SAS removed a criticized commercial from YouTube less than a day after it was published following a cyberattack.
Now the film has been posted again along with another shorter version, the company tells TT.
The film, which has caused a stir on social media, stated that ”nothing is Scandinavian – everything is copied.” The commercial was published on Tuesday but was removed the following day from both YouTube and SAS’s Facebook page.
The reason was that the company had been subjected to an attack that consisted of several similar comments with similar wording and that the number of "thumbs down" on YouTube increased at an unusually high rate.
”"When we saw this abnormal traffic on our YouTube channel and on our Facebook page, we suspected it was a cyberattack. We can never accept being a platform for other people's opinions that we do not support. Therefore, we chose to temporarily remove the film and see if we could do something about it," says Karin Nyman, Director of Communications at SAS, to TT.
In the film, SAS highlights foods or inventions that are considered Scandinavian but originate from other countries. Examples include meatballs, Denmark's beloved open-faced bread, and the Midsummer pole.
”"What is really Scandinavian? Absolutely nothing," says a narrator.
This led to a wave of criticism on social media from people who believe it denigrates Sweden and Scandinavia. One critic is the Sweden Democrats' party secretary Richard Jomshof.
”"What utter fucking nonsense and self-hatred. I've always tried to fly with SAS, but never again," he writes on his Facebook page.
The film is available in several different versions, and a shorter version where the advertising message comes across more quickly was published on Wednesday evening - along with the longer version.
”"It is the unique Scandinavian thing that we stand for and the unpleasant thing is the political messages they want to impose on us and that is what we must resist."”
Others who appreciated the commercial instead criticize SAS for not standing up for its values by deleting the commercial.
TT: What do you say about the criticism that you didn't stand up for your values when you deleted the film?
”"I think it's incredibly important to understand what an extreme situation a cyberattack is. It's incredibly dangerous and unpleasant to be used as a platform for other purposes and therefore it's important to get control of it."”
Source: TT
