Inspired by Iceland, a communication platform promoting Iceland and Icelandic products, has taken aim at Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s video announcing the tech giant’s name change to Meta in its latest advertising campaign.
On Thursday, the communication platform, which is owned and operated by Business Iceland, published a marketing video on YouTube promoting tourism in the country.
The video looks eerily similar to Zuckerberg’s October video promoting the “metaverse,” a “hybrid of today’s online social experiences,” and an immersive experience that will be “expanded into three dimensions or projected into the physical world. ”
It features a Zuckerberg-lookalike, sitting in a large yet minimal home with open windows overlooking picturesque views.
The lookalike is even complete with a matching black sweater and haircut, similar to the one Zuckerberg wore in his own Meta advert.
“Hi, and welcome to this very natural setting,” the speaker begins the video. “Today I want to talk about a revolutionary approach on how to connect our world—without being super weird,” he continues before the camera pans to stunning snow views.
“And what do we call this not so new chapter in human connectivity?” he asks, before declaring, “The Icelandverse,” a place of “enhanced actual reality without silly looking headsets.”
The video then goes on to promote Iceland’s “completely immersive” experiences, such as its “real water that’s wet” and “real humans to connect with,” as well as “real moss you can look at, skies you can see with your eyeballs,” and “volcanic rocks you can caress.”
The parody goes beyond Inspired by Iceland’s video and can be seen in an accompanying statement.
“Icelandverse has been built with experts in government, industry, nature and academia, plus a few volcanoes,” Sigridur Dogg Gudmundsdottir, head of Visit Iceland, said in the video’s press release.
“With vast open spaces and enchanting nature, there is something for everyone to enjoy. We’re proud of what has been built so far, and we’re excited about what comes next—as we move beyond what’s possible today, beyond the constraints of screens, and create new opportunities and experience new things in reality. It is a future that involves getting out in the real world,” Gudmundsdottir added.
Facebook Inc. announced it was officially changing its name to Meta on Oct. 28, shortly after the company endured leaks and so-called whistleblower complaints about its companywide practices.
In an accompanying news release, Facebook stated it would change its stock ticker from FB to MVRS, effective Dec. 1.
The social media giant has faced criticism in recent months over the way it handled internal research relating to its Instagram platform and how it can be harmful to the mental health of teenagers.
Facebook and Zuckerberg have also faced leaks and internal criticism for how the company handled its content moderation. A report published by The Wall Street Journal, among others, revealed the existence of an internal Facebook study that argued that websites such as Breitbart, Western Journal, and The Epoch Times should have their reach suppressed on the platform.
Jack Phillips contributed to this report.
