me.

Why is a vacation company trying to profit off a legitimate “birthrate crisis” in Denmark? How are they going to make couples prove their conception in order to earn a prize? (Couples will likely have to bring in a doctor’s report and sonogram to confirm when the baby was conceived.) What about couples who may struggle with infertility and, thus, can’t earn the prize?

I can only assume that the many couples using birth control successfully in Denmark have a good reason. Kids are major commitment and are also majorly expensive. Many couples choose not to have kids at all. I doubt that one vacation with the potential for a few fun prizes is going to change their mind.

(Image: mast3r/Shutterstock)