AI brings Mona Lisa to life - and she’s recommending not to go see her

A new activation campaign from tourism organisation VisitDenmark wants to put the country of LEGO®, ‘hygge’ and H.C. Andersen on the map as the antidote to bucket list tourism. Historical and cultural icons meet ground-breaking technology as Mona Lisa, the Statue of Liberty, and other iconic tourist attractions come to life in humorous videos, carrying a very simple message: Don’t come see me - visit Denmark instead.

For decades, people have wondered about Mona Lisa’s mysterious smile – but have you ever wondered what she would say if given the chance to speak? Now she, along with a series of other iconic attractions, has come to life in a series of videos created by artificial intelligence. The different artworks are speaking out, advising potential visitors to avoid tourist traps and travel to Denmark. As travellers seek more authentic experiences, Denmark highlights that a visit to the country isn’t about ticking off the most famous sights but rather stumbling across the many wonders that hide around every corner of the small Scandinavian country.

Tourist attractions aren’t so attractive anymore

In a recent study in the UK, Germany, and Sweden, 56% responded that overcrowded tourist sites and landmarks were a reason for holiday disappointment, while 46% nodded in agreement when asked if 'feeling like a tourist' would spoil their holiday. Today's travellers are looking to find hidden gems and seek off-the-beaten-path experiences rather than ticking off a long list of mainstream attractions. 57% of the surveyed group also answered that getting out and exploring new places made for a great holiday.*

"From a marketing perspective, the current trends only make Denmark more relevant as a vacation spot," says Kathrine Lind Gustavussen. "We are obviously always advocates for Denmark, but as a country that doesn't have 'one main attraction' but rather an abundance of smaller, unique experiences in everything from nature to culture, Denmark fits the wish ‘the road less travelled’ perfectly and we welcome Explorists to the land of everyday wonder.”

Art history meets modern technology

The campaign is unique in that both the scripts and the visuals are created by artificial intelligence. While the new techniques like deepfake and motion synthesis have been used to bring images to life in the last couple of years, the addition of scripts generated completely by AI makes it one of the first campaigns to combine the two technologies. Kathrine Lind Gustavussen, Senior PR & Press Manager from VisitDenmark explains: ” The scripts are 100% generated by AI – we didn’t write a single word - we only removed parts and bits that were too long or simply not true. While it felt somewhat risky to put our entire messaging in the hands of artificial intelligence, we’re excited to be at the forefront of the tourism industry, using cutting-edge technology to bring our creative visions and messages to life.”

Please find images and video resources here. 

See the full film here.