VenereItalia23 is the username of the now most famous virtual influencer in Italy: Botticelli's Venus! She is in fact the protagonist of the new international campaign of the Italian Ministry of Tourism which targets to travelers from all over the world and which aims to make all the wonders of Italy known. Even the new claim of the project "Open to Wonder" actually refers to the wonders of the Italian peninsula by mixing Italian and English.

This campaign has certainly caused discussion and has managed to divide the public between those who appreciate it and those who hate it, but let's see what are its main elements that have divided public opinion in this way.

Venereitalia23: the logo

The idea of the logo of the new international campaign of the Ministry of Tourism is very simple: an Italian flag cut laterally like a window. The goal is in fact to dialogue with the claim of the "Open to Meraviglia" project; in fact, the window symbolizes the opening of the eyes of the world to the wonders of Italy! According to some this is simple and effective, according to others on the other hand it’s just simple and insignificant. The major criticism pointed was precisely at the simplicity of the whole logo and so not having exploited the potential of such a fundamental asset by thinking of something more complete.

Venereitalia23: the idea and the graphic layout 

The idea and the graphic layout are probably the aspects that have most stirred up public opinion. Botticelli's Renaissance masterpiece has in fact been borrowed and taken out of context. In fact, the protagonist of the campaign is Venus who leaves her role as a divinity to become a 21st century fashionista girl, influencer by profession. In fact, we always see her with her hair in the wind on various famous landscapes of our country. Many have spoken out against the campaign precisely for the graphic realization of these official images as not only has Venus lost that sacred aura that distinguishes great works of art but it has been photoshopped into fairly stereotyped two-dimensional images. Many agree that even the same idea implemented differently would have received more support. For example, 3D models could have been used thanks to artificial intelligence or alternatively, avoiding the use of the figure of Venus, involving the many Italian influencers who already communicate the beauties and traditions of the Italian territory.

Venereitalia23: the budget 

Another aspect that has caused discussion is the huge budget allocated for the campaign which amounts to 9 million euros! However, it should be emphasized that this figure includes the very high costs of advertising space that will be purchased in the major airport and railway hubs of the world. The target of this campaign is in fact global and focuses on Europe, the Gulf countries, the USA, Central and South America, China, India, South East Asia and Australia. Furthermore, the promotional video relating to the campaign will be broadcast on Ita Airways flights and in European railway stations! 

Surely this unusual and slightly irreverent campaign has caused discussions but, among criticisms and debates, the real question is: will the new Venere influencer be able to promote Italy in the world in the long term? We'll see!